Maryland Joins Race for Florida Running Back

Running backs coach Elijah Brooks offered a former Seminole commit on Thursday night.

Maryland dipped back into Florida on Thursday night when Palm Bay (Fl.) running back KeyShawn Spencer became the latest offer from the Maryland staff. The 5-foot-10, 181-pound speed back has the attention from college coaches as he hopes to leave where he left off in his lone game last season.

His lone appearance came in the season opening win as the Pirates topped Melbourne 35-30 on the road. Spencer had the ball in his hands on just eleven plays, but it was enough for three touchdowns, 50 rushing yards and 104 receiving yards. “It was a rivalry game. Coach put me in in some packages and I had three touchdowns, so it was good to get that down,” Spencer told All Terrapins. He missed the remainder of his junior year as he suffered a torn labrum and broken bone in alternating shoulders, but his lack of junior film hasn’t stopped his momentum on the recruiting trail. Spencer knows why.

“My specialty is my speed so I want to maintain that speed but keep up my weight, so you got to do speed workouts, make sure you eat and get in protein shakes, all that stuff, just not getting slow on my feet.”

After his year-long verbal, Spencer decommitted from Florida State back in early March and shortly after, the attention started rolling back in. “Ever since I decommitted, a lot more schools reached out. Just want to talk, build a bond, get on campus, just football business. USF, Georgia Tech hits me up a lot, West Virginia. It’s quite a few that hit me up consistently.”

Running backs coach Eljiah Brooks has kept tabs on the Florida running back as the two have gained familiarity over time. “The first time he hit me up was when I first decommitted. We build it slowly, started talking, asking how I’m doing and it went from there. I had a talk with him [on Thursday] and he gave me the offer. He said he watched my film and my agility, I’m quick on my feet.”

Spencer admitted he isn’t as familiar with the Terps, “but when I get an offer from a school, I definitely look into the school to see if it’s a good opportunity for me. I’ll always look into the background of the school and the football team.” While he added that a visit to College Park is a possibility with the offer in-hand, he admits what he wants to learn more about.

“I want to hear from the football standpoint on the team, coaches and the atmosphere of the school. I look into the offensive style, what offense they run, if they throw or run a lot. I don’t want to go to a school that throws the ball a lot and rarely uses their running backs. I want to go to a school that puts the ball on the ground. I also play slot receiver, so a lot of colleges say they can switch me from the running back and slot.”

Spencer has already taken trips to Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, UAB, UCF and USF, but a host of new schools are chasing for a visit. As Maryland joins USF, Georgia Tech and West Virginia in the race, Spencer is remaining patient with the process as in-person visits will be pivotal in his recruitment.

“I would like to take a visit to all the schools if I can, honestly. Taking it slow. I’m building it, but I’m taking it slow. I just decommitted not too long ago so I don’t want to rush it and make the wrong decision and have to decommit again. I want to be 100% sure and stand on that.”