Aurora (Ill.) West Aurora junior quarterback recruit Mason Atkins (6-foot-3, 190 pounds) late last week decided to wrap up his recruiting process and gave Ball State University his verbal commitment. Atkins discusses his commitment decision in this latest breaking recruiting news.
"I've been able to build up a really strong relationship and a connection with the Ball State coaches and it was time for me to make my decision," Atkins said. "Ball State made me feel wanted and it's a place where I feel I can succeed so I gave them my commitment ."
Atkins pointed towards a few key factors in his commitment to the Ball State Cardinals.
"The relationship I have with Ball State coaches including the head coach (Mike Uremovich) along with offensive coordinator (Craig Harmon) and the overall connection we have was really an important factor in my decision. The Ball State staff really believe in me. Ball State just always made me feel like I was a priority for them. I have had so many great talks and great conversations with those coaches already and I'm just very comfortable with them. The entire Ball State staff and the team just has a great energy and when I visited for the spring game at Ball State it all just came together for me. I was loving everything about the school and the football program and I knew after that visit I was ready."
So which other schools did Atkins consider before committing to Ball State?
"Iowa was a school that early on seemed to be pretty interested in me, but they wanted to wait on offering me and wanted to see me in a camp this summer. I also looked into several other MAC (Mid American Conference) schools like NIU and also Buffalo. In the end I just felt like I was ready to make my decision and why wait on other schools to offer me. I also did not want to wait and pass up a great opportunity waiting for me at Ball State. A lot of schools at all levels wanted to see mew in camps this summer but I was ready to make my decision and didn't want to wait any longer."
With his college decision behind him. Atkins can now focus on his summer and gearing up for the 2025 season without having to focus on recruiting.
"It feels good to have made my decision. I can just go out and focus on my team and focus on my senior season. I would say the hardest part of the process for me was just how wild it can get with quarterback recruiting. Offers seem to get picked up really fast and it's always changing. Just the overall timing with recruiting really is important and it worked out for me in the end."
Mason Atkins is verbally committed to Ball State University.
