Houston hosts its second set of official visits this weekend. St. Thomas cornerback Logan Debose will be one of those visitors on campus.
Debose has seen a spike in his recruitment since the beginning of March, when he got his first offer. In our interview, Logan told me he believes there was a delay in recognizing his talent because he missed the camp circuit last summer due to a nagging hamstring injury that kept him from participating.
“I felt like I was under-recruited only because I missed on camping,” Debose said. “I just didn’t want to put too much pressure on it so I could be ready for the season.”
General manager Wes Fritz was the first person from the staff to reach out. After that call, his film was passed along to cornerbacks coach Marcus Trice. Since then, coach Trice has led the way on Debose’s recruitment, including offering him in April.
St Thomas has an agreement with the University of Houston that allows them a certain number of practices at the UH indoor facility, which gave the coaching staff a chance to see Debose in action and gave him a peek at what could be his future practice site.
Debose on the field
At his most recent official visit to Iowa State, Debose said he measured 5’11 1/2″ and weighed 178 pounds, with a wingspan of 76 inches. That length allows him to press, be physical at the snap, and redirect receivers. Physicality is what Debose believes to be his biggest strength.
Debose also possesses speed that he displays on the track. In his best event, the 300m hurdles, he finished second at state and broke a 35-year-old school record this past season. He also competes in the 110m hurdles, 4x400m relay, and throws the discus.
Watching his film, his change of direction, and his reaction to the ball stand out. He can mirror receivers and stay close as they break. And when he sits in zone coverage, he diagnoses the play in front of him and triggers to the ball quickly. On screens outside, Debose will arrive just as the ball does and create a tackle for loss.
He recognizes his weaknesses as well. “When I’m doing press, I’m very patient. And then off man, I tend to open up a little bit sooner than I should,” Debose said. He describes in more detail what that means and the issues it can cause here:
Expectations for the visit
While on his visit, Debose has a few things in mind he’d like to check off. He tells me he hopes to learn more about what Houston offers in terms of education. Business finance is what he plans on majoring in at the moment.
He hopes to get to know more of the staff than just Coach Trice. And not just getting to know them, but also observing how members of the program treat and “interact with one another.” The family aspect, which numerous recruits have mentioned about Houston, seems key.
Debose said he looks forward to breaking down film in his position meetings and is eager to see what the staff has in mind for his abilities. He wants to understand how he can help the defense and where he best fits.
Nothing is set in stone, but Debose says he would like to announce his decision at a youth football camp that St Thomas hosts. A former teammate of his did it last year, and the moment stuck with him. He says that the event is likely to be held in late June.
OV Schedule
Iowa State: May 28-30
Houston: June 4-6
Pitt: June 11-13
Arkansas: June 19-21
