Long before Jimmy Garoppolo joined the New England Patriots, Roy Wittke noticed the young quarterback’s strength and athleticism.
Wittke, now the recruiting coordinator for Bowling Green State, worked as the offensive coordinator at Eastern Illinois University when the Panthers were looking for a quarterback. Garoppolo wasn’t connecting with coaches via showcase camps in high school. Instead, Wittke saw film of Garoppolo during the recruiting process in 2009 when the quarterback was a junior at Rolling Meadows High School in Illinois.
Then-EIU head coach Bob Spoo, along with Wittke, were impressed with Garoppolo from Day 1. They eventually offered him a scholarship even though they never saw him play in person.
"We were very impressed with him physically. He had a very quick release, which drew us to him immediately," Wittke said. "He was a guy that showed some strength, and played with strength, but what we felt was above-average arm strength at that time as well."
Garoppolo’s time at EIU was the beginning of a career that eventually led Patriots coach Bill Belichick to use a second-round pick (No. 62 overall) on Garoppolo in the 2014 NFL draft.
If Patriots quarterback Tom Brady loses his suspension appeal in federal court and is forced to sit out, it will be up to Garoppolo to lead the New England offense until the four-time Super Bowl champion returns to the lineup.
Wittke spent 19 seasons on the coaching staff at EIU before joining Bowling Green in 2014. There weren’t many players at EIU who had the ability to play in the NFL, but the coaching staff felt Garoppolo would break that mold.
"He was a guy that when we recruited him, we felt like he was the first guy that we recruited and brought into the program that had a chance maybe, and I’m not saying that we felt like he was going to be an NFL guy for sure, but because of his physical skill set we felt he had a chance to maybe perhaps get an opportunity once he got done playing for us," Wittke said.
Now the head coach at Bowling Green, Dino Babers (who replaced Spoo in 2012) respectfully declined an interview request, but released a statement through the team.
"I am really proud of Jimmy Garoppolo and all that he accomplished at Eastern Illinois and has accomplished since being drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft," Babers said in the statement. "Coach Belichick and the Patriots organization have made very few draft mistakes over the years, and I believe there was a reason they decided to take Jimmy as high as they did. I wish him well as he and the Patriots prepare for the upcoming season, but at this time I wish to remain focused on Bowling Green State University and my football team."
If Garoppolo ends up starting the season opener for the Patriots on Sept. 10, it will be his most high-profile start as a professional. However, Garoppolo showed the ability to step in when needed when he was in college.
In 2010, Garoppolo started eight games his freshman season, throwing for 1,639 yards and 14 touchdowns, earning All-Ohio Valley Conference honors.
"We threw him to the wolves as a true freshman," Wittke said. "He started the last seven or eight games of his true freshman year and did an incredible job. He handled it extremely well from his poise, approach and was never a kid that got rattled."
During his four seasons at EIU, Garoppolo continued to improve and develop.
In 2012, Garoppolo's No. 1 target was wide receiver Erik Lora. Under Babers, Lora set a single-season record for most receptions in NCAA FCS history with 136 catches in 2012. Meanwhile, Garoppolo threw for 3,823 yards and 31 touchdowns that season.
It was much the same in 2013.
Garoppolo recorded 5,050 passing yards and 53 touchdowns, breaking the school record for career completions previously held by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.
"We had such a great connection on the field," Lora said. "He knew where I was breaking and I knew when he was throwing, or where he was throwing; it was just good timing. I just remember us clicking very well. It was just natural. He always knew what I was going to do in my routes, whether I was going to take a half-second longer, or if he was going to have to put a little bit more air under it. We helped each other on the field and made each other’s jobs a lot easier."
The two remain close friends. Though Garoppolo has been the backup in New England since the Patriots drafted him, Lora has been trying to land an NFL job, but he’s been released by the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions without playing a down.
Lora has no doubt his former quarterback will succeed in the NFL whenever he’s given the ball.
"It’s hard to see Jimmy doing anything but being successful," Lora said. "He’s a good player and he works hard. He gets mentally prepared and he’ll definitely perform to peoples’ standards and his own standards, because he’s the harshest critic of himself. He’ll do just fine."
