http://blogs.courier-journal.com/ulbeat/2013/12/17/how-louisville-lost-a-recruit-to-miami/
Recruits change their minds all the time, even ones who seem entirely sold on the original school to which they’ve pledged to play. It’s happened a few times in recent weeks, now that coaches are back out on the recruiting trail and feverishly working to complete their classes. One Louisville commit flipped his decision at the end of last week. Why?
Let me start with this caveat: I know Marques Gayot pretty well. I’ve talked to his dad. Worked closely with his high school team’s booster club president. Spent a lot of hours chatting with his high school coach. I covered him and his high school team for three years in South Florida.
By all accounts and from all of my interactions with Gayot, he’s an intelligent kid who is mature for his age, which makes his decommitment from Louisville and commitment to Miami not your typical all-about-me teenager move. There’s more to it than that.
Gayot told me back in July how much he loved Louisville. His dad was in awe of the city. They loved their unofficial visit over the summer. His coach, Brian Dodds, probably felt awfully repetitive every time we talked about Gayot, because he kept saying how solid Gayot’s commitment was.
So naturally I was a bit surprised when Gayot committed to Miami on Friday. He said he wasn’t going to the Russell Athletic Bowl despite the fact that both schools in his final two were playing one another. He insisted he’d take an official visit to Louisville in January and seemed excited about the Cards.
But the ‘Canes were relentless in their pursuit of him, and the promise of immediate playing time and a December in-home visit swayed his commitment. Gayot was a frequent visitor of the Coral Gables campus and the 90-minute drive (120 if you drive at any time that isn’t nuts) was a big factor for his parents.
So I emailed Dodds and asked for his version of events. Here’s what he said:
“Miami has been on his mind since spring and, to my knowledge, they didn’t use the Texas rumor to get him to switch,” Dodds started. “I think his family was a big part of it. When his mother and father started to get involved and they went to visit Miami because of the proximity, I think Marques felt more comfortable. They also told him that they have no safeties left and he would get an opportunity right away. I also think that in his mind committing to the U is more meaningful, especially here in South Florida. He did love Louisville, but mom and dad didn’t visit, so I think that was a factor.”