Academics push GT over Louisville, others for Fla. LB Barthiel

The first linebacker in the Class of 2021 is in for Georgia Tech. Lake Gibson (Fla.) Gavin Barthiel made his decision to commit to the Yellow Jackets on Wednesday evening.

Barthiel becomes commitment No. 15 for Coach Collins and his staff, and he chose the GT program over other offers from Louisville, Nebraska, Pitt, West Virginia, and several others.

He spent some time with JOL prior to announcing his decision, as he goes in-depth on his relationships on the staff, the timing behind his decision, how close it was between GT and Louisville, and much more.

ON THE DECISION TO PICK GT: The academics, really. A degree from there is just better in the long run. I had good connections with both coaching staffs, but the academics pushed Georgia Tech over the top. I plan to study either Mechanical Engineering or Chemical Engineering in college.

Georgia Tech was my mom's school, too. She wanted me to go there (to Georgia Tech) because of the academics. She's really happy.

THE REACTION FROM THE STAFF: Everybody was just so happy. I guess you could say he was throwing a little party over there. I told Coach Thack first, but they were all in the office, and the whole defensive staff was there. So after I told him, he had gone into his office to tell everyone else.

ON HIS RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE STAFF: I would have to say I had a pretty even relationship with both of them. I talked to Coach Thack more, so I guess if you made me pick I would say that I have a better relationship with Coach Thack.

What's crazy is that Coach Weeze (Wiesehan) told me that he was going to work on getting me offered that day when we were up there.

I've also had a relationship with Coach (Errin) Joe for a while He's actually from my area, and from the high school too.

I met him when we were on the trip to check out the school (see below) and I got his contact information and everything. That's my guy,

ON HIS FIT DEFENSIVELY: I'm going into the class as a SAM, but I have the ability to play anywhere, it just depends on how my body develops and what my frame fills out at.

LOOKING BACK AT HIS FIRST TRIP TO THE FLATS: "It was beautiful up there. It was a good campus. I like everything I remember about it there. It was almost exactly a year ago that I was there.

One of my coaches had set up this trip, and we were going on visits to so many different schools. We went to like eight schools in the summer, and it was me and 7 other teammates.

I actually wasn't originally supposed to be on the trip with them. Someone had ended up not being able to make the trip, and at the time I didn't actually have any offers. I wasn't even going to go until somebody backed out

I wasn't even being recruited by them back then when I was there, so I wasn't really paying attention to all of the details and everything that I am now. The one thing that stood out that I remember still about the trip is how hype and live the coaching staff is.

ON WHAT HE WILL BE FOCUSED ON WHEN HE RETURNS: "I hope that when I am up there that I will get to see how the players and coaches interact. See how the players actually like the campus, how they actually like the coaches, stuff like that.

THE TIMING OF THE DECISION: I was not going to commit until right before the season started.

I thought they were going to let up on the restrictions in July at the latest, but that's not going to happen. After I realized that, I started narrowing down schools, and made the decision to commit to Georgia Tech.

ENROLLING EARLY, OR NOT? I can be an early enrollee, but I haven't decided yet.