Jarrod Coleman joined the rest of his family out at Finley Stadium on Sunday for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's "Meet the Mocs" fan day.
The 6-foot-4, 238-pound McCallie senior defensive end smiled and shook hands with lots of people. This was comfortable ground, after all, since his older brother, B.J., is the Mocs' quarterback, and his father, Bryon, was a lineman who played at UTC with Mocs coach Russ Huesman.
In between all the handshakes and chatter, Jarrod took a moment to talk to UTC's coaches and give a verbal commitment to the Mocs.
"I just felt like it was the right time," he said later. "I felt it in my gut."
Rated the No. 5 college prospect on this year's Times Free Press Dynamite Dozen, Jarrod said he made the decision on his own, but being surrounded by Mocs gave him something that most recruits don't get.
"I really have an advantage in this whole situation as far as the insight that I can get with B.J. there," he said. "I really couldn't ask for much more than that. I wish everybody going through this could have that."
The Coleman brothers look alike and sound almost exactly the same. Their biggest difference might be in on-the-field temperament - as a quarterback B.J. likes to avoid contact, while his brother said recently that he has "always looked for somebody to hit."
Jarrod has been recruited by Vanderbilt, Middle Tennessee State, Arkansas and Kentucky, among others, but UTC's was his only offer. He's been a force on defense for the Blue Tornado, but he said UTC has talked to him about playing either tight end or fullback - two positions where he could still hit the opposition.
"Really, wherever they need me," he said. "I'm not concerned about one position or another. I just want to play ball."
B.J. is a redshirt junior this season, which means that he and Jarrod will have a chance, if Jarrod doesn't redshirt, to be on the field together, something that never happened at McCallie.
The Blue Tornado open their season Friday against McMinn County.