Badgers add second QB in 2015
Moments after he decommitted from Pittsburgh, quarterback Alex Hornibrook added his name to Wisconsin's 2015 recruiting class Monday evening.
Advertisement
Beyond excited to announce that I have committed and will enroll early at the University of Wisconsin. On Wisconsin! pic.twitter.com/UiYhCWUmlT- Alex Hornibrook (@alex_hornibrook) January 13, 2015
A 6-foot-4, 210-pound senior from Malvern (PA) Malvern Prep, Hornibrook committed to the Panthers in June but will now follow new head coach Paul Chryst to Wisconsin. He is the 26th known pledge in the Badgers' current class and the second quarterback, joining fellow three-star Austin Kafentzis.
"Having a great relationship with coach Chryst was definitely a large part of it," Hornibrook told BadgerBlitz.com. "But the opportunity to play here at Wisconsin is an amazing one and I can't wait to get started.
"Wisconsin has everything you could ask for from a football standpoint. It's one of the greatest college football towns in the country. Also, it is a great school and I love everything about it."
Both Hornibrook and Kafentzis will arrive on campus for second semester classes and spring camp. They will join a quarterback group that also includes Joel Stave, Bart Houston, D.J. Gillins and potentially Tanner McEvoy, though he played primarily safety in the Outback Bowl against Auburn.
"Coach Chryst hasn't addressed the quarterback situation at Wisconsin too much, but he said I'm a great fit for his offense and he can't wait for me to play for him," Hornibrook said. "Enrolling early will definitely help out a lot from a physical standpoint. To be able to get into the weight room and start training, and also to be able to adjust to the playbook will be huge. It will also help a lot with school."
During his recruitment, Hornibrook picked up scholarships from Akron, Colgate, UConn, Rutgers and Yale, among others. He is the 25th ranked prospect in Pennsylvania's senior class.
The Badgers are still actively pursing at least one more member of Pitt's current class. Defensive lineman Kraig Howe will take an official visit to UW later this month.
"I had a great relationship with him when I was with him at Pitt, so I'm definitely going to reach out to him and see what he's feeling," Hornibrook said.
From Rivals.com recruiting analyst Adam Friedman:
"He's (Hornibrook) a solid, solid guy. He can put the ball wherever he needs to put it; he's pretty accurate with it. He's very smart with the ball and he knows where to go with it. He's not going to try too hard and over-extend himself, and he's not going to throw into double or triple too much. But knows when to take his shots.
"I like his mechanics and his accuracy on short and intermediate routes. I think he does really well there. The offense is going to be centered around him. Once he knows a system, it seems like he's really able to command an offense, so it will be interesting to see how quickly he'll be able to pick up the offense and master it and be the field general.
"He has all the measurables, his footwork is good, his mechanics are there, his arm strength is decent; if he can get it above the shoulder, he can do it. He's not a cocky kid, not overconfident; he's going to be a good leader."