MSOrange
2020 Cali Award Winner, Regular Season Record
- Joined
- Aug 27, 2011
- Messages
- 44,940
- Like
- 108,859
PFN: How long have you played football?
Garth: I started playing football in 7th grade. It was a conscious decision by my parents to not start contact football until then. I played just about every other sport until high school when I limited it to Football and Lacrosse.
PFN: Why did you choose to commit to the Orange?
Garth: I chose Syracuse because it has the best of both worlds. I love football and want to play it as hard and as long as I can. I also want to pursue academics to the highest level. Both my parents were D1 athletes at Princeton. My dad was LT for Football and my mom was 4 seat Starboard for Rowing. I was held to a pretty high standard and complaining about physical/academic workload or fatigue was not tolerated so you might as well just get your work done. “Anything worth doing is worth doing well” could basically be our family slogan (that and “Suck it up Buttercup”). In talking with many of the Syracuse coaches I found similarities about work ethic, accountability, honesty, loyalty, family, and faith. I felt very comfortable in the atmosphere.
PFN: Why commit early?
Garth: Because there was no point in waiting and jeopardizing a great opportunity. I had a spreadsheet of schools ranking strengths of football and academic programs as well as taking several other factors into consideration. Those with a skewed ratio were not on my radar. There really aren’t that many schools with a high even ratio. Before I even met any of the coaching staff, Syracuse was on that short list. When I first started talking to Coach Lynch, it rang a bell because he had recruited my brother in 2016. The day after my brother, Gavin, committed to Lafayette College where he has been starting OL since day 1, Coach Lynch called to offer a PWO at Syracuse. As a family, we take commitments seriously so, it was not something he felt he could consider. There are schools which some may argue have a more perfect ratio and some of those have reached out to me and are saying all kinds of wonderful things. The problem at this stage of the game is that it is too late to develop the trust that Syracuse did with the relationship-building of the past few months. I realize I don’t know everything about Syracuse and I don’t know everything about those other programs. I know no place is perfect, so I’m not going to start splitting hairs over highly ranked programs. I based my decision on as much information as I had. Now I’m moving forward, trusting the process as I go. I am very confident about how the football program can develop me as a player and team member and I’m very confident of what I can accomplish with a Syracuse education. I am very excited to be an OrangeMan.
PFN: Who was your biggest influence at Syracuse, who recruited you?
Garth: Coach Lynch was my recruiting coach and therefore my biggest influence.
PFN: What are they getting in player like you?
Garth: They are getting the annoying little brother of 3 highly competitive siblings who doesn’t know when to stop and never says Uncle. Translated to football, that means I am a competitor who will train beyond what is expected and use both psychological and physical strength to overcome players thought to be bigger and better than I.
PFN: What was the recruiting process like for you?
Garth: My overall experience has been very positive. I feel very grateful for all the amazing coaches I’ve had the chance to interact with. I hope to maintain a mentor relationship with some of them. It is also quite a bit of a roller coaster ride. I watched my brother go through it but there is no way to know how stressful it is until you are in the middle of it.
PFN: Do you know what you’d like to study?
Garth: I have some pretty wide-ranging interests. I love bio-medical technology but I also have an interest in pursuing a law degree. My aunt graduated from the Newhouse School and is encouraging me to pursue similar studies. Time will tell.
PFN: What do you think is the most exciting thing about the Syracuse program?
Garth: It’s a program headed by an exceptional leader who values the abilities of his assistant coaches and together they have a cohesive plan for the future. They are shaping a culture of teamwork and winning. It’s an exciting time to be joining the family.
PFN: Tell everyone out there in Orange land something they’d never know about you until you told them:
Garth: I’m also a rower. I’ve been to camps at Princeton and considered pursuing it. The fact that you can’t hit anyone kind of ruled it out for me. I also play Upright Bass in the orchestra and sing bass in the York County Honors Choir.
PFN: Who is the person who most influenced you in your football career?
Garth: My dad. While we weren’t allowed to play football on a team, he had my brother and me (and sister!) running Oklahoma drills in the backyard from a very young age. We talked a lot about technique making you better and safer at the same time. He made drills a fun family activity. My brother and I continue to run drills together whenever he is home.
PFN: What is it you’d like all your high school team mates and fans to know about your decision that you might have a hard time saying in person?
Garth: The whole recruiting and decision-making process is something that has allowed me to embrace gratitude. I have put a lot of literal blood, sweat, and tears into my development as a football player but there is no amount of work that can offset the fact that I received a God-given gift of genetics and ability. It isn’t something I can claim I earned; it was a gift. I also acknowledge that I didn’t get here by myself. There have been countless coaches, parents, players, and friends who have supported me and helped me grow. Thank you to all of them.
Very impressive. I wish I was that mature as a high school senior or even as the 42 year old that I am.
