Mike Saliba to chase D-1 football dream at Arizona

With his senior football season cut short by a knee injury, Mike Saliba delayed his college decision in search of a “Division I dream school,” and the Dedham native has set out for Tucson and the University of Arizona.

Following a postgraduate year at Connecticut prep school Loomis Chaffee, Saliba will attempt to make his mark as a preferred walk-on with the Wildcats, finalizing his plans recently after the Pac-12 program extended an offer about five months ago.

Saliba, a two-way star at running back and linebacker for the Hawks and the Pelicans, had scholarship offers from lower-level programs but wanted to test himself against the college football elite.

“I have always strived to go up against the best competition,” said Saliba. “The only way you get better is if you put yourself with the best people.”

As an underclassman, Saliba was a key member of Xaverian squads that earned consecutive Div. 1 Super Bowl berths, falling to Everett each time. But his final campaign on Clapboardtree Street ended early when he suffered a torn meniscus against Brockton in the fifth game of the year.

Disappointed by recruiting interest, which was mainly coming from DII schools, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound Saliba felt that another full, healthy season to showcase his talents was the best route for his football journey and packed his bags for Windsor, Conn.

Saliba was LC’s leading rusher and leading tackler through four games when he was dealt another season-ending injury to the same meniscus, which has now been surgically removed.

Still, it was enough to leave an imprint on Pelicans coach Jeff Moore.

“He has been through a lot,” said Moore “He’s a great kid, really worked hard and very respected in our locker room. He is extremely tough, very strong and very versatile.”

Saliba took advantage of the brief time he did have on the field, moving from outside linebacker with the Hawks to inside, the position Arizona has him tabbed for, and adjusting quickly from the smash-mouth approach of the Catholic Conference to the more wide-open prep school style.

“It was definitely different,” said Saliba. “I watched some of my friends play in the ISL and it’s pretty similar. The teams don’t have as many players but there are some studs, and it’s a little faster-paced.”

The exposure provided by the Pelicans program allowed Saliba to get in front of major college coaches, including from the Wildcats, who were recruiting and eventually signed his roommate and good friend, defensive end Paris Shand.

Having made an impression, Arizona invited him to join the program as a PWO. As Saliba considered his options, he determined that the school was the right fit. With his acceptance to the school and financial aid details now completed — a challenging undertaking during the pandemic — he is off to the desert.

“He is definitely going to have to grind, but it’s very realistic that he could get on special teams as a freshman and sophomore, and if he keeps progressing he has a shot to play defense,” said Moore. “If he can stay healthy, the sky is the limit.”

While the state of Arizona is currently a COVID-19 hot spot, UA is welcoming students back to campus for fall classes and the football program will take part in the Pac-12’s 10-game conference-only schedule, opening at home against rival Arizona State on Sept. 26.

Saliba said that incoming team members have already participated in meetings with doctors outlining the protocols and safety measures needed to combat the virus and stressing personal responsibility for all involved.

“We realize that everyone has to do their part if we want to have a season,” said Saliba.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/3i2i8FZ