If you’re a Miami coach, this one has to leave you scratching your head a bit, as there really is nothing else you could’ve done.
Sony Michel, the five-star running back from American Heritage-Plantation has been on Miami’s radar for years now, earning his first scholarship offer as an eight grader, courtesy of the Canes.
Michel grew up a UM fan and Miami was listed as his dream school, yet when it came time to pull the trigger on ESPN U this Friday night, Michel went with the Georgia Bulldogs, despite all the “love” UM showed and the fact that the Canes were on his since day one, which seem to be two things kids always list when finally choosing a school.
Michel to Georgia had been rumored for weeks now, part of his final three with Miami and Notre Dame. Florida and Florida State were also in the mix for the 5-foot-11, 205-pound back.
Despite the heavy recruitment by Miami, right down to the final wire as UM coaches were on American Heritage’s campus yesterday, continuing to recruit him aggressively, doing all that today’s high school athletes expect out of collegiate coaching staffs, yet Michel proved to be another local kid who simply wanted out.
“Miami came by my school and tried to make a big push for me this week, but I shot down all contact with coaches,” Michel said. “It will not be too difficult for me to avoid changing my mind. Once I make my decision I am solid with it, and I feel like nothing is really going to change that”
Michael has family in the Peachtree State and spent a large portion of last summer in Georgia, where he fell in love with the premise of change.
“Georgia is a wonderful place, first time I stepped on campus, I loved it,” Michel said. “Georgia is different and I wanted to experience something different.”
If you’re Miami coaches, on him since day one and right down to the end, how do you compete with that?
National Signing Day 2014 will take place next February 5th, so between now and then it’s simply a non-binding, verbal contract, but Michel appears to have his mind made up.
The loss of Michel is hardly the end of the world for Miami, but the addition of the second-highest-ranked running back would’ve been a solid addition to what UM hopes will be a strong class next year. The type of guy who might’ve helped open the floodgates, driving home the point that the Canes are on the end.
For now, UM will have to hope that a solid season on-the-field, coupled with the NCAA dark cloud finally passing, could help sway Michel between now and February. If not, then it’s simply time to play next-man-up and to recruit a back who wants to be part of this rising program.
In my opinion, in order for Miami to get back to bring amongst the nation’s elite, we need to start keeping these kids home. Obviously every kid is free to make their own decision and you’re not going to get all of them, but you can’t continue to lose elite players. Something obviously happened with Michel along the way for him to fall in love with Georgia. We need more Duke Johnson’s that grow up as Canes fans and actually go to The U. It’s tough to lose a kid who was offered in 8th grade and grew up as a fan and is now going away. With all that said, if we can hang on to Yearby and flip Cook, that would be more than fine with me and help offset the loss of Sony.
I am in no way happy about this news, but at least he isn’t a Gator or a Nole.
Al Golden righting the ship and getting players that are on board for the work ethic Coach Golden wants to instill. Players like this may not slip through our fingers again
I really believe he can be flipped and it has nothing to do with the relationship with any of the coaches. I think the one who can make it happen is Duke Johnson because of their close friendship.
It doesn’t sound good right now however its a long way till signing day and if its one thing we’ve learned about this staff is Golden won’t quit
What will be a telling sign is if he comes to any games this year or does go on an official visit
??????? just don`t get these young guys today.
I have no issue with Sony Michel and how he played this. Recruited by Miami since he was in eighth grade, Michel visited Georgia, felt at home and decided he wanted to play out of state. Alex Collins did the same, feeling like he wanted to get away, choosing Arkansas.
What is hard to understand are the head games, the hat tricks, the verbal commitments and bailing out last minute.
When I was eighteen I took some college visits and knew I wanted to leave Miami. Staying in my hometown and going to school down the street felt like the thirteenth grade. I wanted something new and wanted to get away from the neighborhood, while other friends had zero desire to leave the 305.
The real lesson in this is that in some cases, coaches can’t sell kids and change minds. If a player wants to go away, he’s going away. Doesn’t matter that Miami showed five years worth of love, was the kids initial dream school and that he still loves UM. Michel simply wanted to get out of town and that’s what he’s doing here. Good for him. Bummer for The U.
Yea nevermind that fact that it’s been said Georgia has poached his brother from UMASS and his girlfriend may very well be attending UGA as well..
SMELLS FOUL, MAN.
… no doubt that Georgia the $EC aren’t afraid to do whatever it takes to land a player. That goes without saying. Even the ACC, which paid the big bucks for Sammy Watkins, but down in Miami if a kid goes to Benihana with a booster and mows down some fried rice, it’s death penalty-worthy.