NEW CASTLE —
Wilmington High football coach Terry Verrelli said everything came together for two-way lineman Bryn Kaufman this year.
He said the senior combined strength, ability and intelligence to become a leader on both offense and defense.
And Verrelli believes there are more pieces to be added to Kaufman’s skill set. Those parts will be erected at St. Francis University of Loretto, Pa., where Kaufman accepted a scholarship to play football.
He was the only Lawrence County player to accept a major college letter of intent on national signing day yesterday.
“He was definitely the key to our offensive and defensive lines,” Verrelli said. “He’s a big kid and a very smart and intelligent kid. He learned the game and how to play the position. He certainly anchored both sides of the line for us. He was a leader out there — just a great kid.”
The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Kaufman was the centerpiece to a stout offensive line that paved the way for more than 2,000 rushing yards, 30 rushing touchdowns, a 9-2 record and a District 10, Region 3-AA regular-season championship in 2011. He also was a District 10, Region 3 first-team selection at both offensive and defensive tackle and earned All-District 10 first-team honors on offense, which is where the Red Flash expect Kaufman to play.
Part of the reason he chose St. Francis, which competes in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division 1-AA), over other interested schools (Mercyhurst, Duquesne, Slippery Rock, Clarion, Youngstown State and Edinboro) was because of its coach, Chris Villarrial. Villarrial spent 11 seasons in the NFL as an offensive lineman with the Chicago Bears (1996-2004) and the Buffalo Bills (2004-06). Those credentials were appealing to Kaufman, as was the fact that old friend and 2010 Wilmington graduate Jake DeMedal plays for the Red Flash.
“With them already having Jake DeMedal, he spoke very highly of the place,” Kaufman, a son of Mark Kaufman and Paige Turk, said. “It’s a good educational school, and their head coach actually played offensive lineman for the Chicago Bears. With his experience, he thinks he can mold me into a good offensive lineman.”
Verrelli also believes that can happen. The longtime Greyhounds coach said Kaufman really only just started to hit the weights hard the last year or two. Since Kaufman already has the size and will to learn, Verrelli said the physical attributes will follow, and that’s when Kaufman will reach his full potential.
“That’s where he kind of got a little bit of a late start is buying into the weight room,” he said. “He was a baseball player and he played a little basketball, and that keeps a guy out of the weight room because you have to learn each sport. He’s around 270 now, and as you get out of high school, you physically mature some more, so he could go 290 or 300 pounds and not show it at all.
“He has a lot of room to grow and he can be a great player for St. Francis.”
(Email: j_simon@ncnewsonline.com)
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College Football: Wilmington’s Bryn Kaufman signs with St. Francis
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