Recruit | Tucker takes mother's advice, stays true to Syracuse
By Michael Bonner
Posted: 10/31/07, 11:43 PM EST Section: Sports
Initially, Romale Tucker didn't choose the college that his mother felt the most comfortable with.
Tucker committed to play for Virginia football Sept. 3, 2006. Five months later, he changed his mind and pledged to Syracuse.
"I got a chance to take my mom (to Syracuse), and she really felt comfortable with me being there," Tucker said. "I was talking to my mom and she really felt me going to Syracuse; I can progress more in what I want to major in. She thought I had a better opportunity at Syracuse."
Tucker is a four-star defensive end for Milford Academy in New Berlin, N.Y., and has maintained his commitment to SU as a post-graduate. At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, he has the chance to step in next year and contribute to the Orange right away.
Schools have backed off since he attended Milford, but during his senior campaign in high school, Illinois, Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland and Akron all showed interest.
For him and his mom, though, Syracuse was the choice. And it wasn't the first time Tucker's mom made a decision on where he would attend school. At Ballou High School in Washington, there were a lot of distractions that preoccupied his focus on school - mainly girls.
And when it wasn't girls, too much football tarnished his grades, so his mother sent him to Milford.
"He got caught up into the girls, he got that high playing football, all the girls going crazy at the games," Tucker's mother, Angela Tucker-Barnes, said. "Romale had good football skills, but his academic skills weren't that good, so I sent him away so he can become not only good in football but in academics, too. I'm not the type of mother that is going to sit back and watch his talent go to waste."
Tucker didn't want to go to Milford, but his mom insisted. At Milford there would be no distractions like the ones he faced at home. It was miles away from New York City and there were fewer girls around. He could focus on school and become a better student, which he did. His mom said those C's and D's he received in high school turned into A's and B's.
"I told him, 'Well, since you say you want to be a football player, we don't want a dumb athlete,' so I sent him to Milford and took him away from everything," Tucker-Barnes said, laughing. "Romale didn't want to go, he didn't want to go, but I sent him there, and I'm glad I did."
Tucker now thanks his mother for obligating him to attend Milford. He grew up without a father, so his mother's strong character and forceful attitude was only to make him excel, Tucker said.
When he attends Syracuse next year, Tucker will be the first in his family to attend college.
"It was the best thing for me," Tucker said. "I have a lot of younger siblings that are growing up, and the older guys above me weren't really setting really good examples, so it's very important to me as a Tucker to lead my family."
Family is also the main reason why Tucker's mother liked Syracuse so much. The atmosphere of the campus gave her the feeling that Syracuse was the school for her son. It felt like a part of the family.
"They treat you like you're family, and that's what I'm about, family," Tucker-Barnes said. "Even the other mothers that came with their sons, everybody just felt like family. There was just a lot of love between one another."
With more of a business atmosphere than at other schools, Virginia just didn't feel like the place for her son, she said. Syracuse is also six hours away from home, which she thought was a positive. Being that far away from home, Tucker-Barnes thinks her son will grow up faster and become the man she said she knows he was meant to be.
"I told him a long time ago, I said, 'I gave you a name that was going to ring all over the nation,'" Tucker-Barnes said. "I said, 'That's why you're name is Romale Tucker; that name is going to take you very far.'"
Another Jones coming to SU
Chandler Jones, younger brother of current Syracuse defensive tackle Arthur Jones, gave a verbal commitment to the Orange Tuesday night. Jones is a 6-foot-6, 235-pound tight end and defensive end.
This year through eight games, Jones has 75 tackles, seven sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries on the defensive side of the ball. As a tight end, Jones has caught 12 passes for 250 yards and has found the end zone five times.
Jones told Scout.com that Syracuse edged out Michigan, Connecticut and Buffalo. The three schools were waiting on his SAT scores, but Jones said even if one does make him an offer, his verbal is still solid with Syracuse.
Tucker's teammate joining him?
Milford Academy is known for its football. Syracuse is well aware of this and has one of Romale Tucker's teammates on its wish list. Mikhail Marinovich is a 6-foot-6, 210-pound tight end and was given a formal offer by Syracuse on Monday.
"I didn't have any notice," Marinovich said. "I thought maybe (they would offer) when I went out on my visit, but I didn't know."
Marinovich is a three-star prospect that will likely play defensive end in college. He will make his official visit to the Hill in December. SU will face competition from Illinois, Boston College, Florida State and North Carolina State, who have shown interest, but have not offered.
Marinovich hopes more offers will come after he makes his official visits to the schools.
Tucker committed to play for Virginia football Sept. 3, 2006. Five months later, he changed his mind and pledged to Syracuse.
"I got a chance to take my mom (to Syracuse), and she really felt comfortable with me being there," Tucker said. "I was talking to my mom and she really felt me going to Syracuse; I can progress more in what I want to major in. She thought I had a better opportunity at Syracuse."
Tucker is a four-star defensive end for Milford Academy in New Berlin, N.Y., and has maintained his commitment to SU as a post-graduate. At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, he has the chance to step in next year and contribute to the Orange right away.
Schools have backed off since he attended Milford, but during his senior campaign in high school, Illinois, Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland and Akron all showed interest.
For him and his mom, though, Syracuse was the choice. And it wasn't the first time Tucker's mom made a decision on where he would attend school. At Ballou High School in Washington, there were a lot of distractions that preoccupied his focus on school - mainly girls.
And when it wasn't girls, too much football tarnished his grades, so his mother sent him to Milford.
"He got caught up into the girls, he got that high playing football, all the girls going crazy at the games," Tucker's mother, Angela Tucker-Barnes, said. "Romale had good football skills, but his academic skills weren't that good, so I sent him away so he can become not only good in football but in academics, too. I'm not the type of mother that is going to sit back and watch his talent go to waste."
Tucker didn't want to go to Milford, but his mom insisted. At Milford there would be no distractions like the ones he faced at home. It was miles away from New York City and there were fewer girls around. He could focus on school and become a better student, which he did. His mom said those C's and D's he received in high school turned into A's and B's.
"I told him, 'Well, since you say you want to be a football player, we don't want a dumb athlete,' so I sent him to Milford and took him away from everything," Tucker-Barnes said, laughing. "Romale didn't want to go, he didn't want to go, but I sent him there, and I'm glad I did."
Tucker now thanks his mother for obligating him to attend Milford. He grew up without a father, so his mother's strong character and forceful attitude was only to make him excel, Tucker said.
When he attends Syracuse next year, Tucker will be the first in his family to attend college.
"It was the best thing for me," Tucker said. "I have a lot of younger siblings that are growing up, and the older guys above me weren't really setting really good examples, so it's very important to me as a Tucker to lead my family."
Family is also the main reason why Tucker's mother liked Syracuse so much. The atmosphere of the campus gave her the feeling that Syracuse was the school for her son. It felt like a part of the family.
"They treat you like you're family, and that's what I'm about, family," Tucker-Barnes said. "Even the other mothers that came with their sons, everybody just felt like family. There was just a lot of love between one another."
With more of a business atmosphere than at other schools, Virginia just didn't feel like the place for her son, she said. Syracuse is also six hours away from home, which she thought was a positive. Being that far away from home, Tucker-Barnes thinks her son will grow up faster and become the man she said she knows he was meant to be.
"I told him a long time ago, I said, 'I gave you a name that was going to ring all over the nation,'" Tucker-Barnes said. "I said, 'That's why you're name is Romale Tucker; that name is going to take you very far.'"
Another Jones coming to SU
Chandler Jones, younger brother of current Syracuse defensive tackle Arthur Jones, gave a verbal commitment to the Orange Tuesday night. Jones is a 6-foot-6, 235-pound tight end and defensive end.
This year through eight games, Jones has 75 tackles, seven sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries on the defensive side of the ball. As a tight end, Jones has caught 12 passes for 250 yards and has found the end zone five times.
Jones told Scout.com that Syracuse edged out Michigan, Connecticut and Buffalo. The three schools were waiting on his SAT scores, but Jones said even if one does make him an offer, his verbal is still solid with Syracuse.
Tucker's teammate joining him?
Milford Academy is known for its football. Syracuse is well aware of this and has one of Romale Tucker's teammates on its wish list. Mikhail Marinovich is a 6-foot-6, 210-pound tight end and was given a formal offer by Syracuse on Monday.
"I didn't have any notice," Marinovich said. "I thought maybe (they would offer) when I went out on my visit, but I didn't know."
Marinovich is a three-star prospect that will likely play defensive end in college. He will make his official visit to the Hill in December. SU will face competition from Illinois, Boston College, Florida State and North Carolina State, who have shown interest, but have not offered.
Marinovich hopes more offers will come after he makes his official visits to the schools.
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