"It's not about coming to an HBCU. It's been about coming to play for us. Coming to this program to do something that hadn't been done. It takes a kid with courage, a kid that's confident, a kid that's progressive, a kid that's a forward thinker who's willing to do this.
I think the kids want to come to a program that gets them to the next level, that they're going to have an opportunity to make it to the next level. Wherever that is. If we can have that possibility, if we can have that same thought process as a kid that says he's going to play for Alabama, he knows that's a pipeline to the NFL.
We want that same thought process and we're going to have it. When you have several guys that were in the NFL coaching-wise and playing-wise, that's a tremendous possibility just based on the relationships that we have.
So yeah, we pray that it continues. But I think a kid should do what's best for the kid. If a kid thinks it's best to be here, go do it. If a kid thinks it's best to be elsewhere, you need to go do it. Because we don't want anyone to be here unhappy.
I told them yesterday, if you want to opt out, you don't have to wait to opt out. I've got a seat in the meeting room called 'The Portal.' We can put you there right now. You don't have to wait. You don't have to surprise me. Right there. They go in the portal right there. I'll walk you over and sit you right down in there and put a seatbelt on you and give you a video to sell you. I'm gonna tell all the good things about you. If you don't want to be here, I will help you leave.
I need the spot anyway.