Shaws Porter wishes former coach the best

Archbishop Shaw's Elliott Porter had already prepared himself for the worst. When reports of Larry Porter's candidacy for the vacant head coaching position at the University of Memphis first surfaced the LSU offensive guard commitment had a sinking feeling that the end of their relationship was near.

Turns out, Elliott Porter was right.

When Memphis turned to one of its own Sunday and hired Larry Porter to become the school's next football coach Elliott Porter, although somewhat saddened, had nothing but good things to say about his main recruiter on the Tigers coaching staff.

"I felt it coming," Elliott Porter said. "I heard about it a couple of weeks before it happened. There was a rumor going around that he was a candidate for the Memphis job along with the guy (Jerry Gray) from the (Washington) Redskins.

"I keep up with all that stuff so I had a feeling it was coming," Porter said. "That's his alma mater. He's got his name in the record books there. I figured if they offered he was going to take it because he's doing what's best for him."

The 6-foot-4, 280-pound Porter, a four-star prospect and Rivals250 member, said LSU's former running backs coach was someone he connected with early in the recruiting process and on other levels aside from athletics.

"We talked a lot about a lot of things and it wasn't only football," Porter said. "We talked about a lot of life situations and I could ask coach about a lot of things. He's a real good person other than just a coach. I'm going to miss him. I'm going to miss him a lot but it's not going to affect my recruiting. I love LSU because I love LSU. It's not just one person."

LSU's already made the coaching transition with Elliott Porter who has already been contacted by offensive line coach Greg Studrawa.

"I talked to coach Stud and we were always close," Porter said. "He will take over as my recruiter. I love coach Stud and can't wait to play for him."

For the first time in his career Porter's season ended before the Superdome Classic.

Archbishop Shaw, competing in Class 5A, was stopped short of a fourth-straight trip to the Superdome with a 37-13 regional loss at Acadiana.

Although not 100 percent healthy because of a nagging hamstring injury Porter was back on the field for the Eagles who concluded the season with an 8-4 record.

"I gave all I had for my team," said Porter, who finished with 65 tackles this season despite missing five games. "I gave all I had. I couldn't go out and not play."

The next step for Porter is preparing to play at least one more high school game. He will leave Dec. 27 to take part in the Offense vs. Defense All-American game in Myrtle Beach, S.C. where he will team with LSU commitment Justin Maclin, Ronnie Vinson, Tyrann Mathieu and Cameron Fordham on the East All-Star team.

Porter's official visit to LSU will take place sometime in January where for the first time he'll step on campus without one of the key figures present in his recruiting process. He said he could relate to Larry Porter's situation -- one that mirrored his own when he decided on LSU over Florida State among others.

"It's hard," Porter said. "He's wasn't going to coach me but I enjoyed being in his presence. You have to move on and he's doing what's best for him. I can't be mad at him and be selfish. It's just like me going to LSU. I did what's best for me and he's got to do what's best for him and go on to the next job. He's a great coach and I wish him well at Memphis."