Perspective on recruitment of Seantrel Henderson…

There’s a common theme among some bitter Miami fans that Randy Shannon can’t close. After top-ranked offensive lineman Seantrel Henderson picked USC earlier today, those complaints were voiced yet again.

Below is a blurb from Thayer Evans of the New York Times regarding the Henderson recruiting process and hopefully shedding some light for those who live in the dark:

“The decision of Henderson, who has yet to qualify academically, capped a frantic final recruiting week.

It started last Wednesday with a visit by Southern Cal coaches: Lane Kiffin, the head coach; his father, Monte, the defensive coordinator; Ed Orgeron, the assistant head coach; and James Cregg, the offensive line coach.

Sean Henderson recalled telling his son in his freshman year, “If you really, really kill it, who knows, you might get a call from U.S.C. someday.”

In May, that dream came to be with a call from Pete Carroll, then the Trojans’ coach. During his son’s recruitment, Sean Henderson said, recruiters from other colleges mentioned that the Trojans might face penalties from an N.C.A.A. investigation of their athletic program. But while visiting the Hendersons last week in Minneapolis, Lane Kiffin told them not to be worried, Sean Henderson said.

“As far as he’s been informed — he was very, very choosy with his words — there shouldn’t be anything going wrong because there was no knowledge of anything going on by the staff,” Sean Henderson said. The Hendersons asked Kiffin to be clear about what impact the N.C.A.A. might have on the Trojans’ football program, Sean Henderson said. Just before Seantrel chose U.S.C. on Wednesday, Kiffin reiterated not to listen to others who said the Trojans might face sanctions.

The day after U.S.C.’s visit, Miami Coach Randy Shannon made his home visit, but it was delayed by an hour and a half while Seantrel was having his hair done.

After saying that he thought he was bound for U.S.C. just after midnight Friday, Henderson and his father left freezing temperatures in Minneapolis in a limousine sent by Miami to head to the airport for their official visit to the university. The trip was Henderson’s fifth and final official N.C.A.A. visit, and came on the weekend of the Pro Bowl in Miami Gardens, Fla.

That night, Seantrel Henderson was taken to a Miami club, where he met the former Miami stars Willis McGahee and Bryant McKinnie. The next day, McKinnie was kicked off the National Football Conference Pro Bowl team after two unexcused absences from practice. On Saturday he went to a South Beach nightclub, where he met Baltimore Ravens free safety Ed Reed, another former Miami player.

Sean Henderson said his son told him, “Wow, Dad, this trip right here is making my decision even harder.” Besides the Hurricanes’ storied history, father and son liked that the university was private and that the team was 9-4 last season and seemed to have a bright future. They also liked the warm weather, but had concerns about Miami’s fast pace.”

How can anyone say that Miami and this staff didn’t go after Henderson with a vengeance?

Shannon heads to Minneapolis for an in-home visit and is left waiting for ninety minutes while Henderson gets his hair done for his Wednesday close up. Days later UM sends a limo for the Henderson family’s trek to Coral Gables.

Henderson meets up with McGahee and McKinnie at a club, Friday night on South Beach during Pro Bowl weekend. The next night, he’s hanging out with NFL great and all-time Cane, Ed Reed.

Both Sean and Seantrel loved the UM experience, see the program improving, like where it’s headed and feel Miami has a bright future… and that STILL wasn’t enough, which is sometimes the case.

Henderson had USC on the brain for years and the family chose west over east. It happens, but not for lack of trying. All that “Miami is too fast paced” stuff would’ve flown if the big man chose Columbus (OH), but calling Miami too ‘big city’ and then choosing LA – not the smartest play.

Sounds like Cane coaches set up a perfect weekend for the top-ranked recruit, but the big man wasn’t to be swayed. His mind was made up before that free limo ride to the airport. It was a weekend away from freezing Minnesota while every NFL somebody was tearing up South Beach. Not exactly a bad weekend for a free trip.

It sounds a bit like the teen-friendly MTV series “Parental Control”, where a mom and dad aim to get their offspring to break up with said loser boyfriend/girlfriend by introducing a dreamy new partner into the scenario. In the end, offspring is forced to choose between current love interest or one of the two picks from mom and dad’s screening process.

The overwhelming majority of teens wind up sticking with their first love, despite being shown the flaws. That’s how it works when you’re young – you ignore sound advice and simply do what you want to do regardless.

Henderson and family know that the NCAA is ready to crack down on USC and choose to listen to Lane Kiffin’s cries of, “everything’s gonna be alright” and take it as gospel. “Ignore what they’re saying – we’ll be fine”.

Sounds like something the CEO tells his shareholders right before the hammer falls and the stock tanks.

Even though Henderson has verballed to USC, he’ll wait until late February to sign a letter of intent. USC will meet in front of the NCAA infractions committee between the 19th-21st to discuss the Trojans fate and while no clear cut answer will come that day, the Henderson family feels it’ll have a better feel on what the punishment will be.

Worth keeping an eye on the next few weeks? Absolutely. In the end, Henderson to Los Angeles doesn’t quite seem like a done deal.

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