Local foursome starts Coastal Carolina pipeline

Like the three other Southeastern Pennsylvania recruits headed to Coastal Carolina, Richard Sampson hopes to focus on football and academics and not get too caught up in all that the warm-weather town has to offer.

"It's really beautiful there," the Unionville High senior said. "There are palm trees all around the campus. The players said they go to the beach a lot when they have down time."

Coastal Carolina, a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) program, is in Conway, S.C., near the golf mecca of Myrtle Beach.

Sampson, a 6-foot-2, 190-pound running back and defensive back, is expected to sign a letter of intent to play for new coach Joe Moglia and the Chanticleers on Wednesday, the first day of the NCAA signing period for football.

Set to do the same are West Chester Henderson defensive lineman Max Perisse, Monsignor Bonner offensive lineman Dom DiGalbo, and West Catholic wide receiver Bruce Mapp.

"In the past, they've gotten most of their recruits from South Carolina," Sampson said. "The staff has said it wants to expand the area where it gets players. They've done that already."

Sampson, who rushed for 1,554 yards and 22 touchdowns last season; the 6-5, 240-pound Perisse; and the 6-4, 270-pound DiGalbo visited the school on the same weekend.

"The stadium is right on campus, has a grass field, and probably seats about 10,000," Sampson said. "The facilities are impressive."

Moglia, former chief executive officer and current chairman of TD Ameritrade, previously was the president and head coach of the United Football League's Omaha Nighthawks.

In the early 1980s, Moglia left his job as Dartmouth's defensive coordinator for Wall Street. He returned to coaching in 2008, as an unpaid assistant with the University of Nebraska.

"I was kind of blown away by him," said Sampson, 18. "Whenever he talks, he really engages you. He's a real passionate guy, especially when it comes to football."

Moglia's first coaching hire was former Penn State and NFL lineman Brandon Noble, who had spent four seasons (2006 to 2008, 2010) as an assistant at West Chester University.

Noble, a defensive tackle at Penn State, played for the Dallas Cowboys (1999 to 2002) and Washington Redskins (2003 to 2005). At Coastal Carolina, he will coach the defensive line and also work with special teams.

When Moglia retired as CEO of Ameritrade in 2008, he had a reported salary of $21 million and held more than $100 million in company stock.

"He's probably got more connections than I can imagine," said Sampson, who plans to major in economics or marketing. "Hopefully, after football, he can help me get a job."