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On April 2, 2013 Brandon Ginnetti threw a perfect game for Hamden Hall Country Day School in Hamden, Connecticut. With a fastball that routinely reached mid-80, and even 90 miles per hour when he’d reach back for a little extra, Ginnetti was a top pitching prospect in Connecticut.
Flash forward to June 18, 2014, the date Ginnetti committed to Syracuse University’s football program as a defensive end. He certainly excelled at baseball, but a lot has changed since his no-hitter, and now Ginnetti thinks playing college football exclusively is his best option:
“As I got older I realized football was more the ticket for college that would be the better opportunity for me to be successful.”
Despite having an excellent relationship with baseball coach Dante Palazzo, Ginnetti’s high school football coach Joe Linta strongly influenced the defensive end to choose the college football path.
“[Linta’s] helped me a lot. He told me that football would be my sport and I listened to him and I started really taking football more seriously and that’s when really all the offers started coming in. He’s helped me get my name out there. He’s helped me send my film. He’s done a lot.”
It’s easy to see why Ginnetti followed the advice of his coach. In addition to play-calling at Hamden Hall Country Day, Linta is an NFL agent. He represents Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco as well as former Syracuse linebacker Marquise Spruill and many other players. The man knows football and thinks Ginnetti has what it takes to make it in the ACC.
Not everyone was as sold on Ginnetti as Coach Linta, however. Scout and Rivals did not rate Ginnetti at the time of his commitment—to which the Hamden Hall senior replies:
“I use that as fuel to make me work harder and be even better.”
Listen to his entire interview here.
