MORGANTOWN, W.Va – The apple has never fallen far from the tree for the Braham family with son Noah following in his father Rich’s footsteps as a multi-sport standout at University High School. Now, he’s taking another stride in his old man’s lineman sized shoeprints.
Over the weekend, the Hawks’ standout linebacker and tight end pledged his verbal college commitment to West Virginia, just days after earning an offer at the Mountaineers’ 7-on-7 camp. For Braham, the chance to stay in his hometown and run out of the tunnel onto the very same field that his father became an All-American on was a dream come true.
“Being able to be offered by WVU was really special to me because my dad played there and its where I’ve always wanted to go,” he said, “I chose to commit because I’ve been thinking about to for a long time. My goal was to get an offer. My goal was to play there so I knew once I got that offer I was ready to make the decision and play there.”
As a father and coach, Rich Braham has been able to see his son grow into the standout athlete he has become today. After taking the journey from University High to WVU and beyond to a career in the NFL once as a player, he knows his boy has more work to do and he’ll have to write his own story in the old gold and blue.
“His path is not a lot different than mine. The only thing, I was a walk-on, he’s a scholarship player but the thing is he has to make his own way,” he said, “What I’ve done means nothing moving forward and he knows how much work he needs to put in and continue to work to get better every day.”
Watching over every step of the younger Braham’s development has been University head coach John Kelley who helped build his father into the player he would become at WVU during his first few years leading the Hawks. Now, over thirty years later, the second-winningest active coach in the state of West Virginia has seen a mirror image of his most successful player sprout up in front of eyes on the turf on baker’s ridge.
“You know, him and his dad have a lot in common,” he said, “I coached them both. Outside these lines they are as nice and shy and humble as you can be but once you get inside that white line they’re gonna rock your world.”
While Noah Braham’s first chance to put the pads on for the Mountaineers is still a ways away, he sees the big picture on what it will mean to the city of Morgantown to see one of their own, the son of one of their very best, sprint out onto the field at Milan Puskar Stadium.
“When I was younger I always went to WVU football games and as a little kid, they’re really cool and you look up to them and and just be that and give back to the community and allow them to look up to me,” he said.
No matter what happens once he gets to WVU, Noah Braham’s story is one about fathers and sons and if he has anything to say about it, it’s one that won’t be coming to an end any time soon.