Previously planning to announce a college commitment this week, local offensive Moritz Schmoranzer will instead push it back. The unranked 6-4, 260-pounder wants to take time to consider at least one more option - he'd previously narrowed to Virginia Tech and Wake Forest.
Pittsburgh is the school that has him rethinking things a bit. He took an unofficial visit to the Steel City today, and suddenly the Panthers are a real factor. He wants to continue to explore them as an option, along with the two programs that had already been in his final group. That will include a round of official visits in June.
He hasn't set them up yet, but Schmoranzer wants to take official visits to Pittsburgh and Winston-Salem. Conspicuously absent, of course, is Virginia Tech. While his presence locally (just up the road at Roanoke's North Cross School) means that he's had plenty of opportunity to get familiar with Blacksburg - for gamedays and visits both recruiting and before that recreational - if he's willing to push back his decision, there'd be no reason not to take visits to all three schools he's seriously considering.
...the combination of tea leaves here isn't misleading you: Schmoranzer had been set to commit to Virginia Tech this week, but isn't confident that the Orange and Maroon would be willing to accept such a commitment (to be clear I have NOT yet confirmed one way or the other how the Hokies land on that topic). Because the school that he wants to pick doesn't feel like a realistic option to him, he's back to square not-quite-one with a modified group of finalists. Giving Wake another chance to truly win his heart, and Pitt a first true opportunity to do just that, seems only fair in the big picture.
From the Hokies' perspective, delaying a commitment here is hardly the end of the world (and is in fact preferred). Whether or not they would actually be willing to accept a commitment from him this week... suddenly becomes an irrelevant question, and a decision about how to treat the endgame of his recruitment can be pushed down the road to a time when there's even more information about the development trajectory of a kid who grew up in Germany, has only been playing football at any appreciable level for a couple years, and played offensive line last Fall for the first time after previously lining up as a wide receiver. The longer he waits to make his choice, the better any coaching staff will be able to see how he fits into their overall recruiting picture. And from the Hokies' position, a late push at any point that he remains uncommitted could likely swing things permanently in their favor.
Depending on the machinations on the VT end of things (which again, I've asked about but haven't had confirmed just yet), delaying his commitment is almost certainly a good thing. But for now, it also means little in the way of clarity going forward in the 2024 class.
Pittsburgh is the school that has him rethinking things a bit. He took an unofficial visit to the Steel City today, and suddenly the Panthers are a real factor. He wants to continue to explore them as an option, along with the two programs that had already been in his final group. That will include a round of official visits in June.
He hasn't set them up yet, but Schmoranzer wants to take official visits to Pittsburgh and Winston-Salem. Conspicuously absent, of course, is Virginia Tech. While his presence locally (just up the road at Roanoke's North Cross School) means that he's had plenty of opportunity to get familiar with Blacksburg - for gamedays and visits both recruiting and before that recreational - if he's willing to push back his decision, there'd be no reason not to take visits to all three schools he's seriously considering.
...the combination of tea leaves here isn't misleading you: Schmoranzer had been set to commit to Virginia Tech this week, but isn't confident that the Orange and Maroon would be willing to accept such a commitment (to be clear I have NOT yet confirmed one way or the other how the Hokies land on that topic). Because the school that he wants to pick doesn't feel like a realistic option to him, he's back to square not-quite-one with a modified group of finalists. Giving Wake another chance to truly win his heart, and Pitt a first true opportunity to do just that, seems only fair in the big picture.
From the Hokies' perspective, delaying a commitment here is hardly the end of the world (and is in fact preferred). Whether or not they would actually be willing to accept a commitment from him this week... suddenly becomes an irrelevant question, and a decision about how to treat the endgame of his recruitment can be pushed down the road to a time when there's even more information about the development trajectory of a kid who grew up in Germany, has only been playing football at any appreciable level for a couple years, and played offensive line last Fall for the first time after previously lining up as a wide receiver. The longer he waits to make his choice, the better any coaching staff will be able to see how he fits into their overall recruiting picture. And from the Hokies' position, a late push at any point that he remains uncommitted could likely swing things permanently in their favor.
Depending on the machinations on the VT end of things (which again, I've asked about but haven't had confirmed just yet), delaying his commitment is almost certainly a good thing. But for now, it also means little in the way of clarity going forward in the 2024 class.
