MONDAY INSIDER
1. We're going back to Tally, to Tally, to Tally ...Man, I don't think so.
At least not one specific prospect.
We're probably going back a full decade in remembering Dabo Swinney signing his adapted version of LL Cool J's song in advance of a Florida State meeting.
That's the thing about the classics. They withstand the test of time.
The major recruiting domino warranting discussion last week, as you know, was the undercard to Clemson against FSU on the field.
Join Tigerillustrated.com subscribers on The West Zone message board!
We broke the news Thursday that McDonough (Ga.) Eagle's Landing Christian Academy four-star offensive lineman Zechariah Owens would no longer be part of the class with a public decommitment imminent.
Owens (6-6, 350), ranked No. 188 nationally by Rivals.com, would confirm the news later that morning as well as our tease to the shock move he would instead be FSU's guest at the game.
As we indicated, the impetus behind the change of heart came as Owens made a decision he believed in the best financial interest for his family.
Owens has been quoted intimating that a family relocation prompted the move, and that he chose to put others over his thinking.
Recall that prior to his commitment, Penn State was Clemson's challenger. We informed subscribers that his father lived in the northeast and was the influence pushing for the Nittany Lions.
Owens chose Clemson, which had his mother -- with whom he lives -- and his high school coaching staff in its corner.
We want to be careful about getting too deep into anyone's family dynamics, as everyone has dirty laundry they'd rather not have aired publicly.
But recruiting is often about which person surrounding the prospect can be convinced as well. So if you're looking for the precise reason for the decommitment, it's simply that Owens changed which voice held the most weight.
We laid out the above to highlight that there can be more than meets the eye to recruiting decisions. Imagine being a teenager tugged in conflicting directions.
FSU brought in a group of ELCA prospects Saturday.
Multiple sources have told us that Owens was miserable on the visit, to the point he was cheering for Clemson in the FSU recruiting section.
We can confirm that Owens has reached back out to Clemson conveying a desire to get back in the fold.
A sensitive situation, to be sure, and conversations are still ongoing as to the resolution.
We have shown throughout the process that Owens' recruitment has lacked stability. Which, as some would tell you, is why Owens needs Clemson. But there are also consequences for actions, and the Tigers had already started wooing others.
Owens still has to speak with Swinney, and we would say that will go a long way toward the final outcome.
2. We foreshadowed forthcoming board expansion, and a subsequent new offer went Thursday to Provo (Utah) Timpview four-star Spencer Fano.
Clemson had liked Fano (6-4, 270), ranked No. 186 overall, on film previously but had no real reason to court him with its offensive line class full.
So the wheels didn't start in motion until Tuesday -- the day after Owens privately decommitted -- when Clemson's other offensive line commitments reached out to both gauge his interest as well as get a feel for his personality and character.
Their reports were favorable, and thus pursuit commenced -- quickly making Fano ready to give Clemson an official visit next weekend.
That didn't work out because of the noon kickoff for the Syracuse game, along with it perhaps strategically behooving the Tigers to push for a later date.
You must be a member to read the full article. Subscribe now for instant access to all premium content.
-
Members-only forums
-
Predict prospect commits with FanFutureCast
-
Exclusive highlights and interviews
-
Exclusive coverage of Rivals Camp Series
-
Breaking recruiting news