The senior-to-be offensive lineman is also receiving interest from college football’s elite programs
By Al Thompson
For The Times
Once a high school player is identified as a top college prospect, once Power Five programs including the ACC and Big Ten teams are showing interest in you, it is time to take your game, your training and expectations to the highest level possible.
Pennsbury senior-to-be offensive tackle Brian Malinowski has had interest from such noted programs as Navy, Rutgers, Virginia, Morgan State and Monmouth.
Malinowski stands 6 feet 5, weight 310 pounds and passes the eye test that those stats are legitimate.
He was the lone underclassman on a mammoth Falcons offensive line that helped Pennsbury forge a 10–3 record overall in 2017 and a trip to the District One 6A semifinal game against Coatesville.
Malinowski led a line that powered senior Zach DeMarchis to have one of the best seasons in school history.
The 5–10, 175-pound dual-threat quarterback ran for 1,439 yards and 17 TDs and also threw for over 1,800 yards while accounting for 34 touchdowns.
That success surely sets the stage for a great senior campaign on the field and with recruiters who are starting to line up.
“It’s really exciting,” Malinowski said in a recent phone interview. “I’m getting interest from those schools, and I have some more visits coming up.”
Malinowski said the Falcons’ 10-win season with a major high school program led by head coach Dan McShane certainly helped put the spotlight on his play.
“The season definitely helped me out a little bit with getting noticed,” Malinowski said.
Pennsbury is a run-first offense, so he has developed skills that can transfer to the guard position and that has college scouts looking at Malinowski to possibly play on the inside as well as his natural tackle position.
“As of right now, I’m getting looked at to play tackle and guard by different schools,” Malinowski said. “It depends on which school, some see me as a tackle, some see me as a guard.“
At tackle, Malinowski said coaches have said, “For tackle it’s my footwork and pass protection,” Malinowski said. “For my size, they say I’m pretty light on my feet. As far as guard, I love the run game, you know…It’s about overpowering people.”
McShane said he will lean on Malinowski to be the leader this fall.
“Brian is a very athletic and powerful kid,” McShane said. “He has a real motor and loves to compete. He will lead a young group of offensive linemen to continue to play the Pennsbury football physical style of play.”
The coach said because of Malinowski’s ability both on the field and in the classroom, the sky is the limit for his blocker.
“Brian is a strong student,” McShane said. “And combined with his athletic talents, I can see him playing football at a great school with a tradition of football success.”
If a major university is going to invest its resources in a student-athlete, there has to be confidence that players love what the program does. Coaches want to see this is not just about getting a scholarship. The program wants to know that motivation will not be a problem once the student and institution agree to go forward with their relationship that could be for the next five years.
Malinowski wanted to put to rest any idea that he is anything but 100 percent motivated to be the best he can be.
“Of course I love to play football,” Malinowski said. “I just started playing in ninth grade. I was an AAU basketball player before that. It was definitely the right move, I put on the weight and it’s paying off.”
Linemen never get the ball unless it’s a fumble recovery. So what is it about playing line that attracts Malinowski to football?
“Obviously playing offensive line, you don’t get the limelight,” Malinowski said. “I’m OK with that. I pride myself in being a tough football player. In order to be an offensive lineman, you need to be a tough football player.”
Malinowski said he’d like to see more of the field this season. He wants to help on the defensive line if coach McShane thinks he can be productive.
“There’s been some talk of me being in the rotation,” Malinowski said. “At the nose or the three-tech. I’d like to do that, too. It would be fun.”
Like any high school player, Malinowski watches the NFL on Sundays and visualizes about the day he could wear an NFL uniform.
“Of course I think about the NFL,” Malinowski said. “It’s everybody’s dream, especially if you are a high school football player.”
Malinowski talked about the NFL linemen he admires most.
“At the guard position, I like watching (Buffalo Bills) Richie Incognito,” Malinowski said. “At the tackle position, I like watching (Dallas Cowboys) Tyron Smith and definitely (Eagles) Jason Peters.”
Like a lot of his fans, especially in Buffalo, Malinowski was sad to hear the news Incognito had decided to retire, citing health issues
“He’s probably one of the best guards in the game at the moment,” Malinowski said.
Malinowski also talked about how he is training in the offseason.
“My focus is on strength and conditioning, getting stronger and getting in better shape for next season.”
Malinowski said, for training over the holidays and throughout the winter, he sought the help of former Pennsbury star J.J. Denman, who later was a standout offensive tackle for Rutgers.
“He showed me things in pass protection I found that I really like to use now,” Malinowski said. “More vertical stretch and stuff like that. He also showed me what it’s like to lift as a collegiate offensive lineman, which I thought was pretty fun. Me and (senior OL) Nika Wright also lifted with him.”
Malinowski said Wright will continue his college career at West Chester University with DeMarchis.
Last year, the Falcons finished with a great overall record.
As outstanding as the record was on its own, Pennsbury lost to archrival Neshaminy for the Suburban One League National Conference title but defeated the Redskins in the second round of the playoffs 36–17 before losing to Coatesville 42–2.
Certainly winning two playoff games in the toughest level of high school football in Pennsylvania is something to be proud of, but the Falcons didn’t get any banners.
Malinowski wants to put some of those honors in the school’s hallways after next fall.
“Definitely we’re looking to get some banners next year,” Malinowski said. “It’s probably every high school team’s goal but all in all, I just hope we have a really good regular season and beat the teams that matter, obviously Neshaminy is one of them. That’s where we want to be. ••
