On Monday morning, Mel Tucker and Chris Kapilovic made their way to Marietta, Georgia, for a home visit with Jake Wray, the fourth commit in Colorado's Class of 2020 and a big domino to fall in favor of the Buffaloes, as Tucker and Co. started to gain momentum in crafting their initial recruiting class at CU.
Wray no doubt enjoyed catching up with Tucker and his future position coach, Kapilovic, with whom he enjoyed a laid back, friendly chat with.
"They’re very awesome people," Wray said. "I absolutely love them both — they’re very personable and relatable, just in having a conversation and wanting to get to know you. It was a personal conversation, (along with) talking about the (2020) season a bit more and the vision that coach Tucker and coach Kap have casted."
While Wray appreciated the visit, he did make a point to stress that his loyalty to CU since he committed in late May has not wavered whatsoever.
"There’s no reassurance (needed) for me — I’m as solid as anybody could ever be."
For Wray, the visit from Tucker and Kapilovic was a final affirmation of what he had observed of the two coaches, and for that matter, CU's entire coaching and recruiting staff, since the early stages of his recruitment — the coaches care and they don't let their foot off the gas.
"That’s something I always respected about them," Wray said. "I could tell that by the first time meeting them and talking to players that (had known Tucker and his staff) for a short time — they are player’s coaches and they love the kids. After I committed, every week I’d get a phone call or text or a ‘hey what’s up?’"
"I got texts ever week about who we had next in the playoffs. They’d ask what (opposing teams) are looking like. It’s really awesome to say that there’s a genuine connection. You have your assistants that will text or whatever but you can tell that (Tucker and Kapilovic) actually want to reach out to you and they want to be that person that’s the headpoint in conversation."
Wray continued: "I think a big thing that showed that was back when Brendon Lewis committed. Coach Tucker didn’t have to take a bye week and go see him — he’s already committed. But he decided that he wanted to because he thought (Lewis) is a foundation piece."
"He knew that (Lewis) was an important part of the recruiting class. He (goes and) sees the guys who are already committed, he respects them and just just as much as recruiting — you have to recruit the current players just as much as the ones you still want."
Wray will arrive in Boulder on Jan. 9 and enroll early for the Spring 2020 semester. Thus, he'll sign his NLI during the early period. Once he arrives in town, he's aware of what comes next in terms of hitting the ground running and becoming a Colorado student-athlete.
“Right when you get there, you’re going to get put to work," he said. "That’s the expectation — you’re going there to be a student first and an athlete second, and then grow as a person. Right when you get there, all of it starts."
But before he gets to Boulder, more work is yet to be done. Wray and the Marietta Blue Devils (11-2) are one game away from competing for a Georgia Class 7A State Championship. To get there, they'll have to dispatch the 12-1 Parkview Panthers on Friday, Dec. 6.
"Every week, from the progression to spring ball, to summer workouts, to fall camp, to the first game — to get to the state semis for the first time since 1994 — it’s an awesome experience to be able to share with my teammates," Wray said."
Looking ahead to arriving in Boulder and getting things started with an eye on the fall of 2020, Wray said that Carson Lee remains his best friend among Colorado's Class of 2020. But while guys may be closer to some as opposed to others, a singular mindset shared among the Buffs' incoming class has done much to create a tangible bond between the players.
"(Back in May) there were just a few of us (committed)," he said. "Then, everything started catching on. Having a common vision and common goal for a place that you’re excited about and love, it does its own natural thing of bringing a group of people together, no matter where they’re from, what they do or what they like. That’s what’s beautiful about sports and especially football."
Wray no doubt enjoyed catching up with Tucker and his future position coach, Kapilovic, with whom he enjoyed a laid back, friendly chat with.
"They’re very awesome people," Wray said. "I absolutely love them both — they’re very personable and relatable, just in having a conversation and wanting to get to know you. It was a personal conversation, (along with) talking about the (2020) season a bit more and the vision that coach Tucker and coach Kap have casted."
While Wray appreciated the visit, he did make a point to stress that his loyalty to CU since he committed in late May has not wavered whatsoever.
"There’s no reassurance (needed) for me — I’m as solid as anybody could ever be."
For Wray, the visit from Tucker and Kapilovic was a final affirmation of what he had observed of the two coaches, and for that matter, CU's entire coaching and recruiting staff, since the early stages of his recruitment — the coaches care and they don't let their foot off the gas.
"That’s something I always respected about them," Wray said. "I could tell that by the first time meeting them and talking to players that (had known Tucker and his staff) for a short time — they are player’s coaches and they love the kids. After I committed, every week I’d get a phone call or text or a ‘hey what’s up?’"
"I got texts ever week about who we had next in the playoffs. They’d ask what (opposing teams) are looking like. It’s really awesome to say that there’s a genuine connection. You have your assistants that will text or whatever but you can tell that (Tucker and Kapilovic) actually want to reach out to you and they want to be that person that’s the headpoint in conversation."
Wray continued: "I think a big thing that showed that was back when Brendon Lewis committed. Coach Tucker didn’t have to take a bye week and go see him — he’s already committed. But he decided that he wanted to because he thought (Lewis) is a foundation piece."
"He knew that (Lewis) was an important part of the recruiting class. He (goes and) sees the guys who are already committed, he respects them and just just as much as recruiting — you have to recruit the current players just as much as the ones you still want."
Wray will arrive in Boulder on Jan. 9 and enroll early for the Spring 2020 semester. Thus, he'll sign his NLI during the early period. Once he arrives in town, he's aware of what comes next in terms of hitting the ground running and becoming a Colorado student-athlete.
“Right when you get there, you’re going to get put to work," he said. "That’s the expectation — you’re going there to be a student first and an athlete second, and then grow as a person. Right when you get there, all of it starts."
But before he gets to Boulder, more work is yet to be done. Wray and the Marietta Blue Devils (11-2) are one game away from competing for a Georgia Class 7A State Championship. To get there, they'll have to dispatch the 12-1 Parkview Panthers on Friday, Dec. 6.
"Every week, from the progression to spring ball, to summer workouts, to fall camp, to the first game — to get to the state semis for the first time since 1994 — it’s an awesome experience to be able to share with my teammates," Wray said."
Looking ahead to arriving in Boulder and getting things started with an eye on the fall of 2020, Wray said that Carson Lee remains his best friend among Colorado's Class of 2020. But while guys may be closer to some as opposed to others, a singular mindset shared among the Buffs' incoming class has done much to create a tangible bond between the players.
"(Back in May) there were just a few of us (committed)," he said. "Then, everything started catching on. Having a common vision and common goal for a place that you’re excited about and love, it does its own natural thing of bringing a group of people together, no matter where they’re from, what they do or what they like. That’s what’s beautiful about sports and especially football."
