Coming out of high school, E.J. Scott received “a boatload” of Division I football offers that he narrowed down to two options.

Virginia was No. 1 on his list. Wake Forest was No. 2.

UVA was closer. His family lived around there. His sister also attended college locally at Old Dominion. In theory, it was the obvious fit. 

“The triangle family aspect of it was perfect,” said Kevin McFadden, his high school assistant coach, of Scott’s reasoning for choosing Virginia. “For his mom and his dad to get to him, and then to get to his sister and get back home.”

But after catching just 32 passes in his first four years with the Cavaliers, Scott transferred to Wake Forest and is now second on the team with 267 receiving yards and first with four touchdown catches.

And Scott — who McFadden calls a “possession receiver” and a “first-down guy” — will be a big part of Wake Forest’s (2-4, 0-2 Atlantic Coast) game plan as it looks to compensate for a weak running game against Syracuse (2-4, 0-2) at noon on Saturday.

“It was an opportunity to get on the field, to play,” Scott said. “… The past is the past.”

Scott fills a void left by former Wake Forest wide receiver Michael Campanaro, who now plays for the Baltimore Ravens. Those two, along with current WFU cornerback Kevin Johnson, were all best friends growing up in Maryland.

Johnson said he was disappointed when Scott decided against the Demon Deacons four years ago and when Wake Forest had a hole coming into this season, Johnson reached out to him.

Then the Demon Deacons took him on a whim. Wake Forest head coach Dave Clawson reached out to a coaching friend of his at Virginia and only then was Scott offered a walk-on spot at WFU.

But Scott has since been put on scholarship and that decision is one that he’s justified with his play.

“He’s been a godsend for us,” Clawson said during the Sept. 10 ACC coaches’ teleconference. “We are very, very fortunate that he made the decision to come here and he’s been productive for us

“… He is the same person every day out there and with where we are in the program, how young we are, we need people like that to kind of show the way.”

There was no learning curve with the new playbook, Scott said, since everyone had to adjust with Clawson in his first season this year. So instead of playing catch-up, he’s leading the charge.

Scott said he didn’t want to look back at his lack of playing time at Virginia. All he wants to do is work on adjusting to an offense that’s currently in flux.

Virginia head coach Mike London didn’t talk much about Scott when asked on the ACC coaches’ teleconference on Wednesday and didn’t play him much in four seasons.

London said he hasn’t kept in contact and is not focused on Scott’s current season. He wished him well, though, in “whatever he’s doing.”

And in just six games with his new team, Scott has proven that he’s worth a shot.

“I enjoy playing this sport and have success doing it,” Scott said. “I’m just trying to make the most of my opportunities.”

Published on October 16, 2014 at 12:05 am

Contact Sam: sblum@syr.edu | @SamBlum3