成品人视频

West Virginia鈥檚 football program had to hold on for seven months to secure Rodney Gallagher鈥檚 signature on a National Letter of Intent.

The four-star recruit from Laurel Highlands High School in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, committed to the Mountaineers on May 25, and he stuck with that decision, signing his NLI on Dec. 21.

During that period, 成品人视频 coach Neal Brown found himself on the hot seat, as the Mountaineers went through a rollercoaster of a 5-7 season.

Gallagher had developed a strong relationship with Brown and his staff, and his future at West Virginia was tied with those coaches. Thus the class of 2023 prospect paid close attention to Brown鈥檚 status.

鈥淎s a recruit and me being committed there, I wanted to know as much as possible about what was happening,鈥� admitted Brown.

While the Mountaineers finished the 2022 campaign with a losing record, it did feature wins over Virginia Tech, Baylor, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, while it also came up on the short end of heartbreakers against Pitt (38-31) and Kansas (55-42 in overtime).

鈥淚 honestly think if they win the Pitt game, they wouldn鈥檛 have even been talking about the situation (Brown) was in,鈥� said Gallagher of the opener at Acrisure Field, which he attended. 鈥淭hey had tons of games like that where they were close, but things happen. You just have to move on from it.鈥�

Shortly after the season concluded, 成品人视频鈥檚 administration, which was in the midst of changing athletic directors from Shane Lyons to Wren Baker, announced that Brown would be retained and would return as West Virginia鈥檚 head coach for 2023. That cemented Gallagher鈥檚 decision to sign with the Mountaineers. He certainly had plenty of other options, as he received dozens of scholarship offers. A number of those reached out to the Laurel Highland鈥檚 athlete when Brown鈥檚 future was in limbo.

鈥�(Other suitors) did back off for a couple months (after his May commitment), but knowing that Coach Brown was in the position he was in, they started getting in contact again,鈥� explained Gallagher during an interview with MetroNews鈥� 鈥淪tatewide Sportsline.鈥� 鈥淚 wanted to know what was going on, but I wasn鈥檛 getting a lot of answers. I just let time play out. Things happen for a reason, and it worked out the way I wanted it to work out.鈥�

Gallagher鈥檚 Dec. 21 signing with the Mountaineers finally put an end to his recruitment, which had been ongoing for several years.

鈥淚鈥檓 glad it鈥檚 over,鈥� said Gallagher, who is rated one of the nation鈥檚 top 300 class of 鈥�23 prospects by On3.com and the 33rd-best receiver. 鈥淚t gives me time to focus on my game, my teammates and getting better every day.

鈥淚 think I did it well in terms of recruiting. It was stressful in terms of all these different schools coming from different directions and wanting you to take visits. It also can get expensive, because unless it鈥檚 an official visit, you have to pay for the trip yourself. I did build a lot of relationships throughout the process and usually had a lot of fun with it.

鈥淭he recruiting was definitely stressful,鈥� he acknowledged. 鈥淢entally it wears you down a bit, so I鈥檓 glad I knew where I wanted to go. I鈥檓 glad I got it done early.鈥�

Gallagher is one of the greatest athletes to come through Western Pennsylvania in many years. He鈥檚 a three-time first-team all-state basketball player, with the hope of going four-for-four after this season, and in football, he twice earned first-team all-state honors. He led Laurel Highlands to an 8-4 football record in 2021 and an 8-3 mark in 2022. The Mustangs had not won a WPIAL football playoff game since the school opened in 1972, but they earned first-round victories in each of the past two seasons.

鈥淚 had a terrific senior year,鈥� said Gallagher of this past football season, which included Laurel Highland鈥檚 first-ever victory over Western PA powerhouse Thomas Jefferson. 鈥淚t was so much fun, going out with my guys and battling every Friday night. It doesn鈥檛 get any better than that. We battled every single week playing against top teams and top players. I think we had a great season, upsetting Thomas Jefferson (31-24) and winning a playoff game at home. The second-round game kind of got away from us (losing to Central Valley, 36-7), playing in a legit rain storm, but overall we had a ton of success, and it was a great senior year.鈥�

Though he鈥檒l be a slot receiver for the Mountaineers, Gallagher played mainly quarterback and defensive back the past two years at Laurel Highlands. In 2022, he completed 93 of 167 passes for 1,272 yards and 13 touchdowns while also rushing for 690 yards and 11 TDs on 146 carriers. That came after a junior season in which he eclipsed 1,000 yards both passing (1,365 yards) and rushing (1,130 yards).

The plan had been for Gallagher to concentrate on receiver this past season (he caught 13 passes for 77 yards with four TDs in the first two games of 鈥�22), but necessity forced LH coach Rich Kolesar to move him back to QB after a couple of weeks.

Gallagher doesn鈥檛 expect he鈥檒l have too much difficulty switching back to receiver once he arrives at 成品人视频.

鈥淚 played (receiver) all summer and a majority of the spring,鈥� he explained. 鈥淚 train very well, and I鈥檒l prepare for whatever I need to do. I don鈥檛 think the transition will be anything crazy.

鈥淥bviously college is harder than high school, but in terms of drills and those types of things, I don鈥檛 think I鈥檒l have too many problems.鈥�

As good as Gallagher is on the football field, he鈥檚 gained even more notoriety for his basketball skills. He was the first freshman ever named to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette鈥檚 Fab 5 team as one of the top basketball players in the WPIAL. He averaged 18.6 points and 4.0 assists per game as a junior and recently surpassed 1,500 points for his high school career.

As the Mustangs ran out to a 11-2 record this season, Gallagher was averaging 21.5 points per game, despite having only three weeks between his last football contest and his first basketball game.

鈥淭he only thing that is tough in terms of the transition (from football to basketball) is getting into shape, because you鈥檙e conditioning is different for basketball running up and down the court,鈥� said the 5-foot-11, 175-pound guard. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the only thing that bothers me a little bit.

鈥淥ur season is going great so far.鈥�

Gallagher did take a quick break from the hardwood recently to return to the gridiron in the prestigious All-American Bowl, which was played on Jan. 7 in San Antonio. Gallagher had two catches for 30 yards in the all-star game, as he and future 成品人视频 teammate Josiah Trotter, who is a linebacker, helped lead the East squad to a 55-17 victory at the Alamodome.

The Post-Gazette鈥檚 WPIAL Male Athlete of the year for 2021-22, Gallagher鈥檚 storied high school career is winding down.

鈥淚t鈥檚 going by in a flash,鈥� he admitted. 鈥淚鈥檓 trying to enjoy it as much as possible, but it鈥檚 all going by so fast. Our basketball season is almost at the halfway point, and it doesn鈥檛 feel like football season is even over yet. Everything is just flying. I鈥檓 trying to enjoy my time with my family and friends before we all part ways and go into adult life.鈥�

鈥淚 appreciate it more, knowing this is my last year of hoops. I鈥檓 just trying to enjoy as much of it as possible.鈥�

Gallagher still has a couple of months left in his high school basketball season. Laurel Highlands has designs on not only its third WPIAL title in the last four years but also a state championship.

After hoops conclude and Gallagher graduates from LH, he鈥檒l start to get ready for college football. He plans to enroll at 成品人视频 in early June.

He鈥檚 not content with his current skill level, as good as that may be. He鈥檚 going to work to improve his football ability.

鈥淚鈥檓 going to concentrate on getting faster,鈥� explained Gallagher, who plans on majoring in sports management in college. 鈥淓ven the d-linemen and linebackers at that level are running 4.4s and 4.5s, so I want to get faster. Obviously, I also want to continue working on my hands, as well as getting stronger. Those are the three things I feel I need to work on the most

鈥淩ight now, I鈥檓 about 171 (pounds). It鈥檚 so hard to gain weight in the middle of the season, but I鈥檇 like to get to about 180 or 185 by next fall. Once hoop season ends, I鈥檒l get on a diet that will help me gain some weight, and I鈥檒l work out so I can get where I want to be.鈥�

The 2023 Mountaineers have a need for playmakers at receiver, and Gallagher will almost certainly be part of the rotation from game one.

鈥淭hat was the plan from the start,鈥� he said of getting an early opportunity. 鈥淣ow I have to just go and fulfill it. I鈥檒l work every single day, because nothing is given, everything is earned. I鈥檝e been saying that for years and years. I鈥檓 going to be the young guy in the room, but with my work ethic, I鈥檒l do what I need to do to get on the field early and help my team the best I can.鈥�

West Virginia鈥檚 first three games this fall feature an opener at Penn State on Sept. 2 followed by home affairs against Duquesne (Sept. 9) and Pitt (Sept. 16).

The Backyard Brawl in particular will spark a friendly Gallagher family rivalry, as one of Rodney鈥檚 two sisters, Kaylea, attends the University of Pittsburgh and is a member of the Panthers鈥� dance team.

鈥淣ext year, she鈥檒l be a senior, so this year will be fun,鈥� the younger brother grinned. 鈥淚 told her when I score a touchdown this year, I鈥檓 going to come over and rub it in her face a little bit.

鈥淚t was a great game last year and a great atmosphere,鈥� he said of the Backyard Brawl renewal, 鈥渁nd I鈥檓 so excited to play in it this year. I can鈥檛 wait to see what it looks like in Morgantown.鈥�