Ten Things You Need To Know About Geno Hayes

by TigerNet Staff - Mon Jan 24 18:40:27 GMT-04:00 2005

Eugene Hayes - Linebacker
Height: 6-1 Weight: 215 Hometown: Greenville, FL (Madison County HS) Class: 2005

ESPN: NR

This afternoon on the way to do my radio show I stopped to get a quick haircut at my $5.99 place. When your hair looks like mine then why spend anymore than you have to. This haircut was different because when I finished I look up out of the windshield of my car and saw Clemson assistant coach Dabo Swinney and Geno Hayes coming out of a local restaurant. They talked for a few minutes then exchanged a handshake. I felt like Columbo or Jim Rockford but now realize I have no future as a TV detective. My mind went racing and my fingers went dialing on the cell phone. Since then we have talked to multiple sources including Hayes himself. Here are ten things we found out:

1.Hayes is no longer committed. “No, sir,” said Hayes. “I am not committed to Tennessee anymore. I think I committed too soon and needed to hear everything before I made my decision. I have so much more information now.”

2.Hayes was hosted by his former teammate Bobby Hutchinson and current linebacker Anthony Waters. “I had a great time with both of those guys. It was good to see Bobby again. He likes it at Clemson. He is going to be a good player there. He had good things to say about Clemson. Anthony is a great guy. I had a good time with him. He was a great host.

3.Hayes met two former Tiger legend linebackers in Levon Kirkland and Jeff Davis. “Those guys were incredible. Both of them played in the NFL and both wanted to come back to Clemson. I had a great time with both of those guys. There seems to be a great bond there.

4.Hayes met with the defensive staff. “I have always had a good relationship with coach Swinney. I really liked coach Blackwell, Coach West and Coach K (Koenning). They have a good plan for their defense.

5.The All-American has a new leader. “I am leaning to Clemson now. I have a lot to think about but Clemson is ahead of Tennessee and FSU now.

6.Hayes will have all three coaching staffs in this week. “I think FSU still wants me to visit next weekend. Clemson and Tennessee will come in next Friday.

7.Hayes wants to make a decision as soon as possible. “As soon as I know for sure, I want to have a final commitment. I do not want to drag it out.

8.Hayes will have pressure on him to stay close to home. “His house is close to Tallahassee and we know FSU has a presence in his school,” said one Clemson source. “His school is difficult to get anyone that FSU wants.”

9.Hayes is a highly-rated player. A question on my Tigernet chat today asked how he would compare to former Clemson linebacker Wayne Simmons but one source says, “This is a Derrick Brooks-type of athlete.”

10.Last, this one will not be over until signing day. Like most of the top-rated athletes this time of the year one insider told us today, “You have to keep both hands on the wheel and keep the pedal on the floor.”