FanHouse's lead-up to college football's signing day makes like Charles Dickens and looks at the Ghosts of Recruiting -- past, present and future. In the Ghosts of Recruiting Present, we document prominent recruiting makes and misses that changed programsHard to imagine now, but former West Virginia tailback Steve Slaton was buying into that whole "fear the turtle" thing. Maryland came out on top among the Philadelphia-area tailback's list of offers, and left him excited to play relatively close to family and home. That is, until they pulled his offer.
Thus: Steve Slaton at West Virginia, part of the great Pat White/Steve Slaton combo that had a large role in a pair of West Virginia BCS game appearances and victories and launched S.S. Rich Rodriguez into a seemingly ill-fated job-hop to Michigan.
Program changer? Definitely.
In his stead, Maryland has ridden the forgettable duo of Keon Lattimore and Lance Ball. They combined for over 4,000 yards in their careers, but didn't exactly light up the ACC or raise Maryland's profile. Slaton managed 3,923 yards in just three years and easily blew past troubled super recruit Jason Gwaltney, who hasn't been heard from again.
Slaton clearly did not take lightly to Maryland's bait-and-switch, toasting them for 137 yards and three touchdowns in 2007 and 195 yards and two touchdowns in 2006. Classic payback.
Be sure to check out the entire Ghosts of Recruiting series leading up to college football's national letter of intent day
Previously in Ghosts of Recruiting
Ghosts of Recruiting Past: Pac-10 Also-Rans Washington and UCLA
Ghosts of Recruiting Past: Big 12 Slumpers Colorado and Texas A&M
Ghosts of Recruiting Past: Former Masters Miami and Florida State
Ghosts of Recruiting Past: Aging, Embattled Warriors Pitt and Syracuse
Ghosts of Recruiting Past: Virginia and Michigan State Rounds Things Out
Sequestration Shuts Down The IRS
Report: Yahoo Is Bidding On Hulu
GOP Senator: Obama Speech A 'Victory' For 'Terrorists'
Toronto Mayor: I Don't Smoke Crack
GOP Senate Candidate Calls Dem 'Pond Scum'
Fox News Host's Outrageous Comment
Abercrombie Announces Plummeting Sales Amid Controversy
759 Bridges In Washington Have Worse Scores Than The One That Collapsed
The iPhone Might Get A Lot Sleeker Very Soon
McConnell, Paul Gang Up On GOP
Britain Scrambles Fighter Jets To Escort Pakistani Plane
WATCH: Maddow Excoriates Alex Jones
Remembering The Victims Of The Tornado
Gay Teen Charged With Felonies Over Relationship Refuses Plea Deal
Video Shows Taxi Drivers Discriminating Against Black Customers
State Department Official Who Helped With Benghazi Talking Points Nominated To Top Post
BEFORE/AFTER PHOTOS: Schools And Medical Center Decimated By Tornado
Spain Spent $680 Million On A Submarine That Can't Float
Clinton Leads In Poll Of Key 2016 State
Palin Gets Confused
Kansas State Senator Really Worried That Reducing Taxes On Groceries Will Lead People To Buy Nothing But Groceries Ever Again
'As Madison Wrote In Article 3, Yippee-Ki-Yay Motherf***er!'
Vulnerable Dem Targeted By Bloomberg Group
LOOK: Veteran Suicides Outpace Child Gun Deaths
Jesus Endorsed Mayor Loses To Gay Man
Report: Homeland Security Is Worried Limiting 3D-Printed Guns 'May Be Impossible'
Hospital Prices Explained: How Charges For Medical Care Got So Crazy
Jon Turns Up The Heat On The Obama Administration
Are You Inhaling Pesticides With Your Pot?
