Mars’ Michael Carmody making a name for himself in football, basketball

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, January 19, 2018 | 4:09 PM

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Michael Carmody is known as Robby's little brother, but the Mars sophomore is anything but little.

And football coaches have noticed.

Carmody, who's 6-foot-6 and 255 pounds, plays basketball and football for the Planets. He was a two-way tight end/defensive end in the fall, and now starts alongside brother Robby on the school's basketball team that's ranked No. 1 in WPIAL Class 5A.

His two sports collided Thursday. It was during basketball practice that Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi visited and offered Carmody a football scholarship.

“I was just so happy,” Carmody said, “because I had no idea that it was coming. My dad told me and it was surreal.”

Carmody watched his older brother navigate the recruiting process the past three years.

Robby Carmody, a senior at Mars, received dozens of basketball offers before signing with Notre Dame in November. But this Pitt football offer left the family “speechless,” said their father Rob Carmody, the boys basketball coach at Mars.

“It wasn't a surprise that they were going to come and watch him practice,” said Rob Carmody, who was told Narduzzi would visit Thursday. “Obviously, Michael's got some physical things with his size that football coaches are going to look at. I just expected Coach Narduzzi to come in, watch practice, give him the eyeball test and that's it.”

College recruiters can't talk directly with sophomores, so Narduzzi spoke with football coach Scott Heinhauer, and then pulled Michael's father aside during practice.

“Never in my wildest dreams or more importantly in Michael's dreams did he think he (Narduzzi's visit) was going to lead to a scholarship offer,” Rob Carmody said. Temple offered a scholarship Friday.

Michael Carmody hadn't played football since youth league, focusing primarily on basketball, but returned the field this past fall after a couple of years away. He'd attended a seven-on-seven event last summer that reminded him how much he liked football.

“I decided I would try it out again,” Michael Carmody said. “I had a lot of fun throughout the year.”

Conversely, that year of football made him a better basketball player, his father said. He's become a double-digit rebounder and an inside scoring presence for Mars, which is 9-2 overall and 4-0 in Section 5.

“I definitely think it helped because I'm more physical this year, and I'm playing a lot better,” Michael Carmody said.

“He came into our season this year physically different,” Rob Carmody said. “Football really helped him in basketball, just with physical confidence. It's given him a little more physicality on the basketball court. He's always been a really good shooter, but he's rebounding the ball well, sets great screens and gives us a paint presence that's unique.”

The Carmody family already traveled countless miles visiting college campuses and basketball coaches for Robby. Now, they're excited to start the processes all over again, this time focused on Michael's football options, their father said.

“We're just so proud for him,” Rob Carmody said, “because obviously going through the last few years with Robby, it's always been: ‘You're Robby's little brother.' Michael has been such a supporter of Robby, he's been there for him and gone on visits. And I'm sure secretly he was wishing he could do this down the road.”

Chris Harlan is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at charlan@tribweb.com or via Twitter @CHarlan_Trib.

Tags: Mars