Four-star QB Rickie Collins decommits from Purdue, will LSU sign him?

Ricky Collins, a four-star quarterback from Woodlawn, decommitted from Purdue and picked up a scholarship offer from the LSU Tigers. He is the 7th-ranked player in Louisiana and the 178th-ranked prospect in the class of 2023.

On October 8, 2021, Collins transferred to Purdue. After being fired by the school on Monday, he received several Crystal Ball predictions for LSU from Steve Wiltfong, the recruiting director of 247Sports.

In his statement, Collins thanked the staff members of Purdue for believing in him and making him feel welcome. He also thanked Special Teams Coordinator Marty Biaggi for developing the necessary relationships to make him believe he could make a difference in the program.

"First of all, I would like to thank Purdue University for believing in me and my abilities," Collins said. "I want to thank (Purdue Special Teams Coordinator) Coach (Marty) Biaggi for developing the relationships necessary to make me believe I can make a difference at this great university. I would like to thank some members of the coaching staff for trying to make me feel welcome."

Due to the constantly changing nature of the recruiting process, Collins had difficulty deciding where to go. After several changes in his recruitment, including a communication break, the quarterback decided to cancel his recruitment from Purdue.

"However, this process was constantly evolving, and it was a humiliating experience," Collins said. "Due to recent changes in my recruiting process and a break in communication, my family and I have decided to cancel and resume my recruitment… Continue to pray for me as I continue this journey!!!"

Before he decommitted from Purdue, Collins made official visits to Florida State and Purdue. Through the 247Sports Composite, an industry-generated ranking system, Collins was regarded as the 13th-ranked quarterback in the country and the 176th-ranked player in Louisiana.

Chances to work with Brian Kelly

The Tigers do not have a quarterback committed for the class of 2023. Moreover, head coach Brian Kelly and the program were not among the final three in the running for Arch Manning's recruitment. According to Manning's high school coach, Kelly made a strong impression on how he handled quarterbacks.

According to Nelson Stewart, a high school coach in Louisiana, the quality of LSU's facilities and the recruiting culture made it an ideal choice for any player.

"No coach has come through and made as strong of an impression as Brian Kelly," Nelson Stewart said. "He has a humility and authenticity when you meet him. You feel like you've known him forever. … An LSU offer is the prestigious offer. When kids get that offer, it's very, very special. LSU has the tradition, facilities and recruiting the camaraderie. It's a very special place. It does sell itself. When LSU football is rolling, I don't think there's anything as exciting in state of Louisiana."

In late November, the LSU football program hired Kelly to replace Ed Orgeron, who was fired after the team fell on hard times. During his 12 years at Notre Dame, Kelly compiled a record of 113-40. He led the Fighting Irish to two College Football Playoff appearances.

LSU has undergone several changes in the past couple of months to improve its recruiting efforts. With the addition of a fresh staff, it's safe to say that the Tigers have gained a competitive advantage in the recruitment process.

The success of the program's recruitment efforts has been attributed to the efforts of the entire coaching staff. Whether it's getting in on the latest efforts or recruiting the players on the roster, the entire program has been focused on improving its recruiting efforts.