January 10th
Leilon Willlingham transferring to Northern Colorado
It hasn’t even been a year …
Remember how frantic things were, as Signing Day, 2011, approached? Colorado was still in the hunt for several top prospects. Offensive lineman Paulay Asiata had de-committed from Washington, and the Buffs had a chance. Defensive lineman Stephane Nembot had committed to Washington State, then Washington, and was delaying his announcement until late on Signing Day, so that his family in Cameroon could watch him on television. Wide receiver Devin Lucien was choosing between Colorado and UCLA (he went with UCLA).
And then there was Leilon Willingham.
The top rated player out of Colorado in the Class of 2011, the four-star linebacker from Mullen high had offers from all over the country, and the Buff Nation wanted him.
Here’s what I wrote on February 1, 2011, on the eve of Signing Day …
“Four-star linebacker Leilon Willingham would be a huge get, not only because he is a star player, but because he is the top player in the state of Colorado. For Jon Embree to make his mark, he will have to close the state borders to intruders, so getting Willingham to be a member of his first recruiting class would be a huge first step. Willingham committed to Texas A&M over the holidays, then de-committed right before he was scheduled to take his visit to College Station. Willingham took official visits to Colorado, Arizona State, Washington, Michigan, and Central Florida. Willingham visited Michigan last weekend, and the whispers are that Willingham will commit to the Wolverines at 7:30 a.m., tomorrow – maybe …”.
Willingham ultimately signed with Central Florida, much to the disappointment of the Buff Nation.
Now, Leilon Willingham is leaving Central Florida, transferring to 1-AA Northern Colorado. Leilon said it was about getting back to Colorado. “I loved the place and everything,” Willingham told the Orlando Sentinel about UCF. “Coach [George] O’Leary and everyone in Orlando were great. UCF fans are great people. I just needed to be closer to home in Colorado.”
UCF coaches may have had a different take. “I think he’s a kid that I want to see where he best fits,” O’Leary said at the end of the 2011 season. “I think Leilon’s biggest problem is just coverage. … He has a great passion for the game. I was trying to get him on the field as far as a guy that can help us and try to improve the rush status. I think he’s a player we have to evaluate in the offseason to see where he can help us.”
With the move to a 1-AA school, Willingham will be eligible to play right away, and will not have to sit out a transfer year. Still, it is a considerable comedown from being a four-star, top-prospect-in-the-state to a transfer to a Big Sky team which has gone 7-37 the past four seasons, including an 0-11 mark in 2011.
Over the next month, there will be much time and energy devoted in the Buff Nation to the players Colorado will and will not sign, and yes, I will be spending as much time as anyone dissecting the Colorado Class of 2012.
But, as Leilon Willingham’s story tells us, it’s not always about the stars.
It’s about the fit.
