Pope: Commit group chat `going crazy' after win in Tallahassee
Miami’s commitments have a group text that’s gone on for several months.
And phones were lighting up after UM’s remarkable last-second victory at Florida State on Saturday.
“Someone posted a video of the old-time Canes, them making plays against Florida State - everyone was going crazy,” said WR commit Mark Pope, who visited Miami coaches and players Sunday night with several other recruits. “It was just a video of the old-time Hurricanes.”
Pope watched the FSU-Miami game at Buffalo Wild Wings with friends.
“A couple of my friends are FSU fans - we were just going at it the whole day,” Pope said.
Pope says “I never thought Miami would lose. I knew what would happen. I just knew.”
His reaction to the final game-winning catch?
“I was just excited, clapping,” Pope says. “But I was expecting it.”
After the game Pope spoke with receivers coach Ron Dugans.
“I just told him `Good game, coach,’” Pope said. “He was excited. The win, it made me real happy.”
Pope says he doesn’t expect a huge recruiting splash even though UM finally broke through for its first win vs. FSU in eight tries.
“I wouldn’t say it will help recruiting, not really - it’s just one game,” Pope said.
What could really help recruiting: A big-time season and ACC title game appearance.
“Miami just has to take it one game at a time,” Pope said. “I feel Miami will have a great rest of its season. I don’t see anyone that can beat them on the schedule. The toughest game will be Virginia Tech.”
Pope plans to be at the upcoming home game vs. Georgia Tech and also plans to be on hand when the Canes face the Hokies.
Of course, you can’t blame Pope for thinking it could be him in Darrell Langham’s shoes next season.
Could it be him catching that game-winner in 2018?
“Yeah, hopefully!” Pope says.
CaneSport’s take
Pope is a big piece of this recruiting class, and while Pope makes a fair point that one game may not help recruiting tremendously, what it certainly does is help shore up the plethora of current commits with the signs that this is a program on the rise to being one of the best in the nation for years to come. Pope is a solid commit who says he isn’t planning any other visits besides to UM in mid-December.