AUBURN - With every challenge that has presented itself to Nick Lepak, he's answered loud and clear.

As a lineman on both sides of the ball for the Auburn football team, Lepak has been instrumental in protecting his quarterbacks and in going after opposing ones. He was a big part in helping his team win the state title in 2006 and in turn, has won numerous honors, including a couple of all-state and first team all league nominations.

After proving himself an incredible athlete on the football field for several years, Lepak's next challenge is at the college level. The Auburn senior switched from Maroon to Orange on Wednesday, when he officially signed his letter of intent, in the high school's library, to play for Syracuse football. He will receive a full scholarship and was one of four central New Yorkers that signed letters of intent to play for Syracuse.

As an Orange fan, the decision was a dream come true for Lepak.

“Every time I go to Syracuse, I always drive by the Carrier Dome and I imagine myself playing there,” he said. “Just knowing that it's

coming true is an incredible feeling.”

During the short ceremony, it was apparent what the 6-4, 320-pound lineman has meant to Auburn, the football team and the school, as many members of the Maroons football team were on hand to watch Lepak sign the piece of paper. Also there to share Lepak's joy were his parents and older brother Matt, a former player for Auburn and now in the Army. Auburn football coach Dave Moskov made a speech prior to the signing.

“I remember when Nick was a freshman and we had an offensive line with all seniors,” Moskov said. “We had some big, very tough guys and we'd bring Nick up as a freshman to work out with the seniors. I remember when they'd give him a little bit of the business, a little shoving after the play from time to time, and as coaches, we'd sit back and just watch him. He stood square and gave just as good as he got and actually matched up very well with those guys. We knew back then that this is a special kid that went beyond his years in maturity to be able to compete at this level. Without question, we saw that in the classroom as well.”

To be able to play for a Division I school, a player's performance in the classroom has to equal their performance on the field. That wasn't a problem for Lepak, either.

“Sometimes, with academics and athletics, the two are separated,” Moskov said. “But Nick is a testament that they are firmly intertwined. His need for academic and athletics and how they go hand-in-hand - that's a credit to Nick's hard work.”

While there were several schools recruiting the lineman, Lepak's decision was clear early on.

“The coaches were a big factor,” Lepak said. “I know them and they seem as confident in me as I am in myself, so I'm happy to be a part of the team. Coach Robinson knows ins and outs of football and he's been able to teach that to his players. It's going to take a lot of hard work and a lot of workouts, but that comes with the territory. I'm fully 100 percent ready for it and I can't wait.”

“Syracuse has been with us since day one,” added Christine Lawrence, Nick's mom. “Nick could have gone wherever he wanted. We've just felt very warm in Syracuse. They've been nice and informative this whole time, making us feel secure and comfortable. That can make or break you. That's where Nick wanted to go and my husband and I are ecstatic. It's a parent's dream.”

Even Nick Lepak's older brother Matt, who recently returned from Iraq, was beaming with pride as he sat beside Nick when he signed the letter.

“This means the world to me,” Matt Lepak said afterwards. “I watched him come up through the program and that's all he wanted was to play for Syracuse. Now he's finally got it.”

Six years older than Nick, Matt was a senior for the Maroons football team as his only brother was the team's water boy. Even as a sixth grader, Nick Lepak was ambitious.

“When Nick was the water boy, he'd get the big Gatorade jugs,” Moskov said. “He wasn't carrying any of the little water cups.”

“When I was at practice, he was there watching,” Matt added. “When I was in the weight room, he was in there working out at that age. He stuck with it and his hard work is finally paying off now.”

And as the college was an easy choice for Nick, so was the decision to stick with the offensive side of the line. He'll likely be an interior lineman - one of the most important, but under-appreciated positions in the sport - for the Orange.

“It's a key spot,” Nick said. “If the line can't block, the quarterback can't throw and the receivers can't catch. It's an important place to play.”

His now former head coach acknowledged what Nick's success will mean to the city of Auburn.

“On a stage like the one he'll be on, we're going to want to turn on the TV and see Nick on the sidelines or Nick on the field competing,” Moskov said. “It's a success that all of us can enjoy and take part in.”