Down here in Nashville, the talk the last couple of days on sports talk radio is how could Jeremiah Oatsvall, Brentwood Academy's state champion quarterback, get overlooked by FBS programs? In the Division II State Championship game against Montgomery Bell Academy, Oatsvall had 498 total yards — passing for 356 yards and running for 142. That was enough to defeat MBA for a second straight year in the Division II title game Thursday night..
Oatsvall overshadowed MBA star running back Ty Chandler. The Tennessee commitment, who won his second Mr. Football on Monday, rushed for 218 yards on 31 carries with three touchdowns.
Before this season started, Oatsvall committed to play football at Austin Peay. He was the 2015 Tennessean Male Athlete of the Year and accounted for more than 3,000 yards from scrimmage for Brentwood Academy last season, helping lead the Eagles to a 12-1 record and their first state championship since 2007.
“When I first got the offer I really overlooked them and didn’t really give them a fair shot,” said the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Oatsvall. “The thing that appealed to me the most is that they’re a rebuilding program, and I like the idea of helping rebuild the program. I kind of like that underdog mentality.
“I was just on a call with Coach (Will) Healy. We were talking and I just kind of felt it — like this was the right time — and he was ecstatic.”
Oatsvall, who chose Austin Peay over scholarship offers from Air Force, Chattanooga, Navy and Samford, among others, threw for 1,965 yards, ran for 1,164 more and accounted for 30 total touchdowns last season.
Oatsvall, who also helped lead Brentwood Academy to back-to-back state basketball titles, had received recruiting interest from a handful of larger schools, such as Vanderbilt and Ole Miss. However, the two-sport standout was set on playing quarterback at the next level.
“Vandy wanted me to play safety — I had never played safety before, and they wanted to try me out there — but I really believe I’m a quarterback at heart and I have the mindset of a quarterback,” he said. “Austin Peay believes that, too, and their plans for me are at quarterback.
"I really feel like I can go there and make an impact right away.”
Selling a rebuilding program is what Coach Haynes has to do at Kent State. And it's a tough sell for Haynes to get players willing to commit to playing for a rebuilding program when so many want to play for ready-made contenders. That is why Kent State is still in the rebuilding phase. Until KSU recruits enough quality players, the Flashes will continue to struggle regardless of who is the head coach. Flash fans just have to be honest about that reality.
The same can be said for FCS doormat Austin Peay. Despite all the excitement of hiring a young and energetic head coach, the Governors went 0-11 in Healy's first year. But time will tell whether Healy will succeed at Austin Peay. At least he is honest about recruiting for Austin Peay. Last May, Healy said, “The problem we have right now is it’s not ‘cool’ perception-wise to come play football at Austin Peay. So you have to sell a vision, build relationships. Make it hard for them, because of that relationship, to tell you no. This program is an easy sell when you get them here. It’s hard to get them here. … We’re gonna make a living in the Midstate area. All of our coaches have different areas of Nashville. That’s where we’re gonna set up tent.”
And with the commitment from Brentwood Academy's Jeremiah Oatsvall, his strategy just might be paying off.
National Signing Day is February 1, 2017. With 58 days to go, we will see just how well Haynes and Healy fare selling a rebuilding program.
Oatsvall overshadowed MBA star running back Ty Chandler. The Tennessee commitment, who won his second Mr. Football on Monday, rushed for 218 yards on 31 carries with three touchdowns.
Before this season started, Oatsvall committed to play football at Austin Peay. He was the 2015 Tennessean Male Athlete of the Year and accounted for more than 3,000 yards from scrimmage for Brentwood Academy last season, helping lead the Eagles to a 12-1 record and their first state championship since 2007.
“When I first got the offer I really overlooked them and didn’t really give them a fair shot,” said the 6-foot-1, 190-pound Oatsvall. “The thing that appealed to me the most is that they’re a rebuilding program, and I like the idea of helping rebuild the program. I kind of like that underdog mentality.
“I was just on a call with Coach (Will) Healy. We were talking and I just kind of felt it — like this was the right time — and he was ecstatic.”
Oatsvall, who chose Austin Peay over scholarship offers from Air Force, Chattanooga, Navy and Samford, among others, threw for 1,965 yards, ran for 1,164 more and accounted for 30 total touchdowns last season.
Oatsvall, who also helped lead Brentwood Academy to back-to-back state basketball titles, had received recruiting interest from a handful of larger schools, such as Vanderbilt and Ole Miss. However, the two-sport standout was set on playing quarterback at the next level.
“Vandy wanted me to play safety — I had never played safety before, and they wanted to try me out there — but I really believe I’m a quarterback at heart and I have the mindset of a quarterback,” he said. “Austin Peay believes that, too, and their plans for me are at quarterback.
"I really feel like I can go there and make an impact right away.”
Selling a rebuilding program is what Coach Haynes has to do at Kent State. And it's a tough sell for Haynes to get players willing to commit to playing for a rebuilding program when so many want to play for ready-made contenders. That is why Kent State is still in the rebuilding phase. Until KSU recruits enough quality players, the Flashes will continue to struggle regardless of who is the head coach. Flash fans just have to be honest about that reality.
The same can be said for FCS doormat Austin Peay. Despite all the excitement of hiring a young and energetic head coach, the Governors went 0-11 in Healy's first year. But time will tell whether Healy will succeed at Austin Peay. At least he is honest about recruiting for Austin Peay. Last May, Healy said, “The problem we have right now is it’s not ‘cool’ perception-wise to come play football at Austin Peay. So you have to sell a vision, build relationships. Make it hard for them, because of that relationship, to tell you no. This program is an easy sell when you get them here. It’s hard to get them here. … We’re gonna make a living in the Midstate area. All of our coaches have different areas of Nashville. That’s where we’re gonna set up tent.”
And with the commitment from Brentwood Academy's Jeremiah Oatsvall, his strategy just might be paying off.
National Signing Day is February 1, 2017. With 58 days to go, we will see just how well Haynes and Healy fare selling a rebuilding program.
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