PINEHURST, N.C. — In the winter of 2013, the pursuit of a pro-style quarterback led Al Golden from the talent-rich environs of South Florida to West Hills, Calif., where Miami (Fla.) had identified a lanky and under-recruited prospect named Brad Kaaya.
It was, as Golden said, love at first sight.
“We loved him,” said the Hurricanes’ fifth-year coach. “We loved him as a person, his intellect. All the qualities you’d want in your quarterback and the face of the program, he possessed and then some.”
Yet there are recruits, beloved for their untapped potential, and there are players; a recruit becomes a player the moment he steps on the practice field, and high hopes and aspirations are tossed aside in favor of harsh realities.