MOUNT CARMEL -- For many athletes, what happened to Dave Shinskie three weeks ago would have been devastating.

Shinskie gave up numerous college football scholarship offers coming out of Mount Carmel in 2003, instead trying to parlay his 90-plus mile-an-hour fastball into a career as a major league pitcher for the Minnesota Twins.

The dream came to an unexpected end when the Toronto Blue Jays released the right-hander and no other organizations came calling.

"I thought I could pitch in the big leagues and I still think I can pitch in the big leagues," Shinskie said Wednesday in a telephone interview from a friend's house in Pittsburgh.

Instead, Shinskie will pursue a second dream, that of starting at quarterback for a big-time college program.

The former Red Tornadoes' three-sport star (football, basketball and baseball) made a commitment Saturday to accept a full scholarship to play quarterback for Boston College. He will compete for the starting job at age 25; a la former Florida State Heisman Trophy winner Chris Weinke, who also spent time in the Blue Jays organization.

"I am going to be a lot older than the other players," Shinskie said, but added, "I am not nervous. I am not a nervous guy, never was. I am going in with an open mind. I'm a guy that gets along with pretty much everyone, so we'll see what happens."

Shinskie, son of David and Joann Shinskie, Kulpmont, is looking forward to a new chapter in his life, but was not happy the way his baseball career ended at Class AA New Hampshire even though he had a 3.44 ERA in a dozen appearances this year.

"I was pretty mad. I wasn't happy, but stuff happens. When one door closes, another one opens. I am going to take this opportunity and try my best," he said.

He added, "I am taking what I can out of what my life has come to. I am trying to make the best of it. I wasn't mad that no teams called me back. I am glad I had this opportunity to play football again."

Shinskie, who will report to Boston later this month, has kept his football skills fresh the last several years by quarterbacking for the scout team against his alma mater's defense during practices.

His former coach, Mike Brennan, who left Mount Carmel after last season to take the same job at Blue Mountain, recalls talking to his former quarterback about the possibility of switching sports.

"The last five years or so I've seen him throw twice a week and I always told him if you're ready to make that move to football, let me know (because) I guarantee you will have people wanting you,''' Brennan said.

It was Brennan's connection to Boston College that may have helped Shinskie end up in Beantown instead of Pittsburgh, Rutgers or a few other schools interested in the quarterback's talents.

Current BC tight ends coach Dave Brock, who coached at Temple when Brennan played there, had offered Shinskie a football scholarship out of high school. Shinskie initially chose the University of Delaware before signing with Toronto.