Recruiting files: Andrew Douglass

Player: Andrew Douglass
School: San Clemente
Position: Linebacker

Committed to: Montana

Trips he took: Montana, Connecticut, Northern Arizona, San Diego State

How was your trip to Montana?
“It was beautiful out there. I got along with all the players real well. It’s a college town. Everyone’s wearing Montana Griz apparel, everyone’s a fan. That really got me more than any of the other places. Everyone looks up to you and thinks you’re a hero there. I definitely liked that the best.

“I (had) never been there. I talked to Cole (Bergquist, former San Clemente quarterback and now with Montana) about it. I was expecting it to be super-freezing cold and flat and snowing all the time. But I was walking around in a long sleeve shirt and I was fine. I was staying with the players and we went out bowling. And when we went back outside it was snowing. It was beautiful.”

How was your trip to Connecticut?
“It was right after my junior season. It was their first time recruiting in California. They have really good facilities, the best in the nation. The campus there’s small town, too. But I didn’t want to go that far. And once I hurt my hamstring in summer and I told them that (I was injured), they backed off. If that’s how their program is I don’t want to go there.”

How was your trip to Northern Arizona?
“I saw them play Montana. It was super fun and really beautiful there. I thought it was going to be desert Arizona, what you think it would be. But out in Flagstaff it’s pine trees and it gets pretty cold out there. I got sick out there. I went to the game and met with the coaches but then went straight home. I didn’t really get a chance to enjoy it.”

How was your trip to San Diego State?
“That was probably the other option I was going with. They came to my house a lot. They invited me to all the games and practices during the week. They were serious about offering a scholarship, but I didn’t really think I was their guy. The campus is beautiful, and I would have liked to have gone there, but things didn’t really work out.”

What was it like to be recruited?
“Being recruited, it’s definitely an experience that if you go through it, you’re happy when it’s done. It’s really stressful, you’re trying to do homework, coaches are calling your house every day. You get sidetracked. My parents get stressed out because they want me to go to college. It was fun, but I’m glad it’s over.”

Schools that offered him a scholarship: Montana
 
Schools that have shown interest in him: Connecticut, Portland State, Northern Arizona, Idaho State, Washington State, San Diego State.

What is the strength of your commitment?
“100 percent.”

What could change your mind, if anything?
“A coach was at my house tonight, Coach (Dominic) Daste, (Montana’s recruiting coordinator). I feel like it’s family. I love that atmosphere up there, the coaching staff. They get along. They’re like best friends. That’s really important for me. All the recruits that visited there, we traded phone numbers. I’m really excited about it."

Did any schools try to sway you from choosing Montana?
“Yeah, San Diego State. Coach (William) Inge wanted to try and find a way for me to walk on or get a scholarship. He was telling me, 'You don’t want to go to Montana. It’s cold up there.' He was kind of talking down the (Montana) program. It shows the character of the (San Diego State) program.”

Contact the writer: amaya@ocregister.com