Jarrett Guarantano, QB, 6-3, 200, Bergen Catholic High School, Oradell, NJ received a scholarship offer last week. His head coach, Nunzio Campanile, believes that his star quarterback will be a good fit for Notre Dame, both on and off the field.
“He’s a great student, a fantastic athlete,” Campanile explained. “He’s the type of kid who I think would fit in in an environment like that. As a player, I think the sky’s the limit for him. He’s a tremendously talented kid. He can do a lot of things. I think he would fit in Coach Kelly’s offense.”
Campanile continued.
“He’s athletic, he can throw it, he can play in the pocket; he can run the ball. There’s a lot of things he can do. He’s got a great future in front of him.”
Guarantano’s athleticism qualifies him as a dual threat quarterback, but his head coach insists that he’s not a run first quarterback.
“He can certainly play in the pocket and that’s something he’s very interested in,” said Campanile. “He’s also one of the two or three best athletes I’ve ever coached. He’s long, he’s really athletic. He’s really elusive and he’s a real tough kid. He’s a very physical runner. He’s got a pretty deep arsenal, put it that way.”
Campanile believes that both he and Notre Dame Head Coach Brian Kelly look for similar things in a quarterback and that Guarantano fits that mold.
“What we’re always looking for in a quarterback is a passer that can run, a passer that can make plays,” he said. “I think that fits exactly what Coach is talking about. He’s not looking to run, but if you want to design runs for him, he can really do it. He is a guy that is looking to get the ball out on time. If the play breaks down, he can certainly make a play out of it, not just with his feet, but with his arm.”
Guarantano’s recruitment has picked up recently with his Notre Dame offer and also one from LSU. He also holds offers from Ohio State, Alabama, Michigan, Tennessee, Clemson, Penn State, Oklahoma, West Virginia, Virginia Tech and others. Campanile likes the way Guarantano is approaching recruiting.
“I think he’s handling it pretty well, the best any kid can in that situation,” his head coach said. “I think it’s overwhelming at times, but he’s pretty level-headed and he’s got pretty good family support. His father was a great, great player, so he has a good understanding of what the whole experience will be like.”
The younger Guarantano’s father, Jim, was a great receiver at Rutgers, recently being inducted into its Hall of Fame. Many have assumed that Jarrett would follow in his father’s footsteps and attend Rutgers, but coach Campanile isn’t so sure.
“What I think is very similar to most kids his age is as you get new opportunities like places like Notre Dame and LSU the last couple of days, you have to look at them,” Campanile explained. “They’re legendary football programs, so I think you have to take the time to step back and look at it. He’s been dealing with Rutgers, Ohio State and Tennessee and some others for months. I think he’s been patient with it. I think he’s been smart about it. He hasn’t rushed to make a decision, so when he makes a decision, it’ll be a good informed decision and hopefully one he can stick with.”
