CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Mark Richt and his coaching staff had compiled a list of commitments for the Class of 2016 which was ranked as fourth in the country before he was fired at UGA.

Now that he is at Miami, what does that mean for those players who are currently committed to UGA?

“Recruiting is not over until it is over,” Richt said.

Richt said he wanted to assess the class that is currently committed to the Hurricanes. For instance, there’s already a commitment from a highly-rated quarterback on board.

But then Richt said something that speaks to several layers of his personality. That’s his competitive fire, his will to win, but also the high road he always seemed to take as head coach at UGA.

“I’m not going to keep a young man from calling me and saying I am interested and I want to visit,” Richt said. “I am not going to steal the board and all that.

“The goal truly is for the young men to find the best place for them. And if the best place is the University of Miami then I’m not gonna try to talk them out of it.”

What does that mean for some of UGA’s highest-rated commitments? What does that mean for five-star UGA quarterback commitment Jacob Eason? What does that mean for the recruits in South Florida that have either committed to UGA or that were seriously targeted by his old team?

That’s 3-star UGA commit Malek Young of Coconut Creek High School in Pompano Beach. There’s also 4-star defensive end Brian Burns out of highly-touted American Heritage in Plantation.

Wait and see. It looks like Richt will continue to compete in that area, too.

“The goal really is for these young men to find the best place for them,” Richt said.

Read more: