Leicester's Rodrick Still Committed to UConn

Leicester Fullback/Linebacker Tom Rodrick

By Joe Parello  @HerewegoJoe

Shortly after his team's 15-6 victory over rival Auburn, Leicester fullback/linebacker Tom Rodrick took some time to talk about his commitment to Connecticut, in the wake of the program firing coach Paul Pasqualoni.

Rodrick, who rushed for a touchdown, recorded 11 tackles and blocked an extra point in the Wolverines' statement win, emphasized that he remains committed to the Huskies, but that he will be paying close attention to the UConn coaching search.

“As of right now, I’m committed, I can’t say otherwise,” Rodrick said with a chuckle. “(I’m monitoring the coaching search) pretty close. A couple other schools reached out.”

Rodrick would not elaborate on which other schools had reached out, and would go on to say that UConn fans are "passionate." The Leicester standout is rated as a two-star prospect and the No. 13 player in Massachusetts by ESPN, with other reported offers from UMass and Rhode Island. Rivals.com, Scout.com and 247 Sports also list him as a two-star prospect.

Rodrick, who is set to become Leicester's first ever Division I college football player, originally committed to the Huskies via Twitter in early August. The versatile athlete stands 6-foot-3 and has been listed everywhere from 220 to 240 lbs. After seeing him Saturday night, I would guess he's closer to 220, but he's definitely a big kid. His summer combine numbers turned some heads, as he reportedly ran the 40-yard dash as fast as 4.57 seconds.

With his vast varsity experience and solid measurables, it's no wonder Rodrick is drawing some attention as UConn searches for a new coach. He's one of the top two or three linebackers in Massachusetts (My editor at ESPN Boston, Brendan Hall, says he's the best), with a knack for getting to the opposing quarterback. He's also a vicious blocker and physical runner on the offensive side of the ball.

You can check out highlights of Rodrick's big night, along with his comments on the Huskies, below in my video report for ESPN Boston.