2021 John Paul II Catholic (FL) DB Terrion Arnold landed an offer from the Miami Hurricanes earlier this week when safeties coach Ephraim Banda extended a verbal scholarship to him on Monday.
“Coach Banda had a meeting to attend, but he shot me a text saying ‘We love your film, we like the way you play. We want to let you know you have received an offer from the University of Miami’,” Arnold said. “Then I talked to the Director of Recruiting (David Cooney), he was saying he loves the way I play the game, was asking me who we play this week. Just starting conversations with me, just starting immediate contact, and I love that. They’ve been staying in contact with me, so that’s great.”
Despite growing up in Florida State territory in the heart of Tallahassee, Arnold says he grew up with an affinity from the Hurricanes, although he notes he never favored one Florida school over any other.
“When I got the text from coach Banda that they were offering me, my heart had kind of dropped and I was like ‘Wow’,” Arnold said. “I used to grow up watching them when I was a kid – Ed Reed, Ray Lewis – it’s a tradition there. I used to watch the 30-for-30 documentary all the time. So it was just a blessing, that I could be a part of something that great.”
The 6-2 185 pound prospect has a family connection to UM, and Arnold is already planning a summer visit to Coral Gables.
“First off, the city is great, I’ve been down there a couple of times,” Arnold said. “It’s a private school, my cousin goes there, and he says he loves the campus. He says they take care of everyone there, especially their football players. I look forward to coming down to Miami for Paradise Camp because I know that’s a big camp.”
Aside from Miami, Arnold has been a hot name in the recruiting world in general. He currently lists 19 offers, but 12 of those have come in the past week alone. Arnold says schools like Clemson, Ohio State, and FSU are close to offering as well. Arnold also recently took a visit to LSU last week to watch the Tigers’ win over Auburn.
“I hear most from LSU, Florida, Penn State, Nebraska, Virginia,” Arnold said. “I’m really keeping it open right now, trying to enjoy the process. Everyone is neutral for me right now.”
Even though FSU hasn’t offered just yet, Arnold is going to the Miami-FSU as an invited recruit for the Noles, yet had an interesting answer when asked how he expected the game to go this weekend.
“Prediction-wise, I think Miami’s going to get them,” Arnold said. “I think it’ll be close - it’s just a rivalry game, I love it.”
While Arnold is in no rush to make any quick decisions and is content to let the process play out, he would like to generate a list of favorites soon so that he can focus on schools he could really see himself at for 4 years.
“I think I’ll have my list narrowed down going into the spring,” Arnold said. “I play basketball - I know college football coaches really start to come down and evaluate you in spring after their season’s over, but that’s when basketball starts, so I won’t have as much time. I want to focus on a few schools and have a list of where I want to go visit in the summer, which camps I want to attend.
“I’m looking for a school that gives me the best opportunity to play immediately as a freshman, that gives me the best education, that also makes me feel that home atmosphere. Somewhere that really takes me in – the coaches are texting me, talking to me daily. A school that I feel really, really wants me.”
The 2019 season has been quite a success for Arnold after coming off an ankle injury and starting at a new school; this was his first season playing at John Paul II Catholic after transferring in from Florida State University School.
In just 8 games, a monster stat line of 108 tackles (83 solo), 3 FF, 1 FR, 1 INT, and 1 sack on defense and 993 scrimmage yards and 8 TD’s on offense helped Arnold win Player of the Year in his district as junior; he landed on the Defensive First Team as well for the Panthers.
“I’ve been balling this year trying to get my team to the playoffs,” Arnold said. “Our senior quarterback got hurt, so I had to take on a leadership role. I’m not a quiet guy, but I was kind of easing my way into it since I’m at a new school, I didn’t really know anyone. But I’ve eased my way into taking a leadership role, and the guys follow after me, so I try to set the tempo.
“Being only 16, it’s a lot to handle with all the offers and all the publicity that comes with it. My main thing is just staying humble because I know that it could end at any time. I broke my ankle last year, and I watched everybody just leave. Now that I’m back on the scene and made a comeback, I’m not really getting into all the hype or anything like that, I’m just staying humble and staying grounded.”
“Coach Banda had a meeting to attend, but he shot me a text saying ‘We love your film, we like the way you play. We want to let you know you have received an offer from the University of Miami’,” Arnold said. “Then I talked to the Director of Recruiting (David Cooney), he was saying he loves the way I play the game, was asking me who we play this week. Just starting conversations with me, just starting immediate contact, and I love that. They’ve been staying in contact with me, so that’s great.”
Despite growing up in Florida State territory in the heart of Tallahassee, Arnold says he grew up with an affinity from the Hurricanes, although he notes he never favored one Florida school over any other.
“When I got the text from coach Banda that they were offering me, my heart had kind of dropped and I was like ‘Wow’,” Arnold said. “I used to grow up watching them when I was a kid – Ed Reed, Ray Lewis – it’s a tradition there. I used to watch the 30-for-30 documentary all the time. So it was just a blessing, that I could be a part of something that great.”
The 6-2 185 pound prospect has a family connection to UM, and Arnold is already planning a summer visit to Coral Gables.
“First off, the city is great, I’ve been down there a couple of times,” Arnold said. “It’s a private school, my cousin goes there, and he says he loves the campus. He says they take care of everyone there, especially their football players. I look forward to coming down to Miami for Paradise Camp because I know that’s a big camp.”
Aside from Miami, Arnold has been a hot name in the recruiting world in general. He currently lists 19 offers, but 12 of those have come in the past week alone. Arnold says schools like Clemson, Ohio State, and FSU are close to offering as well. Arnold also recently took a visit to LSU last week to watch the Tigers’ win over Auburn.
“I hear most from LSU, Florida, Penn State, Nebraska, Virginia,” Arnold said. “I’m really keeping it open right now, trying to enjoy the process. Everyone is neutral for me right now.”
Even though FSU hasn’t offered just yet, Arnold is going to the Miami-FSU as an invited recruit for the Noles, yet had an interesting answer when asked how he expected the game to go this weekend.
“Prediction-wise, I think Miami’s going to get them,” Arnold said. “I think it’ll be close - it’s just a rivalry game, I love it.”
While Arnold is in no rush to make any quick decisions and is content to let the process play out, he would like to generate a list of favorites soon so that he can focus on schools he could really see himself at for 4 years.
“I think I’ll have my list narrowed down going into the spring,” Arnold said. “I play basketball - I know college football coaches really start to come down and evaluate you in spring after their season’s over, but that’s when basketball starts, so I won’t have as much time. I want to focus on a few schools and have a list of where I want to go visit in the summer, which camps I want to attend.
“I’m looking for a school that gives me the best opportunity to play immediately as a freshman, that gives me the best education, that also makes me feel that home atmosphere. Somewhere that really takes me in – the coaches are texting me, talking to me daily. A school that I feel really, really wants me.”
The 2019 season has been quite a success for Arnold after coming off an ankle injury and starting at a new school; this was his first season playing at John Paul II Catholic after transferring in from Florida State University School.
In just 8 games, a monster stat line of 108 tackles (83 solo), 3 FF, 1 FR, 1 INT, and 1 sack on defense and 993 scrimmage yards and 8 TD’s on offense helped Arnold win Player of the Year in his district as junior; he landed on the Defensive First Team as well for the Panthers.
“I’ve been balling this year trying to get my team to the playoffs,” Arnold said. “Our senior quarterback got hurt, so I had to take on a leadership role. I’m not a quiet guy, but I was kind of easing my way into it since I’m at a new school, I didn’t really know anyone. But I’ve eased my way into taking a leadership role, and the guys follow after me, so I try to set the tempo.
“Being only 16, it’s a lot to handle with all the offers and all the publicity that comes with it. My main thing is just staying humble because I know that it could end at any time. I broke my ankle last year, and I watched everybody just leave. Now that I’m back on the scene and made a comeback, I’m not really getting into all the hype or anything like that, I’m just staying humble and staying grounded.”
