See the Dan Hawkins' influence.The Colorado recruiting class has made stops in Georgia, Pennsylvania, California, Texas and now secured a verbal from the top-rated talent at home when offensive tackle Ryan Miller of Columbine high school told the school he was eager to become part of the struggling program.
Better days are coming.
Miller's desire to stay home, as he stated in a Scott Stocker interview in the Rocky Mountain News, was a key factor in his decision to pick CU over Notre Dame, a major upset for Hawkins in year 1.
Maybe the Buffs aren't beating teams on the field but they are doing it off the field.
CU bested Georgia and other Southeastern Conference teams for defensive lineman Conrad Obi and now the Fighting Irish for Miller. Those are two big wins.
Columbine high school coach Andy Lowry made an important observation in Stocker's story when he mentioned CU's coaching staff in the recruiting game.
"I think this is a tribute to coach Hawkins and the relationship that he's developed with Ryan," he said.
"He recognized that Ryan is more than just a football player but a better human being."
This verbal, it says here, is strong. This verbal, it also says here, is on par with Eric McCarty choosing CU years ago to help jumpstart Bill McCartney's local efforts. McCarty could have gone to powerhouses anywhere in the country but stayed home, making a large statement in the process.
Tell me, if a mega-recruit like Miller emotionally signs on to a 1-7 team, what does that say?
Coaches talk of sealing the borders of a state, keeping the best homegrowns at, well, home. That is easier said than done. Hawkins knew when he got to town he had to keep the best here and Miller is a great start. Hawkins has some Mack Brown in him, who transformed Texas by keeping the talent home that used to routinely leave for other states and schools.
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