A.J. Leggett (Most Likely) Not A Cane

A lot of chatter the past few days about Miami cornerback commitment A.J. Leggett not winding up in Hurricane orange and green next season.

It’s being reported that Leggett may be another casualty of UM’s high academic standards, something that has made alumni proud, while frustrating the Hurricane fan tied to the program for football and little else.

Leggett has a 2.4 GPA and scored a 22 on his ACT, so grades aren’t the issue. The fact that he’s been to more than two high schools, is. Leggett started at South Miami as a freshmen, transferred to Booker T. Washington as a sophomore, attended Gulliver Prep as a junior, Homestead this past summer and back to South Miami as a senior.

Leggett also insists all the jumping around was his parents’ decision and he’d have preferred to have only attended Booker T. and South Miami.

Leggett committed to head coach Al Golden months back, briefly switched his commitment to the Seminoles and then back to the Canes. Florida State is still interested in Leggett, as is Ohio State, but plans remain up in the air.

Another factor in the decision-making process; Leggett’s eleven-month old son A.J. III.

Leggett’s coach Lamont Green has chimed in on the subject, starting with commending UM for being open and honest with the process.

“At least they’re letting him know now before he puts his signature on any documents what the deal is,” Green said of Miami.

“We’ll see what he wants to do. Sometimes in college football things work out, sometimes it don’t. They told him they definitely want him, but they want to be up front and not have him get frustrated. I don’t know what he’s thinking. I’m waiting on AJ to see how he wants to attack it.”

Leggett is a Miami product who committed to the Canes back in February – a year prior to Signing Day 2012. “The U” has always been his top choice.

“I’ve been wanting to play at UM all my life,” said Leggett. “I see a lot of opportunity there. I’ve been working hard to get my grades right, my test scores, my classes and stuff in line.”

Unfortunately it doesn’t look like those stars are going to align and when hearing the entire saga, you have to feel for the kid as a lot of circumstances out of his control seem to have him in this bind.

Why the Leggett family bounced their son around remains an unknown, but based on growing up around football-first families in South Florida, one would think it had to do with coaching staffs, playing time, position, exposure and anything that was going to keep a premier player in the spotlight.

Leggett is currently a senior and is ranked the tenth-best corner in the nation, aspiring to play for a program in dire need of help in the secondary.

One can only imagine the frustration Golden, defensive coordinator Mark D’Onofrio and defensive back coach Paul Williams are feeling in the wake of this blow. Probably even worse that Leggett, who will thrive wherever he winds up.

Florida State and Ohio State simply don’t have the academic standards as Miami. I’m sure that statement would surprise the casual college football observer who wrongly lumps UM into that category, but the days of Sun Tan U are long gone in Coral Gables.

Not only has Miami become a premier university worldwide, but its athletes are expected to succeed in the classroom, as well. UM’s Athletic Progress Report (APR) rating is again in the top ten nationwide a big part of that is higher academic standards for football players.

No one is going to confuse Miami with Stanford on an academic level anytime soon, but the point is that grades to matter if you’re going to play football for the Hurricanes.

In this case, it looks like Leggett will be casualty of jumping around and paperwork woes, as his grades and test scores are good enough to get him into Miami. Leggett would need paperwork from all four high schools, which would be a tedious process that would call for one year of prep school to sort everything out.

So here sits Leggett at a crossroads; go to a prep school for a year, leave his son at home, put in the work and return to Miami for three seasons as a Hurricane – or – call it a day, go elsewhere for the next few years and take the show to the NFL in due time (barring a successful, injury-free career).

The story doesn’t even need to play out for Miami fans to know how this one is going to end. If you’re the betting type, you have to believe Leggett will be in garnet and gold next season. Ohio State is too far, Florida State is an eight-hour car ride from Miami and big time college football combined with instant gratification always seem to win out with teenagers over dues-paying and working towards a larger goal.

As an eighteen-year old, a year seems like a lifetime to Leggett, which is understandable. The thought of “doing time” at a prep school and not seeing the field for Miami until 2013, it probably sounds like the end of the world to him.

Of course in the grand scheme of life, adults know a year is a fleeting moment. The blink of an eye. It passes before you even know what happens. (On that note, where the hell has 2011 gone?)

As a parent, you hope that Leggett’s folks are giving their son sound advice – starting with an explanation about paying dues and working towards the ultimate goal. If Miami is truly Leggett’s dream destination, then don’t sell the dream short. Put in the year elsewhere (if need be) and come to Coral Gables hungry in a year. Period.

Of course if the dream is the NFL and college is just a stepping stone, then Tallahassee and Columbus are serviceable and three years from now, if the kid is as good as advertised, he’ll be playing on Sunday.

Wherever Leggett winds up, here’s hoping that he’s content with the choice. Canes fans may be frustrated about losing such a talented athlete, but at the end of the day, “next man in” comes into play and you simply recruit another corner and hope he gets the job done.

This isn’t a sports story as much as a human interest commentary and a desire to see a young man with a lot on his plate, guided the right way and doing what’s best for him and his young son. Period.

There are rules in this game of life and you either abide, break or choose another path. UM’s standards are what they are and can’t bend here as the integrity of the entire system and process go out the window if you make an excuse for one.

If anything, be proud that this university – in dire need of cornerbacks – will hold its ground, even with someone as talented as Leggett dying to get on board. Golden and staff would give anything to add Leggett to this class and obviously hope he goes the prep school route for a year while i’s are dotted and t’s are crossed. That said, a safe bet they don’t expect it and are making other plans.

It’s a moment like this that should be revered as much as a win on a Saturday, reminding you that is it truly great to be a Miami Hurricane.

Good luck in your journey, Amos. Hope you’re a Cane. Understand if you’re not. – C.B.

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