Tampa Catholic offensive lineman Eddy Pierre-Louis has known UCF assistant coach Herb Hand for quite some time.
That’s because Hand, who has coached at Texas and Auburn, recruited his older brother, Richard Gouraige, who is a multi-year starter along the offensive line for the Florida Gators.
Pierre-Louis said his relationship with Hand as well as the rest of the Knights coaching staff grew even stronger during his official visit to campus over the weekend.
“I was blown away,” the 4-star offensive lineman said. “It was amazing seeing those coaches do things differently because a lot of coaches can’t compare to that.”
Noting UCF’s hospitality as a key reason he enjoyed the trip to campus, Pierre-Louis only had positive thoughts to share.
“A lot of great recruits were here and everybody was having a great time,” he said. “Everybody was smiling. It was cool going out with the other players and all of that.”
Pierre-Louis spent a lot of time around UCF veteran linemen Chidoziri Maghiro and Adrian Medley.
“He was showing me around a lot and telling me how it is,” Pierre-Louis said about Medley. “He’s a fifth-year senior so he knows the ropes around everywhere in Orlando.”
Pierre-Louis also reunited his Hand while meeting with UCF coach Gus Malzahn and offensive coordinator Darin Hinshaw.
“All of the coaches had a good smile on their faces,” Pierre-Louis said. “They weren’t even worried about recruiting. They were just worried about us having a great time and making sure everybody was good.
“Being around the coaches and seeing how they do things was cool.”
The Knights will need offensive linemen such as Pierre-Louis in the Big 12 Conference. At 6-foot-3, 335 pounds, he moves well for his size.
He went viral in March when running the anchor for Tampa Catholic’s 4 x 100 relay team which finished in third at a track meet.
“I got a lot faster,” he said. “I was able to carry my weight a lot quicker. I didn’t really have to drop any weight but running track made me faster.”
That speed, combined with his size, makes him a fit upfront in UCF’s up-tempo offense. Pierre-Louis could see himself in the Knights’ offensive scheme, which relies on the quarterback making quick decisions with a run-pass option.
“They do a lot of RPO and I feel like I can move a lot,” Pierre-Louis said. “I could fit in good.”
He ranks as the country’s No. 12 interior lineman and No. 195 overall recruit in the 2024 recruiting cycle, according to the 247Sports Composite ratings that combine rankings listed by major recruiting services.
UCF made his top 10 lists alongside Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama, Oregon, Florida, Southern California, Tennessee, Miami and Texas A&M.
While he’s set for an official visit to Oklahoma this weekend and could make the trip to Georgia later this month, Pierre-Louis hasn’t set a timeline for a decision.
What he does know, however, are the attributes he’s looking for in a school.
“I’m looking for the city,” he said. “If you’re going to be there for three to four years you got to make sure that’s a perfect fit for you.
“Academics is key as well. If I get injured, you’ve got a backup plan with my degree.”
That could bode well for the Knights in the long run.
“What I like about UCF is that it’s right in Orlando so there are a lot of opportunities for NIL and everybody to have a great image,” Pierre-Louis said. “The coaches also play a key factor. I feel like they could turn things around.”
Email Jason Beede at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @therealBeede.