These are 2 kids I've watched grow up over the past few years and both are among my favorites of all time. Wanted to share a few thoughts on both, since you guys will be getting to see a lot of them over the next few years.
1- Brionte was a kid that played against my son in high school. I saw him carry the ball twice and I was sold. Brionte was 14-years old at the time, I believe, but might have just turned 15. Regardless, he was a freshman and my first thought was "All-American" some day.
Fast forward to our Scout Combine in Pittsburgh that year. Bob Lichtenfels ran it and I was in charge of getting the Ohio kids there, and we wanted kids heading into their senior season. I wanted Brionte there and signed him up anyway, as a freshman. Bob jumped me and said "Why are inviting babies?", and he was ticked at having a freshman. That Saturday, Brionte walked through the door looking like Eddie George.
Bob: "Who the{bleep} is THAT?"
Bill: "That's the baby. Should I send him home?"
Bob: "Uhhh, NO. He can stay."
2- I met Se'Von for the first time at Ohio State camp after his freshman season. All arms and legs and didn't even work out, just watched Steve Miller. Two weeks later I saw him at the Akron camp and watched him move around. I immediately put him in the data base and started listing him as one of Ohio's top sophomores. Even when he didn't play much as a sophomore I had him listed as one of Ohio's best players and took crap for it.
THEN came the junior season, when he outshined Steve Miller every week, and Stevie was a five-star. Fast forward to this year and Se'Von might be the #2 player in the state, and not too far behind Adolphus.
3- To see these kids blow up and become great players has been a real kick for me. Having the inside on their recruitments was even better, because they both trusted me explicitly. They trusted me when it was MSU for Pitt and when it looked like UM for Brionte. And they trusted me when it became OSU for both. That means everything to me.
4- I had a deal with Brionte and his parents. If the time came when they needed to discuss him decommitting from OSU, or committing to UM, I was going to advise them on how to handle the media. They wanted the easiest way out possible after seeing what Kalis went through and I had a few ideas on how it could be softened. That call never came and it was never discussed........................
