Harding High’s Quavaris Crouch knows when he will commit to a college, but not where
Harding High running back/linebacker Quavaris Crouch may not know where he will play college football, but he does know when he’ll let everyone know.
Crouch, considered one of the nation’s elite college prospects in the class of 2019, received his U.S. Army All-American jersey in a special ceremony at school Thursday. He told the Observer that he will announce his college decision at the game on Jan. 5 in San Antonio, Texas. The game, and his decision, will televised nationally.
Crouch said he plans to “silently commit” to his chosen school beforehand so he can begin the early enrollment process. He plans to graduate from Harding in December and start in college in January.
“Some school is getting a game changer,” said former Harding High coach Sam Greiner, who was at the ceremony Thursday. “If he chooses to go to a program that’s already successful, you’re getting someone who is a leader for that group. If he goes somewhere that’s not successful, you’re getting someone who can make you successful.
“His work ethic is what drives him. Right now, he’s banged up and hurt and he’s still training four times a week with a trainer to get better. That’s how he’ll go into his new program. He’ll take it to the highest level and demand the others join him or he’ll destroy them in practice.”
Crouch will take his first official visit to Florida State Friday and he has scheduled visits for Michigan Nov. 3, when the Wolverines host Penn State; and for Clemson Nov. 17, when the Tigers host Duke. Crouch said he might also visit Southern California Nov. 24, when the Trojans host Notre Dame.
He doesn’t have any other visits set up.
Crouch was quoted recently that Michigan and Clemson were the leaders, but Crouch told the Observer Thursday that he had no clear-cut favorite.
“Right now,” he said, “I’m taking my time with everything. I still like Michigan and I still like Clemson and I’ll take my visits and see if I like them. But I’m just enjoying everything.”
The Observer’s 2017 offensive player of the year, Crouch ran for 3,246 yards and 33 touchdowns last season, leading Harding to its first state championship since the ‘50s. On defense, he had 51 tackles and 14 sacks.
He suffered a right ankle injury in Harding’s 2018 season-opening loss to Hough and hasn’t played again this season. He is still ranked by 247 Sports as the No. 1 recruit in North Carolina and the No. 2 recruit nationally as a multi-position athlete.
“It’s tough sitting out your senior year,” Crouch said, “but you’ve got to put it in perspective, and you know you’re not all the way there (healthy) and you’ve got a lot of other things to do in life. You’ve got to be smart about it. It’s a business decision.”
Crouch said he plans to play linebacker in college and explore options to also carry the ball on offense. He said all of the schools he’s talking to are telling him he can play offense and defense.
“Everybody is saying you can do that,” Crouch said, “but you never know until you get on campus. But it’s my preference to have a package on the other side (as a running back).”
Greiner, his former coach, says whichever school Crouch ultimately selects is getting a generational talent.
“He’s the best player in the country,” Greiner said. “I firmly believe that. I’ve seen all the top 20 guys. I’ve been in places where they are. They’re good and great gets. But they ain’t Quavaris Crouch. As a running back, he’s like Bo Jackson. Maybe not as fast, but Bo wasn’t as big. Then on defense, man, you’re talking about a guy who could be like (Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller) or Khalil Mack (of the Bears). No one knows yet because he hasn’t done it full time.
“But, man, I’m telling you, Quavaris Crouch is special.”
This story was originally published October 25, 2018 at 1:11 PM.