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CollegeSpun reports "Houshun Gaines believed that he'd been recruited by a member of the UF staff - Brad Lawing - to join the program as part of the 2015 class." Turns out he had been "catfished," an expression made popular after a documentary and MTV show of the same name that dealt with people who were duped by others on the internet.
The Rocky Mount Telegram reports,
So while Gaines smiled next to his mom and dad with a blue Gators hat on Friday, thinking that he would be playing college football at Florida, the Gators coaching staff was on a plane to Knoxville unaware of the news. When they landed, sources close to the program said that they were shocked.
…He said he talked with an unnamed Florida assistant coach around 8:30 p.m. and got Florida's side of things. They said Gaines hadn't been speaking with a Gators coach the past few weeks. Instead, it was someone else.
Gaines sent the following tweet after uncovering the hoax.
Due to recent events I am not committed and my recruitment is still open. ??
- Houshun Gaines (@HZGduoUno) October 5, 2014
He'll likely still play college football. CollegeSpun also reports Gaines has offers "from Boston College, Duke, Miami (FL), NC State, UVA, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest."