Denhart to play football at Southwest Baptist University
By FRED KRONER
The good news for Garrett Denhart was also the bad news.
He had multiple offers to continue playing football in college.
The St. Joseph-Ogden senior cornerback liked having the various options.
Denhart, however, didn’t like what he had to do after making his decision.
“It was hard for me to choose one school because I didn’t like letting the other coaches down or feeling like I wasted their time,” he said, “but I knew this was part of the process.
“I knew this is what it was going to be like, and I fully expected it to be really hard.”
In his thorough evaluation process, Denhart visited nine college campuses. By the time he settled on his choice – Southwest Baptist in Bolivar, Mo. – he had four firm scholarship offers.
Five other schools were waiting for his acceptance letter, and eventually made offers.
“I spent a lot of Saturdays going to schools and countless hours on phone calls or texting coaches,” Denhart said, “so it was a tough choice knowing that quite a few schools wanted me to play for them.
“I didn’t want to disappoint anyone or let them down, I just had to make the best choice for my academics and for football.”
Besides connecting with the coaches, liking the campus, the course offerings and the rising nature of the football program (which was 4-7 last fall), Southwest Baptist had another point in its favor.
“They (coaches at Southwest Baptist) would continue to send me hand-written letters in the mail, showing they want me to be a Bearcat,” Denhart said. “No other school did such.”
Denhart also made visits to Aurora College, Illinois College, Illinois Wesleyan, McKendree, Monmouth, Millikin, Wisconsin-Oshkosh and Wisconsin-Platteville.
The first three to offer, besides Southwest Baptist, were Beloit College, Illinois Wesleyan and Monmouth.
An all-conference player in the secondary as a senior for SJ-O’s 8-3 club, Denhart is someone whom Spartan head coach Shawn Skinner can see having success at the next level.
“Garrett is a young man who really worked hard for us as a cornerback,” Skinner said. “His junior season, we switched him from strong safety to cornerback and it really paid dividends for both Garrett and our team.
“He is a very dedicated film-watcher. He really put in a lot of time studying our opponents’ tendencies, routes and so forth. His hard work on video really allowed him to make plays on Fridays for us and it’s a credit to him that his Football IQ translates to his in-game play.
“That’s a skill I think will help him as he makes the jump to playing at the next level. He has a strong competitive side and natural athleticism that will allow him to compete there as well. We are looking forward to seeing what he does with this opportunity.”
Denhart intercepted three passes as a senior and eight for his career with the Spartans as well as recording numerous pass-breakups.
“I’ve just always loved the game,” Denhart said. “I absolutely love getting interceptions.
“My strengths are playing the ball and guarding wide receivers’ routes. I’d say I’m a coverage defensive back. That’s definitely what I’m best at.”
His connection to Southwest Baptist came from being in the right place at the right time.
Denhart got the ball rolling.
“One night I was scrolling on Twitter (X) and saw Coach (Gerik) Garlington post on Twitter, ’Anyone who is going to be at Lindenwood tomorrow, let me know,’” Denhart recalled.
“So, I DM’d him and told him that I was going to be there. He replied pretty quickly.”
Denhart sent the initial message on June 1, 2023 and participated in the camp at Lindenwood the next day.
“I did pretty good considering the amount of D-1 talent there,” he said.
Garlington followed up with Denhart on Twitter and invited him to their camp at Southwest Baptist University on July 22. Denhart accepted the invitation.
“Then I went, and did good,” he said.
“He took me up to the meeting room afterwards with my mom, and we watched my highlight tape together and how he sees me contributing towards the program. He really liked my film.”
Denhart was told he would receive a scholarship offer, but added, “I wasn’t necessarily 100 percent offered at that time, but I knew I would be eventually.”
Denhart and Garlington continued to stay in touch with “phone calls and texts almost every other day,” which was impressive to the teen-ager. “He showed he cared about me more than any other school,” Denhart added.
For his part, Denhart continued to share his game-film highlights with the Southwest Baptist staff.
On Sept. 9, Denhart had a Game Day visit at Southwest Baptist. The team lost, 39-33, to Black Hills (S.D.) State University, but the day evolved into a win for Denhart.
The moment he had waited for occurred after the contest ended.
“Me and Coach Garlington had a conversation with him saying, ‘You’ve earned it,’ and from there I was officially offered from Southwest Baptist,” Denhart said.
It was the offer he really wanted.
“I had a gut feeling that’s where I was going to play,” he said. “I wanted it to feel like college, a little bit away from home, but not too far.”
It was the overall feeling, but not one thing in particular that swayed Denhart to commit to Southwest Baptist.
“For me, it wasn’t an easy choice deciding on where I wanted to go,” he said. “It really just came down to the coaching staff at Southwest Baptist.
“When I went on my visit, they were so welcoming and it truly felt like a place I wanted to be for the next four years.”
In his younger years, Denhart participated in a variety of sports, with the ultimate goal being to participate in one in college.
“When I was a kid, I always rotated between baseball and wrestling on my favorite,” Denhart said. “I never really thought football would be my sport.”
He started out as a running back in youth leagues, but was ultimately shifted to defense.
“I was pretty fast back then and would just hook the outside corner and score,” Denhart said.
He also was involved in basketball as a fifth-grader. Eventually, he found his niche in football.
“My whole life, I loved playing all sports,” Denhart said. “I never knew which one would become my sport. The key to my development was getting faster, and stronger. I had the athleticism and skill to be good, but I needed to get stronger.
“All of the coaches at SJ-O helped in some way of me getting better. Also, all the coaches at the camps I went to. They helped by teaching me something to make me a little better than I was before.”
The summer after his sophomore year at SJ-O, Denhart began to believe that he had a collegiate future in football.
“High school came around, my passion for football grew and I realized that I could go to the next level,” he said. “After my sophomore year, it hit me that I really wanted to play football in college.
“Then it became reality after I had a pretty good junior year.”
Southwest Baptist, located in Bolivar, Mo., is an NCAA Division II university with an enrollment (in 2022-23) of 2,386 students.
The school competes in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.
Denhart hopes to contribute immediately but realizes the transition from high school to college could take time.
“I hope to make an instant impact for the team, but I know that’s going to be a challenge,” he said. “I like the fact that I would step up as a freshman, that doesn’t scare me. I want to contribute to my team in any way and hopefully bring back a GLVC championship. I hope to do what is needed from me while getting better and stronger.
“From there I plan to play cornerback or any defensive back position. The coaches walk through my film with me to show me what could be better, and just the little things. Coach G tells me to keep going hard in the weight room.
“I know my technique will get much better at college, too.”
The distance from SJ-O to Bolivar, Mo., is about 400 miles.
“I do think my distance from home will cause a harder transition, but that’s OK with me,” Denhart said. “I know my teammates will be in the same boat as me, and my coaches will make me feel welcome.
“I’m really close to my family and I know my mom will miss me a lot.”
SJ-O fans may not have seen the last of Denhart, who plans on majoring in secondary education with an eye on becoming a math teacher.
As for the future: “I see myself hopefully teaching at SJ-O and coaching football.”
That wouldn’t be his only dream job.
“Or being a coach at Southwest Baptist, or any college, a recruiting coordinator to be specific.”
Before he starts a job search, Denhart plans to have a ball playing a sport that he loves.
