More on Cedar Hill HS quarterback William Cole’s commitment to Oklahoma State

by Loyd Brumfield of Cedar Hill TODAY

William Cole knew there was no other way to go.

“I'm from Dallas, and I'm a Cowboy, so you already know I've got to be an Oklahoma State Cowboy,” he said, ending one of the longest-running recruiting battles in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.

Cole, quarterback of Cedar Hill High School's 16-0 state championship football team, announced his college of choice before a rowdy crowd of supporters and a local television audience at Buffalo Wild Wings the night of Feb. 4.

The pledge to OSU was a verbal one that doesn't become binding until National Signing Day, which was held Feb. 7.

In the end, Cole's choice came down to OSU, Arkansas and the University of Kansas.

His decision surprised many people, including his high school coach.

“I was shocked, actually,” Cedar Hill Coach Joey McGuire said. “I really thought he was going to Arkansas. But I'm ecstatic. I don't care where these guys go, I just want them to be happy.

“I've always told them, ‘Once you've made up your mind and you graduate here, I don't want to see you again until after the season is over. Stay up there four or five years and work hard. Don't be coming back down here if you've got a day off and telling me you're homesick.”

Home was a big factor in Cole's decision, he said, and it made his decision an easy one.

“Once I visited there, I knew exactly where I was going,” he said. “I was comfortable right from the beginning. I know some of the players there and knew I could trust their opinions. It wasn't hard at all (to commit to OSU).”

Cole plans to play defense in college, which is one of the reasons why Arkansas was considered the favorite choice, McGuire said.

The Razorbacks, coming off an appearance in the Southeastern Conference championship game, recruited him from the beginning at his preferred position, cornerback.

Arkansas is home to former Cedar Hill standout Jerell Norton, who basically played the same role Cole did on the Longhorns' 2005 District 8-5A championship team.

Norton is a defensive back and returns kicks for the Razorbacks - the same role Cole will play at OSU.

McGuire found out OSU was the one a few minutes before Cole announced it on Fox 4's Sports Sunday.

OSU, like a lot of other schools, wanted Cole for its offense, but Cole was able to convince Cowboys recruiters that defense was right for him.

“I was sitting in the office when they met with him,” McGuire said. “They said, ‘Just hear us out. Give us a chance,' and Will said, ‘Well, you know I really want to play defense,' and they came back and said, ‘Will, if that's what you want to play, then that's what you'll play.'”

Cole, a dynamic ballcarrier, gained 2,966 yards rushing and scored 41 touchdowns for the Class 5A Division II state champion Longhorns.

Like Norton at Arkansas, he will return kicks for the Cowboys, who are coming off a victory over Alabama in the Independence Bowl.

Fox reporter Max Morgan interviewed Cole, who sat in front of an array of baseball caps representing schools who recruited him. Texas A&M was the first school eliminated, as Cole said he knew he wouldn't feel comfortable there.

Oklahoma was thrown out next. The Sooners made a late play for Cole, but he said he couldn't give them his pledge because they went after him only after they lost a couple of other commitments.

“I didn't feel right going with them instead of those other schools who all recruited me early,” he said.

Arizona was the next to fall, but Cole said he appreciated the efforts of the Stoops brothers - Bob at Oklahoma and Mike at Arizona - in recruiting him.

That left Kansas, OSU and Arkansas. Cole has friends or former teammates on each team, and current teammate Dezmon Briscoe has given his pledge to Kansas, but in the end OSU won out.

The Cowboys finished 7-6 under second-year Coach Mike Gundy, who has put together a sterling recruiting class including Lufkin receiver Dez Bryant, widely considered the best receiver in Texas.

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