Vanderbilt Steals A Shocking QB Commitment

Published: 16^th Feb 12 11:44 pm

by Chris Hengst
College Football and MLB Blogger

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Vanderbilt Steals A Shocking QB Commitment

Jim Brown-US PRESSWIRE

James Franklin turned heads by leading Vanderbilt to a bowl game in his first season in Nashville. His magic touch extends equally to recruiting as the Commodores picked up a commitment tonight from 2013 quarterback Jonathan McCrary, a 4-star, dual threat according to 247Sports.com.

McCrary boasted offers from Alabama, Georgia, Clemson and Florida State.

And he chose Vandy.

Obviously, verbal commitments are non-binding and a relapse to the 2-10 type seasons that plagued Vanderbilt before Franklin’s arrival could spell trouble for keeping the Commodore savior.

But for a night or a week or a month, Vanderbilt can revel in the recruiting glory of edging Nick Saban and Jimbo Fisher for a quarterback.

That’s quite a step up from Commodores throwing their SAT scores at rival SEC fanbases.

It’s the sort of commitment that changes the course of a program’s future, allowing many more talented high school seniors in the South to consider Nashville as a viable option.

And not just those chasing the dream of ridding country music of Toby Keith.

Franklin’s pitch likely played to the notion that McCrary could build a legacy from scratch at Vanderbilt. He might become a program legend by winning ten games.

Do the same thing in Tuscaloosa and they’d remember you for not closing a career with a crystal football.

Signing Day is a shade under a year away so keeping McCrary in the fold is now Franklin’s biggest recruiting goal.

Do that and the administration might rip up his contract, again, and just give him the keys to the university.

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