Before They Played for Pay, Marc Verica

Before They Played for Pay . . . Marc Verica

This story appeared in the Daily News in the fall of 2005, just before Thanksgiving.
Marc had already committed to Virginia and after starring there, he's now in training
camp with the Washington Redkins (August 2011).

Verica hopes to help Bonner end season on positive note

By TED SILARY silaryt@phillynews.com

Marc Verica won't soon forget the experience.

Especially how electric the locker-room atmosphere was before the game. And how he darn near felt goosebumps, at field level, as he looked around the packed stadium.

The 6-3, 195-pound Verica is a senior quarterback at Monsignor Bonner High and the special occasion referenced above was Saturday.

We know what you're thinking . . .

Bonner football? Special occasion? Saturday?

But because the Friars were not involved in anything remotely resembling postseason action, Verica was able to travel to Charlottesville, Va., and join with 16 other committed recruits to watch his future school, Virginia, host Virginia Tech.

"It was incredible to see 65,000 people, all dressed in orange, screaming their heads off," he said.

In time, Verica (VERR-uh-cuh) hopes to earn the group's affection. But long before that - tomorrow night at 7:30, in fact - he hopes to close out an extremely frustrating, even demoralizing season, with a special performance, individually and teamwise, at Villanova Stadium.

It'll be Friars vs. Friars (Malvern Prep variety; both schools are staffed by Augustinians), and it won't be easy.

Those Friars are 9-1 and the Inter-Ac League champion. Verica's Friars are 2-8, seventh in the Catholic Red at 1-6.

"It's been disappointing," said Verica, who also was offered a scholarship by Wisconsin and was about to be offered one, he's been told, by Michigan State when he pledged to Virginia last summer. "We came into the season with such high expectations, and I know part of it was the quarterback-bound-for-Virginia thing. But we started off bad and people got skeptical and . . . We just didn't get it done.

"I guess the lowest point was the Judge game [13-0 loss]. We went in still having a chance to make the playoffs. The next week, we had North Catholic [35-21 win], and we were both winless, and the only motivation was staying out of last place. That whole situation was so hard, especially for the seniors. "

What went wrong? There were injuries. And rumors of dissension. And charges of poor coaching. And, let's face it, some players just flat-out underperformed or weren't as good as "everyone" thought.

The strong-armed Verica, who also shows good mobility, has passed 74-for-145 for 822 yards and three touchdowns. He has also rushed for three. He missed a non-league game and the Red opener with an injury, and the Friars were blanked in both. They truly never regrouped.

"I'm really hard on myself. Very critical," Verica said. "I care so much about what happens. I'm always wondering whether there's more I could have done.

"Some guys can forget losses quickly and move on. Maybe get back to smiling pretty soon after they're over. I'm not like that. I might not even go out that night, trying to go over everything. "

Verica is a second-generation quality QB. His dad, Mark, starred at Cardinal O'Hara (even broke his leg in a game against Bonner) and Kutztown, and had several pro tryouts.

Marc is no dumb jock. The Lansdowne resident ranks among the top 25 seniors with a 3.75 grade-point average, has scored 1,150 on the SAT and plans to major in psychology.

He realized long ago, he said, that his life "needs to have a balance. It can't just be football. "

Often lately, Verica has thought about a message consistently delivered by Tom Oropeza, who coaches Bonner's linebackers and starred for the '94 title squad.

"He says you really learn about yourself by the way you handle adversity," Verica said. "That when people show their true colors.

"This season has taught me a lot. I'm sure some of the lessons I've learned will help me in college. And for the rest of my life, really. "

Verica is friends with several Malvern players, and especially with quarterback Ian Mitchell.

Tomorrow night, despite their respective paths this fall, they'll enter the game on equal footing.

"We have a great opportunity," Marc Verica said, "to end the season on a positive note."