McGowans intensity, seismic hits are tickets to DI

Terrell McGowan doesn't do small talk. Ever. It's not that he's a malcontent; it's not that he's a recluse. It's just that words don't mean much – he can say more with his actions.

Terrell McGowan is the kind of person who can shut a room up with one look. He's the kind of person who commands respect without saying a word. He's the perfect linebacker for Potomac High School.

"He's very intense, almost Spartan-esque," said Potomac coach Chris Davidson. "He just does… and he expects others to do."

The quiet, lead-by-example type is a cliché, but in McGowan's case it's actually true. When he's on the field, he doesn't pound guys on the helmet or pump his fists after a big sack. He merely dominates – and that is all.

"I keep to myself a lot, but when I'm on the field I do yell out signals," McGowan allowed. "The defense relies on me. I have to keep everyone disciplined. It's up to me to call out the right defense and the right formations."

Davidson put it in even simpler terms:

"He makes our defense go."

Potomac was struggling early against Fairmont Heights in the second game last season. It was a hot day, and the players were lackadaisical. McGowan, true to form, never said one negative word. He took it upon himself to turn the game around.

"I had my biggest hit of the year in that game," McGowan said. "On one play I sacked the quarterback and he didn't know what hit him. It was a game-changer."

McGowan was just getting started. He sacked the quarterback two more times and led the team in tackles.

"He lit our fire and made play after play after play," Davidson said. "After that we knew he was going to man in the middle for us. He was going to be our leader."

McGowan is technically an inside linebacker, which usually entails signal calling, pass coverage and run pursuit. While Potomac still expects him to do those things, they give him free reign to rush the quarterback. Last year he tallied 18 sacks to go along with his 110 tackles. He recorded double-digit sack totals in seven of Potomac's 10 games.

"I don't do any soft hitting; it's all hard," said McGowan, who models his game after Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman. "I take pride when I hit people."

McGowan's hits have been compared to a seismic boom. There was one play last year when the quarterback set up a screen pass to his running back. Just as the running back caught the ball, McGowan flew in and planted him face down in the turf. Needless to say, he's not a wrap-up tackler or the type of defender who goes for a running back's knees and ankles. He makes opponents remember the hit.

"When he gets within a foot of somebody he explodes through them," Davidson said. "He never gets driven backwards. When he hits you, you're going to go down."

McGowan's ferocious hits belie his physical stature. At 6-feet-2 and only 190 pounds, he doesn't exactly evoke images of a 260-pound Ray Lewis coming at you. That's fine. McGowan would rather be underestimated. It makes the seismic boom all the more satisfying.

The problem is that opponents aren't the only ones being fooled by McGowan's thin frame. Scouts want him to add more bulk before they start making any serious offers. Fortunately for McGowan, he does have a thick build and could easily add another 40 to 50 pounds of muscle.

His speed could also be a liability. A 4.7 40-yard dash just won't entice recruiters. That's why he's lifting weights to add more muscle and working with a personal trainer in order to improve his acceleration. He'll need all the help and extra work he can get if he has any shot at attending his dream school – LSU.

"That's the school I really want to go to," McGowan said.

But so far, only lower-level Division I schools like Connecticut, Akron and Temple have shown interest (although McGowan did say Boston College and Michigan State are semi-intrigued).

"The frustrating part about recruiting is you have to attain certain numbers," said Davidson, referring to 40 times and bench presses. "He needs to wow people at these camps and combines, and that will be the turning point in the recruiting process."

Regardless of where McGowan goes to college, his next coach will undoubtedly try and tap into McGowan's pent-up anger. He already unleashes some of that on quarterbacks, but Davidson has a feeling McGowan hasn't shown half of what he's capable of.

"It's a little unnerving, because we're just waiting for him to explode. And when he does, guys are going to say, Holy Crap," Davidson said. "Someday, someone is going to touch some nerve and they're going to really get it. "

Davidson paused to envision the moment.

"Oh yeah … they are going to get it."