I caught up with Terrence Cain, Noah's father, this morning. As you can imagine, Cain and his family are getting absolutely bombarded by reporters and coaches this week. Mr. Cain is a very upbeat guy, very personable and joyful, but even during the five or so minutes that we talked, you can just tell that this is becoming a lot. That's how it is with all of these prospects this time of the year. Because of that, I didn't hold him long.
But I did ask about last week's breakfast with James Franklin and Ja'Juan Seider. Like always, he had great things to say. The one thing that really stood out to me was how comfortable the conversation supposedly went. I've had other recruits and parents tell me in the past about how these in-home meetings can be a bit awkward. That never seems to be the case with Franklin and his staff.
"The breakfast was wonderful," said Cain's father. "Of course, we've discussed so much with them over the years, so this talk was just us reassuring all the big things that Penn State has to offer. We went back through all the different points, all the unique things that make the school so special.
"We also talked about how Noah can come in and contribute in a variety of different ways. It really was just one of the last opportunities we had to express our feelings and make sure that myself, mom, Noah and their staff were all on the same page. Everything went really well."
He went on to add, "One thing that's always great with [Penn State] is that you never get that funny feeling when you're talking to their coaches. It never feels forced or awkward. There's never an uneasiness about it. They're very consistent and thorough and honest. Penn State is a great place. It really is."
Last night, one of Cain's teammates put it out on Twitter that Noah would be taking an official visit to Tennessee this upcoming weekend. Cain's father sort of shot that down, stressing that it's not finalized yet, but I do think that's where he's going to end up visiting this weekend. Even if he does, it's going to take a monumental effort to get Cain to sign with the Vols.
I also think that Georgia came in a bit too late here. I think the family understands that they were basically a backup option after John Emery switched his commitment. Kirby Smart will use his in-home visit with the family this week, but I don't get the vibe that Georgia is a serious threat here.
That brings us to Texas. Tom Herman has already taken his in-home visit with the Cain family. He actually went up to Cain's house right after the Big 12 Championship game to meet with his parents. He then went out to IMG Academy that evening to meet with Noah. Texas will send a few assistants to meet with Cain and his family at some point this week. As of this morning, that was expected to be Wednesday or Thursday. They were still working out a date.
I also caught up with my colleagues in Austin. One thing they stressed is that Cain is absolutely Texas' top target at running back. The Horns are pushing for Trey Sanders, Noah's teammate at IMG, but he's going to probably end up at Alabama. They also like DJ Williams in Florida, but it doesn't sound like he's going to visit Texas. They're after one other junior college running back, but that's about it. So, they believe that Noah is clearly Herman's top target.
Noah is also planning to major in business. Texas has an excellent business program, one of the best in the nation, but Smeal is also very good. When you look at depth charts, that's pretty similar, too. Texas has a very good freshman running back in Keaontay Ingram, while Penn State has Ricky Slade. Texas has another RB committed in this class, Rivals250 RB Derrian Brown, while Penn State has Devyn Ford. So when you compare education and depth charts, the schools are pretty even.
With all that said, it does feel as if the hype around Cain in Austin has quieted in recent weeks. That brings me back to that quote above. I'm beginning to believe that Penn State holds a clear edge here in the relationship category, which is always very, very important. Tom Herman and his staff are very good, but there's something about Franklin and his staff that really grabs some families. It really feels like Cain and his family have bought into what Franklin, Rahne and Seider have been preaching
With basically a week to go, there's still plenty to monitor. I am expecting Seider and Rahne to do one last visit with Noah at IMG, then with his parents in Texas. Right now, they're aiming for Thursday or Friday morning, so that's the next time I plan to reach out to the family and contacts. (CORRECTION: This visit took place Tuesday)
I'm still hesitant to put in a prediction here, just because I do genuinely believe that the family hasn't decided yet, but Penn State is in a very good position here, no doubt. To sum it up, I think they hold an edge in the relationship department, while some other important categories are basically a wash with Texas.
