It didn't take Texas LB Gahm long to know that Virginia was right for him
Dallas (TX) Highland Park linebacker Matt Gahm couldn't contain his excitement when he first started hearing from UVa this spring. And not too long after, the Lone Star State prospect was in Charlottesville seeing it all for himself.
Needless to say, choosing the Wahoos was a decision that came easily.
"I was definitely very interested in Virginia's academics from the very start," he told CavsCorner. "It's top notch, for sure. And also, then as I got to know the new coaching staff, they are just really great guys who have won a lot previously. So, that was all very appealing to me."
As he looks back on how things played out, Gahm says he's just thankful that the Hoos made contact and got the ball rolling.
"I had six other offers but I had been talking to UVa for a little while," he explained. "Coach (Jason) Beck came and saw me when we were having spring football. So that was in early May when he came to see me practice. And he's been talking to me ever since.
"Coach Beck told me right away that they wanted me to come out to camp there and then take a visit," Gahm added, "so I planned to attend the camp and do a one-day visit the day after."
Considering how much faith he had in both the school and the coaching staff, everything he heard from UVa "intrigued" him, which made the camp experience and visit all the more impactful.
The 6-foot-3, 223-pound linebacker arrived late on Thursday (June 17) and took a visit to Richmond early the next morning before attending the camp at UVa on Friday night.
"Once I got to the camp, the coaches told me they wanted me to go work with the middle linebackers at first," he said, "and then they had me move over to the outside linebackers too because they wanted me to work out there as well. So I got to work with both Coach (Kelly) Poppinga with the outside backers and also with Coach (Shane) Hunter, who works with the middle linebackers.
"They said after the camp that they were very impressed with my performance," he added, :and that they liked the way I could move and how fast I was for my size. They liked the way I moved during drills and all that. I did well in pass rush, too."
The following morning, he and his father began the visit portion of the trip and got a chance to see and hear more about the school itself.
"They took us around Grounds and showed me all of the buildings and showed me all of the facilities," Gahm said. "I got to hang around the staff and sit down with Coach (Bronco) Mendenhall. It was just a great experience, being offered there by Coach Mendenhall. I got a chance to know the staff so much better."
All along, Gahm had wanted to go home and talk to his entire family about his decision. But he says he "indicated" to the staff that good news might be coming because he was close to a decision.
"He said they were very, very, very interested in having me," Gahm recalled, "and Coach Poppinga had messaged me hoping he was going to get a call."
And that's what happened that Monday, as Gahm got the green light from his entire family and then picked up the phone.
"I texted Coach Poppinga that I wanted to give him a call so we did that and then he told me I needed to call Coach Mendenhall and when I did, I told him that I wanted to commit to UVa and he was extremely excited," he said. "Coach Poppinga was so excited to get his first linebacker commit and I was just ecstatic because I was so excited about the University of Virginia. With the athletics and academics combined, I was already so interested and the visit really solidified it for me.
"I got to see the stadium and facilities and meet some of the players and talk to them about what their experience has been like," he added. "And really, it was an easy decision in the end."
If you're wondering why he was so under the radar, Gahm has an answer.
"I did not attend any Rivals camps or ESPN Opening camps or anything," he said. "That just didn't work out in my timeline. So, that kind of explains me being a little under the radar a little bit.
"Also, you can see most of my film is at defensive end but that was sort of an accident," Gahm added. "I was the starting outside linebacker but we had some injuries on the defensive line so I got moved there three days before our first game last season. So the first time I ever was in a defensive line stance was right before our first game. I'll be playing linebacker this coming year and I know at UVa they see more as an outside backer but I could play any of the four positions."
Aside from being under the radar, Gahm is a Texas native. And it's understandable to wonder what could happen if he has a big senior season and local schools come calling. True to form, he's already thought about that, too.
"Coach Mendenhall really stressed that once you make a commitment, it should be final and I've always thought that my word is my bond," he said. "I don't want to ever go back on that. It doesn't matter who offers me now. I'm sticking with my commitment to UVa."
The biggest benefit to having his commitment out of the way? All of the uncertainty is off the table. Now, he can focus on what's ahead.
"It's really great to have this decision out of the way and know I'll be at the University of Virginia," he said. "It's awesome to know I won't have to do any more camps this summer and now I can get to know the other commits and focus on my senior season. I know I'll get an incredible education while playing great football at the same time for a great coaching staff."