January 23, 2015.
Received first offer from the University of Houston Cougars. #GoCoogs
This is the first of several inscriptions scribbled in a notebook in Dillon Sterling-Cole's bedroom.
Each section contains notes on his 14 offers. It goes on to list offer No. 2 (Oklahoma State, Jan. 27), offer No. 6 (Utah, March 12) and finally his most recent offer (Florida, May 5).
Before Jan. 23 the notebook sat empty and Sterling-Cole, the No. 7 pocket-passer in the nation, sat a bit anxious.
Sterling-Cole, ranked No. 111 in the ESPN 300, said that, despite his nerves, he never wavered in his positivity about the process. But he admits that at points he wondered whether he'd have to temper his dreams of playing at a major school as he watched other players gain fame as he went largely unnoticed.
A year ago, no one knew his name. Today, he has competed with other top quarterbacks at the prestigious Elite 11 competition and is one of two ESPN 300 quarterbacks that remain uncommitted. The other is dual-threat Jawon Pass, ranked No. 186 in the country.
The first boost in Sterling-Cole's stock came a year ago at this time as he packed his bags and moved from West Orange, Texas, to Houston. The move happened for a number of reasons, mainly because of a promotion his mom got and the fact that moving there would allow Sterling-Cole to live in the same city as his father, which had never been the case. It also afforded Sterling-Cole's younger sister an opportunity to apply to an early college academy in Houston, which will allow her to earn her associates degree while earning her high school diploma.
But from a football perspective, there certainly were benefits. The family's relocation took him from Class 3A West Orange-Stark High School (enrollment: 618) to Houston's Class 6A Westfield High School (enrollment: 3,260).
"Folks from my hometown doubted me, knowing I was going to a 6A school and that I wasn't going to perform like I did in 3A," Sterling-Cole said. "They were telling me it was a dumb move. If I went there, they hoped I wouldn't do what I did at my old school. ... I used that as motivation. That's all you can do."
But after Sterling-Cole led Westfield to a 13-2 record his recruitment heated up. The player who had only one school visit him during his sophomore year now had several calling and stopping by to inquire about the junior who had seemingly come out of nowhere.
And finally on Jan. 23, Sterling-Cole was able to fill in that first entry in his notebook.
"I felt relieved," Sterling-Cole said.
But that's when the craziness really began.
There were times during his recruitment when he would get an offer from a school only to find out that, hours or days later, another player had already committed. At other positions it's not strange for top players to wait out the process -- six of the country's top 10 players are uncommitted, but each one of those players is at a position that a school will likely take in multiples (defensive and offensive linemen, tight ends).
There once was a time when being an uncommitted QB or having none/few offers at the end of your junior season wasn't out of the ordinary. After all, with official visits not happening until the senior year, many players chose to wait out the process. But with how much recruiting has sped up, it has left players like Sterling-Cole not only behind in the race, but bordering on being lapped.
Of the nine quarterbacks who join Sterling-Cole among top-10 pocket-passers, three were already committed when Sterling-Cole received his first offer. By the time Sterling-Cole's offers hit double digits another five were off the board. And when he hit the field for The Opening last week, he was the only pocket-passer in the top 15 who had yet to commit.
His late start puts the rising senior in a tough predicament: How do you take your time when you're already late?
Already, 50 of the 65 Power 5 schools have secured at least one QB commitment. That doesn't mean some of those school's wouldn't take a second QB, especially the No. 7 pocket-passer in the 2016 class, but it doesn't mean they would. And of those 15 remaining schools, those coaches might not intend to take a quarterback in the 2016 class.
"I've just stayed within the process," Sterling-Cole said. "I just see it as an opportunity to make a lifetime decision. ... I'm not saying I'm going to wait to wait, but it's a once-in-a-lifetime deal. There's no reason why I should rush into this decision."
In less than a year, Sterling-Cole has moved homes, schools, jumped onto the national recruiting scene and thrown with the best 2016 quarterbacks in the nation.
But he's in the same position he was a year ago -- a quarterback without a team.
"There have been ups and downs throughout the process," Sterling-Cole said. "It didn't come easy at all. ... It's hard to describe it because there are so many words I could use and they might not make sense. It's a crazy, amazing experience."
The clock is ticking and he knows it, but game management has always been one of his strengths, after all. But, for right now, he's enjoying his process and taking his time, even though time is what's working against him the most.