"at this time I'm still committed to UT, but I wouldn't mind speaking to Coach Sumlin, if we called." -Malik Jefferson per gigem twofourtyseven <-- it stars out if I put numbers
http://tamu.247sports.com/Bolt/Instant-Reaction-on-Chavis-hire-Malik-Jefferson-34283112
update as of 12/31/2014
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. Per multiple reports, Texas A&M is set to hire LSU defensive coordinator John Chavis for the same role. Shortly after that news broke, a report on a Aggies fan site stated that five-star Texas linebacker commit and spring enrollee Malik Jefferson would reach out to Kevin Sumlin when the hire was made official.
Horns247 caught up with Jefferson on Wednesday at the media luncheon for the Under Armour All-America Game, and his take on the situation is yes, he would talk to Sumlin if the two got on the phone.
But that doesn't mean he's going to back out on his commitment to the Longhorns.
"I'll talk to him. That's not a problem. If he reaches out to me I'll talk to him," Jefferson said. "I'll probably call Coach [Mark] Hagen and ask him what's the deal and all that. I'm not going to be like so interested in them."
When asked Jefferson if there was any chance he'd end up at Texas A&M rather than Texas in the spring Jefferson said, "I don't see myself there."
Jefferson's thoughts on the Chavis hire are that the Aggies will get a good coordinator and that he was "shocked" the long-time SEC coordinator chose to leave Baton Rouge for College Station.
"I didn't know they were going to get Chavis," Jefferson said. "That's pretty big for them. Kudos to them. That's a good guy. Hopefully he can go in and make those guys better."
Jefferson was then asked if he was 100-percent sure he'd be in Austin for the start of the spring semester.
"I'm comfortable with Austin," Jefferson said. "I really am."
The No. 1 ranked prospect in the state of Texas will head to a program coming off of a 6-7 season, which was capped by a loss to Arkansas in AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl. Jefferson said the bowl result doesn't impact his feelings toward Texas, and he again mentioned that he wants to be a reason why Texas returns to the top.
"It was kind of embarrassing and I've been getting ripped about it all week, but I've just got to keep moving," Jefferson said. "I have an eye toward the future and I hope everything works out."
Jefferson has already signed scholarship papers with Texas, which ties the school to him as an athlete on a financial aid agreement. However, he can't sign a letter of intent since he's not a junior college prospect, which means there's nothing he can sign that binds him to Texas except when he begins classes.
Regardless, Jefferson gave every indication he's sticking with the Longhorns, including what he told 247Sports' Brian Perroni when asked if the Chavis hire ultimately changes anything for him.
"No sir," Jefferson said to Perroni. "I'm still committed to Texas. I wouldn't mind talking to Coach Sumlin, but I'm still committed to Texas."
