Wait and see: St. Thomas More’s Cole Bergeron finds home at Virginia Tech
by William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor
Judging by the timetable of today’s football prospect, it was a rather short-lived courtship between St. Thomas More quarterback Cole Bergeron and Virginia Tech.
The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Bergeron didn’t enjoy a long, protracted recruiting process, heading into the spring of his upcoming senior year without a clear picture of his college future.
Bergeron, a pro-style prospect with terrific athletic ability, was patient and allowed the process to evolve, accepting an invitation from Virginia Tech quarterbacks coach Brian Christ to throw in front of the Hokies’ staff of head coach Brent Pry and offensive coordinator Phillip Montgomery.
That turned into a two-day visit, throwing in both a camp setting with other prospects, as well as more of an intimate opportunity with just Bergeron and Va. Tech’s staff.
Va. Tech’s staff made up for lost time with Bergeron, giving him a tour of its athletic facilities and extending a scholarship offer on June 18 – an overture he accepted with a commitment Thursday.
“It was pretty short notice,” Bergeron said of his fast-tracked process with Virginia Tech. “That’s kind of why I held off on committing so early, like some (quarterbacks) that committed really early. I wanted to see and meet as many people as I could. That way, I made sure I knew I was going to the right place with the right people.”
Another one of the state’s top quarterbacks in the Class of 2026, Luke Delafield of North DeSoto, committed to Northwestern State.
Bergeron, a three-star prospect, chose Va. Tech of the Atlantic Coast Conference over Colorado and Georgia Tech. He visited Florida Atlantic, Georgia Tech, and UCLA, threw in person for Colorado and UL, and took part in camps at Va. Tech and LSU.
Bergeron is the first player in St. Thomas More’s tradition-rich program to commit to Virginia Tech. He’s the 10th member, and first quarterback, in the Hokies’ current class.
“It was pure excitement,” he said of his phone call to Pry. “They’ve told me that I was their guy and a priority. It was definitely a relief for both sides. Now I can take that pressure off of my shoulders going into my senior season with my guys. They know they have my trust and my word.”
Bergeron continues a pattern of STM producing next-level quarterbacks.
Before he became the Cougars’ starter in 2024, he waited his turn behind standouts Sam Altman and Walker Howard, both of whom are now at UL.
“It has been exciting to watch Cole develop physically, mentally, and emotionally over the years,” STM offensive coordinator Shane Savoie said. “Remembering where he was years ago, and seeing where he is today, is only a testament to how hard he’s worked over the years. He has also done a tremendous job of allowing himself to be coached and grow in so many ways.”
STM went 8-4 overall, defeating St. Augustine (28-27) in the Division I state regionals before running into eventual state champion Karr, 42-14, in the quarterfinals.
The Cougars annually prepare themselves against one of the state’s more difficult schedules, and this year will be no different with second-year non-district matchups with Carencro, Catholic-Baton Rouge, Acadiana, and Neville.
The challenge of competing in District 4-4A will be heightened once again with Westgate and arch-rival Teurlings Catholic.
STM hosts its season opener under Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame coach Jim Hightower against Carencro on Sept. 5. Hightower, the state’s second-winningest coach with a record of 482-138-1, begins his 52nd season overall and in search of the school’s sixth state championship.
“We had a little bit of a rough start,” Bergeron said of last year’s 1-3 start. “We know what we’re getting into this year and what we can do offensively. It’s a pretty hard schedule, which our coaches want.”
Given the tradition of the quarterback position at STM, Bergeron produced the 20th-best single season from a passing standpoint, completing 84 of 170 attempts for 1,120 yards with five interceptions and 13 touchdowns.
Bergeron, a 3.5 student, said he added four touchdowns rushing, an example of his dual-threat ability.
“Most colleges want a guy that’s big, a pro-style quarterback that can run the ball, which is a good fit for their offense,” said Bergeron, whose brother Hunter was a tight end at UL under former coach Billy Napier. “My physical stature will fit well there in their offense.”
Bergeron said his first season as a starter provided him with a checklist of improvements to make during the offseason.
“It was more about emotional awareness,” he said. “When I’m leading my guys, I know all eyes are on me at all times. If anything good happens, go celebrate with my teammates and give them a boost of confidence. If anything bad happens, I have to flush it. I can’t look like I’m down because that brings the whole team down. I have to focus on being an emotional leader, which gives my guys confidence.”
Bergeron will become further acquainted with Va. Tech with an official visit to the Blacksburg, Va., campus for the Hokies’ non-conference game with Vanderbilt on Sept. 12.
“Lane Stadium’s electric,” he said of the team’s home field. “The fan base is crazy. They pack out any game regardless of who they’re playing or what time it is. It’s a great environment. When I was there, just the people that I was around, the staff, they all made me feel like I was a priority. They all made me feel like I was welcomed and at home there.”
Pry, who heads into his fourth season at Virginia Tech, had plenty of familiarity with St. Thomas More’s program and the city of Lafayette before recruiting Bergeron.
He was the defensive coordinator for three years under Napier at UL, while his father, Jim, and brother Jonathan, a former assistant at STM, still reside in Lafayette.
Bergeron couldn’t be more pleased with the way his recruiting journey worked out. He completed spring training with a handful of offers until things heated up with scheduled official visits or camp invitations to show his ability under the watchful eyes of college coaches.
Three months ago, before his team’s spring training, Bergeron would have never envisioned the ideal situation waiting at Va. Tech.
“Things worked out great,” he said. “I didn’t have in mind (a school) going into the last spring. That’s what I got from waiting and not making such an early decision. I was able to see more people, which helped me to make the right choice.
“It’s a big weight off of my shoulders,” he said. “Knowing I can focus more on my team, setting my goals of where I want to go and take this team. It clears up some things and makes me more comfortable to lead my team.”
Featured Image Courtesy of Cole Bergeron on X