I'm not sure Coughlin's "one last visit to the U," is a very good sign. Seth Green did the same. I hope I'm wrong, but I'm guessing it's to give Kill and Co. one last chance to make a pitch, to make his Dad and Grandpa happy by properly vetting the U, pay his repsects to Coach, then break the news that he's selecting Ohio State.
He knows he is the U's top target, and they won't take anyone else as long as he is on still on the table. He doesn't want to leave Jerry in bad spot recruiting-wise by stringing it along. He wants to break the news to Jerry well in advance of the announcement so he can focus his efforts elsewhere. Also, doing it this early takes the sting out of it, especially if spring practices are under-way to distract the team/fans. By the time the 2016 seaon rolls around, it will be all but forgotten around these parts. He may even get an ovation upon his return to TCF in scarlet and silver (see Jashon Cornell....they had to have discussed this on his official visit when they were hanging out. Him leaving was news for about 5 minutes on blogs. Reid Travis was basically on the 10 o'clock news, even Ragnow got significant backlash).
He's a smart kid, he knows how to play it so he doesn't turn into a villain like Travis or Ragnow with their announcement buffoonary. He's already said he's not having a press conference. It's different here. It's not California or Texas or Ohio. It pisses people off when you announce you're going elsewhere in a room full of Minnesotans. We have a strong sense of community and pride. We feel betrayed, in some way. He's aware of that.
I think if he's picking the U, he would set up a press conference at EP high school, and make it special for his father, grandfather, coaches, and teammates. He would want to be celebrated as a hometown hero, not to mention it would be good PR for other recruits. Refraining from breaking Gophers fans hearts by being a selfish spot-light hog, ala Ragnow, is a very classy move, in my opinion. I commend him for it. Most kids don't care, and just want to feel like a big shot.
Just my gut feeling. I think his decision has been made for months. Nothin to back it up, but the signs that my disfunctional brain are putting together all point away from the U at this point. I'll be pleasantly surprised if he's Golden. Fully expecting it to be one of those Ohio State Universities (aOSU). Which is too bad, because Kill and Co. needed this kid to set a precedent for others, and turn down Oregon and OSU to stay home. It would have been a huge coup.
