For Thomas Jefferson offensive lineman Pat Eger, the writing wasn't on the wall -- no, of all places, it was right there on the paper.
And it made a big enough impression on him that he made a commitment.
To explain, Eger, a 6-foot-6, 270-pound devastating blocker recently made an unofficial visit to West Virginia University.
He liked what he saw; he enjoyed everything about Morgantown, W.Va.
But then ...
"I got a hand written letter from every coach on the staff at West Virginia telling me how much they were interested in me and how I could help their program,"
said Eger, who will be a senior at Thomas Jefferson in the fall.
"To me, that showed dedication in recruiting and it showed commitment. Those are the kind of people that I want to play football for."
And that's why when West Virginia offered a scholarship last week -- Eger's first such offer -- he pounced on it, making a verbal commitment to head coach Bill Stewart's Mountaineers.
For Eger, it was all about West Virginia being the right place. But there was also a timing component that went into his decision, one that will allow him the freedom to enjoy his senior year without the buzz of recruiting swirling around him.
Eger realizes how advantageous it will be to have the recruiting game behind him when his high school football games are in front of him.
"It couldn't have worked out better for me the way it happened with West Virginia,"
Eger said. "I wanted to get recruiting out of the way by Aug. 11 when we go to preseason camp because I want to focus on my high school senior season and give it all my attention."
"To have this decision out of the way will let me do that. If I were to let recruiting drag on into my senior year, then it would have been another thing on my mind that I really didn't need."
"Now I can concentrate on what I need to do to make sure that we do what we need to do to win games at TJ."
Winning games at Thomas Jefferson is something that is a regular occurrence Friday nights under coach Bill Cherpak.
With Eger as a starter on the offensive line -- along with Lucas Nix, who is headed to Pitt this year -- the Jaguars captured the WPIAL and PIAA Class AAA titles last season, going 16-0 and storming past Garnet Valley in the title game at Hershey, 28-3.
It was the second title in four years for the Jaguars, who Cherpak has elevated to a place among the perennial powers in the state.
Eger understands the responsibility that comes with pulling on that jet-black helmet emblazoned with the gold 'TJ' insignia on each side.
"To play in this program is an experience that is hard to explain how big it is and how much it means,"
Eger said.
"When someone isn't playing up to their potential, another guy comes in and picks them up. When someone needs to be a leader, they always step up and lead. To be here and play at TJ and learn from coach Cherpak is something that we know not every high school football player gets to do."
Not every high school football player gets to set goals as lofty as Eger and the Jaguars,
"There is one goal when you play for TJ and that is to win a state [PIAA] championship,"
Eger said.
"There are some programs that play nine games and their season is done. I couldn't imagine that, I wouldn't know what to do with myself."
"For me, and for every other player who plays for TJ, our goal is much different because we have accomplished a lot in the past. Absolutely our goal is to win a state championship and if we don't do that, it is kind of looked at like a failure."
"I know that sounds like a big goal, but that is how we look at things here."
