Update: Four-star WR Michael Hartley from St. Thomas Aquinas in Miami took to Twitter to say that the Russell Athletic Bowl will not be the final determining factor in where he will commit between Miami and West Virginia, despite his comments on Friday night.
A Bowl Game Will Not Determine My Future..!
— Mike Harley Jr. Ⓜ️ (@harleyxvi) December 12, 2016
Original Story:
Every coach wants to see his team end the season with a bowl victory, but for Miami's Mark Richt and West Virginia's Dana Holgorsen, a win in the Russell Athletic Bowl will mean more than just an exclamation point on the 2016 season.
The winner of the Russell Athletic Bowl will get a commitment from four-star wide receiver Michael Harley of St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
"Miami and West Virginia play a bowl game, so I'm going to determine off of that," Harley said Friday night after winning a third consecutive state championship, according to 247 Sports. "Whoever wins, that's where I'm going. It's about the coaches at the end of the day.
"I love both schools. Miami, that's home. West Virginia, that's away. I have an opportunity to pick one."
Harley has verbally committed to West Virginia but recently received an offer from the hometown Hurricanes. Conveniently for Harley, the teams play each other in Orlando, and he can simply make his decision based off of which team is best on the field.
According to 247Sports, Harley will be in attendance at the game and will still make an official visit to both schools in January. However, it would be great if he came out at the end of the game and strolled onto the stage with the winning team at the trophy presentation to make his commitment.