As he walked off the field after his team's 28-7 playoff loss at Norwin Nov. 13, Belle Vernon Area offensive lineman Nick Sweitzer admitted he never had felt that way before.

“It was a weird feeling,” Sweitzer said. “Just knowing that I wasn't going to be playing with the same team or coaches again. ... It was tough.”

Hours later, Sweitzer made a commitment for another group of teammates, — and most importantly, his future away from football — when he committed to Georgetown University.

“I want to do something in business, and out of the offers I had they have the best business school,” Sweitzer said. “I love the campus and I've had some great experiences there.”

Sweitzer has had plenty of opportunities to check out what being a Hoya has to offer on and off the football field. His brother, Jake, is a sophomore tight end at Georgetown.

“It was one of the better schools academically, plus my brother is there,” Sweitzer said.

Sweitzer has received 12 offers from schools such as Duquesne, Robert Morris, Lehigh, Lafayette, Albany, Eastern Michigan and Youngstown State. Kent State offered him a scholarship Monday.

The 6–5, 290-pound tackle said the Hoyas started recruiting him almost immediately after his junior season.

“It was right after the last game against Franklin (Regional),” Sweitzer said. “I've talked mostly to (head) coach (Rob) Sgarlata and the offensive coordinator (Michael Neuberger).”

Sweitzer said the Georgetown coaching staff hasn't mentioned possible playing time, but BVA coach Matt Humbert said he can see it happening quickly.

“Nick has to be the biggest recruit they're going to get this year,” Humbert said. “They're getting a hell of a player and a leader.”

Humbert was surprised that Sweitzer's decision came as early as it did, but said he's proud of the choice he made.

“I think it's really a comfort thing between him and his family,” Humbert said. “He's been to every one of their games. I'm proud of him being mature enough to realize that it's about the education and about the school.

“I've had at least 20 or more coaches call me to talk just about Nick. He had such a good year and I thought there'd be more offers to come. ... But now he doesn't have to agonize over a looming decision and can get back into the swing of things and enjoy his senior year.”

Humbert said Sweitzer's size and athletic ability will help him adjust to the college game.

“He's 6-5, 290, but it's an athletic 290,” Humbert said of the Leopards' captain. “He has exceptional size and a big frame.

“The biggest thing for Nick, though, is he's so smart. For as smart as he is, he does what you tell him to do. He's coachable and he's always going to do his job. We're losing a leader that helped other kids on our line in every game.”

Sweitzer admitted that as a freshman at BVA, he was fearful of just about everything.

“I was so terrified my freshman year,” he said. “But then my sophomore year I started playing and that's when I really fell in love with football and I was playing with Jake.”

After Sweitzer's sophomore year, coach Aaron Krepps resigned his position, and Humbert, who coached BVA rival Ringgold, took over.

“A lot changed when coach Humbert came, I really saw the attitude of the team change,” Sweitzer said. “We had a good year and it was fun and exciting. I had a lot of good seniors to look up to.”

No influence may have been bigger on Sweitzer than Devin Hannan, who is now a freshman lineman at Division I Old Dominion.

“Devin was awesome,” Sweitzer said of his former teammate. “He was a role model for me and I learned a lot from him. ... He taught me a lot.”

Sweitzer, the son of Larissa Rathway of Perryopolis, knows he has a lot of learning to do, on and off the field, but now he's going to do so at one of the finest academic institutions on the Eastern Seaboard.

Jeremy Sellew is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at jsellew@tribweb.com.

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