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2017 ATH JaCoby Stevens Decommits

Talented Nashville athlete backs out of verbal commitment.

By Paul Crewe
Matt Bush-USA TODAY Sports

Well, the hits keep coming. 2017 ATH, JaCoby Stevens, a top 50 prospect from Nashville, TN, that committed to LSU just about two months ago, has backed out of his commitment.

Now the Stevens news isn't nearly as dark as Feleipe Franks moving on. Firstly, we've got over a year left to recruit the kid and win him back over. He's a guy Raymond was able to lure, so if the new coach can keep Raymond on staff, they could always win him back over. Secondly, LSU is in dire need of infusing the QB position with more talent, and Stevens isn't a QB. This is called looking on the bright side, right?

Still, this is the type of hemorrhaging you can continue to expect to happen until Miles is officially ousted and his replacement is officially named. Lest you think it's any other reason:

Stevens is a highly talented player that will likely remain in LSU's recruiting scope.

It's a bummer story, but here we are. These are types of fallout situations you deal with when you are in the midst of a coaching change. Players are right to not commit their future to utter uncertainty. Would you feel comfortable working for a company where you had no idea who your boss would be? Risky, to say the least.

Like I said yesterday, this is going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better. I suspect we will start to lose commitments from the 2016 class here shortly. I'm not sure who, but it's more an inevitability than anything. It's imperative that Alleva and the powers that be act with urgency and hire the new coach. Mortgaging an entire recruiting class isn't risky, it's outright asking for your new coach, no matter how talented, to fail.