It is shaping up to be a battle between the local Kansas schools for Larry Porter IV.
Porter took a visit to Kansas State last weekend and followed that with a one-day official visit to Kansas. The Jayhawks were the first Power Four school to offer, and he had a busy day in Lawrence.
“I was over there for a day, so there was a lot of stuff we packed in,” Porter said. “The visit was great. You know, the facility is one of the best in the country. It's just beautiful. Everything is brand new. The weight room is one of the best I've ever seen. And they have some of the best technology to track your body fat, your weight, the way you eat, the way you jump, everything.”
They are in the midst of a $450 million stadium renovation going on that is expected to be completed for the 2025 season.
“The technology is just crazy,” Porter said. “They're still rebuilding the stadium. The locker room is great. I was talking to the strength coach and the person who does all the nutrition. They are all great people.”
During the visit he met with receivers coach Terry Samuel and Leon Douglas, the Assistant Director of High School Relations. Samuel has been recruiting him this season and he knows Douglas from his time as the head coach at North Kansas City High School.
“I was just trying to pick Coach Samuel’s mind because he's been doing it for 22-23 years,” he said. “He was just showing me film and things and how his receivers like Luke Grimm, and Skinner just gave effort for their teammates. I’ve known Leon for a long time, and he coached my brother in high school.”
Porter led the state of Missouri in receiving yards his senior year and played defense. Kansas and Kansas State were the two Power Four schools showing the most interest. He visited Kansas State and watched them beat Cincinnati.
“They have die-hard fans,” he said. “They love it. It was just packed. It was crazy bumping with 55,000 people.”
Now comes decision time. Porter said he will sit down his family over the next week and talk about the future.
“It's going to be a hard decision, because these are two great schools,” Porter said.
He will go over his checklist with his family and said there are several determining factors. Porter named five things he is looking for.
“I would say playing early and getting reps early is one of them,” Porter said. “Two, does my receivers coach have the best interest in me? Does he know where to put me and use me. My third one, I say is the head coach. Just having a great head coach who can lead the team. And then my fourth is winning. In high school I didn't win a lot. My fifth one I say is education and both these schools have great educations.”
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