Hot commodity: More eyes on Hawks' Goro

Maine South quarterback Charlie Goro is a player to watch this upcoming season.
(Sun-Times News Group)

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Considering Charlie Goro’s quarterbacking credentials, it was only a matter of time before he racked up scholarship offers like he racked up passing yards and touchdowns for Maine South.

Goro, a 6-3, 190-pound senior, recently received his first Big Ten offer from Illinois and his first Southeastern Conference offer from Vanderbilt. He leaves for Vanderbilt on Friday for an unofficial visit.

“I went through the beginning of the summer and late spring without any offers,” Goro said. “Now it’s picked up with some of the bigger schools. … It definitely means a lot. [Illinois and Vanderbilt] are some big-times schools.”

Goro, who also has offers from Central Michigan, Ohio University, Eastern Illinois, Air Force and South Dakota on the table, called Illinois an “up-and-coming program,” but said he likes the level of competition Vanderbilt faces.

“Vanderbilt plays in the best conference in the country in the SEC with Georgia, Florida, Tennessee and all those guys,” Goro said. “It’s top-notch football every game you play.”

The question is: Why did it take Goro, arguably one of the best quarterbacks in the state, so long to attract scholarship offers?

“I’m not sure,” Hawks coach Dave Inserra said. “Some people say it’s our system, but you got to have the player to run the system. We’ve been blessed with some good QBs in the past, but Charlie takes it to another level. He’s a competitor. He’s kind of unflappable back there.”

Unflappable is just one word one should be able find to find on Goro’s high school football resume – also look for productive and athletic.

As a junior last season, Goro completed 75 percent of his passes for more than 2,700 yards and 26 touchdowns (versus five interceptions), while collecting All-Central Suburban League, Sun-Times All-Area team and Pioneer Press Player of the Year honors.

Goro is elusive and agile, running for 465 yards and eight touchdowns last year. He also started as a receiver on the Hawks’ varsity team as a sophomore, catching 24 passes for 580 yards (24-yard average) and 10 touchdowns.

It should also be mentioned that Goro played basketball at Maine South for two years, starting as a sophomore on the varsity team, and ran track his junior year, winning a state title as part of the Hawks’ 800-relay team.

“Sometimes coaches don’t feel like pulling the trigger on a guy if other colleges haven’t yet,” recruiting analyst Tom Lemming said. “But Goro is one of the most athletic quarterbacks in the country. ... He has tremendous feet, poise and command. He also has a big-time arm.”

Lemming pointed out that Wisconsin (Marian Central’s Jon Budmayr) and Northwestern (Glenbard North’s Evan Watkins) already received oral commitments from Chicago-area quarterbacks, and that Notre Dame signed Dayne Crist of Notre Dame in Sherman Oaks, Calif. last year.

Still, Lemming is “shocked” that other Big Ten schools – such as Purdue, Michigan State, Iowa and Indiana – have not made a move on Goro.

“I think a lot of people are making a mistake for not going after Goro,” said Lemming, who ranks Goro as the 25th best quarterback in the country. “He’s a big-time player. ... If he holds out now he should get more offers.”

ajahns@chicagosuntimes.com