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Football Recruiting Report
Wednesday, February 3, 2016

By Sammy Batten


Weber shores up thin tight end ranks

ERIC WEBER

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By Sammy Batten
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New East Carolina defensive line coach Deke Adams returned to familiar territory to land one of his first recruits for the Pirates.

Adams spent the last three seasons in Columbia, South Carolina, where he was defensive line coach for Hall of Fame coach Steve Spurrier at the University of South Carolina. The town of Blythewood is part of the Columbia metro area and where Adams' son, Jordyn, was a sophomore wide receiver/quarterback/punter for the high school varsity during the 2015 season.

The family connection to Blythewood High led Adams back there once he was hired at ECU by first-year head coach Scottie Montgomery to recruit the team's tight end/defensive end Eric Weber.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder had received a minimal amount of attention from college recruiters with Football Bowl Subdivision Charlotte and some regional Football Championship Subdivision schools his only scholarship offers entering the New Year. The previous ECU coaching staff had also shown interest, but it wasn't until first-year head coach Scottie Montgomery got his assistants on the road recruiting that the talk became serious with Weber.

Adams extended a scholarship offer to Weber on January 21 and an official visit to ECU's campus followed eight days later. Weber promptly made a verbal commitment on Jan. 31 to join the recruiting class of 2016.

“He's known Coach Adams for a while and that was a big help,'' Blythewood head coach Dan Morgan said about Weber's recruitment. “Then, when he got to meet Coach Mo, he really enjoyed getting to know him. That was a huge thing. We already have (walk-on freshman placekicker) Tucker Smith up there.

“Eric had gone up there to watch a game this past season and really enjoyed it. It's just a great school and one he's always liked. There are a lot of kids on our team who like East Carolina. We have a good connection.''

Weber is one of 10 recruits who have given Montgomery and his staff a verbal commitment in the past month. He's the second tight end making a pledge to the class, joining Anthony Whatley from Jacksonville, FL, who flipped to the Pirates Monday from Marshall.

Morgan first encountered Weber as a lanky freshman who was pondering whether to concentrate on baseball or football. He chose the gridiron and played for the Blythewood ninth-grade team, but his potential was evident even then to the varsity coaches.

“When we looked at him it was like, 'Wow! He's heads and shoulders taller than the other kids,'' Morgan said. “He hasn't grown much taller than he was during that freshman year, but he has filled out. But you could see how athletic he was, even as a ninth grader.''

Morgan would have to wait two more years to see that potential realized. Weber moved before his sophomore season from Blythewood to Fayetteville, NC, where he played for 4-A powerhouse Jack Britt. Although he saw limited action for the Buccaneers, Weber did mange to make four catches for 22 yards and a touchdown on offense that season.

A year later Weber was back in Blythewood, much to Morgan's delight.

“When he left us we were pretty upset about it, even though we understood he'd be back,'' Morgan said. “It was a pleasure to see him because he was bigger and stronger. He'd developed this physical body that you don't get often in a high school player. The guy is 6-3, 220 pounds, with great hands and who was a heck of a blocker. He was just a heck of a football player.''

Weber has been a tight end starter the last two seasons for the Bengals, but may have done the most damage at defensive end after pulling double duty there as a senior. He made 65 tackles, eight tackles for loss and two sacks for a 9-4 team.

But it's as a tight end/H-back that Morgan said Weber was most impressive, despite making just nine catches for 168 yards last season.

“Early in the season our quarterback threw a pass over the middle,'' Morgan said. “Eric had three defenders draped over him and he still out-jumped them and came down with the ball, no problem. Then one of their defenders laid a big lick into him. But he still hung onto the ball. It was an impressive play and one you don't see that much out of a high school kid.''

ECU is expected to transition into a more physical style on offense under Montgomery, and that fits Weber's strengths perfectly, according to Morgan.

“There is definitely going to be a shift into a more physical style of offense up there,'' Morgan said. “I think he's a good fit for them. He can definitely go right in and play right away. He has the size and strength already.''

The Pirates only have one scholarship tight end currently on their roster in junior Stephen Baggett, so Weber and Whatley may both get an opportunity to play early next fall.

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02/03/2016 02:41 AM