Many recruits talk about finding the perfect fit when it comes to choosing a school. You’d be hard-pressed to find a prospect that found a better fit with Montana State than Jack Vering.
After his football days are finished, Vering hopes to design his own fly fishing rods and reels. Moving to one of the premier fly-fishing spots in America to attend a top-notch engineering school and play college football seems like the perfect fit.
“I just fell in love with the place,” said Vering, who signed with Montana State last week, one of 17 prospects to sign National Letters of Intent with the opening of the early signing period on December 19. “Bozeman is like Boise but for me, better because it’s not as crowded. I loved it.
“Montana State has a great program with a really bright future and it’s a great school. I had to be a part of it.”
The senior at Capital High in Boise comes from an area that has already gifted Montana State with two of its starting offensive linemen: center/guard Zach Redd and right tackle Connor Wood both prepped in Meridian, a suburb of Idaho’s largest city.
Vering considers himself an “outdoorsy guy”, which was one of the main draws to Bozeman. When he made his official visit to MSU in early December, his fellow Treasure Valley natives hosted him and made him feel at home.
The 6-foot-6, 245-pound offensive tackle played for Todd Simis, the father of former Montana Grizzlies’ quarterback and tight end Makena Simis, at Capital. The Eagles operate a run-heavy offense filled with power and counter run concepts similar to those Montana State has thrived on during Jeff Choate’s three seasons as head coach. So the football fit is solid for Vering, too.
“Jack was a highly recruited young man but he wanted the engineering piece,” Choate said. “That was very attractive to him. That’s the thing that shows up consistently in this class.
“This guy is long. He has that long, rangy 240 body, broad shoulders, a guy who is going to have to put on some weight, a little bit developmental but one of those guys you can’t take away what he’s got. He moves his feet extremely well, rolls his hips on contact, finishes blocks, shows a little bit of attitude and I think he’s a really good get for us in terms of combination of measurables and fit.”
Montana State started recruiting Vering at the end of his standout junior year. Offers and interest from fellow Big Sky Conference competitors Montana, Idaho State and Eastern Washington also came entering the summer before Vering’s senior year.
After finishing up what will be his final spring rugby season — Vering plans on spending the next six months weight training in preparation for his arrival at MSU — Vering and his father hit the camp circuit, displaying his talents across the Rocky Mountain West.
“Most of the places were cool but I couldn’t see myself living there,” Vering said. “Then we came to Bozeman in June for camp and I didn’t want to leave.”
During MSU’s individual camp, Vering got a taste of offensive line coach Josh Taufalele’s style, another reason he chose the Bobcats.
“He’s the most straight up dude I’ve ever met,” Vering said. “I think I’m going to love his coaching style. At the camp when I was with him, everything he said resounded in confidence and I loved it.”
Vering’s visit to Bozeman earlier this month only helped solidify his interest in Montana State. Vering fielded a preferred walk-on offer from Utah late in the process but did not waiver in his commitment to the Bobcats. He was particularly impressed with Choate hosting himself and the other visiting recruits for dinner.
“All the coaches were just unbelievably nice and supportive,” Vering said.
“We toured the school and I really, really liked campus. We talked with the AD (Leon Costello) and they showed us the plans for their new facilities. That will be really cool. And they showed us around the current facility and the weight training programs. I knew it was the right place for me.”
Vering has spent his springs in high school playing rugby, a pastime he will forego as he tries to build up his long, lean frame. He said Taufalele told him he doesn’t want Vering “to gain a bunch of bad belly weight.” Instead, Vering will dive in on MSU’s workout program now that he’s officially a Bobcat.
“Signing the letter, it gives me senioritis so bad,” Vering said. “I just want to be up there. Before the visit, I was thinking senior year was pretty fun. After, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I need to be up there. I’m ready to play. Let’s go.’ I seriously can’t wait.”
