Virginia stays on in-state streak

The upcoming football camps at Boston College and Kansas have a new vacancy.

On Monday, Connor McCartin informed the staffs at both programs that he would not be showcasing his skills at their camps with hopes of landing scholarship offers.

He will not need those offers.

McCartin, an inside linebacker from Fauquier High School, altered his summer plans this weekend after accepting a scholarship offer from Virginia coach Al Groh.

The verbal commitment was Virginia’s 12th in the ever-growing 2009 recruiting class.

“It’s very exciting,” said McCartin. “It was something that I wanted to get done and Virginia is the place that I really wanted to go all along.

“I was fortunate that Virginia offered, and I really think it is the best fit for me.”

Landing McCartin continued the Cavaliers’ in-state resurgence. The rising senior became UVa’s 10th verbal from the Commonwealth, which easily outdistances the three collected in 2008.

Virginia was the lone school to offer McCartin thus far, but he drew interest from Maryland, Virginia Tech and Duke and was told a scholarship would be on the table after the camps at Boston College and Kansas. McCartin said Virginia Tech coaches informed him early on that the Hokies would not be adding inside linebackers this year, but told him they would look at him as an outside linebacker if he so desired.

It never came to that after McCartin and Groh met together in the coach’s office in the McCue Center last week.

“He said that they liked my intensity and my leadership,” said McCartin, who had 24 tackles in an overtime upset victory over rival Liberty. “They could see that I was a hard worker. They said I was a good player and would fit well in their 3-4 scheme.”

Undersized to play defensive end at 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, McCartin has used his 4.75 speed in the 40-yard dash to make plays in the middle of the field at Fauquier. Last season alone, the youngster collected 135 tackles, four sacks and four interceptions. He also used his deceptive speed to recover four fumbles en route to earning All-Northwest Region honors.

“I have just been fortunate to put myself in those types of positions,” he said. “I think I can read things really well, and when the contact comes is when I can show coaches that I can really play.

“I guess you could say that I model my game after [Chicago Bears linebacker] Brian Urlacher. I love how he plays and he is a good guy.”

While it had little if any role in the decision, McCartin will find a familiar face on campus in August 2009. His older brother, Kyle, is slated to join the Cavaliers’ program as a recruited walk-on in two months. Kyle, a quarterback, was a Virginia target last year before blowing out his ACL in the first quarter of Fauquier’s opening game.

“Virginia had recruited me earlier and basically after the injury they stayed in touch,” said Kyle, who picked the Cavs over a walk-on offer from Maryland. “They offered me a walk-on position and after I came down to watch a practice, I waited a little while and decided it was the right opportunity.”

At that point Kyle had no idea that his younger sibling would be following in his footsteps, but is happy with the developments and knows what the Cavaliers are obtaining with the inside linebacker.

“Connor is a great leader and there is no quit in him,” Kyle said. “He is always there to make the plays. He is always at the ball.”