Marjory Stoneman Douglas quarterback Tyler Goodman was in his coach’s office with three teammates and two recruiters from Nichols College on Feb. 14 when a former student entered the Parkland, Florida, school’s freshman building with a semi-automatic rifle and killed 17 people, including assistant football coach Aaron Feis and athletic director Chris Hixon.

Before then, Goodman was not heavily considering attending Nichols, an NCAA Division III college in Massachusetts. But he formed a connection with the recruiters — assistant coach St. Clair Ryan and dean of admissions Paul Brower — while hiding in a room with them during that scary time.

“They kind of went into father mode,” Goodman told Boston’s WFXT-TV.

That is why, nine days after the shooting, Goodman committed to play football at Nichols College.

“Being stuck with two recruiting coaches for three hours in such a tragic moment,” Goodman said. “We kind of formed that bond. … We formed something special there.”

Goodman said he plans to wear No. 17 to honor those who lost their lives in the shooting.

— Miami Herald