George MacIntyre looks to fill the shoes of his legendary grandfather
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. (BVM) — Football families are prevalent throughout the southeast, but not many can match the resume of the MacIntyre family.
Their family tree has produced five players/coaches at the Division I level.
The most famous member of the family is George MacIntyre, one of the greatest Vanderbilt football coaches of all time.
Coach MacIntyre was at the helm of the Commodores from 1979 through 1985, notably remembered for the 1982 team. Vanderbilt would finish 8-4 that year, ending the season on a five game win streak.
Coach MacIntyre would win the Sporting News and SEC Coach of the Year in that season.
For many Vanderbilt fans who watched that team, it was some of the best football they鈥檝e seen played at Vanderbilt Stadium (formerly known as Dudley Field).
That is why a lot of Commodore fans have to do a double take when they hear about one of the rising football prospects in the Nashville area.
That recruit is George MacIntyre, named after his legendary grandfather.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of Vanderbilt fans around here,鈥� the younger MacIntyre said. 鈥淓very now and again, I鈥檒l get stopped and I鈥檒l hear a cool story about my name. They just tell me that I have big shoes to fill and to stay on the right track.鈥�
His grandfather passed away in 2016 when he was young, but he was still able to make lasting memories with him.
鈥淚鈥檇 go over there on Saturdays and watch college football with him all day long,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 something that will be with me forever.鈥�
Now a high school freshman at Brentwood Academy, MacIntyre is emerging as a very intriguing college football quarterback recruit.
Already 6-foot-5, MacIntyre possesses a unique touch on the football for someone his age.
This has gotten the attention of many Division I schools, including the University of Pittsburgh. The Panthers decided to go ahead and offer him a scholarship on March 1.
Honored and truly blessed to have received my first Division One offer from 馃挋 鉁濓笍 2 Corinthians 5-7
— George MacIntyre (@GeorgeMacIntyr6)
鈥淚t was really unexpected,鈥� MacIntyre said. 鈥淚t really came as a surprise to me. Just a great feeling though.鈥�
After receiving the offer, his first call was to his uncle, Mike MacIntyre, the head coach at Florida International University and a former Commodore player himself.
With George鈥檚 family history, he doesn鈥檛 get the shell shock that most prospects get while going through the recruiting process.聽
鈥淚鈥檝e already gotten to know how college football works and how intense it is,鈥� George said. 鈥淚 just grew up around it because of them.鈥�
With his name being so tightly knit to the Vanderbilt program, the opportunity of suiting up for the black and gold is something George would strongly consider.
鈥淚 would love to play for the hometown team,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ith their excellence in the classroom and on the football field, I鈥檇 love to. That would be cool.鈥�
Picking a school may not be the only decision that George has to make, as he has also emerged as a star on the Bears鈥� basketball team, leading his school to a 29-1 record on the hardwood.
鈥淏asketball was really my first love,鈥� George said. 鈥淣ow they鈥檙e about the same. I don鈥檛 know, we鈥檒l see where recruiting goes.鈥�
Regardless of what he plays collegiately, George wants to win a state championship in both sports before he leaves Brentwood Academy.
