On Wednesday, May 29, 2019, Central Bucks East seniors Evan O’Donnell and Nick Diehl were recognized for committing to continue their football careers at Catholic University. Check back for photos of the event.
Nick Diehl – Catholic University (Football)
Major: Business Management
Final list of colleges: Catholic, Susquehanna, Muhlenberg
Reasons for choosing Catholic: “When I visited, I loved the campus, and I loved how all the guys came together. When I met the coaches, I really connected with the defensive line coach especially.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in football at the collegiate level? “I’ve always wanted to play in college. When I got into 
high school, it’s kind of a jolt because you realize how much you have to actually work for it, but I still really wanted to play.”
Coach John Donnelly says: “Nick Diehl was a really strong offensive and defensive lineman for us, a two-way player. He tended to be stronger on the defensive side of the ball, and I think that’s why they have him slotted to play on defense. He has a really active motor and that’s what you need as a defensive lineman. He was really strong against the run versus the pass, and that’s what you have to be able to do first in high school football - stop the run. He’s very coachable. He’s a really dedicated kid in the weight room.
“I think it’s pretty cool that the three of them are going to be at Catholic together going through this process. Nick’s dad (Bob Diehl) is on our staff – he was on our staff before Nick was involved. It’s cool for those coaches who have had a son on our team who have been in our program for a while to have those memories and opportunities to share with their sons. I think Nick is going to do a really good job down there. He has a chance early on to get into a rotation. What a great university for the three of them (Diehl, Evan O’Donnell and Connor Burns) to be at, and to be able to go through the process together is pretty cool.”
About Nick:
Favorite food: Steak
Favorite movie: Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby
Favorite music: “I don’t listen to music.”
Evan O’Donnell – Catholic University (Football)
Major: Business Management
Final list of colleges: Catholic, Gettysburg, King’s College
Reasons for choosing Catholic: “It has a great atmosphere. On my visit, I felt like I fit right in. Obviously, they have great academics, and in the end, I’ve got a bunch of friends going there. It will be a fun time. I hope to do a lot on the field and in school.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in football at the collegiate level? “I thought about playing in college all of my life. I never wanted to stop playing football. It’s always been a part of me. It’s been something where I could just forget about time and just go play. I was blessed to have 
an arm to throw and a mind to make decisions to put me in the position of quarterback. All my life I always wanted to go on and play football. I knew at some point that was going to end, but I never wanted to stop. When high school came around, I was like, ‘I’m going to go for it. It will be fun in college, a nice last ride. I don’t want to give it up yet.’ It will be fun for the next four years.”
Coach John Donnelly says: “I don’t know where to start with Evan. We’ve known each other for a long time. He had come to our youth camp when he was younger, so him and I spent a lot of time together. He’s extremely coachable. One of the great attributes he had as a quarterback was his ability to process information from me. Whether I was applauding him or I had to get on him, he was always very even keeled. He let it roll off his back, and he was on to the next play. That’s a great attribute for a quarterback to have, but not all of them have it.
“He’s also got some God-given ability, but he also worked very hard to develop that. He’s very smart, he made good decisions. He’s all over the record books with 15 school records. He was highly decorated. Kyle Bernard, the guy who recruited him, played at East and then played at Catholic, and he actually coached at East for a little bit and now he’s coaching at Catholic. Their offense is very similar to ours, so I think it will be a good fit and maybe he’ll have a chance to compete early as a freshman.”
About Evan:
Favorite food: Pizza
Favorite movie: Avengers Endgame
Favorite music: Thomas Rhett
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