Northeast Football Players at 2025 ACC Kickoff Highlight Toughness as Key Trait
At the 2025 ACC Football Kickoff in Charlotte, players from Syracuse and Pitt shared a common theme when discussing football in the Northeast: toughness. According to Syracuse’s Fran Brown and Dan Villari, along with Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi, Kyle Louis, and Rickie Collins, it’s the physicality and resilience of Northeast football that stands out.
Pat Narduzzi, head coach of the Pittsburgh Panthers and a New Haven, CT native, spoke candidly about football in the Northeast during his interview. “You want the truth or you want me to lie to you?” Narduzzi said. “Northeast football is good football… but it’s getting better. I used to shake bushes to find players.”
Narduzzi’s bluntness reflects the challenges of recruiting in the Northeast compared to football powerhouses like Florida, California, or Texas. While schools in the Northeast rarely appear in High School Football on SI’s top-25 rankings, some Maryland teams like St. Francis Academy have produced NFL talent like Blake Corum and Chris Braswell. Still, the majority of top recruits come from the traditional football hotbeds.
However, one key trait is common among players from the region: toughness.
“Northeast tough,” said Dan Villari, a tight end from Massapequa, NY. “It’s physical football up here. Fran [Brown]’s culture is toughness and physicality. It’s the best football you can play.”
Kyle Louis, a linebacker from East Orange, NJ, also shares this sentiment, noting how the region’s weather adds to the toughness. “Once you get to November, it’s going to be cold,” Louis said. “We just get ready for every game to be cold… my rule is no sleeves when it gets cold. You’re out there getting a free pump.”
Louis, a standout linebacker in the ACC and nationally, finds it amusing when his teammates from warmer climates struggle with the cold. “People from the South, when it’s practice, they got double tights, vaseline, long sleeves, ski masks… it’s all fun though.”
Another factor in Northeast football’s appeal is the opportunity it offers players to get on the field. While top programs like Alabama and Georgia have the best overall talent, they can be overcrowded with top recruits, leaving little chance for some players to shine. As a result, some opt to transfer to Northern schools where they can have a more immediate impact.
“Just being able to get on the field and play, that’s underrated,” said Rickie Collins, a quarterback who transferred to Syracuse from LSU. “You get to be able to show what you got.”
The same is true for players at Boston College, which saw former four-star recruits Dylan Lonergan (QB) and Ty Lockwood (TE) transfer from Alabama after not getting playing time. For these players, the opportunity to prove themselves was more important than the warmer weather they left behind.
Syracuse head coach Fran Brown, while joking about New York’s appeal for food and culture, also highlighted the rich history of Northeast football as a recruiting draw. “You want to rap, where you gonna go? New York. You want some good food, cheesesteaks, and things of that nature, where you coming to get them at? Up North, right?” Brown quipped.
He further emphasized the region’s football legacy, pointing to legends like Jim Brown, Marvin Harrison, and Donovan McNabb as evidence of the Northeast’s deep football roots and the opportunities for recruits who want to follow in their footsteps.
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