Florida Linebacker Plays With Stout Heart

When teams look for players at certain positions, there is always a prototypical size that they have in mind. Jeremiah George, the linebacker from Clearwater High School in Florida, might not fit that mold, but he makes up for his lack of size with his strength of heart.

“I am always trying to improve my speed and strength.  I am 5’10 ½” and I am now up to 200 lbs.  Eventually I want to get up to 215 and be comfortable playing.”

How fast is Jeremiah George?

“Towards the end of the season I was running a 4.9 forty and I was kind of explosive.  Now, after a couple of months focusing on speed and agility, I have knocked down my time to 4.6, and I am very explosive.  Offseason workouts are going great.”

The recruiting process is going well for George, and he has enjoyed it.  Is there anything he wants to focus on next year as a senior?

“I want to help our team have a good season and win.  We didn’t end up having a good record last season, and this year we want to have fun.”

When asked what schools stood out to Jeremiah, he named four and let us know what he liked about each one.

Kansas - “They’re in a good conference and a lot of teams run the spread.  I think I could be a great addition to their defense, because they need some more linebackers.  I could also be a playmaker at strong safety.”

Troy - “I have a great relationship with Coach Chad Scott and they run a 4-2-5 defense, which I like a lot.  They have sent several players to the NFL recently.”

Buffalo - “I am not just going to school for football, academics are big, and they have the #5 business school in the country.  I want to be a business major, and it is important that they have a good school for my major.”

Tulane - “The location of the school is close to my family, and they are really known for their academics.  If I don’t make it to the NFL, than I need to have something to fall back on.”

The linebacker from the Sunshine State visited Troy on Monday, and he might visit some other schools this summer too.  Western Kentucky, Marshall, Central Florida, and Colorado State are other schools that are recruiting George.  

It might or might not be coincidence that Kansas was the first school he mentioned, but Jeremiah George has a good relationship with Coach Louis Matsakis.

“Coach watched came by and watched me practice one day.  That night he called and told me that he wanted me to come up to Lawrence.  He was very mellow and honest, and he told me how I could contribute on defense and special teams.”

Having a good relationship with the coaching staff is just one of the things that George wants to have when he picks a school.

“When I go to a school for 4 or 5 years, I want a chance to coach or come on as a graduate assistant afterwards.  I am not going to beg for playing time, but I do love playing special teams.”

Jeremiah said that if he makes the Army All-America Team, he will announce his decision during the game.  Otherwise he said to expect a decision in late December or early January, with the possibility of announcing during national signing day.

Coach Matsakis is the special teams coach at Kansas, and he could end up playing a vital role in Jeremiah’s decision.

“If I choose Kansas, Coach M. would be one of the biggest reasons why.”