"I got to see the school, I got to meet the coaches," Hayes explained. "I actually got really close with the coaches in that two-day span. Getting to talk with [running backs coach Robert] Gillespie and [linebackers coach Tommy] Thigpen was great.
"Coach Thigpen pulled me back in the room and he went over coverages, what type of blitzes they call, what formations they call based on what the offense comes out in. Just definitely a great time to talk football with coaches. It wasn't a visit just to see what the school is like; it was also a learning experience."
"Yeah, [Coach Thigpen] told me, it was just a matter of when it was coming," Hayes said, before adding with laugh. "I couldn't let you guys know. I just had to wait until they told me and gave me the go-ahead. Football, scholarships, that's a whole system thing when it comes to coaches. I just had to wait, I knew it was coming. Just a matter of when."
"I was very excited for the offer," he said. "I was under the impression it would come within the next two months or something like that, not in the next five days. I was very excited, and very motivated. I've been here [working out] since three o'clock. It just makes me want to keep going and keep trying to be the best."
