BOWLING GREEN — Head coach is only a title.
A more apt representation would be head recruiter because scouring the nation for talent is paramount in college football. So when Bowling Green hired Scot Loeffler three weeks before the December signing period, sleep become a mystical faraway land.
Loeffler’s first in-home visit was up Interstate 75 North to see three-star tight end Joey Carroll, a University of Toledo commit. Carroll phoned Loeffler soon after he walked out the front door to tell him he was going to be a Falcon.
Four months later, Carroll is the starting tight end.
“I didn't know how well I was going to do,” said Carroll, who enrolled early at BGSU after completing his studies at St. Francis de Sales. “I knew I wanted to start, that was my goal. I feel I’ve done a good job. I’m proud of what I’ve done so far.”
The 6-foot-5 Carroll — “6-6 in cleats” he says — fits the mold of modern tight end, with size, athleticism, and speed. He wears No. 87, the same digits as his football idol, Rob Gronkowski, a soon-to-be Hall of Famer. Carroll does his best to emulate the affable “Gronk” on the field, stretching defenses with ball skills that are hard to defend.
“That’s my ultimate goal, to be as good as him and play the game like he did,” Carroll said. “I definitely need to get bigger. I'm a little undersized right now. I'm only 235 [pounds], I need to get up to 245 to 250. Run blocking, I'm good against linebackers and defensive backs, but I need to be able to block linemen. Learning the plays, working on my hands, I just need to get better overall.”
At Bowling Green’s December signing day event, Loeffler said he’ll never forget Carroll because he was the first-time head coach’s first in-home visit and subsequently his first commitment. It also won’t be difficult to remember Carroll if he continues to shine. Loeffler and tight ends coach Louie Addazio both expressed surprise at how well Carroll adapted to college football during his first spring.
Neither coach feigned shock when discussing the true freshman. Loeffler admitted that Carroll doesn’t play like an early enrollee, thrilling coaches with his progress, with Addazio saying he completely exceeded expectations.
“Joey had a phenomenal spring,” Addazio said. “He’s going to be a big time, big time player for us. He has to gain some weight and gain some strength. Ordinarily, when a young guy comes in like that, you don't want them to take a ton of reps. You want them to grow and to learn. But due to depth issues, we had to put Joey in there, and he excelled. He had a hell of a spring.
“I’m really proud of him. He’s a tough kid, he’s a durable kid, and we’re excited about his future. He’s come in here with a great attitude willing to learn. We’re talking about a kid who should be getting ready for prom, and he’s out here against the first-string defense. That’s a testament to his toughness.”
Teammates immediately took notice of Carroll. Quarterback Jarret Doege took a similar path, graduating from high school in the winter and enrolling at BGSU for spring practice. He remembers the stress and uncertainty being away from home while adapting to college classes and football.
In Carroll, they saw a serious competitor who put in the hours and hard work to become a difference-maker for a team attempting to make its first bowl game since 2015. Carroll lauded teammates and coaches for assisting him through the process and helping with the transition, calling it motivating and enjoyable.
“It’s a total different deal,” Doege said of enrolling early. “Hats off to Joey, he’s had a great spring.”
Come August, Carroll’s value should be readily apparent in the box score. He’s a tight end in an offense that uses the position with a coaching staff that’s already encouraged by his performance.
“We’re really excited about Joey Carroll,” Addazio said. ‘We’re going to win here because of guys like Joey Carroll.”
First Published April 21, 2019, 10:47 p.m.
