MOULTRIE – While others didn’t, Colquitt County High football tight end Carter Boatwright stuck with his summertime commitment to Florida State University when the Seminole program announced a coaching change before the 2019 season ended.

It was less than two weeks ago, after the University of Memphis won the American Athletic Conference championship game, that Tigers head coach Mike Norvell accepted the head coach’s job in Tallahassee, Fla., replacing Willie Taggart. Boatwright, last week, met the new Seminoles boss for the first time, and they will be seeing a lot more of each other in the weeks and months to come as the senior Packer signed his national letter-of-intent Wednesday, the first day of the early football signing period.

Colquitt County head coach Justin Rogers added that, in fact, Boatwright will be the first Packer football player to be an early enrollee. So come January, it’s all about the Garnett and Gold as Boatwright joins his former teammate, kicker Ryan Fitzgerald, and former rival, Valdosta High quarterback Tate Rodemaker, in looking to bring FSU football back to the days of glory in the Atlantic Coast Conference once enjoyed under legendary coach Bobby Bowden.

“Went there last weekend and met him for the first time,” said Boatwright about Norvell and the visit he and others like Rodemaker made. “He’s a real good dude, a real good coach. I’m ready to get down there and get it on. He uses the tight end a lot in the offense he’s bringing to Florida State, him and the (offensive coordinator Kenny) Dillingham.”

Boatwright’s 2019 was a tough senior season for Colquitt County High as he missed a few games due to injury. One of those was the wild shootout with Rodemaker and the Valdosta Wildcats, who won 50-49 at Bazemore-Hyder Stadium.

“I had a concussion and some ankle problems,” he said. In all, Boatwright made 10 catches and scored one touchdown. “I’m good now.”

“What you see is what you get,” said Rogers among the many comments he made about Boatwright, both as a player and as a person. Rogers even said he would be pleased to see if his own son grow up to be like Boatwright.

“It’s definitely a blessing,” said Boatwright about his early enrolling. “To be able to go through spring (practice), that’s a big deal. Just excited to get down there in January. Some of my buddies are going there too. We’re ready to get to work.

“Obviously winning (is a big goal), getting back to where they were. Obviously I want to play early. I am going to go there with the mindset to work hard every day, try make it to where I can get on the field as early as possible. And stay healthy.”

In school Boatwright is looking at studying business. He also knows that going to Florida State is a path several before him took to the National Football League. One of those would be ex-Packer lineman Cameron Erving, a former first round draft pick now playing for the playoff bound Kansas City Chiefs.

“I try to be the best person I can be on and off the field,” said Boatwright, the son of Lora and Michael Boatwright. “Try to keep my responsibilities in order. Not only do I want to be good on the field, I want to be good off the field. Try to be nice to everybody.

“You’re going somewhere like Florida State, (the NFL) is obviously a dream. Just got to work hard to get there. Maybe.”