Watts Syracuse visit in limbo

The firing of head coach Scott Shafer at Syracuse has left the Orange's commitments and recruiting targets in limbo for the time being. One of those who was strongly considering Syracuse is Chicago (Ill.) Phillips three-star defensive tackle Amir Watts, who had scheduled a Dec. 11 weekend official visit to their campus. With Shafer's dismissal, though, the 6-foot-3, 260-pound Watts is unsure if that official visit will stay in place.

Syracuse Univ AD Mark Coyle has made his voice very clear for the Orangemen moving forward https://t.co/gRYZtrhf7S pic.twitter.com/a8WfnR67Lx— Rivals.com (@Rivals) November 23, 2015

WHAT'S NEXT? Watts and his Chicago Phillips teammates are preparing for the Illinois Class 4A state championship game on Friday, and the three-star prospect's focus for now is on winning a title. He does not plan to schedule an official visit for the Dec. 5 weekend, so the Dec. 11 weekend is supposed to be his first official prospect of the process. If he does not make that visit to Syracuse, Minnesota is likely to be the school he replaces for that weekend.

IN HIS WORDS: "I'm not sure if they are going to honor their offer, so I might just push it back and see how it goes. I had a face with a name, now I have to see who else comes in and see if I can get accustomed to their scheme."

RIVALS' REACTION: Syracuse was a strong contender for Watts, but his recruitment was and continues to remain very wide open. An official visit to Rutgers is set for the Jan. 22 weekend and he is still working with the Pittsburgh coaches to determine a date to visit that program. Minnesota, though, looks to benefit most from Syracuse's coaching upheaval as they are likely to move into the Dec. 11 official visit weekend. A decision is not likely until National Signing Day.

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