Pahokee's Nu'Keese Richardson switches from Florida to Tennessee
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By CRISTINA LEDRA
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
PAHOKEE - An orange University of Florida hat lay discarded under Nu'Keese Richardson's chair on the auditorium stage at Pahokee, where seconds before he announced the stunning news.
Richardson was the last in a line of five Blue Devils ready to sign football scholarships. He paused when it was his turn, picked up the Florida hat, and the crowd started to applaud.
But then he let it fall, picking up the Tennessee hat and declaring that he was now a Volunteer as the crowd gasped.
Not even Pahokee coach Blaze Thompson knew this was coming.
Richardson, who played quarterback and receiver at Pahokee, had committed to Florida in May and showed no signs of changing his mind until a visit to Tennessee last weekend.
The Gators coaches had called to dissuade him from the visit the night before. And they were still calling up until two hours before the 1:30 p.m. signing ceremony.
But Tennessee's new coaching staff, led by Lane Kiffin, had already changed Richardson's mind with an assertive sell.
"I liked the (Florida) offense," said Richardson, the No. 9 receiver prospect ranked by Rivals.com. "But then again I went to Tennessee and saw another version of where I could fit in.
"The coaching staff really sold me. Coach Kiffin came from the Oakland Raiders and he coached at USC. My dream school was USC, and after that, I always wanted to be in that type of offense. I see myself working that offense. They came in with a new coaching staff and I fell in love with the coaching staff."
So, apparently, did his family.
Richardson's aunt, Terrilynn Jenkins, said his family was put off by all the pressure coming from UF. Besides discouraging him from going on visits to other schools and constantly calling, Jenkins said the family did not feel included while he was being recruited.
"We as a family never had a relationship with Florida," Jenkins said. "It was always Nu'Keese that had his own relationship with them and we were never really invited to be a part of the process.
"We wanted what was best for him, and ultimately it's his choice of where he wanted to go."
Tennessee, she said, advised him to keep his options open and make sure he made the right decision, whether it was with Tennessee or another school.
Kiffin said persistence paid off in landing Richardson.
"They (the coaching staff) set a standard for how hard we're going to work, that we're not worried about where a kid is committed or how far behind we are, and I think that showed in the final result," Kiffin said.
"For our guys to be able to go down to Pahokee, Florida, to get a kid that had not visited anywhere but Florida, was committed to Florida for a while, to do that and to do the work to get that finalized in the short time that we had ... was very exciting."
Richardson said that his verbal commitment to Florida before spring football was premature and that he should have taken his time to visit other schools.
"Honestly, in hindsight I wish he hadn't committed early," Thompson said.
"Players like him who have a lot of offers should be patient."
Even after his official visit to Florida, Richardson came back confident that he was going to Gainesville.
"He went to Tennessee last weekend and they stole him," Thompson said.
Richardson said he informed the Gators of his decision Wednesday morning.
"I mean, I have so much respect for Florida," he said. "It really hurts me to do that, but then again I got to do what's best for me and my family.
Shots fired...
