[GoRU]

St. Thomas receiving trio getting college attention - 06/11/2008 - MiamiHerald.com

The most intriguing for college coaches of the St. Thomas receivers this season is Holmes, who initially shied away from football.

Having played basketball all his life, Holmes, a 6-5 man-child, was asked by Raiders football coach George Smith to come out for the football team his freshman season.

The problem with football at the time for Holmes was that the Raiders didn't play their home games in an air-conditioned dome.

''I didn't like football my freshman year,'' Holmes recalled. ``So I ended up quitting to go back to playing basketball. I'm used to air conditioning so out here in the sun I didn't really like it.''

Smith didn't give up in trying to land the athletic tight end.

''Coach Smith showed me what I could have playing football,'' Holmes said. ``A lot of college coaches were calling me every night for football when they found out I came back to football. I wasn't getting too many calls for basketball.''

Holmes played junior varsity his sophomore year after he split the webbing of his right hand.

Last season, his first on varsity, Holmes had a modest seven catches for 72 yards, but he did score three touchdowns.

Despite not filling up the stat sheet in his junior season, Holmes has attracted plenty of attention for having played only one season of high school football.

Florida State, FIU, Ole Miss, Rutgers and South Florida have all shown interest in the former power forward-turned-tight end.

''Gabe Holmes certainly has a great upside to him,'' Smith said.