Here is a recap of an interview with Tyrique after his ceremony today:
On early signing day there was no decision from 5-star DB Tyrique Stevenson, who is down to Miami and Georgia.
He had two hats with him and thought about announcing a decision today.
The reason?
Stevenson says “I was tired of coaches, of everything - people keep coming at me.”
But he held off.
“When I woke up this morning it was `just wait,’” he said. “What’s been going through my mind is me making the right decision, the decision where I feel most comfortable. I woke up with my mind made (up), but when I got to school, riding in the car, a lot of emotion and thoughts start coming back. So when I got here I told our AD I would not be signing today, would be signing Friday and announcing at the (Army) game.”
He added that “This process is crazy, really messes with your emotions - you have to be strong-minded.”
Stevenson says a draw for Georgia is the idea of seeing “life outside of Miami.”
“It’s a college town - for me it’s just a different environment, a different scenario for me,” Stevenson said.
Of UM, he said, “Just the relationship with coach (Ephraim) Banda kept them at a high place with me. You don’t build relationships like that with a lot of coaches. For me and him to have a special one really means a lot to me. Just to be at home really and have a relationship with the coach that would actually coach me means a lot.”
Stevenson also said it "has a big impact" on him that Banda is now running UM's defense.
"What athlete wouldn't want to have their position coach also call plays?" Stevenson said.
So where does he go from here?
Stevenson says he'll sign on Friday, ask both programs to keep the information quiet, and then he'll announce at the Army game.
