Football: Quarterback Brendan Zurbrugg flips commitment from Syracuse to Northwestern

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File photo by Angeli Mittal

Ryan Field. After flipping his commitment Monday, Zurbrugg is one of NU’s most valuable new pickups.

Alyce Brown, Print Managing Editor

2024 quarterback Brendan Zurbrugg committed to Northwestern on Monday, flipping from a Syracuse commitment made last week. 

“I want to thank Coach Fitzgerald, Coach Bajakian, and the whole Northwestern staff for believing in me. Go Cats,” wrote the three-star quarterback in a Twitter post announcing his decision. 

Zurbrugg was offered by NU on June 16, just days before his initial commitment to the Orange on June 18. His Syracuse commitment lasted eight days. 

“After my visit I realized Northwestern was a lot better fit for me,” he told USA Today. 

After his graduation in the spring, Zurbrugg will be a valuable addition to an NU quarterback room that has struggled in recent years. In his junior year at Alliance High School, the commit completed 76% of his passes to throw for 2,184 yards and 23 touchdowns, and ran for 804 yards and 11 touchdowns. 

“I think what really separated Brendan in (NU’s) eyes was not only his throwing ability but his elite speed that he shows on the field,” Alliance’s head football coach Tim Goodman told USA Today. 

Northwestern and Syracuse were Zurbrugg’s only Power 5 offers, with 14 others coming from schools like Miami Ohio and Yale. 

Zurbrugg joins three-star safety Ty Hudkins as the Cats’ second Monday commit, lifting the 2024 recruiting class to 47th in the nation on Rivals. 

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Twitter: @alycebrownn

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