With his lifelong friend and running mate Joseph Yearby standing on the sideline on crutches, Dalvin Cook put his Miami Central team on his back, carrying the rock 19 times for 226 yards and four touchdowns. Miami Central beat Seffner Armwood 52-7 to win their third 6A state championship in four seasons.
After the game Cook was mobbed by a sea of reporters, all wanting to know if the Florida commit would stick true to his commitment or if Cook would flip for the second time in less than a year.
“In my mind, I know where I’m going.” Cook said. “Nobody knows but me. I’m doing it at halftime of the Under Armour game [January 2] and I’m going to put my hat on.”
The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind for Cook. He’s signed three financial aid agreements — which tie the respective universities to Cook, not the other way around — and hosted coaches from Florida, Miami and Florida State. Cook said that the recruiting pitches and process are getting old and as of today he is shutting things down.
“Once you keep hearing the same thing from all the coaches, sometimes you’ve gotta recognize what’s real and what’s fake,” he said. “That’s why I’m going to shut it down. It’s shut down today.”
Cook said he will not host any more coaches and he doesn’t play to visit any schools, including Florida.
So that’s where the most talented, college-ready player in Florida’s class (currently) stands. Cook has made up his mind, knows which hat he will put on when he announces on live TV but isn’t ready to let fans or even the coaches know which school will enjoy his services for the next 3-4 years.
What was the biggest factor in Cook’s final decision?
The coaches I felt the most comfortable around,” he said. “They came in and kept it real with me, and I just felt comfortable around them coaches.”
“Coach T-Rob, he has been through this, he can relate to me,” Cook continued. “When you open your recruiting process, you hear a lot of things, so he says he knows how it is.”
After his relationship with the coaching staff, Cook said the kind of offense he plays in also affects his decision. Cook wants to play in a balanced offense and one that fits his talents. Cook said the Florida coaches have told him they will be moving to a spread offense, similar to the Auburn offense under Gus Malzahn.
There is one thing Gator fans don’t need to worry about according to Cook and that’s their 4-8 record from a year ago.
“I know the type of player I am, and I wasn’t even worried about the season they had because I know I can probably go fix it,” Cook said. “I’m just trying to get in the offense that fits me.”
Quotes provided by Bud Elliott of SBNation Recruiting.
Sounds promising for the Gators. He will be an immediate impact player like we haven’t seen since Harvin. Electric with the ball in his hand. Go Gators
In my opinion, Cook is the one player in this recruiting class on offense that can come in and immediately make an impact. He’s a truly special talent.