Record-setting South Carroll senior running back Chris Gavin has orally committed to play at Virginia Military Institute next season.
Gavin, who rushed for a Carroll County-record 2,016 yards last season, chose VMI over Randolph-Macon and Salisbury. He plans to major in international studies.
"Everyone I met there was an awesome person with an awesome backstory," said Gavin, an All-Metro first-team selection last season. "Financially, things worked out. Socially, things worked out. And football ... who doesn't want to play Division I?"
VMI finished 2-10 in 2014, last place in the Southern Conference.
"He's been on a lot of college visits, and I told him that when he's doing these, he's going to walk on some campus and it's going to hit him," South Carroll coach Steve Luette said. "I think Chris is going to work out well there."
Gavin scored a county-leading 26 touchdowns last season and helped the Cavaliers to a county title, 2A West Region championship and state semifinals appearance. He knows he'll have to adjust to life at a military school, in addition to playing college football.
"It's going to take some time to get used to. It will be weird at first," he said. "My family has a good amount of military history. I feel like it's in my blood."