THE LIST: FAU’s 2017 Commitments
BOCA RATON – Lane Kiffin comes to FAU with the reputation of being a coach who can get the best out of quarterbacks.
One FAU commitment says he has already experienced the Kiffin effect.
Three years ago, shortly after he became first became Alabama’s offensive coordinator, Kiffin visited Justice McCoy’s high school.
“I kind of memorized everything he said,” said McCoy, a senior at Louisiana’s St. Augustine High School.
McCoy recalls Kiffin being impressed what he saw from the then sophomore.
“He said that he really liked (the way I threw the) football, considering how young I was at the time and the way the ball came out my hand,” McCoy said.
Like most of the FAU commitments OwlAccess.com spoke with following the news that Kiffin would be the next Owls’ coach, McCoy embraced the hiring.
“Actually I think that was a good decision – probably one of the best decisions [for FAU] because I know how great a coach he is,” McCoy said,
McCoy is one of two quarterbacks currently committed to the Owls.
The other, Madison Central (Miss.) signal caller Jack Walker, has yet to meet Kiffin personally, yet he expressed similar sentiments to those of McCoy.
“Obviously he’s done well at Alabama,” Walker said. “He’s won a lot. He’s an offensive coach. He’s offensive minded, I think that will help me.”
At the moment FAU has 10 commitments for its 2017 recruiting class. A couple weeks ago FAU athletic director Pat Chun said he would allow whichever coach he hires to decide how to handle those commitments.
Kiffin arrived in Boca Raton Monday evening and FAU has called a 10 p.m. Tuesday press conference to officially announce his hiring.
After firing Charlie Partridge FAU retained, at least temporarily, Partridge’s assistants and sent them on the road to solidify the school’s relationships with recruits. Those assistants told many of the current commits that they can expect a phone call from Kiffin on Tuesday.
Blythewood (S. C.) tight end Roger Carter knows what he will ask Kiffin.
“What does he plan on doing with me and the whole offense, stuff like that,” Carter said.
Blinn College offensive tackle Hanner Shipley, who committed to FAU last week then de-committed this past weekend because of the Owls’ uncertain coaching situation, has been told he’ll get a call from Kiffin, too.
Shipley only wants to hear one thing from the new Owls coach.
“(Kiffin’s) a big name, it’s impressive what he’s done, but it doesn’t mean anything to me if (offensive line coach Garin) Justice isn’t there,” Shipley said. “I’m not willing to risk these last two years of college on uncertainty and not knowing if the guy I like is going to be there.”
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