I still don't understand why an offer from a dirty *** $ec school validates any doubts on a recruit. AG and staff has proven that he/they know who can play. And in the future, all doubts will cease.
Nonetheless, great write-up!
Back in the day, when I had the rare opportunity to discuss recruits with the late Bob Karmelowicz, then our DL coach, he would discuss some unheralded recruit by mentioning the other visits the kid had. The coaching staff didn't recruit a kid by the quality of schools he was invited to, but it was clear the coaches felt validated when SEC powerhouses or FSU were also interested. In particular, there was one DE we were looking at from the south side of Dade. I can't remember who it was, but I think he ended up at the U. I want to think it was Baraka Short but that might not be right. Come to think of it, I believe it was David Holliman, who never did anything at UM, as I recall. So, everybody was probably wrong.
Check out this old article, and look at how some of these guys are ranked:
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1990-02-15/sports/9001240676_1_defensive-front-seven-defensive-line-corwin-francis
It would have been the '90 recruiting class, one that I did not like as much as some of my friends did, who also followed recruiting very closely, and they were, yes, "insiders." Had a great deal of contact with the coaches, one big talker was Kehoe, as I remember.
Interestingly, I ran into Corries Hardy up here in Maryland. He's running a barbecue food truck and catering business. I guess he's been doing well enough to leave his job with the county. Ries was highly recruited I think, tripped to Alabama, and ended up finishing his career at UCF because he was not getting time at the U, not with Kenny Holmes, Kenard Lang and Rusty Medearis in a rotation.
I remember that class. Erickson actually did chase the star system and ended up with plan band c's (This class). He learned his lesson and got better at it.
