Skov: I just want to hit somebody

Owen Marecic has earned near mythical status on the Stanford football team, and as fans look to 2011 the question remains - who will replace the four-year starter at fullback.

With options available, but no true fullback on scholarship, the Cardinal coaches have turned up interest in a player with ties to the Cardinal program.

Fullback/linebacker Patrick Skov, is the younger brother of Shanye Skov, and just like his brother is playing his high school football at an East Coast prep school.

Patrick is at Lawrenceville Prep, in Lawrenceville, NJ and his recruitment has begun to accelerate as schools across the nation are seeing his senior film.

"Cal, USC and Stanford are all looking at me as a fullback," Skov said. "Rutgers, Boston College, Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Duke, UVA are interested in terms of me being a linebacker.

"I've talked to a lot of the Ivy's. Villanova and William & Mary have offered. My coach is getting more and more calls every week."

After a solid summer of camps and working out Skov has been putting on tape the type of play that has coaches interested.

"I've been in contact with a lot of them since the end of my junior season, but things are starting to heat up now," Skov said. "I got the chance to send out my senior tape and a lot of coaches are now interested. Hopefully it continues to go well."

While being recruited on both sides of the ball, Skov has no preference where he plays, and will remind Cardinal fans of Mr. Marecic with his answer.

"I just want to play football and hit somebody," Skov said. "I can do that from either position. Playing football is playing football, and I think I can do either well."

When prodded to give a self-evaluation Skov was honest.

"I think I am aggressive in my mentality," Skov said "I am strong. I feel I am surprisingly athletic for my size. I need to work defensively on being a little less aggressive, stay within my assignment. And as a runner I need to learn to be patient and let the blocking develop a little better."

His ball-catching skills was one area Patrick worked on over the summer.

"I worked a lot over the summer on pass-catching and route running, I don't want to the a conventional-type fullback," Skov said. "If I do go to a school to play fullback I want to be able to be versatile."

Skov knows the pool of schools using a true fullback is shallow, limiting his scholarship chances for that position.

"I think most schools don't even use a fullback, that is kind of the way offenses have changed," Skov said. "Most use what they call a tight end/H-back, so many schools are not looking for a true fullback. But Cal, Stanford and USC are among the few who still use a true fullback the majority of the time in their formations and that is driving their interest."

Playing football back east, Skov still calls the Bay Area home.

"I will go to the school wherever I fit in best at," Skov said. "Of course, will coming back West have an effect? Maybe a little bit, but if it is the right fit I am not opposed to staying East, or going wherever.

"Is playing on the West coast better, yeah probably but if its not the right fit I am not going to force going home."

Skov is excited about the direction of the Lawrenceville program.

"We are 2-2 this season, and we have struggled the past two seasons. We played Hun last week, and they are a powerhouse school around here, they are top ranked and undefeated. We battled and took them to overtime. It was a frustrating loss but we stood strong. You can tell the attitude around here is changing, and hopefully we can run the table and win out."

Should the Cardinal offer a scholarship Patrick would welcome the chance to play with his brother, but he realizes that chance my not work out as best for him.

"I am close with my brother and it would be great to play with him," Patrick said. "I really like the environment at Stanford, it is a great academic situation. Growing up my dad has always emphasized academics on our whole family, so we all understand the importance of that. And Stanford is home for us and it would be a blast.

"So, of course I would love to go there if it works out that way, but I just have to keep my eyes open and see what happens."

One thing that does excite Skov is the chance to play in the Stanford offense, and playing the role Marecic does.

"Talking to coach Harbaugh, he loves having a fullback," Skov said. "And he has shown he will use the fullback in a lot of ways. If he has a fullback that can catch, he is not afraid to put him out there and throw the ball to him.

"So that is something that is attractive to me, going to an offense that will use the fullback in any way to help the team win."

When asked to look into a crystal ball; a charging fullback, Patrick Skov heading to the goalline with one player in his way, linebacker Shayne Skov. What outcome does Patrick see?

"Shayne's going to be on his back," Patrick laughed.