Even after seven college seasons Austin Rosa still has an unrelenting thirst for football

You’d think six years of college football would be enough for anyone.

Austin Rosa thought so, too.

He made a successful transition to Virginia Tech last season after five years at Rutgers. He played special teams, loved every minute of it and — despite the dark cloud of COVID-19 that hung over the sport — managed to play in each of the Hokies’ 11 games.

“It felt like the end of the road,” said the former All-State defensive end from Wilson of his sixth season.

He spent the 2021 spring semester as an intern with the Virgina Tech strength and conditioning staff and prepared for Pro Day on campus, where he worked out for NFL scouts as a long snapper. He even got a call back from the Los Angeles Rams, who were intrigued by the 5-10, 210-pounder’s unique combination of power and speed.

“Out of nowhere,” says Rosa, picking up the story, “our coaches said we’d love to have you back. You’re a great leader on and off the field. People look up to you.”

Rosa had some trying times at Rutgers. He had a pair of knee injuries as a freshman. Then a third knee injury a few seasons later. Finally, after playing his way to scholarship status, the man who granted it, head coach Chris Ash, was fired.

Rosa yearned for a fresh start, to see what the college football experience was like elsewhere. He choose Virginia Tech, where older brother Jordan had wrestled.

They love me, because I run down there with bad intentions. . . I run really fast and hit people. That’s my claim to fame.

—Austin Rosa

Austin fell in love with the environment there on visits to see Jordan; he was excited to find a niche there for himself.

“In my eyes, it was gonna be one-and-done, one last crack at college football, then hang ’em up,” he said. “At the conclusion of last season I wasn’t coming back.”

Hokies head coach Justin Fuente and his staff had other ideas. Knowing the NCAA had granted athletes an extra year of eligibility because of COVID they asked Rosa to return.

How could he say no? He was moved by the offer and totally not done with the game.

“I’m never finished,” he admitts. “I have a laundry list of things that happened at Rutgers that were not the greatest things, but they gave me knowledge to bring to this team. When they asked me to come back, it was a pretty simple decision. Here I am, Year Seven. I really enjoy it, that’s why I chose to come back.”

Rosa was a star at Wilson, where he was Defensive Lineman of the Year and Outstanding Lineman in Section 1 of the Lancaster-Lebanon League as a senior in 2014. He set the Bulldogs’ career and single-season sack records. He once returned an interception 94 yards for a touchdown.

In the District 3 Class AAAA championship win over Central Dauphin he took a fumble back 33 yards for a touchdown. The Bulldogs went 51-6 during his four years of high school.

He even earned a PIAA bronze medal as part of the Bulldogs’ 4×400 relay team.

It didn’t happen like that at Rutgers, where he entered as a preferred walk-on. He was injured and didn’t get on the field his first two seasons. After that he played only on special teams.

“I don’t have any regrets about anything,” he said. “Everything that happened with me at Rutgers is what led me to be here now. I wouldn’t ever call myself disappointed; it was all a learning experience.”

He came to Virgina Tech with a different perspective and will leave it on an upbeat note.

“The value that you bring to a team isn’t always what you do on Saturdays,” he said. “(Here at Virgina Tech), they value the leadership you have off the field. From Day 1, I’ve loved it here. It’s been the best year-and-half of my life.”

“He gets it that (he’ll) only get one chance at this (experience), and it’ll be gone forever (once he’s done),’ ” said James Shibest, the Hokies’ special teams coordinator and tight ends coach. “That’s why he came back. That feeling inside, when you’re on the field. . . you’ll never get to replace that in your life. You’ll only get one opportunity to do it.”

Rosa’s job with the Hokies is a thankless one. He sprints downfield on kickoffs and throws his body into a wall of blockers, trying to break it up so that a teammate can make a tackle.

“There’s only a few people in America that can do that,” said Shibest, who takes special pride in Virginia Tech’s coverage team, considered among the best in the nation. “You gotta be a little nuts, first of all. You’re running down full speed, and it is major collision. You’ve gotta have courage. You gotta be tough to play that (position). He’s taking it out for everybody else to make plays, and he does it with passion.”

Only Rosa’s teammates and coaches truly appreciate what he does.

“They love me, because I run down there with bad intentions,” Rosa said. “I run really fast and hit people. That’s my main claim to fame.”

Rosa does more than just bust wedges for the Hokies. He’s an elder statesman in the locker room. Young players see the sacrifices he’s made, his dedication to team, his perseverance. The value of that isn’t listed on the stat sheet, except perhaps in the wins column.

“We love him,” Shibest said. “He has been awesome. We’re so glad that he came to Virginia Tech. He’s a backup on two or three other special teams. We know he’s always ready to step in when he has to. We’re thankful to have him, let me tell you.”

People often ask Rosa why he has continued to play all these years knowing his moments on the field will be brief. He already has two degrees, including master’s completed in the spring. Why not move on to the next step?

What they don’t understand is that Austin Rosa has an undying love for the game and the college football experience.

“The grind, the offseason workouts, the training, the team coming together and building, I love all of this,” he said. “I really do enjoy everything that goes into a college football team prepping for the season and then going into the season, everything about it. I could do this forever, honestly. “