Chad Lundquist/Nevada Appeal
It seemed like a no-brainer for Carson High's Bryan Maffei when he made the decision to play football for Carroll College. After all, who wouldn't want to play for a four-time defending national champion?
"That they win games and I just want to win," said Maffei about why he signed a letter of intent on Monday to play for the NAIA school in Helena, Mon. "Because they win national championships."
Carroll is coming off winning its fourth straight national title in 2005. The Saints began recruiting Maffei toward the end of the football season.
While other schools showed interest in Maffei, including NAIA schools Southern Oregon and Dickinson State in North Dakota and Feather River Community College, Maffei didn't hesitate to sign with Carroll. He didn't even have to make a visit to the school.
Maffei is receiving a sizeable package from Carroll that covers most of his tuition and also includes a $3,500 academic scholarship. Maffei said he plans to study criminal justice.
Maffei gives another Carson connection at Carroll as he joins his former coach, Russell McCarvel, who was an assistant with the Senators before becoming the running backs coach at Carroll this past season. McCarvel is also responsible for out-of-state recruiting at Carroll.
"He called like every other day," Maffei said. "He just taught me a lot on the offensive side of the ball.
"I won't feel like I don't know anybody or anything. I'll feel a little bit more comfortable."
But while Maffei was the Sierra League's co-Offensive Player of the Year this past year with the Senators after gaining 1,525 yards as running back, chances are he won't be directly under McCarvel and will play defense at Carroll.
While Carroll will look at Maffei on offense and defense, it's leaning toward using him as a defensive back, which is fine with Maffei. "I like defense better than offense," he said.
Last year, Maffei also saw action as an outside linebacker for the Senators where he wreaked havoc as a pass rusher.
Maffei has lofty goals. "I want to be able to start my freshman year and win a national championship again," he said.
And Maffei is still open to the idea of playing offense. Carroll is recruiting Spring Creek's James Edwards as a running back.
Carroll had two 1,000-yard rushers this past year in Ryan Grosulak and Jed Thomas, who are both returning. Maffei said he wouldn't mind teaming up with Edwards to be Carroll's next 1,000-yard rushers. "That would be pretty cool," he said.
After his junior year, the 5-9 Maffei bulked up from 145 to 175 pounds and blossomed as a senior.
"After junior year, I decided I wanted to get a lot better and I started lifting a lot harder in the weight room," Maffei said. "That's what I pretty much dedicated my time to.
"All I did was work out and eat so I could get bigger, faster and stronger. I didn't expect to get this big in that short of time."
Maffei, who runs a 4.4 40, also runs track and he has lofty goals for this year as well. He would like to become the state champion in the 100 and 200.