B.A. Linebacker Zach Marcheselli Commits to TCU
By MIKE MOGUIN
GTR Sports Writer
HEADED TO FROG LAND: Zach Marcheselli, a Broken Arrow linebacker, has committed to TCU.
Courtesy Broken Arrow High School Athletics
The Texas Christian University football program will benefit with Oklahoma talent next year when Zach Marcheselli joins it ranks.
Marcheselli, who will be a senior linebacker for Broken Arrow this fall, verbally committed to the Horned Frogs early last month. He visited other schools, but was it for him.
“I went down and talked with the coaches,” Marcheselli says. “I got to know them well. I talked to the strength and conditioning coach. We had really good chemistry. They have a good football team down there and they have some linebackers graduating, so I feel like I’d be able to get into a role and get some playing time early there. And, it’s a great place (Ft. Worth) to live.”
You can’t see it if you’re watching the Frogs on TV, but coach Gary Patterson and his staff have a lot of personality, Marcheselli says.
“They’re cool guys and they’ve been there a long time,” he says. “They’re very established there. They’ve had a lot of success.”
Marcheselli chose over Nebraska, Mizzou, Arkansas, Texas Tech, Kansas State, North Texas, Air Force, Colorado State and Colorado. Some verbal commits often flip their decision to another school, but Marcheselli, slated to be a third-year starter for the Tigers, says he intends to stick to his commitment. He also says he’ll definitely be looking forward to trips to Norman and Stillwater when Frogs meets OU and .
For now, this future Frog is preparing to make an impact for the Broken Arrow defense for the 2018 season.
As a linebacker, Marcheselli likes that his position allows him to always be in the action. Being with teammates is what he likes about the game of football.
“I like putting in all the hard work and everything for the team; we are like family,” he says.
Broken Arrow finished the 2017 campaign at 7-5 and was a state semifinalist. The Tigers are hoping to better that this year.
“I definitely expect us to have a breakout year,” Marcheselli says. “We have a lot of talent, lot of D-I athletes, a lot of good leaders on our team, and we have Coach A (head coach David Alexander) leading us. I feel good about us.
Marcheselli knows he and his teammates are blessed with Alexander as head coach who is a BA alum and who had standout careers with the University of Tulsa and the ’s Philadelphia Eagles.
“It’s awesome to have a coach that has been in the . He’s not only seen a lot at the college level but also a lot at the level. It helps the team a lot,” he says.
One key for Broken Arrow to break out will be based on how the Tigers fare in the early going, such as during the opener against Union on Aug. 24.
“They’re a pretty big rival,” Marcheselli says. “They always seem to be a big rivalry for us every year. We definitely have a chip on our shoulder, and we want to come out and beat them.”
The Tigers only have one win against the Redskins since 1990 and lost 26-13 in last year’s season before a national audience on and 21-0 in the Class 6A Division I semifinals.
Marcheselli also wrestles and is a three-time state champion. He won the Class 6A 220-pound title in February and hopes for a fourth this winter.
“I like wrestling a lot. It’s definitely a good accomplishment,” he says.
And he recognizes the skills one gets from one sport that is beneficial in the other.
“I’d say a lot of the strengths you get from football transfers over into wrestling,” Marcheselli says. “And then for wrestling to football. I can take down someone from anywhere in wrestling and it helps me in tackling in football.”
Updated 07-24-2018
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