Top recruits weigh UM in final 48 hours

[Brad]

Top recruits weigh UM in final 48 hours

By MANNY NAVARRO

With less than 48 hours remaining before national signing day, the cellphones of the top remaining uncommitted recruits in South Florida are ringing off the hook with inquiries as to where they might be leaning.

While some -- like Hialeah defensive lineman Corey Liuget and Booker T. Washington cornerback Brandon Harris -- plan to wait until Wednesday to announce their choices, Northwestern's Tommy Streeter has decided enough is enough. His father said Monday afternoon his plan is to ''get it over with'' by Monday night or Tuesday morning at the latest.

''Last night was crazy,'' said Tommy Streeter Sr., a former defensive back who spent three seasons with the Toronto Argonauts in the Canadian Football League. ``After Tommy finished his visit to UM, he went to church and then came home and took a nap. Our plan was to talk things out and have a decision by the end of the Super Bowl. But we got like 3,000 calls. It just tore everything up. Tonight, we're turning the phone off, picking up where we left off and ending this madness.''

Streeter, one of three nationally rated undecided commitments in South Florida, is set to choose between the Hurricanes, Boston College, Oregon, South Florida and South Carolina.

The 6-5, 205-pounder is considered the second-best receiver in the country who has yet to pick a school according to Rivals.com. Julio Jones, a 6-4, 215-pound receiver from Foley, Ala., who is considering Florida State and Alabama, is No. 1.

Streeter Sr., who once passed up on the University of Miami to attend Colorado when he was a star coming out of Miami Northwestern in 1983, said that contrary to the beliefs of some, he isn't pushing his son to leave South Florida.

''All we've talked about is that he needs to pick the best school for him to spend the next four to five years of his life,'' Streeter Sr. said. ``If he wants to go to UM, he can go to UM and we'll support him. I told him about my experience and what recruitment is all about. We as a family have just stayed on course about making sure we sit down and talk it over.

``Tommy's a good, smart kid. He wants to go to a place where he can graduate quickly, in three years. He's done his homework too. He's gone on the Internet and done all the research about what the receiver position is like at each of those schools. Who they are recruiting, stuff like that. Once he tells me where he wants to go, I'll quiz him a little bit, ask him important things and if he's really convinced -- that's where it will be.''

B. HARRIS UPDATE

Harris, fresh off his final official visit to the University of Central Florida, said he will likely choose between UM, Ohio State and UCF when he makes his announcement from school at 1:05 p.m. Wednesday live on ESPN.

Harris said he still doesn't know where he wants to go but said he plans to reach a decision by Tuesday night.

''It was a nice trip. It was productive. I got a lot of it touring the campus and facility,'' Harris said. ``I know people think I'm crazy, but UCF -- they're in it. People don't see what I see and the experience I had. It was a wonderful time.

``The best part about it was the direction they're headed in with Coach O'Leary. He has a vision and a plan of where he wants the program to go. They just got a new stadium on campus. They're like a college town atmosphere. It's not too close to home, it's not too far from home. It's in the perfect location.''

``I'd say it's them three -- Miami, Ohio State and UCF -- and LSU is closing in. It's a possibility I could go to Florida. I feel good about those five. But it goes back to those three. It's just what I feel.''

• Hialeah coach Mark Berman said Monday Liuget has reached his decision and will formally announce it Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. ''It will be LSU, Illinois, South Florida or Florida State,'' Berman said.

• Booker T. Washington defensive end Jonathan Jackson, who was supposed to visit the University of Miami over the weekend, skipped his visit. Coach Tim Harris, who said last week Jackson loved his trip to FIU, said Jackson is ``all set to be a Golden Panther.''

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[BULLSHTR]

``Tommy's a good, smart kid. He wants to go to a place where he can graduate quickly, in three years. He's done his homework too. He's gone on the Internet and done all the research about what the receiver position is like at each of those schools. Who they are recruiting, stuff like that. Once he tells me where he wants to go, I'll quiz him a little bit, ask him important things and if he's really convinced -- that's where it will be.''

not USF

[Velcro]

U Stay Foronly3years?

[nobull.Bulls]

If by 3 years, he means going pro, then yes...

[theman123]

``Tommy's a good, smart kid. He wants to go to a place where he can graduate quickly, in three years. He's done his homework too. He's gone on the Internet and done all the research about what the receiver position is like at each of those schools. Who they are recruiting, stuff like that. Once he tells me where he wants to go, I'll quiz him a little bit, ask him important things and if he's really convinced -- that's where it will be.''

not USF

Three years is tough for someone just going to school, that would be hard doing it while playing football.