QB Purdy goes deep on his Iowa State commitment
Iowa State only signed three new players in the final signing period of the 2018 class, and none was perhaps bigger than the quarterback it inked from the state of Arizona.
Gilbert Perry senior Brock Purdy announced his intentions during a school assembly this morning, going with Iowa State over co-finalist Texas A&M. The 6-foot-1, 197-pound quarterback had also taken official visits to Alabama, UCF and Boise State.
For the three-star Purdy, his decision came down to the extra work Iowa State’s coaching staff put into the process of recruiting him.
“I just wanted to take all my visits and get a feel for every college, the coaching staff at every place, system they run and stuff like that,” said Purdy, reflecting back on his whirlwind past few weeks. “When I went to Iowa State, I fell in love with it and came home. I told my parents that I don’t think anything is really going to beat this place.
“I went to UCF, Alabama and Texas A&M, and really liked all the places. It just came down to relationships with the coaches and feeling at home. When I went there, I could see the fan base and how crazy they go for their sports. It’s an amazing college town and Coach (Matt) Campbell is a great coach. I’m excited to see where he takes this program and want to be part of something like that.”
Lots of speculation earlier this week was that Purdy would instead sign with the Aggies and stay in the south. He said it was a tough call, but that he thinks he made the correct one.
“When I made my decision, it was sort of tough at first between A&M and Iowa State,” he said. “A&M has Coach (Jimbo) Fisher and plays SEC football, but I knew I wanted to be a part of history and that’s why I’m going to Iowa State.
“The bottom line was just creating relationships, where I felt the best at and where I’m going to spend the next four years. Who was I going to surround myself with. Iowa State was the most fitting for my personality and faith. Those other schools are amazing, have great players and coaching staffs, but at the end of the day Iowa State was for me.”
Purdy, who passed for over 4,400 yards with 57 touchdowns and also rushed for over 1,000 yards with 10 scores this past season, said he arrived at a decision on Monday when he informed both finalists of his decision.
“I called Coach Campbell and told him and he was going crazy,” Purdy said. “He was clapping and screaming. I told him I wanted to keep it quiet until I announce it Wednesday, but that he could tell the staff. I didn’t want word to get out. He did a good job with that. The staff was texting me like ‘let’s go’ and was all hyped about it. They called me too and were going crazy. They’re excited, I’m excited and I can’t wait to get there in the summer and get things going.”
A decision very easily could have been made by Purdy last week, he said after visiting with five Iowa State coaches during an in-home visit. The quarterback instead chose to spend a few more days mulling over his decision.
“I’m glad they came after (my official visit) and stuff,” Purdy said. “I could tell that they really wanted me and that I was a priority. I took notice and interest in that. It felt like home when they came to my house for a visit. They’re just normal guys. I was open to making decision that night, but my family and I talked about going to A&M so I waited until Monday.”
The biggest reason for Purdy being still on the market for a school to sign in February was the fact he was a late bloomer at Perry. The quarterback dealt with the aftereffects of mononucleosis during his junior year and didn’t perform to his potential.
I-State had been aware of Purdy last spring, but was unsure if it would sign another quarterback after receiving an early pledge from Re-Al Mitchell. Those circumstances changed during the 2017 season when starting quarterback Jacob Park took a leave of absence and later announced plans to transfer.
But regardless of all the circumstances that landed Purdy in Ames, he’s thankful for the opportunity to compete at a high level.
“It’s been a dream come true,” Purdy said. “Ever since I was a little kid, I always dreamed about signing day and playing Division I Power-5 football. When I had mono, it was a struggle mentally and physically. Was I going to be able to do that and accomplish my childhood dream and goal? Now that it’s finally here, it’s been such a blessing. I’m taking it all in. I’m thankful and praising the Lord for everything.”
