So it was Marcus the whole time

Cougar Football
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Big Ed truly wanted to go to LSU. So this puts that to rest. He ‘hates’ that he did not go to LSU.

So what changed your mind?
Marcus. I was going to play football with my brother. If he wasn’t already at the University of Houston, I wouldn’t be here.

In almost every [recruiting] interview they asked me: “What’s your dream school?” My answer: “LSU.” I was almost a Louisianimal. I still hate that I didn’t go there, but I can’t be in two places at once. I might go get my degree from LSU, just to say I went there.

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You have the flow of questions reversed from the article. The LSU comment comes first and then he said he wanted to play with his brother.

Recruiting is a strange animal since any part of a family can impact the decision. Hopefully, he and the team can get the championship and bowl ring this year.

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i thought that was obvious?

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I always thought it was pretty obvious, however from time to time people will chime in and say we can get 5 star players every year because we got Ed. And as long as we recruit older brothers of 5 star athletes I think we can get more.

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That’s exactly how Ole Miss nabbed Robert Nkemdiche a few years ago, well among other things.

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Ed has made a good thing out of the situation he chose. He touts the city of Houston and playing at UH because he is here. He would be doing tom he same at LSU and Baton Rouge/Louisiana.

So to say that playing in front of family is what will get local 5 stars to play here ignored what players really want.

Our recruiting area isn’t as much of a draw (to other teams to play us nor for local kids).

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Every UH alumnus needs to eat at Levine’s Chic Fil A in Mo City at least once a week to thank him for Marcus, which led to Ed. :joy:

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Not saying the decision was easy for Ed, but part of me thinks it was easier for a player of his caliber than for some other 5 star kid. I’m sure there was something in him that knew he would be a top 5 draft pick one day no matter where he went to school. So he could go play at a G5 and it not really affect his future. However it went down, I’m thankful to have been here to witness his greatness and that it was for my alma mater.

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I think we can get some 4 stars, maybe 3 or so a year, by winning 10+ games a year for a few years like Boise State has done. I don’t think we get any 5 stars unless the Ed scenario happens again.

To get 5 stars and 10 or more 4 stars per year consistently you have win a lot of games consistently and be in a conference that has a chance at making the faux playoff.

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What Ed did ake off the table is the argument that you have to go to a P5 to be recognized. Not anymore you don’t.

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I remember not to long ago that were were pumped for getting the occassional 3*. Now, virtually all of our recruits are 3* guys with even a couple of 4’s in there (like King for example).

To that point,

Win a lot of games
Win conference championships
Go to big bowls
Finish/begin each season ranked
Play on TV
The family can watch you each week

We should be full of 3’s and more 4’s.

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Yep, Ed’s mentioned that his father basically told him he was going to Houston. There was some question about whether he would come if Levine was still at Houston, but once the coaching change was made and the culture changed, the decision was made.

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I like his attitude.

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Well, you could say that D.J. Hayden, William Jackson III, Tyus Bowser, etc could have made that point before Big Ed.

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We have a nice string of several years of our guys making NFL rosters. We keep putting several in every year, we will grow in attention.

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The team stomping a mud hole on FSU and OU put us on the map with scouts. Ed and the Peach Bowl win have really elevated the program on a national level. We just need to keep winning.

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