FERRIS STATE SIGNS 19 TO NATIONAL LETTERS-OF-INTENT
Bulldogs' Recruiting Class Is Well-Balanced One; 18 Are In-State Prep Recruits
The Ferris State University football program has signed a total of 19 student-athletes, which includes 18 from the high school ranks, to National Letters-of-Intent this Wednesday (Feb. 7) as Bulldog head coach Jeff Pierce and his staff unveiled FSU's 2007 recruiting class.
“We have a talented athletic class who possess exceptional character,” said Pierce, who embarks on 13th year at Ferris State this upcoming fall and is the program’s all-time winningest coach. “I believe this group of men will really help keep Ferris State as a contender in one of the nation's top (NCAA) Division II conferences."
“They have not only produced on the playing field, but are also fine students as the combined overall grade point average of this group is a 3.10,” added Pierce.
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| The 2007 Ferris State football recruiting class features a well-balanced group of student-athletes. |
The Bulldogs' recruiting class is a well-balanced one with eight individuals on offense and 10 on the defensive side of the ball to go along with a kicker-punter in Dusty Greenbury (Birmingham/Brother Rice).
On offense, Ferris State will be bringing in four interior linemen - Andrew Grimes (Augusta/Richland Gull Lake), Richard Rosenberg (Traverse City/West), Collin Schook (Battle Creek/Pennfield), and Samual Tabor (Sand Lake/Cedar Springs). The Bulldogs also secured the services of quarterback Thomas Schneider (Jerome/Addison), who's one of the state's elite wrestlers and an outstanding student. Wide receiver Anre' Goree and slot back Timothy Hogue, teammates on 2006 Division 6 state champion runner up Inkster, will also don the crimson and gold. Tailback Leondre Cobb (Griffith, Ind.), like Goree and Hogue, is also known for his speed and quickness.
"We were able to attract a number of real playmakers, which should fit well into our the type of (spread) offense we have," said Pierce. "To be competitive in our conference, you need skill players to make things happen."
Defensively, Pierce and his staff landed four linemen in tackles Muneer Bawayeh (Dearborn/Fordson) and Nathan Pursell (Ada/Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central) along with ends Mark Lomasney (Grand Rapids/Forest Hills Northern) and Wayne Pritchett (Detroit/Martin Luther King). FSU also netted a trio of linebackers - Steven Battaglia (Sterling Heights/Stevenson), Christopher Kurbel (Midland/Dow), and Akelius Liggins (Flint/Central). The Bulldogs addressed the secondary with the additions of defensive backs Eric Andrews (Detroit/Martin Luther King), Russell Weatherspoon (Detroit/Pershing), and Terrell Heggins (Lansing/Everett) via Grand Rapids (Mich.) Community College.
"All around, it's a good group of players," said Pierce about the defensive newcomers. "Collectively, they all have great mobility. With the surface (turf) we have, it's imperative we get guys who can move from sideline-to-sideline and up-and-down the field."
The Bulldogs turned in their best season since 1996 at 8-3-0 overall for the 2006 campaign, which included a third-place 7-3-0 record in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).
2007 Ferris State University Football Signees |
Name
|
Pos.
|
Ht.
|
Wt.
|
Hometown/High School (Junior College)
|
Head Coach (Junior College Coach)
|
|
Eric Andrews
|
DB
|
6-0
|
195
|
Detroit/Martin Luther King
|
James Reynolds
|
|
Steve Battaglia
|
LB
|
6-1
|
215
|
Sterling Heights/Stevenson
|
Rick Bye
|
|
Muneer Bawayeh
|
DL
|
6-4
|
225
|
Dearborn/Fordson
|
Jeff Stergalas
|
|
Leondre Cobb
|
TB
|
6-0
|
190
|
Griffith, Ind.
|
Russ Radtke
|
|
Anre' Goree
|
WR
|
5-11
|
180
|
Inkster
|
Greg Carter
|
|
Dusty Greenbury
|
K-P
|
6-2
|
205
|
Birmingham/Brother Rice
|
Al Fracassa
|
|
Andrew Grimes
|
OL
|
6-2
|
245
|
Augusta/Richland Gull Lake
|
Mark Blaesser
|
|
Terrell Heggins
|
DB
|
5-11
|
213
|
Lansing/Everett (Grand Rapids C.C.)
|
Marcelle Carruthers (Jim Schulte)
|
|
Timothy Hogue
|
RB
|
5-7
|
165
|
Dearborn/Inkster
|
Greg Carter
|
|
Christopher Kurbel
|
LB
|
6-1
|
220
|
Midland/Dow
|
Kurt Faust
|
|
Akelius Liggins
|
LB
|
5-10
|
205
|
Flint/Central
|
James Hurd
|
|
Mark Lomasney
|
DE
|
6-4
|
225
|
Grand Rapids/Forest Hills Northern
|
Tim McGee
|
|
Wayne Pritchett
|
DE
|
6-1
|
200
|
Detroit/Martin Luther King
|
James Reynolds
|
|
Nathan Pursell
|
DL
|
6-1
|
255
|
Ada/Grand Rapids Forest Hills Central
|
Russ Erander
|
|
Richard Rosenberg
|
OL
|
6-7
|
270
|
Traverse City/West
|
Matt Prisk
|
|
Thomas Schneider
|
QB
|
6-0
|
195
|
Jerome/Addison
|
Mark Beougher
|
|
Colin Schook
|
OL
|
6-3
|
260
|
Battle Creek/Pennfield
|
Nick Koenigsknecht
|
|
Samual Tabor
|
OL
|
6-4
|
235
|
Sand Lake/Cedar Springs
|
Brian Busen
|
|
Russell Weatherspoon
|
DB
|
5-10
|
165
|
Detroit/Pershing
|
Carl Hankins
|
|
