In depth with Michael Dare

Signing Day was a big one for high school prospects all over the country, but it was also a big day for one of the current commits to Rutgers' class of 2015. Elmwood Park quarterback Michael Dare finally announced his commitment to Rutgers last week after many months of silence.

Dare committed back during Rutgers' summer camp last June, but things remained hushed over the last seven months.

"It was real tough to wait," Dare said. "The only people I really talked to about was my family and close friends really. It was so hard. I had some guy mention to me that he knew but nobody ever blew my cover."

The 6-foot-5, 185-pound Dare started to see his football career blossom over the last couple of years, but it was not always his primary sport.

"I started in Pop Warner but my last year I actually played wide receiver because baseball was my main sport. I went around the state and all that for baseball," Dare said. "Then I moved to quarterback my freshman year. I was working hard and the starting quarterback actually sprained his ankle so I started the first game and I did good. Ever since then I have been in. I just have a passion for football."

Dare showed off excellent mechanics at the RU camp last June and drew a crowd of spectators as he fired one perfect pass after the next. He admitted that he was helped by some coaching along the way to that fated day when he received a Rutgers offer.

"My freshman year, I had a good quarterback coach. He played wide receiver in college. He left after my freshman year and then I went to the Rutgers camp before my sophomore year. And this past year, I went to camps at Rutgers, Monmouth, Syracuse and I went to the FBU camp."

A strong performance at that FBU camp earned Dare some press clippings.

"They wrote an article on me after that and kept on saying I was under the radar," Dare said. "And soon my cover was going to be blow and I wasn't going to be under the radar. I barely talked to any coaches during my high school career."

Dare has also had the advantage of working with a former Rutgers quarterback.

"This past year, one of my dad's friends was able to get me working with Mike Teel a lot," Dare said. "He really helped me out with my footwork and all that."

Dare is listed as a pro-style quarterback but admitted that he will not hesitate to tuck away the football and run with it.

"My sophomore year, I didn't really run. But this past year, if I had to run, I ran. If I can't find anyone open and I have a couple of yards to gain, I'll get those yards and take a couple of hits. As a quarterback if I need to run in a certain situation, I will."

Being one of the first commits to RU's class of 2015 and playing the ever-important role of quarterback, Dare now has plans to get other prospects involved in the recruiting process.

"I am more of a behind-the-scenes, laid back kind of guy. But now I have to change my ways and try to be that person that hits up other guys and try to get them to come into the class. I am going to be that kind of guy and make myself that kind of guy to hit recruits up and get them to join the 2015 class at RU."