Ursuline head coach Dan Reardon believes that offensive lineman and West Virginia signee Phillip Bowser is already an impressive prospect, but it’s his upside that is even more exciting.
Bowser, 6-foot-5, 275-pounds, has spent all four years of his career playing under Reardon and saw significant growth on the field during that time. But the best is still to come.
“He has as much upside as any offensive lineman I’ve ever coached and it’s going to be fun to watch him the next few years just to see him take that next step in his development and have a chance to compete against some other really good football players and teams in the Big 12,” he said.
The Rivals.com three-star prospect saw a significant jump on the field between his sophomore and junior seasons. That’s because he was playing behind an experienced offensive line as a sophomore but was then elevated into a starting role the following season.
“When he was able to get on the field for us he really had a huge jump and he’s a kid with good footwork. He’s probably only 270 pounds right now so he’s going to be a kid that gets in the weight room and puts on 30 pounds of muscle and he’s going to be an athletic 300-pounder,” Reardon said.
That’s not to say that Bowser wasn’t impressive on the field at the high school level as Reardon said that they had no hesitation running behind him in key situations. Bowser already possesses a lot of strength but will be able to completely maximize his athletic skill set once he is able to add more weight to his frame.
“He was a really good football player for us,” he said.
West Virginia is targeting Bowser as an interior offensive lineman and that should marry well with his overall skill set with his feet and athleticism in a zone-blocking scheme.
Off the field, Bowser is largely quiet but did everything he was asked to do. He also comes from a great family which helped in his development in all areas.
“That’s a big piece to the puzzle as well,” Reardon said.
Bowser elected not to sign during the early signing period which brought a wave of late interest into his recruitment including from West Virginia. It was a decision that worked out well for both parties as Bowser committed to the Mountaineers following an official visit to campus.
“I think WVU is getting a great player, and I think he has a lot of upside,” Reardon said. “He’s going to be a kid that looks completely different after a couple of years in a college weight program and putting on weight the right way. I think that’s why he’s an intriguing prospect.”
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