Kadyn Proctor explains commitment flip from Iowa to Alabama: 'I felt like I was settling'
- Thread starter cigaretteman
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Not when he is going against the defense! No way. But competition for a starting spot on his OL, then yeah. I will take Lauck all day long though.
Then he should give the difference to a charity and prove it.
Kid knew since October sometime. Coaches had an inkling also then.
If only he had said I flipped because I hate shitty fans who boo their own team players! That would have set more off.
Why would a person -me - born out of Iowa, currently live out of Iowa, but was a resident for some great years, including getting a great education at the UI, member of the Hawkeye program, as a 50ish guy need to be happy for this kid, as a Hawkeye fan, because he went to HS in Iowa. His last comment makes zero sense.Proctor’s commitment to Alabama came amid speculation of a lucrative NIL (name-image-likeness) deal the school put together to woo him. He said Wednesday that’s not what convinced him to flip his commitment to Alabama. He said it was about the resources Alabama had and the opportunities that playing for the Crimson Tide provided.
“It’s not about the money because if people knew about the money situation, they wouldn’t be talking about it,” Proctor said. “But I wanted to go play football at a prestigious school. (There’s) a lot of competition down there and ultimately it’s going to make me better.”
IOWA FOOTBALL
Kadyn Proctor explains commitment flip from Iowa to Alabama: 'I felt like I was settling'
Tommy Birch
Hawk Central
At 7 a.m. Wednesday, two and a half hours before his signing day ceremony at Southeast Polk High School, Kadyn Proctor gathered with his mother and stepdad in their Altoona home to quietly but officially take the next step in his football career.
The letter of intent papers for Alabama arrived in the mail Tuesday. Proctor signed them, snapped some photos and fired off some texts to members of the coaching staff to let them know his commitment was a done deal.
“Then, I’m not going to lie, I went back to bed,” Proctor said with a smile.
Proctor could finally breathe a sigh of relief. The high school football star, one of the most coveted players in the nation, was now a part of the Crimson Tide program. The signature, the snapshots and the symbolic ceremony that took place later in the morning in front of friends, family and teammates in the Southeast Polk auditorium ended an eventful recruitment of the star offensive tackle.
“It’s been somewhat stressful,” his mother, Sarah Proctor-Perkins, said of the last few days.
It's been a wild ride for the 6-foot-7, 330-pound offensive lineman, who has long been heralded as one of the top players in the state and nation. He drew scholarship offers from seemingly all the big names, including Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Alabama, Oregon and Ole Miss.
Proctor, listed by 247Sports as a five-star recruit and the nation’s top offensive tackle, committed to Iowa back in June. He was viewed as a Day 1 starter and the biggest name in the Hawkeyes' 2023 recruiting class.
That didn’t stop teams from trying to change Proctor's mind. NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, who recently took over the Colorado job, offered him a scholarship. Oregon was on hand to watch Proctor guide Southeast Polk to its second-straight state football title in November. Alabama coach Nick Saban visited him on one of the first days he could see recruits.
Proctor visited Alabama this past weekend and was finally swayed to flip his commitment and join the Crimson Tide.
“When I went down there and got to see everything that was laid out for me, I just thought it was a better opportunity for me,” Proctor said.
Here’s a look at some of the other major storylines surrounding Proctor’s change of heart.
Did NIL play a role in Proctor's decision to flip his commitment? He says no
Proctor’s commitment to Alabama came amid speculation of a lucrative NIL (name-image-likeness) deal the school put together to woo him. He said Wednesday that’s not what convinced him to flip his commitment to Alabama. He said it was about the resources Alabama had and the opportunities that playing for the Crimson Tide provided.
“It’s not about the money because if people knew about the money situation, they wouldn’t be talking about it,” Proctor said. “But I wanted to go play football at a prestigious school. (There’s) a lot of competition down there and ultimately it’s going to make me better.”
Proctor conceded there was money involved, but he wouldn’t say how much Alabama was willing to shell out in NIL dollars to secure his services. Proctor's mother was adamant that things like dorms, team doctors and facilities played a bigger role in his decision to switch his commitment. She said her son was also swayed by the opportunity to play with athletes of his size right out of the gate and help him get to the NFL.
Proctor said Iowa was willing to pony up.
“I’m not getting paid that much (more) as Iowa was going to give me,” he said. “People didn’t know that. But everybody has opinions.”
Proctor says he would have been 'settling' by staying at Iowa
Proctor said he informed Iowa’s coaching staff of his decision to decommit last week and hinted he had been mulling it over for a bit. He admitted that Iowa’s offensive struggles the last couple of years were part of his thought process but didn’t play a major role. In fact, he liked the idea of coming in and helping change a program. But he figured playing at Alabama could tap into more of his potential.
“I thought I was settling at Iowa and when I went down there (Alabama), I saw all the guys that are as big as me and have the same mindset as me and worked like me," he said. "That’s just what I wanted to do. I don’t want to come into this school and everybody thinks I’m one of the best players there already. I want to grow. That’s not how I grow. I’ve got to get hit in the mouth before I can grow. And I think getting hit in the mouth is the competition (I need)."
During the weekend visit to Alabama, Proctor met with Saban, hung out with some players and watched the Crimson Tide practice for its Sugar Bowl matchup with Kansas State. When he got back to his hotel room Saturday night, he told his mom he wanted to play at Alabama.
“He was all about going to Iowa and I just thought, ‘Are you sure? Are you sure?’” Proctor-Perkins said. “It kind of shocked me.”
The fallout from Proctor's late commitment swap generates social buzz and backlash
Proctor committed to Saban on Sunday. Word started getting out early in the week that Proctor was potentially flipping to Alabama. The fallout brought loads of criticism as people took to social media to bash the decision. Proctor’s announcement on Twitter on Tuesday was met with a barrage of negativity from people who questioned his loyalty and motives.
“It made me feel bad a little bit but I can’t tune in to that stuff,” he said. “It’s just mind-blowing that 40-year-olds, 50-year-olds are calling me the p-word and saying ‘F-you,’ I’m going to hell and stuff like that. It’s just crazy to hear. But I don’t give in to that stuff because if they were truly an Iowa fan, then they wouldn’t have been talking about that and they would have been happy for me to be going to Alabama and representing the state.”
Kadyn Proctor explains commitment flip from Iowa to Alabama: 'I felt like I was settling'
"I really didn’t make my decision correctly,” Kadyn Proctor said of initially choosing Iowa.www.press-citizen.com
Now, I wouldn’t tweet at him- those dorks are losers .if you’re reading this KP, which you’re not, take some communication and or classes, take advantage of what ever Bama offers you.
Stop. You have NO idea what other peoples financial situation is. That doesn't make them more or less a fan. And frankly if this is now about nothing more then who has the deepest pockets, then there will be a lot less fans involved....
I hope football works out for Him because now every Business owner that is a Hawkeye Alum or Fan will be in the position if the Kid or Family puts in a job application to say , Gosh I would love to hire You but I don't want to feel like I am settling .
I read some sincerity in that but "settling" stings a bit. It's best he didn't come to Iowa if he really felt that way.
40-50 year olds trashing this guy is really shameful and a reason why I just left HN where the mod was bashing him and his mother. We need to be better than this. KF has made a career out of taking 2/3 star recruits and turning them into solid football players and some wind up in the NFL.
40-50 year olds trashing this guy is really shameful and a reason why I just left HN where the mod was bashing him and his mother. We need to be better than this. KF has made a career out of taking 2/3 star recruits and turning them into solid football players and some wind up in the NFL.
Come on....this is ridiculous. You don't really think that, do you?
What part of that leads you into that opinion? The statement it wasn't about money and offers were close? Oh, about wanting to compete vs the most talented? Maybe you took offense to the hard work references?
Well it kept ppl around him off his ass. We've seen it b4.
Tell em what they want to hear and leave em crying in their beer
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Well said, and share exact same sentiment. I think he knows he overshot that statement.
Yeah, he's an athletic freak and he will be rich because of it. Why? Because we worship athletes.
Dumb as a rock? Spoiled dick? (Not naming names here)
Well that's ok because we only judge you by the money you make.
Yeah, JFC.
I personally don't but I have talked to a few People I know that have small businesses down in Iowa and that is actually what one of them told Me Today . People live eat and crap football and some will remember the comment and hold it against the Kid do not kid Yourself.
Chances he ever comes back to Iowa?
Zero, and probably glad for it
The more I think about it, I don’t think he wanted the pressure to be the next Wirfs or better than Wirfs. If he comes in as the top recruit ever and is a bust he’d never live it down. Just my two cents.
Too strong! We all justify our decisions. If you don’t by all means,call him a loser because you’re a better human being than the rest of us…
All this shows me is the staff really couldn’t have done much different!
True, and based on his statements, I honestly don't want him now anyway. I absolutely did before but no longer. This is about as brutal a way to say "thanks but no thanks" as I could possibly conceive. He made his choice and that's fine. I don't have to like his stated reasoning however and I absolutely don't!
Momma always told Me , never burn bridges .......
Nah he’s a loser. Dude could have let us know in June he wasn’t solid. But then he wouldn’t have had a free Jeep and all the attention. Now the attention is negative and hes a poor little kid. F that flake and the family.
He does seem like a kid that might become homesick. Barnes almost made it sound like it’s still possible someday he ends up at Iowa. I’m sure they wouldn’t turn him down.
Small chance but who knows, people on here act like KP was more important than Cade McNamara which is ridiculous.
Small chance but who knows, people on here act like KP was more important than Cade McNamara which is ridiculous.
If he wanted stiff defensive competition should have gone to Georgia.
I don't know. Saying something like this doesn't seem like something KF or the fanbase will forget for some time. He literally told everyone he thinks he's too good or bigger than the program. Iowa stubborn comes into effect in situations such as this. Who knows but I think that ship sailed.
Get rid of brian pony up the cash. This is iowa. the rest of collegefootball is changing schemes and coaches iowa is stuck in the 70's football.
Well, Iowa defense is significantly better than Alabama. So he is actually going against less competition. https://www.ncaa.com/stats/football/fbs
So, it took him until the 11th hour to figure out he was settling?
