2008 Woodie Awards
Freshman Lineman To Transfer
Football: Former 2-Star Recruit Seeks Education Opportunities At Ivy League School
Justin Verrier
Issue date: 4/30/08 Section: Sports
Playing for one of the most high profile high school football programs in the country, alongside the likes of Florida's Tim Tebow, Danny Russell almost felt obligated to continue his football career at a big-time Division I school.
To this day, people question why the 6-foot-3, 234-pound freshman defensive tackle from Nease High School (Ponte Vedra, Fla.) chose to come to UConn over schools such as Louisville.
But while most people would think playing for a top football school is a dream come true, it's not Russell's dream.
After redshirting his first year in Storrs, the freshman has decided to leave the program and will most likely transfer to Columbia, or possibly Yale after this semester.
"When you're an 18-year-old in high school, you're a senior and you're on this big profile team, people are following you around and there are cameras everywhere, there's this big signing day celebration, you're expected - [when people say], 'Oh, you have Division one offers' - to go with the Division I offers." Russell said. "'You have an offer from a top-25 school, why don't you take it?' I still get asked that today.
"I'm not going to say I made a mistake coming out of high school, but I had the chance to go to Georgetown - they were heavily recruiting me - I could've gone to the Ivy [League]."
UConn coach Randy Edsall could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.
While he will continue to play football, Russell, a former two-star prospect coming out of high school, according to Rivals.com, said his new priority is academics and working toward his goal of becoming an investment banker in New York.
"If I had the opportunity to go to the NFL, that would be awesome," he said. "But I have different aspirations."
Russell said he harbors no ill feeling toward the coaching staff personally for the lack of playing time he received. In fact, he recently heard that after his impressive performance in the spring game -- where he recorded a team-high 6.5 tackles (two for a loss) and a sack for the Blue Team (second team defense, first team offense) -- the coaches were thinking about giving him a "few snaps" next season.
To this day, people question why the 6-foot-3, 234-pound freshman defensive tackle from Nease High School (Ponte Vedra, Fla.) chose to come to UConn over schools such as Louisville.
But while most people would think playing for a top football school is a dream come true, it's not Russell's dream.
After redshirting his first year in Storrs, the freshman has decided to leave the program and will most likely transfer to Columbia, or possibly Yale after this semester.
"When you're an 18-year-old in high school, you're a senior and you're on this big profile team, people are following you around and there are cameras everywhere, there's this big signing day celebration, you're expected - [when people say], 'Oh, you have Division one offers' - to go with the Division I offers." Russell said. "'You have an offer from a top-25 school, why don't you take it?' I still get asked that today.
"I'm not going to say I made a mistake coming out of high school, but I had the chance to go to Georgetown - they were heavily recruiting me - I could've gone to the Ivy [League]."
UConn coach Randy Edsall could not be reached for comment Tuesday night.
While he will continue to play football, Russell, a former two-star prospect coming out of high school, according to Rivals.com, said his new priority is academics and working toward his goal of becoming an investment banker in New York.
"If I had the opportunity to go to the NFL, that would be awesome," he said. "But I have different aspirations."
Russell said he harbors no ill feeling toward the coaching staff personally for the lack of playing time he received. In fact, he recently heard that after his impressive performance in the spring game -- where he recorded a team-high 6.5 tackles (two for a loss) and a sack for the Blue Team (second team defense, first team offense) -- the coaches were thinking about giving him a "few snaps" next season.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 2
T
posted 5/01/08 @ 12:38 AM EST
Good riddance.
I don't appreciate the way Russell makes it seem like there's no way he could get a quality education if he stayed at UConn. UConn isn't exactly a bottom of the barrel academic institution. (Continued…)
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