Frasier makes 'soft' commitment to Florida State

By Allen Etzler
Published in Sports on August 12, 2014 1:48 PM

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aetzler@newsargus.com

PRINCETON -- Before he rushed for more than 3,000 yards and 45 touchdowns as a junior, before he was wanted by nearly every top college football program in the country, before he was the primary reason many think Princeton High School could compete for a state championship, Johnny Frasier didn't like sports.

Now he could be the next running back at defending national champion Florida State University. Frasier announced his verbal commitment to the Seminoles on his Twitter account Monday saying "I'm Officially Committed a to Flordia State (hash)GoNoles"

He can officially sign on Feb. 4.

Frasier added that it was a "soft" commit and that he could change his mind. He's still open to Tennessee, Michigan, Michigan State, South Carolina and others.

"I really like Florida State," Frasier said. "My mind could change, nothing is set in stone yet."

Frasier, whose entire mom's side of the family lives in Fort Lauderdale, made the decision on Saturday he said. Then he informed his mother and called Florida State running backs coach Jay Graham. He contacted his coach Derrick Minor and told the coaching staff that he wanted to make sure all of his teammates knew before he made the announcement public.

"I was real proud that he wanted to tell the team first before it went public," Minor said. "To me that's awesome because those are the guys who helped him get there."

He informed the team Monday before it hosted a scrimmage with Union, South Johnston and Smithfield-Selma. By the time the teams arrived for the game nearly all of them knew of Frasier's decision.

While Frasier sat at the field alone on Saturday, he saw on Twitter that Florida State had pulled in three top quarterback recruits for next year. Rather than potentially playing next to Heisman Trophy winner Jameis Winston, Frasier was most excited about those recruits.

"I didn't want (Winston) to factor in to it because he might not even be there," Frasier said. "But the quarterback commits they have now I know personally and I think it'll be a good fit."

Frasier, who is rated the top running back recruit in the country by 247 Sports, hardly ever picked up a football before high school. Partly because he was just never into sports.

But with Frasier's athletic prowess came the growing presence of sports, and he was essentially forced to become a fan. Football and what college he would attend is all anyone talked to him about.

Frasier shrugged it off and said he's enjoyed the process.

Minor thinks the decision might have started to weigh on his star back.

"It's hard not to (get tired of it)," Minor said. "It's every day. Everybody is asking him. Nobody's had a conversation with him and didn't ask where he's going to go. Now everybody knows. So now they can have a regular conversation with him and enjoy Johnny for who he is, not where he's going to go."

The coaches want Frasier to get a good education.

There is relief, too, that a decision has been made.

"Just so he could focus on football," Minor said. "It was like a weight was lifted off his shoulders ... And now he can focus on Princeton in his senior year."