Eureka High School senior Hassan Haskins has found his collegiate home. The standout running back on the Wildcats football team orally committed to the University of Michigan on Sunday (Oct. 29) during an official visit to the Ann Arbor, Mich., campus.
“When I first got the offer, I was super excited,” Haskins said. “It was a big-time offer for me.”
The trip to Michigan was the second official visit Haskins took during his recruiting process. He also visited the University of Wyoming in Laramie in September.
NCAA rules allow high school seniors to make a maximum of five official visits. During those trips colleges can pay for transportation to and from the college for the student-athlete, lodging and meals for the student and his or her parents or guardians, as well as reasonable entertainment expenses, including three tickets to a home sports event.
Haskins said the size of Michigan’s home stadium, which is nicknamed “The Big House” and holds 109,901 fans, stood out while he watched the Wolverines defeat Rutgers 35-14 Saturday (Oct. 28). He was also impressed by the school’s academic reputation and how the football players treated each other.
“They were like a family,” Haskins said. “That is what I really like about it. It is like my Eureka family. My coaches here show me love, and all of the coaches there showed me love.”
Haskins said he plans to sign his letter of intent to play for Michigan on Dec. 20, the first day high school seniors can sign with teams. He said he will continue to play basketball for Eureka this year, but he may not compete on the track and field team.
“I’m still wondering if I will run track. I may need to be working out (for Michigan),” said Haskins, who finished second in the Class 5 state championship high jump competition in May.
Haskins had received scholarship offers from 14 college football programs. Among his other offers was one from Purdue, which plays in the Big Ten like Michigan, as well as offers from Memphis, Ohio University, Eastern Michigan, Western Kentucky, Wyoming, New Mexico, Missouri State, Illinois State, Northern Iowa, Indiana State, Southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri State.
Purdue and Michigan were the only teams from higher-profile conferences to offer Haskins a scholarship.
Haskins said on his Twitter account that Michigan offered him a scholarship Oct. 12, a few weeks after Michigan running back coach Jay Harbaugh visited Eureka. Jay Harbaugh is the son of Wolverines head coach Jim Harbaugh.
“I was kind of disappointed,” Haskins said of not receiving offers from other high-profile programs, like in-state Missouri and neighboring Illinois. “But it is OK. I found my school.”
Eureka head coach Jake Sumner said he told Haskins during the season not to worry about the scholarship offers he was receiving.
“That was a focal point, to stay focused on what you have to do and the right offer is going to find its way to you,” Sumner said he told Haskins. “The right team is going to pick you up. When (Michigan) came down, it turned out to be a good fit for him.”
Haskins will bring a solid resume to the Wolverines. So far this season, the 6-2, 210-pound running back has run for 1,901 yards and 29 touchdowns, caught 12 passes for 165 yards and two touchdowns, and has 23 tackles and nine sacks. His record will grow Friday night, when the Wildcats host Lindbergh in the Class 6 District 1 championship game. The game starts at 7 p.m.
As a junior, Haskins ran for 1,509 yards with 19 touchdowns, caught 36 passes for 294 yards with two touchdowns, and had 34 tackles and 12 sacks. He also threw a 31-yard touchdown pass that year. In his sophomore year, he ran for 819 yards with seven touchdowns in five games before a dislocated big toe ended his season that year.
“He’s an unbelievable talent, but what sets Hassan aside from most is effort and attitude,” Sumner said. “He is the ultimate competitor in everything we do – practice, game, it doesn’t matter – he is a full-throttle guy. It shows in his play and reflects in everything he does on and off the field.”
