My take on the Coley hire and recruiting effects

The James Coley hire today was HUGE in many respects. First, from a recruiting perspective. This hire for us and we take away FSU's biggest weapon in South Florida. This assures that we'll be locking down South Florida for next 5-10 years easily.

Second, he and his family live in the area and he went to Norland (in the shadow of Sun Life Stadium).  Third, he and Mario (Cristobal) are very close and you add Coley to the mix, and once the NCAA cuffs are off of Golden, we're going to be a major force nationally in recruiting as evidenced in this small class already. 

For the recruits still on the fence, I want to piggyback what Peter Ariz posted earlier this evening on this point and give my take on how each situation plays out. 

• Thomas: I had said for weeks even before the Coley hire that "6" was a lock to be here. After the Coley hire, I think we've clinched "6". Unless something really unforeseen happens, "6" will be a CANE on NSD. Peter said that Denzel Perryman was with him for a good part of last night's game at the BUC vs Duke and when you add to the fact that Barrow and Golden have been on him for a long time now, and also the addition of Coley as well as another piece of information Ariz received, I think its 99% he chooses us.
• Collins: The atmosphere at last night's game really give us a major boost with Collins above all else here. According to Ariz, he was with Duke for most of the night, and his mother, who really wants him to come here, was also at the game. Has you've all seen already, Collins stood and threw up the "U" as students chanted his name and he soaked it all in. He was seen on campus with his mother well after the game was over. Ariz thinks he would be very surprised to see him anywhere other than Miami. However, I would add some caution here. This weekend, he's supposed to take an OV to Arkansas, who has been pushing very very hard to get him there, specifically Bielema, who's been wanting him since he was at Wisconsin, before bolting Madison for Fayetteville. Florida was also in the mix too for a while, however, with the addition of Coley, and the NCAA issues, now more and more likely on the back burner, our staff can minimize those issues a lot now. I think Florida is fading here and our hand has been strengthened dramatically in the last 24-48 hours here.  
• Stacy Coley: Ariz in his update, spoke with his Head Coach, Former CANE RB Donnell Bennett, and he told him that he really loved the atmosphere at the game last night. For him, this was a rare appearance because it seems to me he's keeping the process very close to the vest. To see him there, is big from our standpoint. Here's where James Coley can pay big dividends here. He's going to be more hands-on here. While Lawrence Dawsey has been handling Coley's recruitment to FSU, ever since Eddie Gran bolted north for the Queen City, and they are close. You have to tip your hat to Carroll here in the short time he's been on Stacy. The thing in our favor here is  that Bennett wants him at UM and I agree with Ariz on this, it will the factor that puts us over the top here. I think its more and more likely Stacy Coley will be a CANE on NSD. 
• Bryant: Now, here's where Coley isn't a factor. Odell Haggins has been the one handling Bryant's recruitment for a couple years now for FSU. Ariz said that D had a visit with him today at his H.S. in Delray. In our favor is Golden, who, I think is the best closer in the country and with the disarray at FSU this off-season and the momentum building for us in the 24-48 hours, I put the chances of Bryant coming here at 75/25. 
• Grace: Yes, Charlie Strong is making a (pardon the pun), strong push to get him to go to Louisville, however, in the end, I'm with Ariz on this, I'd be stunned, if Grace isn't a CANE at 2 p.m. on NSD when he announces on ESPN. His teammates (Lewis and Howard) are on the roster and you can be sure, they're in his ear even now as we speak. 
• Edwards: A wild card that Ariz mentions here is Staten Island (NY) Tottenville RB Augustus "Gus" Edwards. He will visit here on 2/1 for his final OV. He's a Syracuse commit right now (committed on 7/10/12). He was looking at FSU before the big bombshell news that Coley was coming here. Coley was his recruiter in Tallahassee. This is one that needs to be watched closely here. I would disagree with Ariz here on the point that Edwards was going to come here. However, with the addition of Coley, I'm tending to go more and more with the possibility of Edwards and Collins coming here. If we were to add Edwards, in addition to the three recruits from NJ already, it would back up the statement Golden made in his very first news conference when he was introduced as the new CANES coach back in 2010, we will be very active in the Northeast and be a major presence up there. 

We'll see how things play out on NSD, but I think we're in very good shape here.