[fresnostate]

CHASON'S JOURNEY
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How did a kid from Dallas, TX end up in Fresno, CA? They call it a grey shirt. It's a story that happens often in the world of college football recruiting.

"To be honest, I didn't know anything about Fresno State." Virgil said.

Chason Virgil, a highly touted dual threat quarterback committed to Mississippi State early in the recruiting process. Virgil had planned to enroll early to get a leg up in spring practices.

Unfortunately for Virgil, Mississippi State had other plans.

"Yeah, my high school coach told me they wanted to grey shirt me," Virgil said. "That wasn't part of the plan at all. It caught me off guard because I'm graduating in two weeks and then I get told I won't get a scholarship until next semester."

Grey shirting is the process in which a player can participate with the football team, but is not given a scholarship until the following year which would mean Chason and his family would have to pay for school during the spring semester.

Chason decommitted from Mississippi State, but because it was late in the recruiting season many schools did not have scholarships available. That's when Fresno State came calling.

"We had heard of this kid decommitting and I pulled up some game tape," Coach DeRuyter said. "I saw some things I liked and said why not, lets give the family a call and see where it goes."

After getting in touch with Chason, the Fresno State staff met with the Virgil family and invited them to a campus visit. Chason loved his visit and the following day informed the coaching staff that he planned on committing to the Bulldogs.

In the end, everything seems to have worked out for Chason as he becomes the first true freshman quarterback to start the season for Fresno State.

"Best decision I could have made," Virgil said. "I'm a Bulldog. Not a Mississippi State Bulldog. I'm a Fresno State Bulldog."