Julmisse plans to 'shut it down'
Between them, South Plantation teammates Johnny Huntley and Anthony Julmisse turned down offers from more than 50 other FBS programs when they verbally committed to the Buffaloes in 2015. Many of those other schools continued to recruit them, and Syracuse had convinced the talented Florida duo to line up an official visit.
Shortly after the new year began, Huntley announced on social media that he would be canceling his trip with the Orange and he would cease communication with every college, other than Colorado, in the weeks leading up to national signing day. That led many Buffs fans to wonder what Julmisse's status is. Would he still take some other trips?
“I am sold on Colorado,” Julmisse told BuffStampede.com on Sunday. “I have been talking to my family and my coach and I am going to pretty much shut it down. People often talk about how recruiting will be difficult and deteriorating but I didn't see it as an issue. I just stayed true to what I believed in and what I wanted to do. I chose, and at this point, I am pretty much done. Nothing can really change my mind at this point.”
Vanderbilt is another program that has made a strong push for Julmisse. His unofficial visit to Colorado last June and his official visit in October sold him on the idea of playing college football in Boulder. He fell in love with the environment surrounding the college.
“I know even if football wasn't there, Colorado is where I would want to me. I am really comfortable with the idea of living up there for the next three to four years, or even after that,” Julmisse said. “It is not all about football and I feel like that is the place for me.”
Safeties coach Joe Tumpkin recruits South Plantation and the other high schools in the Miami area for the Buffs. He graduated from Hialeah High School in Miami back in 1990 so he has ties to the area. What has been Tumpkin's sales-pitch for Julmisse?
“That's the thing, most recruiters have a sales-pitch, but with Coach Tumpkin there is not a sales-pitch. He has been honest from the beginning,” Julmisse said. “I look at him as another father figure, actually. I know some coaches you can't trust, but he has been '100' (real and true) with me, so I respect that about him.”
Julmisse starred on both sides of the ball at South Plantation and he could theoretically end up at a number of different positions in college. Colorado has told him they see him being a versatile playmaker on offense, similar to the role Donovan Lee currently has for the Buffaloes. If he ends up playing slot receiver, his position coach would be Darrin Chiaverini, a former Buff that was recently hired onto Colorado's staff.
“I have spoken two or three times with Coach Chiaverini already. He seems like a really cool guy,” Julmisse said. “He is on the same mission that Johnny and I are on, basically just to bring Colorado back to the top. I am buying into what he is selling me so I am excited to see what the future holds. I just want to make an impact on the field.”
Before he joins the Buffaloes, Julmisse will spend plenty of time working out for football, but he also plans to try out a new sport.
“I am going to play lacrosse this year,” he said. “A lot of my friends play it and they have been trying to get me to do it for some time. I know most of the rules already and I have been playing with them for fun a lot. I figured why not do it my last year? We start practices next week.”
