By Gene Galin
Pittsboro, NC – In a major development for University of North Carolina (UNC) football, highly-touted 4-star recruit Gus Ritchey has officially committed to the Tar Heels. After the commitment, Tar Heel Illustrated publisher Andrew Jones and Director of Football Recruiting Deana King discussed what this means for UNC Coach Mack Brown’s program.
Gus Ritchey, a 6-foot-2 defensive end weighing 226 pounds, is ranked as the number seven overall prospect in the state of North Carolina and number 19 nationally at his position. He chose North Carolina over several other notable programs, including Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, Oregon, Texas A&M, Miami, and many regional schools.
Dina King highlights that she had been tracking Gus Ritchey for a long time and always believed he would end up as a Tar Heel. Despite not having an offer initially, Ritchey consistently attended UNC football games and events, which indicated his strong interest in playing for the team. His commitment came as no surprise to Dina, who sees him as a versatile athlete that could potentially play on the defensive side as a defensive end or even as a tight end, as other schools had recruited him for that position.
The hosts also reminisce about their past discussions on Ritchey during the NCAA tournament, where they had talked about him becoming a Tar Heel in the future. His strong desire to attend UNC became evident when he received the offer from Coach Brown, and his excitement was palpable.
Gus Ritchey’s commitment is viewed as a significant addition to the Tar Heels’ class of 2025, along with Bryce Baker, the in-state quarterback. The hosts also mention that UNC is putting a strong focus on the class of 2025 recruiting early on.
Throughout the discussion, it is emphasized that Ritchey’s commitment represents a player who embodies the type of character and talent that Coach Brown wants in his team. He is described as outspoken, friendly, and willing to do interviews. Ritchey’s passion for playing at UNC makes him a promising addition to the football program.
Gus Ritchey’s commitment to the North Carolina Tar Heels is seen as a positive development for the program, and Andrew and Deana believe that the team’s recruiting efforts for the class of 2025 are off to a strong start. Andrews finished up the video conversation with a plug to join the Tar Heel Insider community for in-depth and up-to-date coverage of UNC sports and recruiting.
You can view the discussion between Andrew and Deana on YouTube.
00:03 Gus Ritchie, a four-star defensive end from Northwood High School, has committed to play for the Tar Heels.
He is listed at 6 foot 2 and 226 pounds, though he is still growing.
He is ranked as the number 7 overall prospect in North Carolina and number 19 nationally at his position.
He chose North Carolina over offers from Georgia, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, Oregon, Texas A&M, Miami, and several others.
01:15 Gus Ritchie announces commitment to UNC Tar Heels
Gus Richie consistently attended UNC games and finally received an offer from Coach Brown.
Richie is known to be one of the most frequent visitors to UNC and is a versatile athlete.
02:42 Gus is confident in his ability to play football and basketball.
He is being recruited by several schools as a tight end.
He was a teammate to Drake Powell in basketball and Northwood had a successful team.
Gus is outspoken, friendly, and a good fit for Coach Brown’s vision.
Andrew plans to watch a game at Northwood and see Drake Powell in action.
04:01 Gus Ritchey caught attention during the NCAA tournament.
Gus Ritchey’s introduction piece in Edmond was discussed during the tournament.
The memory of that conversation in Philadelphia always comes to mind.
04:57 Carolina was the desired destination for the recruit.
The recruit had been to Carolina multiple times.
The offer from Carolina made the recruit very excited.
06:00 Dream school and great relationship with coaches.
The speaker’s dream school is Carolina.
He has built a strong relationship with the coaching staff, including Coach Brown and Coach Chizett.
07:18 Gus Ritchey is the second commit for the class of 2025
Gus Ritchey is a four-star defensive end
Gus Ritchey is from Northwood High School in Pittsboro
He is the number seven overall prospect in North Carolina
He is the number 19 prospect nationally in his position
Gus Ritchey is the second commit for the class of 2025, joining quarterback Bryce Baker
The coaching staff is focused on getting early commitments for the 2025 class
08:24 Tarheel illustrated.com provides updates on in-state recruiting for the 2025 team
Bryce Baker is ranked number three in the state
There will be a discussion on the class of 2025 in 10 days