The cut-throat world of recruiting

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - Ocean Lakes defensive lineman Demetri McGill is considered one of the top players in Hampton Roads.
   
Recruited by many colleges back in December, McGill committed to the University of Maryland.

McGill said, "When I committed, the pressure was off. It felt like the weight of the world had been lifted."

It was a done deal for McGill. He stopped his recruitment, continued to work hard in the classroom and met all of Maryland's qualifications.

"He's done a great job in the classroom to put himself in that situation," said McGill's high school coach, Chris Scott. "Major university's do not take commitments if it looks like a player will not qualify."

Scott said, "McGill did everything asked of him. And with signing day just weeks away, his mother went out and bought him a new suit to match Maryland red. But Sunday night, McGill got a phone call from head coach Randy Edsell."

"Yeah, he gets a call last Sunday saying there were going to have to pull his scholarship. One of the toughest phone calls I have ever gotten from a head coach"

McGill said, "I remember most was them telling me that my qualifications were not good enough and that they were taking my scholarship away."

With one single phone call, McGill's dream of being a Terp had ended. "I kind of broke down and I was thinking, what did I do wrong."
 
McGill did nothing wrong. This was a Maryland decision. Scott deals with dozens of college coaches each week and says each player's recruitment is completely different.

"Your just kind of left with a wow! This is a dirty business at times.'

McGill handled Maryland's decision with class and knows another opportunity will come his way.

He now has offers from six major universities, including the University of North Carolina, East Carolina and Old Dominion University.