West Virginia commit announces decision by blasting 'Country Roads,' lighting a couch on fire
Article excerpt
Ethan Lawson, a 6'6", 300-pound offensive lineman, announced his commitment to West Virginia with a viral moment: he set a couch ablaze while John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads" played in the background. The video, posted on X, turned the recruit's decision into a spectacle that blended the state anthem with destruction. Lawson's unconventional announcement method drew attention in an increasingly crowded field of creative recruiting videos. The stunt, equal parts humorous and reckless, captured the outsized personalities now defining college football recruiting.
A big moment in any student-athlete's career is announcing what school they're committing to, and I don't think you're going to find an announcement better than one we've got coming from one of the newest West Virginia Mountaineers.
What's that smell? It... it smells like a couch burning to the sounds of the Mountaineers' beloved John Denver "Take Me Home, Country Roads."
You bet your sweet a, that's what it is.
Ethan Lawson is a 6'6", 300-lb offensive lineman and part of the 2027 recruiting class.
THE 2007 MOUNTAINEERS REMAIN COLLEGE FOOTBALL'S GREATEST 'WHAT-IF' STORY NEARLY TWO DECADES LATER
According to Sport Illustrated he has fielded offers from a bunch of programs including Appalachian State, Liberty, Air Force, Army, Navy, Duke, Wake Forest, UConn and more.
But, they all missed out because Lawson posted his decision on X, and well... I think he was always West Virginia material.
Bobcat Goldthwait was burning couches on camera before it was cool.
But, alright, there's no doubt about it: someone is about to sell some jerseys.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
And if there's not a furniture store in Morgantown that brings in Lawson and fellow offensive line recruit Kevin Brown (who also lit a couch on fire because that's becoming a thing) for an ad, then... then, well, I don't know what, but it would be quite the missed opportunity.
Hey, like it or not, sometimes in the age of NIL it can be a popularity contest. If fans like you, it could mean greater visibility and more lucrative deals. Perhaps that was the mission here, and we all know it worked.
I refuse to believe any Mountaineers fans saw that video, heard the song and then didn't reflexively raise a beer (even if they didn't realize they were drinking one and say, "Hell yeah, brother.")
We'll see if the sort of thing translates onto the field, but even if it doesn't, I feel like there's money to be made making appearances and lighting furniture on fire at frat parties.