Friendzoned last year. Have things changed? GUYS / EXPERIENCED GIRLS?

1. I really liked a guy last year. We texted but it never got interesting. Often, he just stopped replying. He told me he just wanted to be friends. We kinda stopped talking. He was also waiting for his ex to come back from a break in the relationship. She secretly didn't want him back. They never got back. He became really lonely, didn't go to prom, not even with friends! He graduated. I got over him.

2.) In the fall, he went to my 1st choice university. I asked him for help in apps, programs, etc. When I got accepted & chose to go there, suddenly we texted a lot more & he started more convos out of the blue & asking how I was. We had some really deep, interesting, funny convos. I kinda like him again. He hasn't made a lot of friends in college (really quiet guy)... I think he's still lonely...

3.) There have been a lot of both real incidences and '"coincidences" recently that make me thinkkkk he's paying more attention to me than before when I had the big crush on him. Probably shouldn't read into the "signs" though lol. So here is the question. Have things changed? Also, it seems that after I stopped liking him/talking to him/seeming less available, he seemed more into me. Should I play a little hard to get to get myself completely out of the friendzone? But...... do you think I'm his "last resort"?