From Butler to Big Red
BUTLER TWP — On the football field, Butler senior offensive tackle Nate Cornibe couldn't be part of any wins.
Off the field, he got it all.
The 6-foot-3, 285-pound Cornibe recently signed a letter of intent to continue his academic and football career at Cornell University.
“It's the best of both worlds,” Cornibe said. “The football program is coming around and the engineering program is the best in the Ivy League.
Cornibe, ranked among the top 20 in his class with a 4.2 grade point average, plans to major in biochemical engineering.
He considered Toledo and a preferred walk-on opportunity at Pitt before deciding on Cornell. It was the visit to the campus in Ithaca, N.Y., that sold him.
“Absolutely beautiful,” Cornibe said. “And those players made me feel a part of the team practically right away.
“After that experience, the decision was easy.”
Cornibe's host player on the recruiting visit was Seneca Valley graduate Jake Stebbins, a Cornell freshman linebacker who was second on the team in tackles with 58 this year.
Cornell was 4-6 this season under seventh-year coach David Archer, a 2005 graduate of the university and former team captain there. Cornell finished the year with consecutive wins, including a 20-17 victory at previously undefeated Dartmouth.
That win marked the Big Red's first road victory against a nationally-ranked opponent since 1950.
“The football team closed the season with a lot of momentum that I'm going to be joining now,” Cornibe said. “My goal is to start as a freshman. The coaches said if I work hard enough and prove myself, the chance is there.
“Jake and I hit it off right away. We've become good friends. I'm sure we'll be doing some car pooling for a while.”
A pair of former South Fayette wide receivers — Daniel and Mike Trimbur — are other WPIAL players on the Cornell roster.
While Butler went winless during Cornibe's final two seasons in high school, he continued to improve as a player and a leader.
“Having Nate on our team this year was like having a coach on the field,” Golden Tornado assistant coach Bill Elliott said. “He worked with our younger linemen all the time, during practice and in games.
“He showed them technique and positioning. He was a very unselfish player in giving his time to help make them better.”
Cornibe said he always wants to stay healthy and get physically stronger. He lauded the Butler program for helping him in that regard.
“I guess I could have gone to another school, but once (Eric Christy) was named head coach, I wasn't going anywhere,” Cornibe said. “I wanted to play for him. I wanted to stay with Butler.
“Hopefully, I can serve as an example for others coming through the program. You can get what you want if you work for it. I'm pulling for Butler football to turn it around more than anyone. I wanted to help the younger linemen like the older linemen helped me when I first joined the team.”
Christy said he's thankful “that we've been able to turn out linemen here. Guys are moving on and succeeding in college.
“Nate has passed the torch just like it was passed to him.”
Butler graduate Jake Kradel started some games on the offensive line at Pitt this year and Nick Stazer is progressing in Slippery Rock University's program as an offensive lineman.
“As great a player as Nate was, he was always helping and supporting his teammates,” Christy said. “We're going to miss him big-time.”
