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Kansas.com | 12/28/2007 | Harper right to renege

Chris Harper is a heavily-recruited high school football player, wooed by colleges from east to west.

It was the personal relationship he struck up with James Franklin, though, that won him over and spurred him to commit to Kansas State, where Franklin was the offensive coordinator.

Harper, a strapping quarterback from Northwest, felt good about his Dec. 17 announcement though there were other schools he thought fit his academic pursuits -- he wants to be a broadcaster -- better.

"We had a connection right off the bat," Harper said of his relationship with Franklin, who joined Ron Prince's staff at K-State shortly after Prince was hired two years ago. "Some people you just connect with and Coach Franklin was one of those people for me. He really put me over the top for Kansas State."

So imagine Harper's surprise when, just a few days after his commitment to K-State, Franklin announced he was leaving to become the assistant head coach at Maryland.

Merry Christmas.

Harper knew Franklin was being pursued by some schools, including Maryland. But he didn't expect him to leave K-State; otherwise he wouldn't have committed to the Wildcats.

Franklin's departure created an awkward situation for Harper, who has told K-State he's re-opening the recruiting process.

It brings to mind an age-old argument about recruiting: Should an athlete pick a school because of the school, or because of the people at the school?

The school, after all, will always be there. People come and go.

"I was under the impression that (Franklin) was going to be at Kansas State," Harper said. "So when I found out he was leaving I was surprised and a little mad. But I understood why. Anybody in his position would have taken that job."

Harper said he talked to Prince on Saturday, after learning about Franklin's departure, and told the K-State coach he was taking back his commitment.

"I'm still listening to what Kansas State has to say," Harper said. "But I've been around that program for so long, there's not really much new they can say."

Harper admitted Oregon has moved up to his top choice, although he's not going to be making any more commitments. People will know where he's going to college when he signs a national letter of intent in early February.

Missouri, Illinois and Notre Dame are still on Harper's radar, he said. And so is -- drum roll, please -- Maryland.

"I would say about 75 percent of Chris' decision to go to K-State was based on Coach Franklin," said LeDale Harper, Chris' father. "He's like family to us. Not only has he talked extensively with all of us here, but we have people in New York and he's talked to them. I have a sister in Washington, D.C., and he talked to her. He spent two years recruiting Chris and building that."

So is this Maryland thing to be taken seriously?

Harper won't say much, except that he's considering taking an self-paid visit to College Park to look around.

"It's kind of a wait-and-see thing," Harper said. "The only thing would be trying to get a feel for the head coach (Ralph Friedgen).

"For me, it would be dumb not to at least take a look at see what they have to offer."

Harper is adamant about at least getting an opportunity to play quarterback wherever he ends up and all of the schools, with the exception of Notre Dame, have assured him he'll get that chance.

Franklin did the best job of convincing Harper, and his family, of that and a lot of other things.

"From what we've seen," LeDale Harper said, "in recruiting you sometimes don't know where to separate what's really salesmanship and what's really genuine. I believe Coach Franklin was genuine, otherwise I would have had him leave Chris alone a while back."

Harper committed to Kansas State mostly because of Franklin and admits such.

Is he a bad guy now for backing out of his commitment?

No more so than Franklin is a bad guy for taking another job.

Two guys made decisions they think will better their lives. How do you begrudge them that?

Harper picked a man, not a school. And the man up and moved.