Hero Hogan just one reason Super Bowl’s making NJ proud
WEST LONG BRANCH — The Giants, Jets and Eagles are not in the Super Bowl — but there's a lot of New Jersey represented on this year's teams.
Chris Hogan, who caught nine passes for 180 yards including two touchdowns in the Patriots' 36-17 win over PIttsburgh, is a 2011 Monmouth grad who only played one season with the Hawks before entering the NFL draft.
"I was very happy for him. We all are. He's such a great person, such a competitor. It was really fun to see him that level of success on such a big stage," Monmouth football coach Kevin Callahan told New Jersey 101.5.
Callahan said that Hogan, who is from Wyckoff, played with Ramapo High School where he was the school's all-time leading received and receptions leader when he graduated. but played lacrosse on a scholarship at Penn State.
He had one year of NCAA eligibility after graduation and wanted to give football another try.
"We were aware of him throughout his high school career as a football player. He had several players on our team that were fairly close friends of his, guys from up in his home area in Bergen County. He kind of reached out to us through them, came down, met with us and played for us that one year," Callahan said, adding that he was a "very effective player for us."
The two have exchanged a few texts over the past few years, according to Callahan,
Callahan said that it was obvious that Hogan was "extremely talented" and probably the best athlete on his Hawk team that season.
Prior to joining the Patriots, Hogan played four seasons with the Buffalo Bills. According to NorthJersey.com, he and fiancee Ashley Boccio are expecting twins.
Rutgers has the most number of former players on the rosters of the Patriots and Atlanta Falcons: Devin McCourty, Duron Harmon and Logan Ryan from the Patriots and Mohamed Sanu from the Atlanta Falcons. Jonathan Freeny is an inactive player on the Patriots roster.
McCourty was a first round draft pick in 2010 and is a two-time Pro Bowl selection. This season he was voted as the starting free safety in the game but will not play due to the Super Bowl.
Kevin Williams contributed to this report.
Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com
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