Calcaterra Quieting Doubters
With eight commitments at The Opening there were plenty of expectations placed upon Oklahoma's 2017 recruiting class but the player that many came back buzzing about was the player that perhaps was the biggest unknown - tight end pledge Grant Calcaterra. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound future Sooner was dominant from beginning to end in both workouts as well as camp settings.
For the Rancho Santa Margarita (Calif.) Santa Margarita Catholic it's safe to say he didn't understand why so many were caught off guard by his big-time performance.
"I felt like it was just me, being me. I guess a lot of people haven’t really seen that from me, I feel like it was like I was maybe overlooked a little bit," Calcaterra said. "I think the whole key to winning at The Opening was being unselfish, we just wanted to win, it didn’t really matter who was scoring."
Part of what helped Calcaterra showcase himself was an injury to his VaporSpeed teammate Tre McKitty. Because of the minor injury McKitty wasn't able to participate, and split time with Calcaterra. Thus Calcaterra got every snap at tight end which only gave him more and more opportunities to shine.
But it was his host of future teammates that really made his trip worth all of the effort and hard work.
"It was really good, like you said, I haven’t met any of them – it was good getting to know them, get a feel for how it’s going to be when we are all there playing together," he said. "It didn’t take much time (to bond). I thought it would, being the only guy from California, it really wasn’t, we are all athletes."
He aims to continue to develop that bond when he returns to Norman, for the first time since his commitment, this weekend for the Sooners first ever barbecue event.
"(I'm looking forward to it), just to connect with some of the guys, the commits, and some of the 2018 guys that the coaches want to get on board and probably getting a relationship with guys that are already at OU like Baker and all of them. Be with the coaching staff. I am really excited it," he said.
For the nation's current No. 40 athlete his commitment has brought a calm to his life and has helped him focus on what he hopes will be a big senior season for Catholic. And with the type of schedule he faces it's a focus he knows he'll have to maintain.
"I'm just focused on high school ball, now that I have the commitment out of the way," he said. "I think we’ll be a lot better than next year, we are in the Trinity league with St. John Bosco, Mater Dei, so it’ll be hard to win a championship but that’s what we are pushing for. We have a whole new coaching staff. I think we’ll be better than last year and next year we’ll be even better (than that)."
In fact with that focus he has shifted toward an idea that some weren't aware of - Calcaterra will be in Norman in just six months time.
"I'm just focusing on high school and getting some summer classes done so I can graduate in December stuff like that," Calcaterra explained.
"I'm not visiting anywhere or talking to other schools.
"(Cale Gundy) is trying to get me out early, he wasn't pushing me but he was encouraging it. He has been keeping up with how my summer ball is going."
Wrapping up what has been an impressive summer for Calcaterra was the news that he is taking part in one of the nation's premier high school all-star games, the Under Armour All-American game next January.
"That was awesome, (they) approached me right after The Opening and said they had a spot open at tight end. It was pretty awesome, to be an Army or Under Armour All-American has always been a dream of mine. It's pretty awesome."