By Kevin Connelly

kconnelly@vindy.com

It’s never easy leaving home for college.

It’s even harder when you’re a football recruit who spurns the hometown school for another university in the state.

That’s what Boardman’s Evan Croutch did when the linebacker de-committed from Youngstown State and switched his verbal commitment to Ohio University on Nov. 19.

“I love YSU, I love everything about YSU, but OU just really gave me an opportunity to get away from home, which I think is what I wanted mainly,” Croutch said last week. “So that’s really why I chose OU.”

He originally committed to the Penguins in mid-August, but a scholarship offer from Ohio U was all that was needed to get him to switch. The Bobcats were always his No. 1 school and had been recruiting the linebacker throughout the summer, according to Croutch. He was just hoping they would give him a reason to go there — and they did.

“Feels like home, honestly,” Croutch said of the campus in Athens. “Everything’s within walking distance of the campus, everyone’s friendly there — out of all the places I visited, I really just got the best feel there.”

Croutch experienced a lot of losing at Boardman High School. Over his final two years as a Spartan, the football team won three games. The senior linebacker made no excuses by pointing at a difficult schedule or bad breaks, although both would’ve had merit.

Instead, he’s ready to move past that part of his football career and look toward the future.

“That really brought a lot of adversity to our team,” Croutch said. “It taught us to never give up and most importantly it built a lot of character.”

He also built quite a resume in the process. Croutch finished his career as one of the most productive defensive players in school history, recording 223 tackles and 24 tackles for loss, both of which rank fifth all-time at Boardman.

His new coaches have told him they’ll expect similar production out of the linebacker at the next level.

“They expect me to be a leader, they expect me to do everything I can,” Croutch said. “Anywhere I go, I’m gonna have to compete for [playing time], but they expect me to do great things there.”

Bobcats head coach Frank Solich may be best known for getting fired at Nebraska, despite being 39 games over .500 in six seasons coaching the Huskers. He’s found a new home in Athens and built a program that went to five consecutive bowl games before missing out this past season.

Solich, who’s 70 years young, was at Croutch’s home in January to make sure he was still comfortable with the Bobcats.

“Coach Solich is great,” Croutch said. “Winning is expected there.

“He’s definitely a great coach who seems to interact with all his players pretty well. Just in the few times I’ve talked to him, I feel like I know him great already.”

While at Boardman, Croutch became somewhat known for his long locks that could be seen flowing out of the back of his helmet.

“I trimmed it a little bit for homecoming, but it’s still long,” he said with a laugh.

“[My new coaches] mess with me a little bit, but they’re fine with it.”

While he doesn’t plan on changing the look in college, he hopes in the future he’ll be known for winning and not his hairstyle.

“My goal is winning the MAC [Mid-American Conference] Championship,” Croutch said. “And then going on to a bowl game and winning that as well.”

National Signing Day is Wednesday.