Baylor recruits still waiting for release from letters of intent

By foxsports
Published

A day after having an in-home visit with Baylor's new acting head coach Jim Grobe and three assistants, Bears signee Parrish Cobb had hoped he'd get some good news about the school releasing him from his letter of intent, but that hasn't happened.

Collis Cobb, the cornerback's father, told FOX Sports on Thursday night that he called the Big 12 compliance office earlier in the day and left a voicemail. "I'm hoping we can get some guidance and get some good news from them, that they're in our corner, and hopefully they'll do the right thing."

Baylor has a 30-day deadline to respond to each recruit's request for a release and without that release, the recruit is not allowed to have any contact with another school. The other Baylor signees requesting their release are J.P. Urquidez, Jared Atkinson, Kameron Martin, Donovan Duvernay and Patrick Hudson, according to an ESPN report.

Duvernay's brother Devin, a top-rated wide receiver, was informed that he's free to contact other schools because his LOI paperwork was never submitted to the Big 12 offices.

Collis Cobb said he's stayed in contact with the father of Urquidez.

"We're trying to keep each other posted," Cobb said. "As parents, we're trying to stick together."

He is not optimistic that Baylor will relent and "do the right thing." Last week he tried to get Baylor to release his son. Then on Tuesday, Grobe called and said if the Cobbs still aren't satisfied after they meet the new coach in person (Wednesday night), he'd sign the release. 

However, after meeting with Grobe, Collis Cobb informed him and defensive coordinator Phil Bennett that his son's mind is made up that he no longer wants to go to Baylor, since there is too much uncertainty about the program. 

"Bennett told us that we'd have to follow through with the appeal process," Collis Cobb said. "What I took from that is they're not going to release anybody."

Grobe's response, according to Cobb: "He said he couldn't sign off on that (the release) alone."

Cobb said he plans to call the Baylor compliance office again on Friday and wait to see what the Big 12 office says.

"I'm very surprised that it has come to this," Collis Cobb said. "My son didn't ask for any of this. He wasn't at Baylor when all these incidents happened. He just wants to move forward."

At Grobe's introductory press conference Friday, he was asked about whether he would allow signees to be released from their LOIs. He said Baylor's plan is to follow the Letter of Intent process and that he doesn't want kids or their parents to make a rushed decision.

"I want everyone to calm down and think things through."