For
Jameel Poteat, it's always been about the comfort zone, where he felt comfortable in playing in college, and who he felt comfortable playing for.
Jameel Poteat
Photo by Richard Rector
It's why after Pittsburgh coach Dave Wannstedt resigned earlier this month, Poteat, one of the best tailbacks in the country, thought it was time to decommit from Pittsburgh and look elsewhere to play his college football.
Poteat has decided on Cincinnati, after leading the Bishop McDevitt running back led the Crusaders to their first PIAA state championship game since 1995, rushing for 1,724 yards and 31 touchdowns this season and ending his career as McDevitt's all-time leader with 84 total touchdowns.
"My original college recruiting I was really stressed out over where to go," Poteat said. "But when I first went to Cincinnati, I had a good feeling about the school. The only thing I felt really concerned about was the distance.
"My parents have always been able to see me play since I was a kid, and I wanted them to continue watching me in college. But I after I made by decision to Pitt, I gave everyone a courtesy call and coach [Butch] Jones [the Bearcats' first-year coach] told me that if anything happens with Pitt, I always had a place there."
So when Wannstedt resigned, it opened the recruiting floodgates again. The calls began pouring in and Poteat, playing with a state championship at stake, always felt Jones was sincere in his offer to reconsider.
"It's why I feel the decision to go to Cincinnati is a good one," Poteat said. "Usually when schools recruit you, or how I experienced some it, you'll deal with a coach that may not even coach you in college, Coach Jones visited me himself. That's something that stayed with me and meant a lot.
"Coach Jones reminds me of my high school coach, someone you trust and play for, but moving on from Pittsburgh took some thought."
Because Poteat has a legacy at Pitt. He was set to follow the same collegiate path of former McDevitt great and current Philadelphia Eagle starting tailback LeSean "Shady" McCoy, who's a close friend of Poteat's. Plus, Poteat is the younger cousin of Hank Poteat, who played for Harrisburg High School in the early-1990s and went on to become a two-time all-Big East defensive back at Pitt.
"I spoke to both Shady and Hank, and they both told me the same thing, ‘Do what's best for you, do what's in your heart,'" said Jameel, who rushed for two touchdowns in a memorable Class AAA state title game 28-27 loss to Allentown Central Catholic. "If Wannstedt stayed, I probably would have stayed at Pitt. But I told coach Jones, I didn't win a state title, something I worked hard to do, and now I think it's time I start my own legacy at Cincinnati and work toward winning a championship in college."
Joseph Santoliquito can be reached at JSantoliquito@yahoo.com.
