Starling reveals why he abruptly decommitted

High school football prospects committing to college programs, then backing off their decisions and changing their minds is far from uncommon.

However, the commitment and decommitment process usually occurs more than two weeks apart.

But Palm Beach Lakes standout linebacker Vincent Starling backed off his commitment to South Florida on July 21, two weeks after announcing he would be a future Bull. Why? Because he felt like he was rushed into a decision that he may not have been ready to make.

“I didn’t decommit just because I didn’t like the school,” Starling said at 640 The Hurricane’s High School Media Day on Thursday. “I just feel as if I made my decision too fast.”

Starling didn’t say he felt pressure from the USF staff to commit, but that he wanted to wrap up his recruitment. After mulling his decision following his public announcement, he decided to take his recruitment more slowly.

“It was just like, ‘Vincent, you’re going to be going here for the net three to four years of your life, you’re going to have to deal with it. You need to really think over it,’ ” Starling said.

Starling, who is rated a threestar prospect and the No. 61 outside linebacker in the 2020 class by 247Sports, did not rule out rejoining USF’s class.

“I like the fact that they’re coming up,” Starling said. “I see them, in the next two years, being like another Miami or Florida Gators [or] FSU. They just don’t have the fan base. After they get their new stadium and stuff, I feel like it’s going to be nice.”

In addition to USF, Starling also holds offers from Florida State, Maryland and Pittsburgh, among others.