Roundtable: In the beginning
Justin Rowland
EagleAction.com Recruiting Analyst
A good early campus visit can win a player over for good. A bad early visit can spoil the relationship. Childhood memories, family ties, hearsay and even things as simple as pictures online can help shape perceptions well before recruiting begins. And those perceptions have a very real impact on the choices that players make.
EagleAction.com wanted to know what BC's current commitments thought about the program and the school before recruiting heated up.
EagleAction.com: Before BC even offered or started recruiting you how much did you know about them? Had you watched them much in the past or heard much about them? How would you have reacted if someone told you that's where you would end up before the process began?
Bryce Morais: Prior to BC offering me, I didn't know much about the school. I heard of Doug Flutie and know that the Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan went to BC. Most of the schools that are shown on TV in Atlanta are from the south so I don't see many northeast schools on TV. My parents knew a lot about BC for academics and sports. They knew about Doug Flutie, Matt Ryan and Luke Kuechly. I am still surprised that they offered me and am honored to receive that offer.
Ethan Tucky: I didn't really know too much about them. I knew about Luke Kuechly and I loved him. I have a friend that's a big Panthers fan. When he went to the Panthers all he could talk about was how good he was. I did my research and loved his style of play. I loved all of that. When BC started recruiting me I knew it was a different staff but they've had a good history of linebackers there. With Coach (Don) Brown there, every year he's had a different guy in the NFL from the linebacker position. It just shows the coaching ability of the guys there. That stuck out to me.
Brandon Barlow: I had known about BC prior to them recruiting me. My older brother attended a camp there when I was younger and I knew about Andre Williams and him being a Heisman finalist. If someone told me I would be attending Boston College it wouldn't have shocked me. I've always had aspirations to play college football since I was in Pop Warner.
Max Richardson: I did not know much about the school but I did know a lot about the players like Matt Ryan and Luke Kuechley. I'm a pretty big fan of Matt. He lives in my neighborhood. I watched them play a good amount in previous years.
Christian McStravick: I remember watching BC almost beat Florida State in 2014 and I've been a fan since. I never thought I would end up here but I'm glad I did.
Scooter Harrington: Playing football at BC was my goal ever since I can remember. My entire recruitment I always thought that BC was the place for me.
Tom Kowalkoski: Initially BC was not on my radar. Coach (Justin) Frye came to watch me work out during the spring evaluation period. I was offered and things took off from there. My dad was familiar with BC because he played against them while he was at Navy. In addition to my parents I received great guidance from my high school head coach, athletic director and strength coach Guy Monarch. The combination of academics, athletics and campus environment was everything I was looking for.
Adam Korutz: I knew a fair amount about BC before they started recruiting me. I knew that they were very strong academically and a very hard-nosed football team, which I figured out from watching them play on T.V. I love the way the coaching staff has their team play that kind of football. With me being a Giants fan, I know very well of Chris Snee, who grew up not too far from where I'm from, as well as Mathias Kiwanuka, and of course Andre Williams. And although (he's) not a Giant I am a huge fan of Luke Kuechly. During this process a few people have told me that I would end up there. They told me, from the way I play the game and how physical I am, that I would fit right in at BC. I never really listened to that because of how indecisive I was but now that I committed it makes sense.
Justin Rowland
EagleAction.com Recruiting Analyst
A good early campus visit can win a player over for good. A bad early visit can spoil the relationship. Childhood memories, family ties, hearsay and even things as simple as pictures online can help shape perceptions well before recruiting begins. And those perceptions have a very real impact on the choices that players make.
EagleAction.com wanted to know what BC's current commitments thought about the program and the school before recruiting heated up.
EagleAction.com: Before BC even offered or started recruiting you how much did you know about them? Had you watched them much in the past or heard much about them? How would you have reacted if someone told you that's where you would end up before the process began?
Bryce Morais: Prior to BC offering me, I didn't know much about the school. I heard of Doug Flutie and know that the Atlanta Falcons QB Matt Ryan went to BC. Most of the schools that are shown on TV in Atlanta are from the south so I don't see many northeast schools on TV. My parents knew a lot about BC for academics and sports. They knew about Doug Flutie, Matt Ryan and Luke Kuechly. I am still surprised that they offered me and am honored to receive that offer.
Ethan Tucky: I didn't really know too much about them. I knew about Luke Kuechly and I loved him. I have a friend that's a big Panthers fan. When he went to the Panthers all he could talk about was how good he was. I did my research and loved his style of play. I loved all of that. When BC started recruiting me I knew it was a different staff but they've had a good history of linebackers there. With Coach (Don) Brown there, every year he's had a different guy in the NFL from the linebacker position. It just shows the coaching ability of the guys there. That stuck out to me.
Brandon Barlow: I had known about BC prior to them recruiting me. My older brother attended a camp there when I was younger and I knew about Andre Williams and him being a Heisman finalist. If someone told me I would be attending Boston College it wouldn't have shocked me. I've always had aspirations to play college football since I was in Pop Warner.
Max Richardson: I did not know much about the school but I did know a lot about the players like Matt Ryan and Luke Kuechley. I'm a pretty big fan of Matt. He lives in my neighborhood. I watched them play a good amount in previous years.
Christian McStravick: I remember watching BC almost beat Florida State in 2014 and I've been a fan since. I never thought I would end up here but I'm glad I did.
Scooter Harrington: Playing football at BC was my goal ever since I can remember. My entire recruitment I always thought that BC was the place for me.
Tom Kowalkoski: Initially BC was not on my radar. Coach (Justin) Frye came to watch me work out during the spring evaluation period. I was offered and things took off from there. My dad was familiar with BC because he played against them while he was at Navy. In addition to my parents I received great guidance from my high school head coach, athletic director and strength coach Guy Monarch. The combination of academics, athletics and campus environment was everything I was looking for.
Adam Korutz: I knew a fair amount about BC before they started recruiting me. I knew that they were very strong academically and a very hard-nosed football team, which I figured out from watching them play on T.V. I love the way the coaching staff has their team play that kind of football. With me being a Giants fan, I know very well of Chris Snee, who grew up not too far from where I'm from, as well as Mathias Kiwanuka, and of course Andre Williams. And although (he's) not a Giant I am a huge fan of Luke Kuechly. During this process a few people have told me that I would end up there. They told me, from the way I play the game and how physical I am, that I would fit right in at BC. I never really listened to that because of how indecisive I was but now that I committed it makes sense.
