Posted on: Sunday, December 28, 2003

ISLE FILE
Bowl teams duel for recruits

By Craig Handel
The (Fort Myers, Fla.) News-Press

The University of Miami and Florida State actually are dueling three times in the next nine months.

Between their New Year's night Orange Bowl game and their Labor Day contest is another competition that college football fanatics consider a national holiday.

National signing day.

The result Thursday night could influence a handful of prospects who have Miami and Florida State among their final picks. Most players announce their decisions Feb. 12.

Players acknowledge the game's importance, recruiting analysts sense it, even coaches admit it.

"It certainly has an effect on recruiting because Florida State is interested in a lot of the players we are," Miami coach Larry Coker said.

"It comes down to us and Florida State; and if we win this game, it may influence somebody because young people are impressionable."

Florida State coach Bobby Bowden added one of the plusses of playing in the Orange Bowl is all the coverage of his team that prospects get to see.

"There's probably not another bowl game in the country that we could have gotten into that would have been better for public relations, or better for recruiting, than to play in Miami," Bowden said. "Because now you're visible, and your kids' pictures are in the paper, and the (stories on the game) are in (the South Florida newspapers), and in our state, and that is a plus for both of us."

Jeremy Crabtree, editor of Rivals 100, said if it was anyplace else in the country, he wouldn't think the outcome would affect a recruit's decision. But a Miami-Florida State game changes all of that.

"If Michigan beats Ohio State or Ohio State beats Michigan, it doesn't matter," Crabtree said.

"But a Miami victory gives it the upper hand. Miami's still the en vogue team, but if Florida State can come back and win, that sends a signal it may be taking over the top spot."

According to Matt Shodell, managing editor of CaneSport.com, there are four players who currently are deciding between Miami and Florida State.

"If Miami wins, it might sway some kids who were on the fence," Shodell said.

A total of 33 players on the Miami and FSU rosters attended high school together. When they come back home either over Christmas break or the summer, they remind underclassmen either of who's better or who's up and coming.