Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) St. Thomas Aquinas WR Sam Bruce and his mother, Tracye Wilkerson, took an official visit to Miami this weekend.
They will now huddle to try and come up with a decision that could be announced anytime from today through signing day.
Wilkerson has a unique way of describing the decision-making process for the two of them: "He's the head, but I'm the neck."
Translation: Mom will have plenty of input.
And, using that analogy, "the neck" wants to a UM scarf wrapped around it.
"I'm a South Florida gal," Wilkerson said. "For me personally, this visit was the icing on the cake. But it's not me that has to go to class, get on the field. I'm here to support him whichever way he chooses. But I'm his mom and I'd love for him to stay home."
The head?
Mom thinks Bruce is on board with Miami, where he's committed, but they are going to discuss all the pros and cons of his final three - Miami, South Carolina and Ohio State.
Making it all a bit simpler: Wilkerson said Bruce will not take a visit the final weekend of recruiting.
"He decided he took this visit and that's it, he's shutting it down," Wilkerson said. "The pressure, it's enough. He's had it."
This was Bruce's eighth time on campus with his mother - "the only difference with this being an official visit is we didn't have to pay for lunch," mom quipped.
She also made it clear to Bruce where her allegiances lie and is trying to make sure her son sees things her way ... perhaps better described as parental bribery.
"I'll bring him home cooked meals, will do his laundry (if he chooses UM)," she says.
Certainly the Canes put their best foot forward this weekend. Bruce was hosted by QB Brad Kaaya, and per mom the two formed a great bond.
"Brad, he had me laughing," Wilkerson said. "Sam had a really good time, the visit went very well. Every time I looked up at him he was grinning."
The impression coach Mark Richt made on mom?
"I was most impressed with coach Richt," Wilkerson said. "His philosophy and his coaching staff he put together is great. I also got a chance to meet his wife, she's a sweetheart. I love the family-oriented system he's trying to bring back to Miami that we witnessed in the '80s and early '90s, just a brotherhood. I love it, the whole direction."
Mom says Richt made it clear how badly the Hurricanes want Bruce in this recruiting class.
"Coach Richt wanted him to be his first (in home) visit after the dead period," Wilkerson said. "But we had to postpone that (due to filming of Bruce in a Playstation to Greatness segment). When coach Richt did come to the house (last week) it went very well. He's one of the most down-to-earth people I've ever met. He took his shoes off and we had a chance to really dialogue and talk, he wasn't in any rush."
The big question remains: Where will Bruce play college football?
The "neck" is optimistic he'll choose a close-to-home destination.
"In my gut, yes, I think that he'll be a Cane and that his mom will pull out the orange and green to wear," Wilkerson said.
CaneSport's take
Mom was extremely excited after this visit, and if she has a good read on her son - and you have to think she does - all signs point to him winding up a Hurricane a week from Wednesday.
