Gaige Garcia to Michigan

[RoverNation05]

Southern Columbia running back Gaige Garcia commits to Michigan both to play football and wrestle. Garcia is a three time all state running back and was the AA state champ at 195 pounds last year. He’s a top 5 195 pounder in the country.

He reminds me of Nate Eachus as a prospect. A power conference recruit as a wrestler, maybe more of an FCS football player (most of his offers were from Patriot/Ivy schools). Eachus went the other route, just playing football at Colgate, passing up Michigan and UNC wrestling offers. He went on to be an All American and got a cup of coffee with the Kansas City Chiefs. It’ll be interesting to see what happens in Garcia’s career.

 

[16th&Georgetown]

Very talented kid, good for him. Two sport athlete in college will be tough. Especially those two sports. You can also throw in Coy Wire from Cedar Cliff in this category too.

 

[RoverNation05]

Wire was a monster. He was definitely a better football player than both - I’d put him above Eachus and below Garcia on the mat.

It’ll be interesting to see how long he sticks with both. My gut is that Harbaugh is doing Sean Bormet a favor and keeping a roster spot for Garcia, but the scholarship money is in wrestling. He’s got the goods to be a really good 184/197. If not sure he’s a Big 10 running back, particularly if he’s keeping his weight in that range.

Jan Johnson is the other guy recently who comes to mind. He started at linebacker last year for Penn State once he focused on football full time. He was a tweener at heavyweight while he was trying to do both.

 

[16th&Georgetown]

Yes Jan is really good. They’re was a western Pa player and wrestler a few years ago that played football for Pitt and may have even wrestled there too. He was a state champ I think. His name escapes me at the moment. Big guy, I think he played defensive end for Pitt. May have been a Kiski or Franklin Regional kid.

 

[16th&Georgetown]

I think it was Mikilip?

 

[RoverNation05]

Yes Jan is really good. They’re was a western Pa player and wrestler a few years ago that played football for Pitt and may have even wrestled there too. He was a state champ I think. His name escapes me at the moment. Big guy, I think he played defensive end for Pitt. May have been a Kiski or Franklin Regional kid.

Yeah, Scott McKillop. I think he led the country in tackles at Pitt one year. Looks like he played in the NFL for a little too. Lost in state finals to Jon Oplinger from Northampton in 2004 at 215 and took 3rd in the same weight in 2003. In that ‘03 bracket, Oplinger, McKillop, Easton’s Marcus Millen, Berwick’s Mike Viti, and Spring Grove’s Kyle Sprenkle were all state medalists wrestling and All State football players. My how times have changed.

 

[Salvucci]

Anyone remember Carlton Haselrig? Conversation reminded me of him....

 

[Soup13]

Anyone remember Carlton Haselrig? Conversation reminded me of him....

Haselrig was an animal at Pitt Johnstown. Only heavy to in win 3 NCAA titles. Remember when he beat Kurt Angle 2-1 or 3-1 Angle's fresh year, Angle won the NCAA the next year and then only got one more.

 

[RoverNation05]

Anyone remember Carlton Haselrig? Conversation reminded me of him....

Oh he’s the best of the best at both in PA. One of the greatest collegiate heavyweights ever (one of very few 3x NCAA champs at heavyweight - I think just he and Kyle Snyder?) and an All Pro guard in the NFL.

Doing a quick scan, the other state champ upper weights/ big time football crossovers I can find are Jon Condo (Phillipsburg-Osceola/Maryland/Raiders), Leo Wisniewski (Fox Chapel/Penn State/Colts), George Atiyeh (Dieruff/LSU/USFL), Paul and Larry Suhey (State College/Penn State), Rick Bolinsky (North Schuylkill/Penn State), Chuck Amato (Easton/NC State).

 

[SPEED&JUMP DR.]

Rich Passarotti too-same year as Wisnewksi i think