Jack McCurry coached LaVar Arrington in high school.

LaVar Arrington - North Hills High
(Penn State)

The Washington Redskins, the defending NFC East champions, strengthened their defense Saturday by taking Penn State University senior linebacker LaVar Arrington with the No. 2 overall pick in the NFL Draft.

Arrington won the Butkus Award (the country's top collegiate linebacker) and Chuck Bednarik Award (top defender) this season while helping the Nittany Lions to a 10-3 record. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound linebacker recorded 72 tackles (20 for a loss) and 10 sacks.

While at North Hills High in Pittsburgh, Pa., Arrington was a force for coach Jack McCurry's football team en route to earning Parade magazine Player of the Year honors his senior season. McCurry recently sat down with SchoolSports.com and talked about his former player.

SS.com: What has allowed LaVar to become such a major football superstar?

Coach McCurry: The physical skills that he has are simply better than other player's. He's a star at every level he competes at.

SS.com: What did LaVar and North Hills accomplish during his high school playing days?

Coach McCurry: In 1993, when he was a freshman, our team won the state championship. We had our best supporting case around LaVar that season.

SS.com: What was it like to coach LaVar, a player who had unbelievable athletic skills?

Coach McCurry: We could use him as much as we could. He'd help our team wherever we needed him. Whatever we needed him for, he delivered in all cases.

SS.com: If he could deliver in all cases, where else did he play, aside from linebacker, in high school?

Coach McCurry: He did it all. He was our leading rusher and leading tackler. We had him punt the ball, return kicks, pass it if that's what we needed. LaVar starred at every position we put him at.

Arrington ran for 4,400 career yards at North Hills High (becoming the first player in Pennsylvania Class AAAA history to rush for more than 4,000 yards) and 72 touchdowns. He had 18 touchdowns and caught 11 passes for 122 yards in his senior season, 1996. He finished his scholastic football career with 342 tackles on defense. Out of the 12 fumbles Arrington forced, he recovered six and also picked off eight passes.

SS.com: What aspect of LaVar's game has improved since his high school days?

Coach McCurry: He was able to concentrate on defense more at Penn State. They gave him the opportunity to work on defense full-time. You can see his pass-rushing technique is better, too.

SS.com: Did you ever think LaVar could get to where he is today?

Coach McCurry: We always thought he'd be a star in college and then in the NFL.