If there is a stereotype for a football player, Pat Magoon certainly isn't it.
The soft-spoken senior, Tufts' lone captain for 2005 and starting free safety for the past three seasons, is a pre-med student with a 3.5 GPA, a self-described loyal friend and dependable worker, and universally described by friends as quiet, kind and outgoing.
"In fact, when I first met Pat freshman year I thought he wasn't going to be one of the top players," said senior running back Scott Lombardi, who is one of Magoon's closest friends on the team. "I just didn't think that coming from him. That was, until we got on the field, and he was the hardest hitter."
"Hitting hard" is the football equivalent of an outstanding, glowing endorsement of those who are willing to put their bodies on the line for a few inches or the possibility of forcing an incomplete pass. It also means something coming from a player like Lombardi, who as the Jumbos' starting running back in 2005, had 170 rushing attempts and dealt with his share of hits.
Junior defensive standout Chris Decembrele, who has led the Jumbos in tackles the last two years and was named to the prestigious All-New England team for his 2005 efforts, echoed Lombardi's sentiment.
"Let's just say [Magoon's] one of those guys who, when you look back at him, you say to yourself, 'we're going to be alright,'" Decembrele said.
And while there may seem to be irony surrounding a pre-med student who uses his head as much for punishing opponents as for studying anatomy, there is no doubt about Magoon's hard-earned football statistics and accolades.
This year, Magoon tallied 45 tackles, good for third on the team, a sack, a forced fumble and an interception. He was named an academic All-American, was one of four Jumbos named to the all-NESCAC team, and was recently named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District football team that was announced on Nov. 10.
For his career at Tufts, Magoon finished with 155 tackles, three interceptions, and was a three-year starter at free safety, playing nearly half the snaps as a freshman.
Magoon grew up in Easton, Mass., a small town of about 22,000 residents 35 miles south of Medford. His mom, Ellen, works for the postal service and his father John is a retired firefighter, while Magoon's older brother graduated from Villanova.
It was in fifth grade in Easton that Magoon began playing Pop Warner football, and four years later, he was playing both baseball and football at nearby Oliver Ames High. He played outfield in baseball, and in football, utilized his size (he stands at 6'1") and speed as a receiver and defensive back. He was occasionally a quarterback his sophomore year.
"In high school I ended up playing almost every snap, on both sides of the ball," he said.
Both of his parents have been to every one of Magoon's home games in his four years at Tufts. While Magoon isn't sure if they went to his road games his freshman year, Ellen and John have been to all his games, both home and away, since his sophomore year.
"They're really into football," Magoon said. "I think they loved being at the games. I actually think even if I wasn't playing, they'd still go."
Magoon and Lombardi have lived together since sophomore year, and Lombardi said despite Magoon's quiet nature, he has a comical side that comes through.
"He's a quiet kid, but he's hilarious," Lombardi said. "He finds his niche and goes. His sarcastic humor is really fun."
The housemates both mentioned how most of their humor probably wasn't fit for print, but a highlight that was deemed okay was how Magoon and Lombardi poke fun at another housemate, senior lacrosse player Rory Doucette, about his girlfriend being abroad for the semester.
"[Lombardi and I] make fun of Rory a good deal, you could say that," Magoon said. "We all make fun of each other."
Lombardi, however, didn't want comedy to be the only focus of his impression of his roommate.
"He's more motivated than anyone on the team with how he approaches school, football, everything really," Lombardi continued. "He's a competitor and also a winner. He's successful in everything he does."
Magoon will be taking the MCATs in the spring, and if all goes according to plan, will be back in school in the fall of 2007. Magoon said he isn't sure what his plans are until then, but that he's considering his options.
He talked about his upcoming year between college and med school calmly, without the typical fervor and apprehension that seems so common of seniors who have yet to make firm plans after Tufts.
"Part of me tells me to get a job where I make a lot of money because I'm going to be in debt after grad school," Magoon said. "But I'm also thinking about other options, doing something fun. It's up in the air. I don't have any definite plans."
Magoon's responsibilities for 2005 varied.
On the field, Magoon was the unquestioned leader on defense -- not only was he the team captain and a leader in tackles, but he also would also adjust the defense, sometimes checking out of formations if he saw something on the other side of the ball he didn't like.
"He's been almost a four-year starter because he played so much as a freshman as well, and he's always meeting with [defensive coordinator John Walsh], perfecting the defense," Decembrele said. "Coach Walsh calls the defense in from the sidelines, but sometimes the offense changes quickly and Pat changes the defense."
"That's the biggest part that we're going to lose, [when] Pat will make a check and no one needs to question if it's right or wrong," Decembrele said. "If Pat said to do it, then it's right."
Away from the field, Magoon was what players expect of their team captain -- someone who not only leads by example on the field, but who encourages younger players with his demeanor off the field.
"He's approachable, not just for the older guys but for everyone," Decembrele said. "And he's a good example. He's pre-med. He gets good grades. He's knowledgeable and dedicated. That's what every player can look up to."
Lombardi agreed.
"He's definitely not the stereotypical football player, that's for sure."
