Seventeeth in a series profiling newcomers to the Arkansas football team
Shortly after arriving for his official visit to Arkansas on Jan. 25, safety De’Andre Coley had a good idea where he was going to play his college football.
“When I first got off the plane it felt good walking out of the airport,” said Coley, who played high school football at Miami Northwestern. “There was a fa n right out there waiting for me cheering us on. That excited me.”
Later, he and six other prospects on their visits attended the traditional Friday evening dinner at a local restaurant that was filled with Razorbacks fans.
“That right there tripped my mind,” Coley said.
Coley was among the three athletes who orally committed to the Razorbacks two days later. He chose the Razorbacks over about six other schools, including Cincinnati and TCU.
Coach Bret Bielema and the Razorbacks opened fall camp Monday with senior Eric Bennett and sophomore Rohan Gaines starting at the two safety spots, but Coley, 6-1, 183 pounds, is confident he can keep pace.
“I’m a fast learner,” said Coley, who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds. “I really don’t have much to worry about. I’m just going to compete so I can start.”
Rated by ESPN as the No. 52 safety prospect in the nation, Coley said he is a humble guy who likes to hit.
“I’m very aggressive,” he said. “I bring that wood.”
Northwestern Coach Stephen Field said the Razorbacks are getting a relentless, hard-hitting player in Coley.
“Every time he steps on the field, you’re going to get an individual that’s going to hit extremely, extremely, extremely hard,” Field said. “He’s going to keep going. He’s not going to give up. He’s not going to stop.”
Coley had several hard hits last season, but he said a running back from Coral Gables may have been on the receiving end of the biggest hit.
“The running back was running to the sidelines,” Coley said. “I had to do it to him. I blew him up. I came out of nowhere and just smacked him.”
Field also remembered the hit well.
“He literally almost knocked him out,” Field said. “It was amazing.”
Arkansas linebackers coach Randy Shannon was the head coach at the University of Miami when Field began his coaching career there as a graduate assistant. Field said Coley, whose grade-point average in the 3.0 range, is the type of athlete that Shannon likes.
“He does a good job making good decisions on and off the field,” Field said. “He’s the type player that Coach Randy Shannon likes to recruit. He’s one of those first-class type of individuals, just like Coach Shannon is.”
“He doesn’t have to worry,” Coley said of Shannon. “I’m going to do everything I’m suppose to.”
Coley said he was impressed with Shannon and the rest of the Razorbacks coaching staff, and that ultimately made a big difference in his decision to attend Arkansas.
“They were friendly and they showed love to me,” Coley said. “I know I can build a relationship with the coaches.”
Coley won’t likely be a vocal leader in Fayetteville, Field said, but his play will speak for itself.
“He’s really a humble, quiet leader,” Field said. “He’s not really a rah-rah guy. He’s more of a guy that’s going to lead by example and be a good figure to the other individuals.”
De’Andre Coley glance
CLASS Freshman HEIGHT/WEIGHT 6-1, 183 pounds POSITION Safety HOMETOWN Miami
NOTEWORTHY Rated a three-star recruit, the No. 52 safety prospect in the nation and the No. 151 prospect in Florida by ESPN. … Recorded 68 tackles, 6 sacks, 1 interception and 12 pass breakups as a senior for a defense that allowed an average of 12.3 points a game, including seven points or less in seven games. … Ran the 100 meters in 10.6 seconds.
Sports, Pages 19 on 08/08/2013