Central Catholic DB Garner gives verbal to Pitt
Pitt received its fourth verbal commitment from the Class of 2016 on Thursday night when Central Catholic safety Bricen Garner said he plans to enroll. Garner said hopes he and Upper St. Clair offensive lineman Brandon Ford, who committed in March, are the first of several WPIAL stars to choose Pitt.
“That's the goal,” Garner said. Highly regarded Central Catholic prospects Damar Hamlin, a defensive back, and Rashad Wheeler, a defensive tackle, also have scholarship offers from Pitt.
Garner chose Pitt over 16 other offers, including Army, Navy and Cincinnati, and he said the Panthers stood out because of their coaches. “You can just tell they are really trying to turn everything around,” he said.
At 6-foot-2, 170 pounds, Garner also plays wide receiver at Central Catholic, but he will be strictly a defensive player at Pitt. “He plays three sports, but when someone gets him into a 250-day-a-year football program, he is going to be a 190-pound kid,” Central Catholic coach Terry Totten said.
“I think he is a flat-out football player. He has the height, he has very competitive speed, tremendous athletic ability and great ball skills.” Garner is the first Central Catholic player to commit to Pitt since 2008 when quarterback Tino Sunseri and defensive back Andrew Taglianetti pledged to Pitt.
“We hope to change that,” Totten said.
Jerry DiPaola is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at jdipaola@tribweb.com or via Twitter @JDiPaola_Trib.
Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/college/pitt/8592574-74/catholic-central-garner#ixzz3dUwI6JgZ
Pitt received its fourth verbal commitment from the Class of 2016 on Thursday night when Central Catholic safety Bricen Garner said he plans to enroll. Garner said hopes he and Upper St. Clair offensive lineman Brandon Ford, who committed in March, are the first of several WPIAL stars to choose Pitt.
“That's the goal,” Garner said. Highly regarded Central Catholic prospects Damar Hamlin, a defensive back, and Rashad Wheeler, a defensive tackle, also have scholarship offers from Pitt.
Garner chose Pitt over 16 other offers, including Army, Navy and Cincinnati, and he said the Panthers stood out because of their coaches. “You can just tell they are really trying to turn everything around,” he said.
At 6-foot-2, 170 pounds, Garner also plays wide receiver at Central Catholic, but he will be strictly a defensive player at Pitt. “He plays three sports, but when someone gets him into a 250-day-a-year football program, he is going to be a 190-pound kid,” Central Catholic coach Terry Totten said.
“I think he is a flat-out football player. He has the height, he has very competitive speed, tremendous athletic ability and great ball skills.” Garner is the first Central Catholic player to commit to Pitt since 2008 when quarterback Tino Sunseri and defensive back Andrew Taglianetti pledged to Pitt.
“We hope to change that,” Totten said.
Jerry DiPaola is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at jdipaola@tribweb.com or via Twitter @JDiPaola_Trib.
Read more: http://triblive.com/sports/college/pitt/8592574-74/catholic-central-garner#ixzz3dUwI6JgZ
