Cincinnati safety Nilijah Ballew, who had been the University of Louisville’s only four-star commitment, according to Rivals.com, said Thursday night that he is no longer committed to the Cardinals and that “Louisville is no longer in the picture” after receiving minimal attention from U of L’s new staff.
Indiana University, where he visited two weekends ago but has yet to make a scholarship offer, is now No. 1 on his list, and he said he would commit to the Hoosiers if they make him an offer.
Ballew, who committed to former U of L coach Charlie Strong last April and had recruiting contact with no other schools until Strong’s departure to Texas, said he has never spoken with new U of L head coach Bobby Petrino and had only two conversations with offensive line coach Chris Klenakis. His last conversation with Klenakis was Jan. 22, when Ballew called Klenakis to tell him basically that he planned to decommit because U of L had had such limited communication with him. Ballew said Klenakis told him that because U of L plans to move to a 3-4 defense in 2014, the Cards’ focus had shifted primarily to finding defensive linemen and they would likely not have a scholarship for him anyway.
Ballew is upset with how he’s been treated by U of L’s staff so close to signing day but is glad that he and U of L parted ways before he signed with the team, so that he has the option of looking elsewhere. He’ll take an official visit to Bowling Green State this weekend and could wait until after signing day to make his final decision while he waits to see if IU coach Kevin Wilson and new defensive coordinator Brian Knorr make him an offer.
“I’d rather this happen now, ” he said. “Everything happens for a reason, so I’m very optimistic.”
Ballew loved his official visit to IU two weeks ago and hopes things work out with the Hoosiers.
“It’s a great coaching staff, and they’re men who I respect,” he said. “They’re just awesome. They’re really big on family. It’s a really good academic school. It’s probably the best business school in the country. And it’s Big Ten football.”
U of L now has 16 pledges in the 2014 class.
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