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.