Chubba Purdy, a four-star quarterback in the class of 2020 at Perry High School in Gilbert, Ariz., made his commitment to the University of Louisville on Friday. He received 16 scholarship offers in all, but chose the Cardinals over other quality programs like Michigan State, Kansas State and Central Florida.
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“First I would like to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for so many Wonderful opportunities,” Purdy said on his Twitter page after his commitment.
https://twitter.com/chubbapurdy/status/1142149081604603904
Purdy’s Instagram and Twitter bios both say “God is Good.”
Purdy’s father, Shawn Purdy, recently appeared on the Sports Spectrum Podcast to talk about his faith, his three children, and his own eight-year career in baseball’s minor leagues. Shawn said that when Chubba was 8 or 9 years old, his son came to him in tears with a desire to commit his life to Christ.
“Something grabbed a hold of Chubba and he said, ‘Hey, I’m ready to do this. I understand this,” Shawn said.
Within a matter of weeks, Chubba had influenced his older siblings, Whitney and Brock, to do the same. Shawn baptized each of them.
“More than any sports or anything,” Shawn said on the podcast, “their walk with Christ is what I’m most proud of.”
Chubba wasn’t the only one in the family to receive his father’s athletic genes. Currently, Whitney is a softball shortstop at Southeastern University while Brock plays quarterback at Iowa State and was the 2018 Big 12 True-Freshman of the Year.
https://twitter.com/brockpurdy13/status/1142153898515456000
Chubba, whose real name is Preston, was given his memorable nickname when he weighed more than 30 pounds as a 1-year-old. In fact, his father said he won’t answer to “Preston” now, and he hopes to change his legal name to “Chubba.”
Chubba’s name is certainly unique, and when he suits up for Louisville in a little over a year, he will have the opportunity to prove that his game is unique as well. He isn’t simply Brock’s little brother.
According to ESPN, Chubba is the fifth-best pocket passer in the class of 2020, and the sixth-best player at any position in his class in the state of Arizona. With recruiting distractions now out of the way, Chubba is free to focus on improving his game and preparing himself to join the Louisville football program.
The Cardinals are expected to have four other quarterbacks on the roster when Chubba arrives. Still, he hopes his mobility, as well as his competitive spirit and leadership qualities, will set him apart.
You can listen to the entire interview with Shawn Purdy below:
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