Tri-Cities offensive lineman Shamire Devine has regrets about his official visit to Georgia Tech: "I was not prepared for the amount of food I was going to eat."
Georgia Tech’s highest-ranked football signee for 2013 is also its most quotable.
Shamire DeVine, a 6-foot-6, 350-pound offensive lineman from Tri-Cities High School, is known as much for his candid and witty perspective of things as he is for his outstanding football potential – he’s a 4-star and the No. 15-ranked offensive tackle in the country, according to Scout.com.
The AJC Super 11 selection shared his unique perspective on recruiting:
Biggest regret? “It was when I went on my official visit to Georgia Tech. I was not prepared for the amount of food I was going to eat. They took us to an all-you-can-eat Brazilian restaurant. I thought they were just playing when they said it was all-you-can-eat meat. I was not ready. That was probably a wasted dinner to me because I probably ate $10 worth and it was probably a $50 meal. That would’ve probably made my mom really upset if she had to pay for that.” If you had known in advance, what would you have done differently? “I would have not eaten the day before.”
Which coach was it the hardest to turn down? “I’d probably say Mark Richt at UGA. He was the second coach I got the closest to. We talked pretty much a lot during all my visits to UGA before I committed to GT. Once I found out I wanted to go to GT, (Richt) was the hardest to tell because we had gotten so close.” How did he take it? “He was like ‘All right. It’s like a business, so you’ve got to go where it best fits you.’”
Funniest thing that happened on a recruiting trip? “It was at Georgia Tech when it was time to leave to go the (Brazilian restaurant), we were all sitting in the play center or recreational center – where everybody likes to hang out and play games. The players didn’t understand how good at bowling I was. And they kind of looked sad at the end of the game when it was like 230 to 150 something.”
Your high school teammate, Jeremy Hall, reportedly had his scholarship offer from Georgia Tech withdrawn after taking an official visit to another school (South Florida) without telling the Yellow Jacket coaches. He had been committed to Georgia Tech for eight months. What was your perspective? “My viewpoint was that if it happened, it happened. I didn’t understand the situation too much either. I couldn’t really do anything. It just happened.” Did that make you re-consider Georgia Tech after Hall got dropped? “No. I wanted that technology programming degree. His situation was not about to change mine. I wish (Hall) the best. I hope he gets his degree and goes to the NFL, if that’s what he wants. But I am going to Georgia Tech.” Are you disappointed he’s not playing at Georgia Tech with you? “I’m not disappointed but I’m not glad about it either.” How did Georgia Tech explain it to you? “The way they explained it to me is that he went and visited a place without telling them, and also his grades weren’t up to par as far as getting in Georgia Tech. Side-by-side my grades are a little bit better. The way (Georgia Tech) told me is that ‘I’d rather fight for someone who is 100-percent committed.’ They said they couldn’t fight for him when they could go get somebody else (under those circumstances).”
If you were in charge of the NCAA, what’s one rule you would change about recruiting? “Being able to get stuff. I really wanted a hat from GT for signing day. That fuzzy hat (I ended up wearing), I paid for that with my money and I was proud of it. But I really wanted a hat. I paid $20 for my Georgia Tech hat.”
What school came in second to Georgia Tech? “Florida State, I think.” What could they have done a little better? “I don’t know. They did their job. I just chose Georgia Tech. I don’t see anything that Florida State could’ve done different.”
Most creative thing a college did to get your attention? “I remember one coach, he was either from North Carolina or South Carolina, he said the Wright Brothers are from there and ‘We’re the school of flying because we fly high.’ That caught my attention.”
Biggest secret you kept during recruiting? “When I decided I wanted to Georgia Tech, I wanted to keep it to myself (for a while). After I knew, I told only three people. And it was about four or five months before everybody else knew.” What made you want to wait longer to go public? “At the time, I knew where I was going. But I wanted to see if any of the other colleges would pick up my teammates. If I would’ve just said I’m going to Georgia Tech, then that might’ve cut off (some teammates) from (getting looks).”
Which college had the best food? “I’d say UGA had the best food because of the cafeteria, It was an all-you-can-eat buffet. I had my own Philly cheesesteak tailored for me with triple meats and three cheeses. That was by far the best on campus.” What did you think of the food at Georgia Tech? “I haven’t had any food (on campus). I’ve had Chick-fil-A and (the Brazilian). I just haven’t had any good from Tech yet. The Subway is delicious in the foyer.”
Recruiting advice you’d give to a high school junior? “I would tell them to have fun.” What do you mean? “My recruiting process, it wasn’t really fun or pleasurable for me. Because I was worried about recruiting. I would tell them to actually have fun and be respectful because most like juniors they mess that up by not being respectful to the recruiters.” You didn’t have fun? “I spent most of my time worrying about being recruited and looking good instead of going around and doing other stuff. I had fun now and then. Most of the time, I was trying to ‘work work.’ I saw it as a business instead of a hobby."
In BYU, Georgia Tech will face a defense that is one of the toughest in the nation to score against and has a playmaking force in outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy.
Tailback J.J. Green said he can’t say for sure how many times he has heard “you’re one play away from playing” from Georgia offensive coordinator Mike Bobo and running backs coach Bryan McClendon.
Here is a clue that your trip to sunny south Florida may not be a carefree vacation: You’re a football team, and you lose one of your starters during warm-ups.
If nothing else, Georgia has ensured at least one thing about its season. Regardless of where the rest of the schedule takes them, whether its to an SEC championship, a BCS bowl bid or a national title, there will be no claims from outsiders that this team received too many breaks and escaped health issues, no suggestions that the road to success was lined with lollipops and unicorns.
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