(UMass Commit Lukas O’Connor/Culver City Patch)
Lukas O’Connor, a California-based gunslinger who spent a postgrad year at Avon Old Farms, has committed to UMass as a preferred walk-on, according to a source with knowledge of his recruitment.
The 2013 quarterback also mentioned the news on Twitter. Ed Gonzalez, from the Los Angles Sports Journal, tweeted about O’Connor’s commitment.
According to Rivals, O’Connor was drawing interest from a variety of FCS and FBS programs out of high school, including Dartmouth, Georgetown, UNH, UCLA and Wyoming. He spent a prep year at Avon where he threw for more than 2,500 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Prior to his time at Avon, O’Connor played high school ball for Culver City High School in California. The 6’4, 215-pound athlete threw for more than 3,000 yards and 30 touchdowns as a senior.
Check out his highlights here.
Here is the updated list of walk-ons who have committed to UMass.
- Nate Crutchfield, QB: Montclair High School (N.J)
- Klysmann Afonso, WR: Jireh Prep (N.C.)
- Garrett FitzGerald, OL: Catholic Memorial High School (Mass.)/Saint Anslem College (N.H.)
- Logan Laurent, K/P: Exeter High School (N.H.)
- Joe Tyo, OL/DL: Dennis-Yarmouth High School (Mass)
- DuVaughn Beckford, DB: Nantucket High School (Mass)/Assumption College (Mass)
- Nick Valles, RB: Danvers High School (Mass)
- Michael Dowe, Jr., DL: Cromwell High School (Conn)/Western New England University
- Dillon Tighe, WR: Arundel High School (Md.)
- Markus Colin, K: Allentown High School (N.J.)
- Andrew Ellis, LB: Barnstable High School (Mass)
- Costa Toubekis, OL: Dexter High School (Mass)
- Will Giggi, OL: Medfield High School (Mass)
- Aaron Oberst, OL/DL: Phillips Academy (Mass)
- Lukas O’Connor, QB: Culver City High School (Calif.)/Avon Old Farms (Conn)
Follow Bob on twitter: @BobMcGovernJr
He seems to have a nice touch . My arm hurts just watching the highlights. Any one know what the competition level is in that league?
I applaud the decision to bring on more quarterbacks. No clear starter emerged last year, and the more competition, the better. It is likely, too, that some of the existing QBs may either transfer or decide not to play. O’Connor seems like a great find, and further evidence that the coaching staff is not taking things lightly. Quarterback play was at best inconsistent and uninspired and at worst, pathetic.
Here’s footage from O’Connor’s season season at Culver City High School:
http://sportsjournalla.com/football-culver-citys-qb-lukas-oconnor-commits-to-umass/
MS
Respectfully disagree.
No QB is ever as good as the credit they receive or as bad as it may appear.
IMHO it all starts at the LOS. If we do not measure up on the line and are able to run the ball decently it does not matter who our QB is. Also any QB has to be able to get into a rythm to run the offense and to do so means they have to be kept clean and upright.
Way, way, way too often our QB’s last year were getting knocked around.
Want better QB play = then keep them clean.
Look back a few years ago when the OL led 1aa in fewest sacks allowed and all of a sudden in one season our QB Havens went from ok as a Jr (maybe that is being generous) to pretty good as a Sr. Good enough to get a look in the Arena leagues. Also had a young Gronkflower, Julian Talley and Anthony Nelson to throw to sure helped as well. Our receivers in ’12 were almost all young and neither of the QB’s who were out there were the ones we thought we would see. Pagel and Hill both unfortunately got injured or did not recover from injuries. Too bad for them both and I hope they are ok in the long run.
Will say it again – it all starts at the LOS and if our line improves like I think they should and we have a respectable running game then our QB’s will suddenly look even better and will do just fine.
Really enjoying the posts by everyone who supports the team. Hope you are all making fall plans to go to games and hopefully recruit some more to go as well.
Larry sec 109
How many qbs do would a MAC team normally have on the roster. Am I sensing a lack of faith in that position? Just putting it out there.
Being a 6’3″ 215lb athlete, perfect WR body if you ask me.
well, I don’t think it is a lack of faith, but rather roster depth which they do need. Teams typically have 4-5 on scholly which is what Umass will enter next season with… but all Umass has done is add QBs as walkons.. They can add as many walkon QBs as they want.
Yea, it tells me that some of the guys on last year’s roster aren’t going to be on next year’s. From all accounts, Pagel is likely done. Without knowing for sure, I would guess that the same goes for Brandon Hill. Ian Schultis graduated.
That leaves:
Doyle
Wegzyn
Stafford
Crutchfield
O’Connor
Quinn
Barrows
My guess is that one of the 2013 recruits redshirts, leaving six active QBs. Also, Barrows is very much a scout team guy – a quality scout teamer, but that’s his ceiling at QB. They used him to prep for Denard since he’s an athletic kid. Maybe he can change positions, but for now he’s not going to see the field.
That basically leaves five guys, which isn’t too crazy. The guys that really matter right now, in my opinion, are: Doyle, Wegzyn and maybe Stafford.
You are correct sources tell me that Pagel might be trying out baseball this spring. And Hill has been at all of the off season workouts so far.But is still a little shakey recovering from the shoulder injury
Bob
FWIW look at what happened at Maryland last year. Every QB they had at the start of the season got hurt or left and they played the last 2-3 games with a recruited LB who had last played QB as a HS Soph.
Having too many college level QB’s is a good problem to have.
As for the newest addition the high lights against the team with the brown shirts and white pants with white helmets was against our QB Stafford’s team – Brrunswick. Would imagine the airways were flooded with passes that day.
Larry sec 109
Hey Larry, don’t knock Maryland. Without all those injuries BC wouldn’t have got their only FBS victory last year!!