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By SCOTT FERTAL; Times Leader Sports Writer
Thursday, July 20, 1995 Page: 1B
BERWICK — George Curry calls Dave Robbins the best decision-making
quarterback he’s had in his 25 years as Berwick’s head football coach.
On Wednesday, the soon-to-be senior may have made the biggest decision of
his life — choosing where he wants to continue his athletic and academic
careers.
After months of pondering, the 6-foot-2 inch, 195 quarterback chose Boston
College.
At a Wednesday’s press conference at Crispin Field, Robbins announced his
verbal commitment to BC.
“I looked over all the schools I visited and picked the high points and
what I didn’t like,” Robbins said. “Then I started to narrow it down.”
Curry took Robbins, along with Brian Remley, who also has verbally
committed to Virginia Tech, Nick Dignan and Jeremy Kishbaugh on a tour of 11
Division I schools during the spring.
“We made it a career thing,” Curry said. “We went to the schools, spent the
night. We gave the kids enough information to make a sound decision. We really
had a well organized plan.”
Robbins, the son of Dave and Barbara Robbins of Nescopeck, had basically
narrowed his choices down to Maryland and BC, although Virginia Tech,
Virginia, Duke, North Carolina State and Pitt also expressed serious interest
in him.
The Berwick quarterback then weighed his options and felt the campus in
Chestnut Hill, Mass. would best be suited for his needs.
“It was a tough decision between Maryland and Boston College,” said
Robbins, who sported a new Boston College hat at the press conference. “Both
had good offenses, both had good coaches. I just fit in better at BC.”
Also playing a role in his choice was the education factor, as Robbins
plans on majoring in physical therapy.
“Mostly the education helped me make my decision,” Robbins said. “But most
of the (Boston College) coaching staff has NFL experience, so that had a
little bearing also.”
While Robbins was happy with his choice, so was Curry, as the veteran coach
said that BC and head coach Dan Henning was very anxious to get his prized
recruit.
“He (Robbins) makes things happen and that’s why they were so high on him,”
Curry said. “They got a kid 6-5, but Dave’s got a better release, he’s faster
and makes better decisions. Mechanically, there’s nobody more sound than Dave
Robbins. Just because a guy is taller or bigger doesn’t mean he’s better. Doug
Flutie won a Heisman Trophy up there and he was 5-9.”
Curry said that his complicated offensive scheme at Berwick sways colleges
to recruit his quarterbacks because his system resembles that of college
teams.
“Our system is a quarterback system and that’s who it’s built around,” he
said. “With our system, the kids could step right in at the college level and
play. That’s why schools recruit Berwick quarterbacks.”
Robbins, 17, becomes the 13th quarterback in Berwick history to receive a
Division I scholarship, following the likes of Bo Orlando, Jake Kelchner and
Ron Powlus.
The Berwick star also felt it would be in his best interest to commit early
and alleviate the pressure to perform in his senior year.
“This takes a lot of pressure off me and now I can concentrate on the
season,” he said. “You can’t go out there and play for other people. Now I can
just go and make the plays.”
Robbins will attempt to lead the Bulldogs to a second-straight state title
and become the first Berwick quarterback to win two state titles since its
inception in 1988.
“We’re going to take it one game at a time,” Robbins said. “There’s so much
pressure to repeat, but that’s Berwick football.”
In addition to taking pressure off his kids, Curry wanted his Division I
caliber players to commit early, assuring them of a scholarship.
“You can’t afford to wait because it might not be there in January,” Curry
said. “We play until December and we can’t visit until January. The NCAA is
not concerned about high school kids, they’re worried about their
institutions. Like it or not, that’s the way it is.
“This is why I have to be the guy to bring some sanity to this. I have to
make sure the kids have an opportunity to gather information.”
And thanks to his coach and his abilities, Robbins could now live out a
childhood dream.
“Ever since I was a kid, I wanted to go to a Division I school,” he said.
“That’s what I always wanted to do.”