A former member of the now-extinct Penn men’s basketball Class of 2013 has found a new home on 33rd Street.
Tommy Eggleston, brother of senior forward Jack, has begun the process of walking onto the football team.
According to Eggleston, the football coaches asked his roommate, redshirt freshman quarterback Ryan Becker, if Eggleston was interested in playing at Franklin Field.
The discussion — or at least interest — began when the sophomore was cut from the basketball roster at the end of preseason.
While Eggleston has not played competitive football since high school, he was recruited by Penn in both sports.
The football program declined to comment on the matter because “it is too early in the process to evaluate any walk-ons,” according to Penn Athletics spokesman Eric Dolan.
Though it may be early — spring football doesn’t begin until March — Eggleston began working out with the team Thursday.
He also met with head coach Al Bagnoli, and then with assistant coaches Steven Downs and Jim Schaefer.
“I’m going to be fully into all the offseason workouts,” Eggleston said. “[The coaches are] going to work on putting me on the roster and getting me a locker … and all the equipment that I need.”
While Eggleston played both safety and wide receiver on Heritage Christian’s Indiana State-Champion team, he will likely play strictly wide receiver for the Quakers this fall.
“I didn’t make the right decision [on which sport to play] coming out of high school,” he said. “But I think I thrive more on the actual competing than I do one sport or another.”
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