34 // VARSITY April 17, 2014
fensive coordinator at Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)
and McEvoy was more interested in being a running
back.
Their paths later intersected after Campanile took
over the Bergen Catholic program prior to the start
of McEvoy's senior year. Up until then, he had been a
wide receiver and a defensive safety.
"I had my first meeting with the team," he said,
"and when it ended, I
grabbed Tanner and said,
"What do you want to
do? Do you want to have
the ball in your hands
five times a game? Or 55
times?'
"He said 55. I said, 'All
right, we're going to teach
you how to play quarter-
back."'
Even though he suggested the move, Campanile
acknowledged that it was pretty bold.
"He was the school's all-time leading receiver
and it was a pretty good football program over the
years," Campanile said. "He was quite possibly the
best receiver that ever played there.
"He obviously had talent and he worked really
hard at it. Playing safety really helped him a lot. It
helped him to understand the other side of the ball
and what we were trying to do (on offense)."
As a senior, McEvoy threw for 2,264 yards and 32
touchdowns. He also rushed for 1,196 yards and 14
scores. The recruiters weren't sure what position he
would play but they loved his athleticism.
"He's an amazing athlete," Campanile said. "First
of all, it's how fast he is and you don't realize it. The
second thing is how tough
he is. He can really run and
he's a physical kid.
"You don't see that and
I didn't expect that when I
started coaching him. But
he bends and changes di-
rections so well for a guy so
tall."
When Campanile was
coaching at Don Bosco ―
which won four straight state titles ― he groomed a
couple of quarterbacks, Matt Simms and Mike Teel,
who went on to play at varying degrees in the NFL.
McEvoy went on to South Carolina, which seemed
like such a natural choice not only because of Steve
Spurrier but due to the fact that McEvoy's mom,
aunt and uncle went to school there.
When things didn't work out for McEvoy during
"HE'S SUCH A DYNAMIC ATHLETE AND
GREAT COMPETITOR," McEVOY'S HIGH
SCHOOL COACH SAID. "HE CAN PLAY SAFETY
AND HE WOULD BE AN UNBELIEVABLE
RECEIVER. BUT I ALSO THINK THAT HE
CAN BE A HECKUVA QUARTERBACK."
DAN
SANGER
/
ICON
SMI
