Jaden Rashada, the talented high school quarterback who signed with Florida in December only to back out of the commitment when his NIL deal fell apart, says he is going to Arizona State.
Rashada announced on Twitter on Wednesday, the first day of the traditional signing period for high school football players, that he would be attending his 'childhood dream school' and father's alma mater. His father, Harlen, played defensive back for the Sun Devils in the early 1990s, when the team was coached by Bruce Snyder.
'Glad to truly be home!' Rashada posted.
Rashada, a four-star recruit from California, was the focal point of a recruiting fight between Miami and Florida that led to a bidding war between booster-run collectives that try to secure sponsorship deals for athletes from those schools.
He had originally given a verbal commitment to Miami but flipped to Florida and signed with the Gators after being offered a NIL deal that could have been worth more than $13 million dollars.
Jaden Rashada, the talented high school quarterback who signed with Florida in December only to back out of the commitment when his NIL deal fell apart, says he is going to ASU
When it became clear that Gator Collective, which is not part of the University of Florida or its athletic department, did not have the money to fund the deal, Rashada asked to be released from the national letter of intent he signed in December.
'Can't wait to carry on the family name at the University and start my journey. Forks up!' Rashada posted.
Rashada becomes the highest-profile high school recruit in new Arizona State coach Kenny Dillingham's first signing class. The 32-year-old Arizona native was hired in December to replace fired former NFL coach, Herm Edwards.
Dillingham takes over a program in need of a jolt.
The Edwards experiment fizzled out after five years and interim coach Shaun Aguano, while well respected, was not able to turn things around. Arizona State went 2-7 under Aguano and finished 3-9 for its worst non-pandemic season since 1994.
Arizona State also is in the NCAA's crosshairs for hosting recruits on campus during an NCAA-mandated COVID-19 dead period in 2020.
The Arizona State Sun Devils logo is displayed on the field during the college football game against the Washington Huskies at Sun Devil Stadium on October 19, 2013 in Tempe, Arizona
The reigns are now in the hands of Dillingham, the enthusiastic coach who played and coached at Scottsdale's Chaparral High School before being hired as an offensive analyst by former Arizona State coach Todd Graham in 2014.
Dillingham spent two seasons at Arizona State before following Mike Norvell to Memphis, where he spent three seasons. Dillingham was named Auburn's offensive coordinator in 2019 and spent two seasons in the same position at Florida State.
He joined Dan Lanning's staff in Lanning's first season at Oregon and helped turn the Ducks into one of the nation's most explosive offensive teams.
'As young as he is at 32, the multitude of accomplishments and successes that Kenny Dillingham brought to the table was undeniable,' Arizona State athletic director Ray Anderson said in November.
'This is a place where you need someone who loves this community, loves this university, loves this state, and I believe when you get a chance to bring them home, you bring them home.'
Anderson took a calculated gamble in 2018 with the hiring of Edwards, a former NFL coach and TV analyst.
The loquacious coach won over Arizona State's fan base his first couple of seasons, proving to be an adept recruiter while leading the Sun Devils to consecutive bowl appearances.
Quarterback Jaden Rashada runs with the ball during the Under Armour Next All-America Game at Camping World Stadium in Orlando, Florida, on January 3
Arizona State couldn't sustain the success on the field and the program fell into the NCAA's crosshairs for hosting recruits on campus during an NCAA-mandated COVID-19 dead period in 2020.
Edwards was fired a day after the Sun Devils lost to Eastern Michigan of the Mid-American Conference as heavy home favorites. He went 46-26 in five seasons at Arizona State, including 17-14 in the Pac-12.
In Dillingham, Arizona State gets a coach who knows the program and football in Arizona and has strong connections to high school football in the state.
'We need the Valley behind us,' he said. 'We need everyone behind us. We need everyone all in because I am all in.'
One of Dillingham's first moves was to announce that the popular Agauno will remain on staff.
English (United States) ·