Dillard (Fort Lauderdale, FL) senior linebacker Kenneth Ruff has flipped his commitment from the University of Virginia to ACC-rival Syracuse, multiple outlets have reported.
Florida LB Kenneth Ruff (@Kj_D1Bound) confirms that he's flipped his commitment from Virginia to Syracuse. @RyanBartow first reported.
— Stephen Bailey (@Stephen_Bailey1) December 12, 2015
Ruff, a 6’1″, 240-pound linebacker, signed a non-binding grant-in-aid with UVA this fall with the intention of enrolling on Grounds next month. His decision to de-commit from the Cavaliers and commit to Syracuse comes on the heels of the news that Chris Beatty, UVA’s running backs coach this season, has accepted an assistant coaching position with the Orange. Beatty, who was instrumental in helping Virginia added several Florida prospects in the class of 2015, served as Ruff’s primary recruiter.
Ruff is the first Cavalier recruit to defect since Mike London resigned and Bronco Mendenhall was hired, leaving Virginia with 26 verbal commitments in the class of 2016. Four of those prospects — running back Tre Harbison, tight end Christian Baumgardner, linebacker Matt Terrell and place-kicker Holland Corbett — plan to enroll next month.
Can’t blame him for his loyalty to his coach, but I wonder how a dude from Ft Lauderdale is going to enjoy winters in Syracuse, unless he is depending on more global warming.