https://twitter.com/harleyxvi/status/813809291274633217

Well, so much for that. Mike Harley, who may or may not have said he was going to accept the college scholarship offer from the winner of today’s Russell Athletic Bowl, is sticking with West Virginia. I don’t believe the Mountaineers were ever really concerned about the game being the deciding factor, or about losing Harley. The length and the strength of the relationship trumped all the other variables here.

That said, WVU v. Miami matters in the hallways of some schools and the living rooms of some homes in south Florida. The Mountaineers being here in Orlando this week helps sustain a certain visibility on the entire state. That’s important these days.

In case you haven’t noticed, the seven Florida schools have some large names for head coaches. Jimbo Fisher is one of the sport’s biggest names at Florida State. Miami hired Mark Richt, a former backup quarterback at the school, last offseason after he was let go following a spectacularly successful run at Georgia. Jim McElwain has moved Florida closer to the Urban Meyer and Steve Spurrier days than Will Muschamp and Ron Zook did before him.

But UCF hired Oregon offensive coordinator Scott Frost last offseason and went from 0-12 to 6-7 with a bowl appearance. USF lost Willie Taggart to Oregon and replaced him this month with former Texas coach — and Gators defensive coordinator — Charlie Strong. FIU hired former Miami coach Butch Davis. FAU hired Alabama offensive coordinator and former Tennessee, USC and Oakland Raiders coach Lane Kiffin.

Apparently the seven have come together to build a wall moat that will make it almost impossible for outsiders to come into the Sunshine State and take players back to their campus.

You better believe the suggestion bothers WVU running backs coach JaJuan Seider. The leader of the school’s recruiting efforts in south Florida, he chooses not to believe the hype.

“First of all,” Seider said, “none of those head coaches are on the road. Let’s put that out there.”

Done. Continue, please.

“Miami, Florida and Florida State, those will always be the three Florida schools that are going to be hard to recruit against,” Seider said. “I don’t care what head coach is out there. You’ve still got to go out there and recruit kids and sit in their living rooms. The assistant coaches do all the leg work anyways. That’s where the trust comes with the parents and the people in the schools.

“I think my name is pretty good down there with the coaches and the family members I know.”