Mike McGinnis wasn't going to commit to Indiana until his father could be there for it.
Sunday, after an emergency surgery left Mike McGinnis Sr. hospitalized for about 10 days, he returned home. That's when his son knew it was time to be a Hoosier.
"He came on home, and we sat down and put pen to paper," McGinnis said. "I just wanted him to be next to me. That's why today was the day."
The 6-foot-2, 235-pound linebacker product of ASA College in Brooklyn signed his National Letter of Intent and will enroll in classes for the spring semester. He'll have two seasons of eligibility and have two years to do so.
McGinnis, a native of Allentown, New Jersey, picked the Hoosiers over offers from the likes of Bowling Green, Fordhman, Georgia Southern, New Mexico State, Old Dominion and Towson, among others. He visited Bloomington for an official visit last weekend and liked what he saw from linebackers coach William Inge on the practice field.
After receiving his scholarship offer Wednesday, it was only a matter of waiting for the right time before McGinnis committed.
"I loved the enthusiasm and energy Coach Inge brought to the practice field," McGinnis said. "It really showed me he was committed. He really wants you to be the best you can become, and that's what I was looking for in a coach. I've got goals and aspirations obviously past college, and right now this is a stepping stone for me. I think it's the best place for me, and he can help me attain those goals and grow to my potential."
A walk-on at Miami (Florida) originally, McGinnis was on track to earn a scholarship before trouble at home left him transferring to ASA where he emerged as one of the top JUCO players in the country over the last season.
He finished his 2016 campaign with 66 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and four sacks to be named Honorable Mention All-American by the National Junior College Athletic Association. He was also a two-time Northeast Football Conference First-Team selection.
"(A potential scholarship from Miami) was really, really hard to turn down," McGinnis said. "But I knew I had to put family first. I just knew if I kept my head straight and stayed focused and disciplined and everything that everything would work out in the end. Obviously I'm very excited it worked out, and I'm excited to be on the field as a Hoosier."
McGinnis was initially contacted by Indiana when Kevin Wilson was still the head coach, but he said he never actually talked to Wilson. All of his contact was through either Inge or new head coach Tom Allen.
The coaching change didn't play much of an impact in McGinnis's recruitment, he said. If anything, the switch from Wilson to Allen may have helped.
"Once I heard Coach Allen was named the head coach, it kind of just solidified it more," McGinnis said. "I was really happy about that. Having my D-Coordinator also be the head coach is pretty special."
McGinnis plans to study something in line with physical therapy in Bloomington. He's considering one day applying to attend medical school where he could follow in the footsteps of his father, a doctor, and his sister, who also works in public health.
In the McGinnis household, putting others first runs in the family.
"It's just something I've been around all my life," he said. "I enjoy helping other people in stuff like that."
At Indiana, McGinnis will have the opportunity to chase after his long-term aspirations while also getting a chance to make plays on the field.
After a long, winding journey to get to this point, McGinnis said he was relieved and thankful not just for the scholarship opportunity, but for the chance to share the moment with a father who's been there every step of the way.
"It's been a long journey, a long process," McGinnis said. "He's the one who got me started with this school and everything. It was just really nice for him to be next to me when I signed the papers."
