Miami Central running back Dalvin Cook was presented Saturday with the South Florida player of the year award from the Warren Henry Auto Group and Tournament of Champions, Inc.
Afterward, he discussed his recruitment with two local media outlets.
In an interview with Josh Darrow of South Florida High School Sports, Cook was asked if reports that he met with Florida and Florida State on the last day of the contact period (Dec. 15) were true.
“No,” he replied. “I had shut my recruitment down, and I just let everyone know that I thank them for recruiting me. But nobody came by.”
Cook then made several comments that seemed positive in regards to UF.
When asked why Gator fans should believe he’s still coming, Cook had this to say.
“Everybody thinks I might not be going to Florida because they had a down year. But I watch college football a whole lot. I watched Auburn last year, and they were 3-9. Everybody has their down year. That’s why people probably think I won’t go there, but there’s always a chance. I’m still committed to Florida.”
Darrow told Cook people don’t believe that, to which he responded, “I know, but you still gotta look. I’m a commit, and that’s all you can say until I flip. That’s it.”
Cook said the school he decided on the week leading up to the state championship is still his choice, which he plans to reveal at halftime of the Under Armour All-America Game on Jan. 2.
Cook said the coaches that were the least intrusive during the contact period won him over.
“You’re going to always know when someone is loyal to you,” he said. “When I was around that group of coaches, I just felt it. Those guys, they kept it real with me, and I just felt like that was the place for me.
“I knew I was comfortable (with them) when the recruiting process really got heated up, and those coaches really just laid back and let the whole thing go by. They didn’t really bug me that much … and I just figured out those were the right coaches for me.”
If those comments are how Cook actually feels, that should all but eliminate Miami. Following the state title game, he said the Hurricanes came by his house and/or school every day once he signed a financial aid agreement with them.
Cook also told Darrow his senior season was probably the last time he’ll play with teammate and UM commit Joseph Yearby.
That would mean it’s a battle between the Gators and ’Noles, which has been the general consensus for the past week or so.
Florida State visited Cook on the first day of the contact period and saw him much more than Florida during those two weeks. The UF coaches appear to be the ones that didn’t “bug” him.
With FSU getting ready to play for the national championship and UF coming off a 4-8 season, perhaps this comment from Saturday in the Miami Herald’s story on Cook is another indication of where he may be heading.
“I feel great about all the schools in Florida right now,” Cook said when discussing his decision. “At any time a program can go down and a program can go up.
“I just feel like if you’re a great player, a team is always missing that one guy that can take them to the next level. And if you trust in yourself and you go do it and you put your mind to it, you can change the team.”
Zach-
Dalvin sounds like an honest and sincere young man, not just a “football talent”. We would love to have him at UF, but I think it’s best all the Coaches art all the schools just leave him alone to make up his mind now.
Cook just needs an offensive coordinator at Florida that does something other then run the ball up the middle 2 out of every 3 plays and throws the ball with the words, “stretch the field.” on it. Go Gators.
Not sure this sounds great honestly. Words like “until I flip” not “if I flip” and “there is always a chance” in his comments about being a Gator don’t instill confidence to me.
“but there’s always a chance.”
“I’m a commit, and that’s all you can say until I flip. That’s it.”
Hmmm…REALLY hoping Cook ends up in Orange and Blue. We need offensive playmakers and he can be that early. But hard to be hopeful given the above comments. I’m thinking FSU, which makes me sick.
Now I don’t feel so comfortable about Cook. It’s funny that the post Zach wrote as bad news, made me more confident that Cook would stick, and now the post Zach wrote as good news makes me more nervous. But just the things Cook says in this makes me doubtful. “there’s always a chance” and “I’m a commit, and that’s all you can say UNTIL I flip.” don’t make me think Florida’s at the front of his mind. Makes me think he sees us a more of a secondary factor. But who knows with how this recruitment has been. We’ll just have to wait until Jan 2
The kid is 17 or 18 years old and has a huge decision. He wants to get to the NFL. He doesn’t care about “being a Gator” or a Seminole. You stalkers must scare him. You scare me.
Wov, were you raised by a family of Ostriches?
Recruiting isn’t for the faint hearted.
Personally, Ithink Dalvin sticks w us because we all know our coaches aren’t as buggy as the noles & scUM.
I think many of you are making too much of the way the sentences are structured and NOT looking at the intent of the sentence. Up until now, for the last two weeks I had given up on Cook. Reading this I think he sticks with us, if so and he performs well, he could become a new superstar around GATOR NATION for sticking with us when we were DOWN and he could have easily ran away and most people would not have held it against him (I for one), but i’m “FOOLED” if he does not stick with us. GO GATORS!!!!
I like this young man Dalvin Cook, very much. He is a Gator commit and I hope he stays a Gator. He will do the right thing for himself in the end. He’s a Gator! Go Gators!
Great article, Zach. As I’ve been stating all along, I think that DC stays with his original pledge & signs with UF. He definitely seems like a young man that knows where he stands in the eyes of the coaches & wants to honor his original word. Coming in & making an impact seems to be his intent and he can only do that at UF. I think all of the heat that the canes put on him soured him to them & the crimmies are just the tasty sidepiece IMO. He sticks with UF and rides out with Champ in the end. GO GATORS!!!!
Great reporting Zach, good job.
I hope next season with whoever is coaching the offense, Muschamp will utilize all of our weapons on the ground and rotate all the backs in and out Jones, Taylor, Brown, Lane, and hopefully Cook. Go Gators!
After reading the last 2 articles here on DC and examining his words I continue to feel really good about our chances. In addition to what was said, what he DOES NOT say is even more encouraging. I applaud Dalvin’s pioneer courage. Creek Gator that would make 2 of us. Go Gators!
GoGator, I couldn’t agree more!!!! Go Gators!
The kids a NOLE, no doubt about it
I personally feel him and Lane are Noles, sorry boys
Zach, It appears that your stern talk to great group of kids (me included) has had a positive effect. I think it is OK to voice your opinion even though it may not be popular with other members of the GATOR NATION, but we need to “RESPECT” each other, reguardless of how angry we are at the current situation. Things did get out of hand and very personal and vulger (I even used the word A$$). But really it seem to have settled the troups down or time itself has chilled the volume.
GO GATORS!!!!
Zach,
You are probably already working on this but can you put a list of prospects and commits that are going to each upcoming HS All Star Game? Also, who if you can tell, will be announcing that is considering Florida at each. It looks like a lot of Florida commits and prospects will be at UA/ESPN game. If Cook is set to announce there and he is around Lane, JC Jackson etc… I can see them really getting pumped to go to UF together what do you think? Also, Adoree’ Jackson and Tabor are going to be there as well as Carter, Adams, Prince, Wilson and Rudolph. Hopefully they will all bond during the practice week and we will have a lot of commits! Hey it is Christmas so hopefully Santa is good to us on Jan 2!
Thanks,
Matt
Zach,
Do you think Thomas Holley flips back to UF if Coach O’Brien goes pro?
Matt
Hello Mr. Cook, he will be saying “it’s Great to be a FLORIDA GATOR..
These things are intriguing for sure. He seems like a good kid, I could not imagine this much scrutiny when I was 17 or 18 years old. I wish him well no matter where he goes, but I would love for it to be Florida. He would change the total number of wins in 2014.
You all are delusional if you think he’s a gator. 70% nole 29% cane 1% Georgia southern 0% uf
cant wait to see you in the orange&blue,,go gators
Tell you what… all you groupie recruitniks out there and even the harmless fans who unknowingly badger him about going to UF… remember how that stuff ran Tim Jernigan off.
@ gator todd,,,it wasnt us groupies that ran lil timmy off, it was competition.lil timmy wanted a job handed to him. its much easier at the girl school and the level of competition in the acc
This kid is a primadonna…look at all the smoke and mirrors leading up to his announcement. We do not need a ‘me first’ attitude player on the team. We have enough problems with coaching. If the kid doesn’t want to commit just yet fine, but to say you are committed when you really aren’t is idiotic. He simply wants attention…go elsewhere!
Ill save you guys the trouble believe me or not.. Dalvins going to FSU
. He loves UF but he haves to do whats best for his future..
*I know cook personally*
@305,, well this is bad,,, this means my brothers wifes friends cousin was all wrong they had heard from his uncle aunt he was coming to uf*they are family*
Funny thing is you made it out to be some kind of black joke when actually I’m white so jokes on you lmao
Sorry 305 yooo, I don’t see how this was a “BLACK JOKE”, I saw it as he was saying “again more hear-say” get it all the chanels. Being a “white guy” you should have gotten that one, don’t be so offensive when someone calls you out or doesn’t agree with you! ” CHILL BRO.!! GO GATORS!!!!