Patience was important for Radakovich
By MIKE MATHISON, sports editorArticle Photos
STEUBENVILLE - It was a long, frustrating road for Andrew Radakovich.
The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Steubenville Big Red graduate turned down four scholarship offers - Youngstown State, the Citadel, Robert Morris and VMI - for one simple reason.
"It was pretty disappointing because I knew I could play at a higher level," he said. "I knew kids who were going to MAC schools and I knew I could compete with them.
"It was so stressful. Signing day passed and I did not know where I was going to go. Another month passed and nothing happened. It was frustrating to sit back and wait.
"Some of the schools were easier to turn down than others. But, it was pretty hard turning down all that money."
Radakovich then turned down the University of Pittsburgh.
"I turned Pitt down because I wanted to go to Penn State," said Radakovich.
And, he is heading to Happy Valley, making the decision two months ago to play for coach Joe Paterno.
"My dad told me I had to be patient," said Radakovich. "And, coach Sac (Big Red head coach Reno Saccoccia) pretty much reiterated what my dad said to me.
"I had a feeling it would all work out in the end and it all worked out."
"Now, all he has to do it prove he can play," said father Bob Radakovich, who recently retired. "So, it's up to him. He's got a good background. One thing coach Paterno said is he knows Andrew comes from a football family."
Radakovich will be a young freshman, turning 18 two weeks ago.
"Most of the schools liked the fact I was young because they said I still had time to grow," said Radakovich.
"Coaches told me if he were going into his senior year, everybody would be recruiting him," said the elder Radakovich. "I made a mistake starting him early in school. It would have helped him having another year.
"He wasn't very good when he was younger. He just couldn't move. He's gotten better through hard work. He just has to apply that to the next level. But, it's up to him now. He'll have enough guys pushing him.
"His work ethic is in place and I'm not sure it's like that at every school. But, it is here. You have to be tough to get through our program. If they make it through this, they'll be prepared for the next level."
(Mathison can be contacted at mmathison@heraldstaronline.com)
