Auburn-bound QB Dontae Aycock didn?t believe Georgia Tech would rescind scholarship offer
By
Jeff Hood | Thursday, February 26, 2009, 10:32 PM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Quarterback
Dontae Aycock of Chamberlain High in Tampa, Fla. appeared destined to sign a letter of intent with Georgia Tech one month ago.
After privately committing to Tech during an official visit in mid-January, Aycock decided to take a last-minute visit to Auburn less than a week before national signing day on Feb. 4.
That decision didn?t sit well with Tech coach
Paul Johnson, who wound up withdrawing Aycock?s scholarship offer. Johnson spoke by phone with Aycock prior to the quarterback?s trip to Auburn during the final recruiting weekend of the season.
?[Dontae and I] talked about what [commitment] meant,? Johnson told the AJC on signing day. ?That commitment means, especially two weeks before signing day, is that we?re through with the recruiting process. ? I?m giving you my word you?ve got a scholarship. You?re giving your word you?re coming.?
?I reiterated that to him: ?Dontae, don?t get on that plane.? His high school coach told him, ?Dontae, don?t get on that plane. When he chose to do that, he was telling me, in my mind, he didn?t want to come to Georgia Tech, and so we moved on.?
Aycock, who wound up signing with Auburn, spoke with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Thursday about his recruiting adventure with Georgia Tech:
Q: Why did you give a ?secret commitment? to Georgia Tech in mid-January?
A: ?I knew if word was to get out, it would probably be on the front page of Rivals and everybody would know. I just wanted to pick my school on signing day.?
Q: How did Georgia Tech coach Paul Johnson react when you told him you wanted to visit Auburn less than a week prior to national signing day?
A: ?It was tough. When I told him I wanted to look at the school, his reaction was basically that I had committed to [Georgia Tech] and gave them my word. I had only taken one visit before visiting Georgia Tech, and that was to Louisville. And I had five visits overall [per NCAA rules]. I know it wasn?t the smartest idea. I thought Georgia Tech was the place for me at that time. But I just wanted to take that visit to Auburn just to take it and look and see.?
Q: What else did Johnson tell you during that conversation?
A: ?He was like ?how would you feel if we said we want you to be our quarterback and come to our school, but we want to go look at another quarterback?? I thought about it, and I wouldn?t like it. That was just kind of his reaction, since I had already committed. But I just wanted to go look at another school.?
Q: Did Johnson tell you he was going to pull your scholarship if you visited Auburn?
A: ?He didn?t tell me that on the phone. He told me if I was to get on the plane and take that trip to Auburn I was jeopardizing my scholarship.?
Cont...