It may still be early in the 2014 recruiting cycle, but one school has secured the commitments of two top ten recruits according to Rivals.com, and instead of a traditional football powerhouse program, it happens to be a university known primarily for strong academics and for being built by Thomas Jefferson: the University of Virginia.
The commitments of Bayside HS (Virginia Beach, VA) safety Quin Blanding and Oscar Smith HS (Chesapeake, VA) defensive tackle Andrew Brown have generated some positive buzz early for Mike London and the Cavaliers program.
Blanding acknowledged that UVA is an unconventional choice if one looks at typical factors.
“It just shows how you can say they don’t have the winningest record or they don’t have the top people there, but me and Andrew, we didn’t look at that,” Blanding said during a recruiting event called The Opening. “We really sat down and looked at the school. We feel like we’re building a dynasty.”
Both players cited London as a primary reason for their decision and believe they could be on the verge of turning around a program that has played only a marginal role in the college football landscape.
“I know Coach London is jumping up and out of his shoes,” Brown said. “We’re bringing in one of the best classes ever. It’s a great feeling to be able to change a program.”
However, as good as Blanding and Brown are, it is tough to become a contender with one class, particularly when it only holds two stars. Beyond the two elite talents, the Cavs class is underwhelming, so the coaching staff will really need to reel in some additional ‘big fish’ if they hope to capitalize.