SoCal lineman recaps Boulder visit
During the month of April, Casey Roddick is stopping by three of the four schools that have offered him. The 6-foot-4, 335-pound offensive guard prospect from Ventura (Calif.) St. Bonaventure first stopped by Colorado this weekend.
“It was my first time visiting out there and I got to see a lot. It was a really nice experience for my father and I to get to meet all the coaches,” he said. “The No. 1 thing that stood out was the campus. The campus is absolutely beautiful, from the buildings on campus to the new facilities. You are a student-athlete so you spend a lot of time around the football buildings but also a lot of time on campus so the fact it is a wonderful campus is a big deal. The architecture is beautiful.
“They were telling me they look at me not only as a player but also a person. [Head] coach [Mike] MacIntyre talked to my father and I about how they want to make me the best man I can be in the time they have with me. Also, from a football standpoint, they like my strength and size. They like my grades, too.”
Roddick will be in Berkeley to attend Cal's spring game next weekend and he will travel out to Eugene later this month to watch Oregon's spring game.
“I don't know much about both campuses, I just know about the Cal and Oregon football programs,” he said. “So when I take those trips, much like when I went to Colorado this weekend, I want to experience what the campus life is like. I expect to see some intense football, so I can't wait for that.”
Roddick has an offer from the three aforementioned programs. He also has an offer from UNLV. USC, UCLA, Stanford and some Big 12 programs have been contacting him as well.
“I kind of want to stay closer to home, stay closer to my family and stay closer to my roots. That is one of my main goals with picking a college,” Roddick said. “I don't have a favorite yet but in July or August, hopefully before the season, I'd like to make a decision. If not, then I'll wait until after the season.”
Roddick was named the Marmonte League Lineman of the Year, and also earned first-team all-state, all-CIF, all-county and all-league honors, after helping St. Bonaventure score an average of 39 points per game in 2015.
“What separates me is I do a lot of film study. A game is like a test so if you don't study, then you are not setting yourself up for success,” Roddick said. “When you study the film and study your opponents, you gradually increase your knowledge of your opponent's strengths and weaknesses so you can overpower them. And also, on the field I like to use my size and strength and foot speed to maneuver opponents. That is a gift that God has given me.”
