Booker T. coach Tim "Ice" Harris says he's stunned UM pulled scholarship from Kirkland

This isn't the type of finish UM coach Al Golden had in mind.

With less than a week before National Signing Day, the Hurricanes have pulled a scholarship offer from a top recruit at a major high school power in Miami-Dade County and angered its head coach.

Booker T. Washington coach Tim "Ice" Harris said Thursday it was grossly unfair for the Hurricanes to pull their offer from All-American offensive lineman Denver Kirkland right after the team's state championship parade through Overtown.

Harris, who himself worked on UM's staff under Randy Shannon and whose son Brandon was a standout cornerback at UM, said he had assured UM coaches privately Kirkland had decided to sign with the Canes and was simply waiting until National Signing Day to announce. But because Kirkland wasn't willing to commit before then and make the announcement public, Harris said, assistant Micheal Barrow told him the program "was moving in a different direction."

"This had nothing to do with academics and everything to do with UM doing something unfair to a local kid," Harris said. "Denver has a 2.8 GPA and has the test score.

"Coach Golden visited the school today before our parade and told Denver everything he wanted to hear. Then, a couple hours later, everything changed. I told them Denver was all set to go there for the academics. This isn't the way UM should be doing business, not with the kids in their own backyard."

Harris said Barrow asked for a private meeting following the parade and asked Kirkland flatly if he would commit. Harris said Kirkland told Barrow UM was in the top three, but he wanted to wait until Signing Day to announce.

"I just don't understand why they couldn't wait," Harris said. "The same way [linebacker] Matthew Thomas is a big-time kid, Denver is the same big-time offensive lineman. Let the kid enjoy his moment. If they were going to do this to him, why not let him know well ahead of time so he could plan another visit. Don't come to us in the end and say you're going in another direction because of a defensive lineman."

Asked if this would affect Thomas' recruitment, Harris said: "I just look at this from a loyalty perspective. If we commit to something and show you love and tell you we're going to do something, just wait for it to happen. I've never seen anything of this magnitude. I'm not sure what this does for UM in Miami as a whole... I'll never tell a kid not to go somewhere, but it's tough for me to tell my kids to trust UM at this point.

"They don't know when an offer is going to get pulled, if they're going to do what they did to Denver today. He's an All-American. I just don't understand how they let him get out of here. I won't stop anybody from going to UM, but I can tell you I'll never help them again."

Comments

[ColaCane]

Well Gallo that's why you're NOT a coach, because you'd have recruits dragin you all over the place and then at the last minute, go somewhere else.

[Jim Gallo]

"It's a job that has tremendous upside, in a great place," said Davis, 61. "I would like to be considered. If that opportunity arose, I'd certainly be interested."

thats is what butch davis said 12/7/2012 to the Tampa bay Times if offered the HC position at USF....i am sure if shalala called him he would pick up the phone....

[Jim "Cameltoe" Gallo]

Please share with us all the inside information on the Kirkland situation that would allow you to opine so freely that it was a bad decision for Golden.

Jim Gallo = curse = hogfoo.......not all trolls but moron's just the same

[Jim Gallo]

dude top recruits are dragging everyone all over the place....they got smart now and are used social media to leverage....they have the advantage now, not he schools....thats is what everyone is missing...

you cant let frustraion lead you to bad decisions...kirkland was a very bad move....period

[Dom]

Butch passed on the U and chose UNC when Cleveland fired hima and Miami hired Shannon.

Butch came in 1995 Gallo, and went thru 4 years of hard times , actually a 5-6 season, and didnt win until year 3-4. SAME AS GOLDEN>.......U have to have the players to WIN

[Calvin]

Anyone seen Hobbs? He has my poster of Randy Shannon!

[Jim Gallo]

butch- coley - mario - barrow - DNOFRIO GONE....looks good on paper....id vote for it

[Dom]

I think Matt Thomas has told Barrow he was coming, so thats why they put pressure on Kirkland. Why else? If Kirkland aint comin with Matt, USE THE SCHOLLY ON A PERSON WANTS TO COME TO U.

I think this is good news.

[Canetrash]

Yo Cane Trash

Yo bunch of kool aid drinking dummies

Yo fact is only U got barely 4 kids signed up
Yo fact is everyone else is already done with double digit classes
Yo why diss BTW this late in the game
Like all the kids U covet will wait till NSD
Not like u have them all commited already
What a lame excUse
What a bunch of doUchebags U all r

Yo if Golden Retriever is so good how come U still sUck
How come he can't lock up any local kids early
Like everyone else
Cause he sUcks and ur program is an empty shell of what it was eons ago

Yo go reminisce bout the NFL guys and Butch and how it used to be
Never mind all those guys have been in the NFL for decades now
Used to be
Wanna be
Has been
It sUcks to be U
Bunch of pathetic LOOSERS!!

[Dom]

actually cane trash, Miami and LSU had the most players drafted I believe in 2011 NFL Draft. Go look it up.

[Dom]

When the gators were losing 5 games a year up till 04, and then after 2010 didnt they have back to back 5 and 6 loss seasons? when the noles were down year after year, getting spanked by Jacory Harris, did canes people go on their blogs??? People r jealous N Scared that the U is on the way back. FACT

[Jim Gallo]

canetrash: as much as you entertain me...it is true.....we talk about our nfl players but it has been years since then....we act as if they just graduated from UM yesterday and we are this CURRENT NFL feeder....it is sad

[Jim "Cameltoe" Gallo]

"LOOSERS!!"...........Really?

I am more offended by your assault on the English language.

"Yo go reminisce bout the NFL guys"...... I am not foolish enough to believe it not just another gator troll attempting to look ignorant because your deliberate use of capital letters and trying to type like you want to sound tell on you curse. Your ignorance is in a realm of its own.

If not curse its probably Adam again

[Dom]

Go look at the 2011 Draft by schools. Shannons recruiting still brought a ton of NFL players, heck, even sam shields didnt get drafted and hes starting on Greenbay.... Miami and LSU were 1 an 2 for NFL players just last year(2 drafts ago). The Schol spits out NFL Players period

[jim]

Jim Gallo is an idiot. I'm embarrassed to even share the same surname as you. It's unethical to pull an offer from a kid who NEVER committed and would only say that Miami was in his top 3? There's only a week left before NSD and Miami has a limited number of scholarships this year. You can't blame Golden for not wanting to be left empty handed on NSD when this class is so important with the sanctions on there way. This is a two street with these kids wanting to act like teenage girls and see who can get the most attention. If you want to play the hat game on National Signing Day and leave two or three schools left high and dry then don't get mad when these schools start playing the game by saying commit or we'll give the scholarship to a kid who wants to be a part of our program. I think other schools will start doing the samething. Enough is enough with the prima donnas.

[Dom]

Bashers, espn recruit rankings rates by quality, not by total points like RIvals. Mia, w/o the signing day barrage thats coming , still has a top 25 class even with 13 kids so far. THATS HAND PICKING QUALITY. Heres the link
http://insider.espn.go.com/college-sports/football/recruiting/classrankings/_/class/2013/date/20130131

[Canetrash]

Yo Cane trash

Yo Dom or dUmb

Not gonna look that up it dont matter anyways
What is common knowledge is that lately, not decades ago, UM has had no one drafted high
More like 4th round and below
Also all those players that have been drafted recently have done NOTHING while playing at UM
Nothing except losing and being mediocre
So U r the only school to send multiple players to the NFL that did nothing in college
That says a lot about your sorry program, sorry coaches and sorry administration.

Anther motto for UM: "Come take your college years off and coast, U will be drafted in the bottom half anyways"

Yo fake Gallo U be a looser and a loser
U be stoopid and stUpid
Take Ur pick U scUMbag.

U still so dUmb U can't admit Golden Retriever messed up with BTW.
The clUeless leading the blind

Yo go root for Frank Gore or for Ray "Deer Antler" Lewis

Keep thinking NFL
Nothing to root for in college for U clUcks

Bunch of pathetic LOOSERS!!

[Jim Gallo]

sorry wrong....UM offered the scholarship to kirkland...not the other way around. And in that offer a kid is not required to committ before national signing day....sorry if you dont like the terms...if that is the case, dont offer the scholarship to begin with. It is a risk, period....Um can certainly pull ANY scholarship back....so the err of caution will always be with the kids and parents....this just makes UM less trustworthy....UM can never benefit form moves like this....golden has alot to learn since he is still young.....

[Coke or Cherry?]

Canetrash....whats up slurpee boyyyyyeeeeeeee.....slurp, slurp,slurp. There is a method to the madness....keep sweatin us though....makes us feel reaaaallllllll good to hear the anger in your voice.

[Dom]

Miami will be in the final 4 for the 1st playoffs in the 2014 season. They win 10 at least in 13, and the 1st sesaon for playoffs goldent will have a mini alabama built by then..... U can join us or you play the hat game.......thats the U

[Iceberg Slim]

Man I still do not like it because of the perception more than anything and Golden is right in that they should not have to wait for top local kids; Texas doesn't and Bama doesn't either even before Saban was there Mike Shula had the best local alabama boys staying home or at worst going to auburn and that is an allegiance to the flag sort of thing there but heck I bet no one can name a stud from alabama in the last 10-12 years that went to arkansas, fsu, texas, Miami or the like except for j. winston and that was because of d. craig a bama boy from auburn and top flight recruiter out hand fighting saban in the trenches and living to tell about it and getting the prize. These SOFLA boys must re-instill the pride that binds and quit playing these games but Golden and company STILL in my opinion BLEW it and it's going to sting for a time to come. PERCEPTION is they Stiffed the kid a local kid. PERCEPTION is greater than REALITY!

[Dom]

Iceberg, I agree. But U GUYS KNOW THE PROBLEM WITH LOCAL KIDS??? Other schools saying ""SANCTIONS""..

as soon as this is resolved, and U bet the NCAA will whack us on Tuesday, the day b4 signing day, then the Pipeline will flow again. Sanctions and "negative recruiting is killin local kids""

#2. Mark it down , MAtthew Thomas told barrow he was coming ,so they called kirkland out

[ALACHUA COUNTY LIBRARY HAS FREE INTERNET]

Hey Canetrash I am a "loser" not a "looser" did you gradeate from the Swamp too?

JIM GALLO

[Jim Gallo]

Kirkland later posted to his Twitter account.

Denver Kirkland @15HARLEM_BOSKI:

After Today I Trust No One But God! Things Happen for a reason

this move compromises matthew thomas....it could push him over to FSU

[UMike]

Dom is CANETILLIDIE..DH? It all adds up
Two dumm doooshes, one guy

[Dom]

Thomas is hiw own man, if he doesnt want the U, good riddance. I am guessing Thomas silent committed, and then Having Power, we went to Kirfland and asked him and he said wait.
1. We got THomas and didnt really need Kirkland(we have 2-3o line already)
2. or we lost thomas, and didnt want kirkland so we called him out.

1 of the 2 happened

[Dom]

Matthew Thomas is stayign home. A. He knows we need D help , B, we have Tracy Howard and Duke in his ear, C. He can start right away. D. Hes got the Best DE coming in Alquain Mohammed to play with, and E, USC/FSU/ALA Depth Chart is 3 x's deeper than the U for immediate playing time........If he doesnt see that. its his loss.

BUT,as someone who has followed recruting since these sites have came out 10 yrs ago, Thomas is coming, and sinc we ""really dont need"" kirkland, it was tell us yes or we are moving on...............

[Jim "Cameltoe" Gallo]

Wow, canetrash isn't trying to sound ignorant, he really is! I gave him too much credit. Go back to sucking your thumb and staring at your Timmy Tebow poster taking up space in your mommy's house. Your monthly SSI check should be arriving soon......."LOOSER!!"

[Joe Mendola]

Jesus, for all the people who are bashing Golden for this please take your head out of your ass. You are clearly only a fan and don't understand the business of college athletics. I myself have always said why take the ones who don't want to be here. The ones who are die hard Canes at heart are the recruits that we want. I'll take a 3 star S. Florida guy with a chip on his shoulder over a 4 or 5 star who believes they should be entitled to everything. Just remember we are all fans and we don't know everything that is going on behind the scenes. If you were so knowledeable and you believe you know everything that the Canes should do to get back to competeting at a high level every week please be my guest and go apply for a position on the staff. Half of you complaining have probably never even played football. As for "Ice" come on bro, you are a grown man. Shut the hell up.

[]__[] 2013 ACC Champs

[billpr]

Noone really knows how this is going to turn out, but Golden should NOT have sent Barrow to do the dirty work. If he wanted to pull the scholarship he should have done it himself.

[Bob]

testing

[Dom]

Here is Rivals.com. not miami rivals, but predictions
http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1466495

ALl say Thomas is comin to the U as of 925 am. some still say Kirkland also.......

Im tellin U guys, Thomas committed,(thats why Golden was at the school in the AM), and then since we dont need another Olineman, went to Denver and said, We need u now or never....... so launch him,

[Dom]

Matt Thomas. Alex Collins, Cunningham or coley, Grace, Bostwick or Bryant, and we move into the top 10. Throw a bone to Kirkland if he clams up and wants to b a man and add him too.

This will make this kid a man. Glad Golden did it.

[Orlando Cane]

At the end of the day, #ISTANDWITHTHEU. Best of luck to him but we 1 OL isn't going to make or break us!!!

[Bob]

We all know there are a certain percentage of showoffs who play the game and are more interested in their stupid antics (spiking the ball before crossing the goal line). My first thought was this kid was more interested in his thirty seconds of show off fame with that dopey hat picking thing. This tells me his ego is much bigger than his loyalty to a team. I applaud you Coach Golden and Coach Barrow. It is so seldom anymore we see anyone in a position of authority have the guts to do the right thing and consider the team first before giving in to some immature prima donna. Go Canes.

[13TBCane]

To all fsu fans..... Trickett lmao

[moe moe]

no one is going to hold a scholarship up to signing date for a young man that was recruited for over a year and still will not commit to the canes. its only so many seats on the bus, if you are going to ride get on and sit down. dont say the canes bus is in the top three after a year of being recruited. do you think nick Sabin would keep waiting on a 4 star after trying to get him for over a year, no he would tire of the games and move on just like golden did.

[Jose]

So this kid NEEDS to have his 'moment' by having a press conference to announce his decision to play at The U or anywhere else? Why? Is he getting endorsements? No. Golden was right to pull the ride. Have your announcement, kid and good luck winning a championship in Arkansas.

[Chuck]

Why does everyone think BTW is such a player pipe line? How many great players came to the U from BTW?

[CutlerRidge Laz]

Alabama put up a bulletin board across the street from BTW. Nick thinks there is talent at BTW but what does he know?

[mainecane]

I can't believe people think this is a big deal. It happens all the time for every program. The truth is if a coach is offering multiple guys and one guy is waiting to commit like kirkland and others have commited and u run otu of scholorships u then yank the scholly offer from the kid who wasn't ready to commit its just buisness. Fsu, clemson every school in america has done this. Some call the player up 2, 3 days before nsd and say they will have to take a greyshirt , At least miami didn't do that.

[The u from GA]

I support Al all the way!! Why is he going to waste one of his few scholarships on a someone who won't decide! What happens if we stick with him and he leaves us high and dry?? Golden must have decided that he wasn't gonna sign! I don't think this hurts the pipeline! Us losing hurts the pipeline! We turn it around and we get recruits.

[Cane For Life]

this mope isn't going to qualify academically and with the limited scholarships no need to waste them to send this kid to prep school for a year. Go get somebody else. Guaranteed kirkland doesn't play next year for anybody and will be trying to figure out how to get a c grade point average so he can go somewhere next year

[tdotcane]

both sides of this is puzzling to me 1st why are kids from ohio, alex gall and jersey, olsen 2 of the recruits that seem to bleed orange and green,not waiver on their commitment, and have to try and recruit these s.fla kids to stay home.shouldnt it be the other way around? why is it texas can almost fill their class a year in advance on their jr day or usc get commits from some of the top west coast kids regadless of probation or schollie reduction? these kids have a chance to stay home and rep one of the top schools in one of the top cities in the world and somehow they cant see this.

[RedCane]

Do coaches really have that much of an impact on a recruits decision?

Collins- His Coach is Big UM fan - undecided

Coach Harris - His sons went to the U. We all know what is going on there.

Coley - Coach Benett played for the U - Undecided.

Where is all this Cane love and family atmoshphere? We haven't done Shnitz in 10 yrs. Time to stop riding the 5 Championship wagon and have true Canes with influence step up and domiate So. Fla recruting.

[tdotcane]

the 2nd part is if golden really pulled this offer because of limited schollies. why do we have payers on the current roster that have made an contribution in 3 or 4 years taking up roster spots that could be offered to kirkland and others. al golden has got to be a better gm because this is a buisness and you have to get rid of the dead weight and bring in as much talent as you can regardless of position.

[Dom]

TDOT----------because they are negative recruting due to the loomin sanctions even tho we are getting a slap on the wrist. the other kids round the country just trust golden. Go to state rankings, final, for the year. Olsen is #1 player In NJ and Mohammed #3 regardless of position. AL just went in the NE and stole 2 of the top 3 players in the country.

Local kids are hearing from the Sabans and Meyers that Miami will get whacked etc

[Dom]

Here it is. Based on the main rivals page, all 10 or 8of rivals(not miami) picked M Thomas to the U as of 2-1-13 930 am...
What that means, we already have 3 Olineman in this class. So Golden had an early morning meeting and THOMAS COMMITTED SILENTLY......so, we went to kirkland and said listen, now that matt has committed we need to know if your ocming, we will keep it quiet, but otherwise we are using your SPOT........

The only way golden would do this if thomas committed.

[johnny]

BS!!!! if he was asked "are you ready to commit?" and you say "oh I don't know, UM is in my top three, I'll decide at signing day", with limited scholarships this team unfortunately cannot sit around and wait for an offensive lineman. The bad thing is that we need matt thomas, hopefully thomas doesn't rule out UM or the mr. ice talks them away from UM.

[tdotcane]

yes Dom but dont you think a kid like mohammed a kid that chose miami over alabama hear this same negative recruiting also? duke stuck after a coaching change,after allegations,with possibility of sanctions looming,those top tier kids commit to usc im sure there is negative recruitng against them also