Feb. 04--Usually quiet, stoic and measured, Nazareth lineman Jack Shutack relaxed for a bit Tuesday.
He donned a Rutgers hat, signed his national letter of intent and cracked jokes with his six fellow Roadrunners also solidifying their college choices in LaGrange Park. Shutack's letter was faxed to Piscataway, N.J., first thing Wednesday morning.
The road to this point wasn't short or easy, but he's confident he made the right choice.
The 6-foot-6, 275-pound lineman chose the Scarlet Knights over Tennessee. He also had offers from Minnesota, Iowa State and North Carolina State.
"I'll be playing Ohio State and Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State," Shutack said. "It's a crazy amount of competition, and I'm pretty excited for it."
Ironically, a 39-point Rutgers loss in October enabled some of Shutack's excitement.
Boasting a win against Michigan, a 5-1 record and a breath of fresh air after its bye week, Rutgers visited Ohio State in search of a statement win in its first Big Ten road game.
The Scarlet Knights lost 56-17.
But Rutgers' lopsided defeat was a victory of sorts, as the Buckeyes' win eventually led to a berth in the inaugural college football playoff. Alabama and Oregon remember the rest of the story.
The Big Ten's top team ended the SEC's run of eight consecutive title-game appearances and restored some dignity to a conference that many thought was gaining teams but losing steam.
Instead, Rutgers is winning over recruits such as Shutack.
"The Big Ten's still got it. We're still relevant," he said. "At first, I was like, 'Will I face the best competition in the Big Ten?' Now that Ohio State brought that title back to the Big Ten, I was like, 'Hey, it's going to be good competition wherever I go.' "
Shutack said he appreciated the transparency of the Rutgers staff, which made few promises beyond a spot on the roster. Shutack has not allowed a sack the last two years and was a captain on the 14-0 squad that won last season's Class 6A title.
"This year, he was an incredible vocal leader as far as spirit and motivation," Roadrunners coach Tim Racki said. "Jack has always been a really athletic lineman. That, coupled with his size, has always made his a dangerous player."
Shutack's mother, Patsy, has not missed a game since he began playing in Western Springs in second grade. She won't let that change any time soon.
"My mom's always been there. She's great," Shutack said. "She doesn't get enough credit, and that's partly my fault. This is a reflection of what she's put in."
At the advice of a friend already in the college football ranks, Shutack shut down his recruitment during his senior season. He had all of his offers before Week 1 and didn't make any decisions until the title run was complete.
"I really wanted to enjoy every experience, every moment," he said, adding that the win against Joliet Catholic was especially enjoyable. "I put recruitment to the side of the road and just focused on my high school career, and obviously it paid off."
