ORLANDO– In two trips to Gainesville, the bond between Ohio prep All-America linebacker Jordan Hicks and Florida head coach Urban Meyer has grown tremendously. So when the news came out Saturday afternoon that Meyer would be resigning as Florida head coach, the five-star linebacker’s head started to spin.
“I was surprised, but I’m just sitting back and waiting to see what happens with the whole situation,” Hicks said after the first day of practice Wednesday at the Under Armour All-American Game. “It really didn’t change anything. It’s just put a hold on some stuff. I’m just going to wait it out and see how it all goes down.”
Hicks hasn’t spoken with any Florida coaches since Meyer announced he will only take a leave of absence, but his mom has spoken with quarterbacks coach Scot Loeffler, the assistant coach who has been recruiting Hicks the most.
“I still haven’t talked to him (Meyer),” Hicks said, “and I feel like I need to talk to him before anything happens.”
Hicks also doesn’t know who his position coach would be if he were to decide on attending Florida. He admitted that would go into his decision if he made it now, but he will continue to take the process slowly and let the Gators bring in their new linebackers coach.
“There’s still a question on who they’re bringing in for it, so it all goes into consideration,” Hicks said.
Florida, Texas and Ohio State are the three schools remaining in the race for Hicks’ signature. Each of the schools has been in the Hicks household for a visit, but Texas is the only one that has sent the head coach, Mack Brown, who had his visit a few weeks back.
Florida is still scheduled to make its visit in the next few weeks, but Hicks isn’t sure how it will play out with Meyer. He thought originally about enrolling early at the school of his choice. That idea looks less likely as he is unsure of the school he will attend, but he has spoken with Texas and Florida about submitting the paperwork just in case he does decide to come in early.
“It’s the dilemma between enjoying my senior year or going in early and getting acclimated with a whole system,” Hicks said. “It’s just if I want to make that step right now or at the end of the school year.”
The decision right now is truly up in the air. Some recruits may silently commit to a school or know in their heart where they will play at in the end, but Hicks continues to say that he is unsure.
“I really don’t know right now. After coming back from my Florida trip (Dec. 11-13), that really fogged up my head a little more.”
That Florida trip was Hicks’ second to Gainesville. He attended the Tennessee game, but the weekend after the SEC Championship Game gave him a shot to see the campus and city when the rush of a football game wasn’t taking place. It also allowed him to spend more time with coaches, players and other recruits.
“I hung out with David Young, Stephen Alli and Trey Burton,” Hicks said. “It was just a lot of fun. I felt like I had that click with them.”
It was Hicks’ time with Burton that meant the most to him. He was able to meet someone who was going through the same experiences of the recruiting process, but Burton also had the chance to sell Hicks on the Gators. Even though the opportunity was there, it didn’t happen much. Burton and Hicks spent most of the weekend talking to each other about things off the football field, and that is what built their relationship to what it is now.
“Trey reminds me of me,” Hicks said. “We feel like we’ve known each other for a while, but we just met each other.”
At these postseason all-star games, the committed players try to coerce those uncommitted to join them. Hicks has already experienced it. There are five Texas commitments on his team in Aaron Benson, Mike Davis, Adrian White, Taylor Bible and Ashton Dorsey. Florida has six commitments on his team for the week in Jonathan Dowling, Demar Dorsey, Solomon Patton, Leon Orr, Mack Brown and Ian Silberman. Needless to say, Hicks has had players in his ear since he first arrived in Orlando.
“They’re all joking with me on where to go,” Hicks said. “At the same time, they know how it is to be in my position. They know it has an effect, but not the effect that other people think.”
So the pitching goes on for Jordan Hicks, who is waiting for Urban Meyer to make his next one.