Recruits react to Harbison leaving

Kearse talks to Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney during Swinney's June camp

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Sun Dec 09 20:12:43 GMT-04:00 2012

The news filtered out Sunday that Clemson secondary coach Charlie Harbison Charlie Harbison
Defensive Backs
View Full Profile was leaving the program and taking a similar position with Auburn and their new defensive coordinator, Ellis Johnson.

Harbison has been a mainstay on the recruiting trail for Clemson, and has built solid relationships with several of Clemson’s 2013 and 2014 recruiting classes, so TigerNet contacted a few of those recruits to see if Harbison’s resignation had any effect on their perception of Clemson or their recruitment.

One of the biggest names in the 2013 recruiting cycle is defensive back Jayron Kearse Jayron Kearse
Safety
6-4, 205
Fort Myers, FL
View Full Profile , a 4-star prospect out of South Fort Myers (FL) South who committed to the Tigers back in August and had built a solid relationship with Harbison.

However, Kearse told TigerNet that it doesn’t change anything as far as his commitment to Clemson.

“No it doesn’t change anything for me at all,” Kearse said Sunday. “I got a call from Coach [Tony] Elliott and he told me about it. But it doesn’t change anything for me, and I am still 100 percent to Clemson.”

Dylan Sumner-Gardner Dylan Sumner-Gardner
Safety
6-1, 190
Mesquite, TX
View Full Profile is a 4-star safety prospect out of Mesquite (TX) West Mesquite said he was looking forward to working with Harbison, but understands it is a business. He committed to Clemson back in June and said it doesn’t change his commitment.

“It doesn’t really affect me,” he said. “Coach Cheese and I are really close, and he is real cool. He is like a role model. I hope Coach [Dabo] Swinney gets someone just like him. I didn’t actually find out about it until one of the recruiting guys called me and told me that Cheese had left. But it doesn’t affect me at all, and I am still going to be solid to Clemson. Clemson is my dream school. It really doesn’t change anything.”

Another prospect still high on Clemson’s target list for 2014 is Demarre Kitt Demarre Kitt
Wide Receiver
6-1, 185
Tyrone, GA
View Full Profile , a wide receiver out of Tyrone (GA) Sandy Creek who was once committed to Georgia but has since placed Clemson in his top two. Kitt told TigerNet he was surprised to hear about Harbison, who had recruited Kitt.