Josh Keyes has been the Big Man on Campus at Chatham High for a couple
of years now while piling up 5,145 career rushing yards — including
1,721 this fall to go along with 21 touchdowns.
So when Boston
College decided to go hard after the Section II football star, the
Atlantic Coast Conference university turned to its own BMOC —
linebacker Mark Herzlich.
Besides being a talented player on the
defensive side of the ball, Herzlich is one of the most inspirational
athletes of his generation, having come back from a battle with cancer
to play again for the Eagles. He's been the subject of numerous stories
and honored with multiple awards since beating Ewing's sarcoma.
The
BC staff made sure Keyes spent plenty of time around Herzlich during
his recent official visit, and it paid off. Keyes gave a verbal
commitment to Boston College head coach Frank Spaziani this week and
will likely play safety at Chestnut Hill after redshirting in 2011.
Keyes was in on 79 tackles and made four interceptions as a Chatham senior during a 9-1 season.
Keyes
had also been considering Temple, but the dynamics changed earlier this
month when head coach Al Golden left for Florida to take over the
University of Miami program.
He is at least the 20th New York
senior to commit to a Football Bowl Subdivision school ahead of the
February letter of intent period. The state is likely to eclipse its
total of a year ago, when 26 players signed for full scholarships.