Florida RB commit Dameon Piece staying put if Ja’Juan Seider doesn’t go
https://www.seccountry.com/florida/florida-recruiting-dameon-pierce-2
Dameon Pierce update
The Gators haven’t hired Chip Kelly yet, but one of Florida’s commits has already celebrated as promised.
Dameon Pierce, a 4-star running back from Bainbridge, Ga., told SEC Country he
would do “cartwheels” if Kelly got the job.
Less than 24 hours later, Pierce walked the talk after news broke Sunday that Florida athletics director Scott Stricklin had flown to New Hampshire to meet with Kelly.
Instantly Regretting Those Cartwheels
— Dameon Pierce (@IRep229)
November 20, 2017
Piere said the hiring of Kelly would be “icing on the cake” as far as his commitment to Florida is concerned. He plans to sign early on Dec. 20 and enroll at UF in January.
However, Kelly-to-Florida isn’t a done deal and neither is Pierce’s pledge.
The coach who matters most to Pierce is Gators assistant Ja’Juan Seider, his primary recruiter and future position coach. Pierce could re-open his recruitment if Seider is not retained.
“That’ll have a huge impact on my decision with Florida and I might have to de-commit, depending on circumstances,”Pierce said after attending Florida’s 36-7 win over UAB. “That’s a key factor in my recruiting process with Florida.”
That being said, Pierce feels “pretty sure” that Seider will be back next season based on his conversations with him.
“He said with the way things are going with the athletics director, things look solid,” Pierce said. “But you’re never sure. It’s a day-to-day thing. He’s still here now, so I’m still here.”
Pierce has attended every home game this season and was back on campus Saturday for the first time in more than a month. He said the highlight of his latest trip was watching Florida’s run game (257 yards) and spending time with Seider.
“That’s my boy,” Pierce said of Seider. “He was just really catching up on my life, checking on me and asking how I’m doing. … Me and Coach Seider, we don’t talk football. We just talk life. The only football we talk about is the hiring of a new coach and just me coming in early and getting playing time.
“Every time I come down here, it’s a great experience and I enjoy myself. I liked the intensity, great coaching and tonight we came out with a win. Coach (Randy) Shannon is doing a great job of leading those guys on the field.”
Pierce returns to Gainesville this weekend for the Florida-Florida State game and will officially visit UF after the season. The nation’s No. 9 running back said he’s considering some other potential visits as well.
“It’s a recruiting process, so why not check out schools? I don’t know if I can name any of them right now because I’m still thinking about it,” Pierce said. “As far as official visits go, I know for a fact Florida is one of my officials and might be my first official to be honest. I’m just going to check out schools and just have fun with it. I might go across the country. You never know.”