Adrian Amos capped a big weekend on the football field with a life-altering decision, but while the Calvert Hall standout's gridiron exploits were no secret, his college choice was mostly kept under wraps.
The senior safety made a key interception in Calvert Hall's season-opening, 24-7 win over St. John's (D.C.) on Saturday. Amos followed that up with some quality family time and a phone call Sunday night offering his commitment to Connecticut coach Randy Edsall.
"He said congratulations and that he looked forward to coaching me," said Amos, who picked the Huskies over offers from Temple and West Virginia.
The 6-foot, 198-pound Amos informed Cardinals coach Donald Davis of his intention to commit to UConn on Saturday. Talking the choice over with his family Sunday clinched his choice. But after making the call to Edsall, Amos went about his business without telling too many others about his pledge to UConn.
"I was just trying to focus on my season. I wasn't really worried about getting it out there," Amos said. "I didn't really worry about having articles or anything. I was just trying to focus on the season this year because it's real important that we win the championship this year."Davis wasn't surprised that Amos took an under-the-radar approach to his recruitment. A humble person off the field and a physical player on it, Amos – for as long as Davis has known him – has always preferred to let his game do the talking.
"He kind of wanted to shy away from the fanfare of the whole thing. He wanted to make a decision and go from there," Davis said. "... I think [UConn was] the clear-cut favorite, but I wasn't sure when or where [the commitment] would happen. We met a couple days ago and looked at the pros and cons. And I talked to him about what else might be out there, what possibilities there were and what scenarios there would be if he waited versus if he committed early. And so he sat down with his family, which is really the most important thing. They came to a decision and they made a decision. So I'm happy for him."
Davis first saw Amos when he was a 5-foot-4, 145-pound middle-school quarterback in the Overlea youth program. Davis thought he found his quarterback of the future, but instead landed a versatile defensive back and leader by example. The Cardinals coach isn't sure of UConn's immediate plans for Amos, but he does think it's a good fit for his talents.
"What I do know is he'll go out there and compete early on, and really for me, it's about getting our guys to a college where they have the opportunity to show their talent and get a great education," Davis said. "Those things are all positive, redshirt or not. So I'm just excited about the opportunity for him to further his education and do something that really can kind of change the framework of his family. That's really a bigger piece for me. The fact that he can further his football career is just an added bonus."
Amos, who played against Huskies quarterback Leon Kinnard when he was at Loyola, admitted that UConn held a special place in his heart from the start. With that in mind, making his commitment Sunday was a bit of a relief.
"The whole time I was really thinking that I was going to go to UConn anyway," Amos said. "But it's kind of a weight off my shoulders. I don't have to keep hearing those questions -- Where am I going? When am I making my decision? -- so it's a weight off my shoulders."
Baltimore Sun photo by Lloyd Fox / Oct. 31, 2009