FIU’s patience might be rewarded as marquee Carol City RB strongly considers Panthers

Katravis Geter is one tough hombre.

Geter, who committed to FIU earlier this month, is powerfully built at 5-9½ and 190 pounds. He can also bench press nearly 200 pounds over his weight — 375 pounds, he said — and he ran the 100 and 200 meters in track earlier in his high school career.

So, he has power and speed.

But perhaps the most impressive Geter attribute is his resilient nature, and here’s why:

Geter, a star senior running back at Carol City, caught a bubble screen last year against Miami Central, and that’s when his troubles began.

“I stiff-armed the linebacker,” Geter said. “But he grabbed my arm. My body twisted one way, and my ankle twisted the other way.”

Geter, who fractured his left ankle, missed the next two games. But Geter, who helped defeat Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas as a freshman starter for Miramar, couldn’t allow himself to sit out the rematch with the Raiders.

“I kept trying to play through the injury,” Geter said. “I knew my team needed me.”

St. Thomas Aquinas won that 2019 game 45-24, and Geter remembers getting in for only six plays. On his last carry, Geter ran 15 yards for a touchdown — despite the pain.

“I ran over the safety and dove into the end zone,” Geter said. “But I really couldn’t run. I ran with a limp.”

Geter’s coaches saw that and took him out, and the running back missed the next two games. He then played little against Homestead South Dade and Miami American before finishing his season with a sensational 175-yard effort in a 35-14 loss to Miami Booker T. Washington in the first round of the playoffs.

“On a bum ankle,” Geter said of his 2019 finale.

Geter is so good that he has drawn 11 offers from Power 5 schools, including reigning national champion LSU.

But those were oral offers, Geter said. Paperwork was not sent over, and Geter said the recruiting intensity dropped off after his ankle injury.

Except for FIU.

“They were the only ones who stuck with me,” Geter said.

Dorrean James, Carol City’s first-year coach, said FIU running backs coach Tim Harris Jr. did a great recruiting job on Geter.

Then again, those coaches go way back. Harris was once the head coach at Booker T. Washington, and James was his linebacker coach.

Prior to that, they were teammates at Miami Northwestern — James as a linebacker and Harris as a quarterback.

“We grew up together as kids,” James said. “When [Harris] told me that he was interested in Katravis, I was happy.”

James said Geter runs with great vision, patience and ball security. In fact, James compares Geter to former Miami Killian running back Lamar Miller at similar stages in their development.

But the most surprising thing about Geter, James said, is that he has “exceptional” speed, something that wasn’t evident last year due to the injury.

Geter, whose Carol City team is set to make its 2020 debut on Oct. 30 against Hialeah, said he is now completely healthy.

“It’s crazy to me when people say, ‘He’s lost his speed’,” Geter said. “Before my injury, people were saying I was so fast. They said I was amazing.”

Geter, who has been playing running back since age 5, is a student of the game. He regularly watches game tapes, critiquing his own performances in an effort to “perfect my craft.”

The best is yet to come, Geter promised.

“I’m ready to shock the non-believers and the doubters this year,” he said. “Next year, I’m coming to compete and win a starting job.”

Longtime recruiting guru Larry Blustein told the Herald he regards Geter as an “marquee” talent, and FIU surely wants to make his commitment official when the early signing period begins Dec. 16.

It’s not a done deal, however.

“Anything can change,” Geter said. “But, as of right now, I plan to sign with FIU and enroll early in January.”