After months of uncertainty, Western quarterback Collin Hurst signs with Presbyterian
All Collin Hurst wanted was an opportunity, a chance to keep playing football beyond high school. He will go down as one of the most productive quarterbacks in Broward County history, but that success didn’t translate to a slew of college football offers for the Davie Western star.
Even as recently as two months ago, Hurst was uncertain if there would be a scholarship offer waiting for him, with concerns about his size (he’s only 5-10 and 160 pounds) and the fact that he was recovering from a left knee injury sustained late in the season that required surgery leaving some potential suitors hesitant.
But all Hurst needed was one school to take a chance on him — and he found that one school.
On Wednesday, he sat center stage in the Western High auditorium with a dozen other student-athletes beside him and tried to keep his emotions in check as he announced he was signing with Presbyterian College, a Football Championship Subdivision school in Clinton, South Carolina.
“I’m very grateful for the opportunity,” said Hurst, who took his official visit to Presbyterian in January. “Obviously got a little emotional just because it’s been a rough two months after the injury and everything. It’s been rough, but I’m excited to get back to work.”
And so the next chapter begins for Hurst, who was dominant all four seasons he played at Western. He took over the starting job three weeks into his freshman season, coming in off the bench against University School and never looking back.
Hurst finished his high school career having completed 65 percent of his passes for 8,425 yards and 82 touchdowns with 18 interceptions. He was a three-time member of the Miami Herald’s All-Broward first-team and was the Herald’s Class 8A-6A Offensive Player of the Year as a junior.
He likely would have been a four-time first-team member if not for the pandemic-impacted 2020 season. Western only played four games that season. Hurst only played in three of those games — and still managed to throw for 940 yards and six touchdowns while rushing for two more.
But despite his on-field success, recruiting was slow. He didn’t really start getting on college radars until the summer after his junior year — a season in which he threw for 3,267 yards and 35 touchdowns against just two interceptions — when he won MVP of the national OT7 tournament in Las Vegas while playing for the South Florida Express 7 on 7 team.
“I love all my players and I’m very happy for all of the young men who signed today,” Western coach Adam Ratkevich said, “but I’ve got a special place in my heart for Collin Hurst. ... The recruiting process was a little more of a struggle than it should have been.”
Hurst’s summation of his time at Western: “A crazy four years.”
“Starting as a freshman and then building every year, it’s been a blessing,” Hurst added. “Being with coach Ratk and coach OB [offensive coordinator James O’Brien] has been an experience that I wouldn’t want to have with anybody else. We built something here that I feel is only growing and only getting bigger.”
In addition to Hurst, Western recognized other players who signed their national letters of intent in various sports.
The group: Santana Fleming (football, Western Carolina), Joshua Joseph (football, West Virginia State), Justin Tedim (football, Colgate), Roger Reyes (football, Villanova), Matthew Mejia (football, St. Thomas University), Luis Lorenzo (baseball, Nova Southeastern), Alexander Pena (baseball, Nova Southeastern), Sam Urso (flag football, Milligan University), Megan Ramos (softball, Hampton University), Camilo Bonilla (rugby, St. Thomas University), Juan Gonzalez (rugby, St. Thomas University) and Gabrielle Hyson (swimming, North Carolina at Pembroke).
.JPG)