Ross was exploring options before Embrees firing
Devin Ross was rethinking his future well before word of Jon Embree's dismissal reached his Mission Hill, Calif., home. So when he heard the news on Sunday night, the Bishop Alemany wide receiver and Colorado commit was less that rattled.
He threw together some thoughts on the situation and played it cool as best he could. He'd known about the coaching change for all of two minutes and spoke as if the shakeup was a minor inconvenience.
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Operating on short notice is tricky. Ross' immediate reaction included a lot of maybes and I don't knows. Being blindsided will have that effect on a high schooler. Still, the uncertainty that now surrounds CU's football program makes him antsy, if only slightly.
"I didn't even know about it," Ross said by phone on Sunday evening. "I'm just finding out right now. It's not really shocking because of the way they've been playing. I just didn't know it would happen this early. I mean, it seems quick."
Regardless of his surprise level, Ross will look around. The three-star prospect was in contact with other programs well before news of Embree's firing broke. The coaching change only made things more urgent. That said, a de-commitment is not eminent by any means. Instead, this will be a process.
The good news for the Buffs? Embree's firing won't push Ross out of the team's 2013 class. The bad news? He'll survey his opportunities, just as he's been doing for weeks.
"It's actually not going to affect me that much," he said. "I know they're just doing what's best for them because they were doing bad. I'm still talking to other schools and stuff anyway, so it really won't make a huge difference to me."
The "other" schools to which Ross refers are Utah, Oregon State and UCLA. The Utes are the only program of the bunch that has extended a scholarship offer at this point, but travel plans are in place anyway.
"I'm supposed to go to Utah, Colorado and Oregon State for visits in December," Ross said. "I'm not 100-percent on which dates yet, but I'm going to go to all of them next month."
Ross is open about his visit schedule and the details of his wavering CU commitment. He'll discuss those things length if you're willing to listen. He's less direct, however, when asked pointblank if intends to break his commitment to Colorado.
For now, there's no simple answer. Not one he's willing to off up, anyway.
"I'm just going to make a decision about that with my parents," he said. "It depends on a lot of things. I'm just really not sure about anything yet."