Bill Burt
Two of Julian Edelman's former college football coaches were separated by 2,500 miles yesterday.
But from the sounds of it, they might as well have been in the same room.
The New England Patriots' role player has gone from a one-game wonder (he had 8 receptions for 83 yards in his first-ever NFL appearance at the Meadowlands on Sept. 20) to replacing Wes Welker (he had 10 receptions for 103 yards after Welker went down in the first quarter on Sunday), one of the best slot receivers in the National Football League ... maybe ever.
According to Brett Pollack, head coach at the College of San Mateo, and Doug Martin, head coach at Kent State University, Edelman is in a familiar position.
Edelman has been fighting and beating the odds long before he was drafted in the seventh round, 232nd overall, by the Patriots last April.
He led his high school team — Woodside (Ca.) High — to a 13-0 record as a senior, compiling 2,237 yards and 29 touchdowns passing and 964 yards and 13 touchdowns rushing.
No Div. 1 scholarships came his way so he went to a local junior college power, College of San Mateo.
"He came here early in the spring of his senior year in high school and started practicing with us," recalled Pollack. "I remember him coming into the room where we had Hall of Fame plaques up on the wall. Julian looked at the wall and turned to me and said, 'One of these days my picture will be up there.' "
Edelman's picture, as promised, is up there.
In one year, he led the Bulldogs to a record of 8-3 and a No. 9 ranking nationally, winning the Northern California Conference Offensive MVP.
"Julian didn't the start first game, we had a returning sophomore quarterback who was All-Conference," said Pollack. "His first pass for us was an interception returned for a touchdown. He threw a slant and the kid jumped the route and scored. Then he fumbled the ball on his next possession. But on one play he ran about 95 yards, zig-zagging all of the way. You could see we had something."
By the third game, Edelman entered the game with San Mateo losing 40-20. By the time he left the game, they lost by a point. He remained the starter.
Late in that season, a Kent State assistant coach asked a friend of his from northern California if he knew of a quarterback they'd be interested in.
"The guy told us the best quarterback and football player was a guy from San Mateo," said Kent State's Martin. "We had him in for a visit and I remember him being very confident and having a real drive and passion for the game. We were the only Division 1 school that was recruiting him. He had a chip on his shoulder. I was attracted to that."
When Edelman arrived on campus in August, he sought out the starting quarterback.
"Julian told him he was ready to take the starting job," said Martin. "That might come off being cocky, but it wasn't. He is a very confident young man."
Martin said he and his staff considered moving Edelman to running back or wide receiver because of his speed.
"But we realized if we put him at quarterback, with the spread offense," said Martin, "he would have ball in his hands at all times."
At Kent State, Edelman was basically Tim Tebow. In three seasons, he threw 30 touchdown passes and ran for 22 touchdowns. As a senior, he finished 15th in the country in rushing with 1,370 yards, and was easily the top rushing quarterback in Division 1.
"I could talk all day about his accomplishments here," said Martin. "But there is one play that summarized his career here and it was one of his last. We were playing (the University of) Buffalo in our last game and they had already clinched the (MAC) title.
"We were in our four-minute offense, with the lead, trying to run out the clock," recalled Martin. "It was third-and-11 and we called a 'zone read play,' which basically lets him either hand it off or keep it depending on the defense. Well, Julian kept the ball. He first made two guys miss him before running over a third guy. Then a fourth guy grabbed his leg and Julian dragged him two or three yards and dove for that 12th yard. It ended the game. That play is who Julian is."
Martin says that while several NFL teams worked Edelman out, the Patriots took their interest to the next level.
"The Patriots sent several coaches out here to evaluate him. A lot of teams came through here but the Patriots spent a lot of hour working him out mentally. They watched a lot of film with him. They had a running backs coach here. No doubt, they did the best job of finding out who Julian really is."
Both of his former coaches were in agreement. Nobody in their programs outworked Edelman on and off the field when it came time for football.
"He is the most competitive person I have ever been around," said Martin. "He wants to score a touchdown on every play. He hates to lose at anything. He is an ultimate competitor."
As soon as Pollack heard about Welker's injury, and then got wind of Edelman's performance, he sent his former quarterback a text message that read:
"Great job yesterday. I have full confidence you will do what you do in playoffs ... Another opportunity for you that I know you will take full advantage of ... Coach P"
"I'm not saying I would have predicted (his early success in the NFL), but I am not shocked by it," said Pollack, who speaks to his former pupil about twice a week. "And that's not cockiness on my part. He has shown me time in and time out ... don't bet against Julian Edelman."
You can email Bill Burt at bburt@eagletribune.com.
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