Thursday, February 3, 2011

Kouandjio’s Choice – UPDATE: Film at 11:00? UPDATE: Nope…

Scroll down for updates.

image This space noted the high drama of yesterday’s NSD, in which the nation’s top Offensive Line prospect Cyrus Kouandjio of Hyattsville, Maryland vacillated on his decision to attend Auburn rather than joining his brother Arie at Alabama. Arie will be a redshirt Freshman on the Tide’s OL in the 2011 season and many expected Cyrus to join his brother.

Cyrus though, shocked his family and everyone else outside the 334 area code with his hastily blurted decision to play for his brother’s in-state rival.

But then, he wavered. He didn’t transmit a signed Letter of Intent. He later told Scout.com in a video interview that he had doubts in his mind about the choice and was still thinking about it.

Now comes this story from the Tuscaloosa News’ Tidesports.com:


The Cyrus Kouandjio saga took another turn this evening when the highly-recruited offensive lineman's father told The Tuscaloosa News that the family will vote some time tonight on the player's college destination.

Jean Claude Kouandjio said his son struggled with a decision of whether to play at Alabama or Auburn late in the recruiting process, and had not slept for three days. The father advised his son to turn off his phone after he received between 900 and 1,000 text messages in the days leading up to his announcement on ESPNU.

The 6-foot-7, 322-pound prospect told reporters that he was still thinking about Alabama, where his brother, Arie Kouandjio, signed just last year.

"I would love to play right beside my brother," Kouandjio said after he committed. "Honestly, I'm still thinking about it."

The player's father said he was unfamiliar with Auburn until AU head coach Gene Chizik made a recruiting visit and the announcement caught him off guard.

“I knew about them only last week," Jean Claude Kouandjio. "They had a visit in my house last week. I don't know a lot about them.”

Prior to that visit, he thought his son would join Arie at Alabama.


Go read the whole story at Tidesports.com. There are other interesting quotes from Jean Claude.

This doesn’t appear to be anything other than a youngster struggling with a difficult decision, who by many accounts in the media and blogosphere seems to have made a mistake and is troubled by his family’s reaction. As a Tide fan, I want the kid to join his brother. But as a father, I’d also want the kid to follow his heart. If he goes to Auburn because that’s where he really feels he belongs, I’m good with that.

I suspect we’ll probably learn where he ends up sometime today, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this plays out for several more days.

Extra Point: There is already a brotherly rivalry between the two schools. The Smith brothers, Petey and Eric, play on opposite sides. Petey plays for Bama; Eric for Auburn.

UPDATE: WNSP Morning Sports Center (105.5 FM, Mobile, Alabama) reports that a decision has been made and will be announced at 11:00 am today.

UPDATE II: Tidesports.com now says no decision until Friday. Dammit…

UPDATE III: Via @Finebaum, Tom Luginbill, ESPN Senior Recruiting Analyst says Kouandjio winds up at…

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