ABJ
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Local football recruits
Explorer lineman finds home at Wisconsin
Hudson's Nagy picks Badgers, could play offense or defense
By Tom Gaffney
Beacon Journal sportswriter
A mere three-second period of time will end a lengthy and grueling recruiting process for Hudson's Bill Nagy.
That's how long it will take Nagy to sign an NCAA letter of intent with Wisconsin on Wednesday, bringing relief as much as elation.
``The whole thing was pretty overwhelming. It was fun at first... sort of flattering,'' said Nagy, a 6-foot-5, 303-pound lineman. ``Then it began to get old. It took a ton of time. People calling all the time and at my house until 10 o'clock at night. I am glad it is almost over.''
Nagy attracted so much attention because he is one of the highest rated offensive linemen in the state. He had dozens of scholarship offers and finally picked the Badgers over his other two finalists, Boston College and Syracuse.
Several recruiting experts said they believed that Ohio State was Nagy's first choice. Nagy said the Buckeyes recruited him, but never made a firm offer.
``I grew up watching Big Ten football, so I wanted to play in the Big Ten,'' said Nagy, who was first-team All-Ohio in Division I for the Explorers in 2005. ``Wisconsin offers great football and a great education.
``I really liked the atmosphere when I visited. It is a place I want to be.''
Nagy was recruited to play guard or center and will be joining a run-oriented Wisconsin program that will be led by a new coach, Bret Bielema.
``Wisconsin is a good fit for him,'' Hudson coach Tom Narducci said. ``I have watched them play on television. The way they trap and pull with their guards is a natural for him.
`'Billy is a wide body who runs particularly well. He can excel in that type of offense.''
Nagy was a three-year starter for the Explorers, and he was equally adept on offense or defense, Narducci said.
As a junior, he was second-team All-Ohio on the offensive line while also compiling 50 tackles playing on defense. As a senior, he had 42 pancake blocks and graded out at 95 percent on offense.
John McCallister, who runs the McCallister Scouting Report, had Nagy ranked as the fifth best offensive lineman in Ohio but said he might end up on the Badgers' defensive line.
``His best football is ahead of him,'' said McCallister, an Upper Sandusky resident. ``What I like about him is that he is tough. All he has to do is get stronger. That's something he needs to work on.
``He is perfect for the run offense at Wisconsin, but because he moves well and has shown he can play on both sides of the ball, they might at least look at him on defense.''
Nagy said the Badgers recruited him with an open mind, saying he will be looked at first on offense.
``I just want to play football,'' he said. ``They said it will all depend on how well I perform when I go there.''
The one stable element for him will be the Wisconsin business school.
``You go to college for the education, for the school,'' said Nagy, who has a 3.4 grade-point average at Hudson. ``Football is an opportunity, but the education part is most important.''
