It’s hard to tell who was more excited about Ty Boeck’s college decision Tuesday: Ty or his father, Troy.
The versatile Soddy-Daisy standout committed to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga football program on the eve of national signing day, as one of five players deciding this week to join the Mocs.
The Mocs, who signed 13 in December’s early period, could add an additional “10 to 12” today. With the five most recent additions, the program has 12 players who have given nonbinding pledges to the program in this cycle.
Boeck put up stats as a quarterback, running back, receiver and defender in 2017 for the Trojans, finishing with 1,355 yards of total offense and 20 touchdowns while throwing for 428 yards and five scores in limited time at quarterback. On defense he had 173 total tackles (six for loss), three sacks and two fumble recoveries.
His father was a 1990 All-American for UTC and the Southern Conference defensive player of the year.
“I’m incredibly excited,” Ty Boeck, who also wrestles for Soddy-Daisy, said Tuesday. “It pretty much came down to the last minute. I’d always been told, ‘It’s going to happen. It’s coming; you worked for it.’
“It finally did, and it’s great.”
Boeck always wanted to play at UTC since learning about his father playing there. Now he’s getting that chance.
“I’ve always just asked him to do his best, and he’s always done that,” said Troy Boeck, an assistant coach at Soddy-Daisy. “He’s worked his tail off, and I’ve seen it every day. His effort is tremendous, and he’s done everything we’ve asked. We’re excited he gets to go prove himself.”
His wife, Ty’s mother, also was a UTC athlete. The former Karin Beightol played basketball.
“I told my wife, ‘At least we don’t have to switch our wardrobe,'” Troy Boeck said.
In addition to Boeck, former Sequatchie County defensive standout Kyle Cates, Dalton long-snapper Philip Shealy, Franklin County running back Jarious Jackson and McEachern (Ga.) receiver Genuine Potts committed to the Mocs in recent days.
Potts, a 6-foot-3, 195-pound receiver with hands that measure over 10 inches, was a three-star prospect who had more than 20 offers, including from Power Five programs Wake Forest and West Virginia. He was the leading receiver on a team that fell in the Class AAAAAAA state semifinals.
Jackson is a 6-2, 205-pounder who had 1,290 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior. He chose the Mocs over East Tennessee State, Mercer, Murray State and UT-Martin.
Cates spent the 2017 season at postgraduate Fork Union Military Academy. As a Sequatchie senior in 2016, he had 118 tackles, 20 for loss, 5.5 sacks, three fumbles caused and two fumbles recovered, earning first-team Times Free Press Best of Preps honors.
Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenleytfp.