Barrington's Bolger flying high about Air Force
There were some early reservations for Barrington senior offensive lineman Pat Bolger about playing college football at the Air Force Academy.
But the more Bolger looked at Air Force the better he felt about it as his future home.
On Wednesday night, the Daily Herald All-Area pick made those feelings clear when he gave a verbal commitment to the school during a home visit by assistant coach Matt Weikert.
"I definitely had some worries and doubt at the beginning, but the more I looked into everything it was a perfect fit," Bolger said. "You're guaranteed a job right out of college and in this economy you can't pass that up. That was something that was a big sticking point for me.
"I never thought I'd be going to a military school, but the more I looked at it and researched it, I realized this is where I want to be."
The 6-foot-3, 275-pound Bolger played center this fall as the Broncos went 7-3 and made the Class 8A playoffs. He said Air Force recruited him as a guard, where he started as a junior.
Bolger also had offers from Winona State and Navy. Air Force started showing interest in Bolger when they saw his tape last spring and that was followed shortly after by an offer.
Bolger made visits to Air Force in mid-July and mid-October. He said Wednesday's meeting with Weikert reinforced his decision to commit.
"The education is second to none one of the best in the world so I couldn't pass that up," said Bolger, who has a 3.4 grade point average on a 4.0 scale and scored 25 on the ACT. "With the football program and the coaches there, it just felt right."
Bolger said he will attend the Air Force prep school his first year.
Then he hopes to become part of a program that will play Georgia Tech in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 27 the fourth bowl game in head coach Troy Calhoun's four-year tenure.
"It's a very solid program and coach Calhoun is an awesome guy," Bolger said. "After meeting him I wanted to play for him for four years. That was a big deciding factor."