Liberty’s Buzzo signs with C. Connecticut St.

For 10 years, Tommy Buzzo served as master of ceremonies on National Signing Day at Liberty High School.

He had to phone it in Wednesday. Buzzo couldn’t be at Liberty even though it was his son, Travis, who signed a letter of intent in the Eagle Room, committing to play football for Central Connecticut State University.

Tommy Buzzo was not present because, three weeks ago, on Jan. 13, he resigned as Liberty’s head football coach and accepted a co-defensive coordinator coaching position at Central Connecticut (CCSU). Buzzo left the following week to begin his coaching duties on the CCSU campus in New Britain, Conn., so he could only call his son Wednesday prior to the 3 p.m. signing ceremony.

“It is tough,” Travis Buzzo said of signing without his father in the room. “But I talked to him this morning….He just told me he was proud of me.”

Buzzo signed his letter of intent on a table in the Eagles Room while flanked by his mother Karen, Liberty offensive line coach Sean Finnerty and the Eagles’ “acting head coach” Mike Potts, who was the assistant head coach and defensive line coach under Tommy Buzzo.

“Travis has worked extremely hard,” Potts said. “He’s earned this.”

Tommy Buzzo also worked hard throughout his time at Liberty to find Division I scholarships for his players. It was a point of emphasis in his job, which only made his absence Wednesday more evident. Including his son, 22 Liberty players accepted D-I scholarships during Buzzo’s tenure.

Travis Buzzo verbally committed in early January to CCSU, which is a member of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). He chose it over a handful of other schools that offered scholarships, including D-I FCS Monmouth, Bryant and Wagner, and D-II Concord and Virginia State. His campus visits played a large role in his decision to choose the CCSU Blue Devils.

“They just made me feel the most at home,” Buzzo said. “I could actually see myself there.”

Buzzo has known the CCSU coaching staff, including head coach Jeff McInerney, for a few years, having attended four football camps there, so it wasn’t a terribly difficult decision to commit.

CCSU coaches told Buzzo that he will begin his college career low on the depth chart as a center on the offensive line.

“I’m No. 3 on the depth chart,” Buzzo said, “but in my mind I’m going to change that.”

Two years ago, when Buzzo was a high school sophomore, few people thought he had a future in D-I football, including Finnerty, Tommy Buzzo and Karen Buzzo.

“He was definitely a late bloomer,” Finnerty said. “But he put in more work and more effort than maybe anybody in this program….He blossomed into one of the best linemen I’ve been able to coach here.”

As a senior, Travis Buzzo made the all-Region II first team as a right guard. As an all-Evergreen District first team selection at defensive tackle, he accumulated 40.5 tackles, including 2.5 sacks.

Finnerty said that Liberty not only lost a head coach in Tommy Buzzo, it also lost an assistant coach of sorts in Travis Buzzo.

“He was one of the smartest football players I’ve ever been able to coach,” Finnerty said. “When you have a kid who can play center, guard, tackle, and he can coach up anybody on that line….He helped me out a great deal with a lot of young guys.”

At 6-foot-2, 253 pounds, Buzzo will be an undersized offensive lineman in the college game. He accepts the challenges that come with his size, though.

“They’re always going to look for a bigger guy,” Buzzo said. “I’m going to have to prove every day that I’m good.”

Playing center should help minimize any size disadvantage.

“He’ll be able to overcome it because he’s a technician and he’s a student of the game,” Finnerty said. “He has those intangibles that will overcompensate for the size.”

Buzzo has also already spent a lot of time participating in college film sessions. He often traveled with his father to spring coaching clinics at various colleges.

“I’ve watched and I’ve sat in on meetings,” Buzzo said. “I think it will be easier on me” to transition to college.

Buzzo will also have his father nearby for advice, if needed.

He and his mother plan to permanently join Tommy Buzzo in New Britain by July 1.

“I’m so glad that…his dad and him are still going to be together,” Karen Buzzo said. “I always used to kid him when he was little that I’d go to college with him. And now I might take some classes there” at CCSU.

Meanwhile, Liberty is only beginning the process of replacing Tommy Buzzo as its head coach. The school just began accepting resumes.

“He’s laid down a great formula that we’re lucky to follow,” Finnerty said of Buzzo. “There’s nobody better to learn from than Tommy Buzzo.”

Liberty had an 89-24 record under Buzzo and made six playoff appearances.