- 2010 Season
Personal Statement
My goal is to find a college where I can get a great education that will prepare me for a good career. I have always loved playing football, and wish to continue my football career at the next level. I have never played on a losing team, and can't imagine what that would be like. I think I can help any team be better.
As a player, I can do some different things to help my team win. I started my freshman high school career as a fullback on JV, but after two games I was moved up to varsity and started at right tackle on offense and have been starting ever since. I also played some linebacker my freshman year. Sophomore year I started at left tackle, and played linebacker again. My junior year I moved to offensive guard, which was a great move for me - my team traps and pulls a lot (Wing-T) and our guards are very active. I also started at Defensive end, and later Defensive tackle. During the summer before my junior year, in addition to attending the Northen Michigan camp, I attended a Ray Guy special teams camp in Detroit and learned to long snap. I was my team's long snapper last season, and was perfect on 31 punts and 22 XP's - every kick was away. I was all conference for the second time, and although my coaches do not grade linemen, they do award the "Hit Stick" each week for most impact blocks/tackles. I was the season award winner for the most impact plays with 17. My Senior year was fantastic - we went 9-2 and at one point were ranked 3rd in the state of Michigan. Personally, I won the "Hit Stick" award again for the most impact plays, started every game at OG and either DE or DT, made first team all conference at OG, 2nd team at DE, was named to the South Bend Tribune all area dream team and HM on the AP Michigan All-State team.
Most recently, I attended the Schuman NUC combine in Des Moines, Iowa. My 40 was a little slow, but we were running into the wind and all the times were slow - I know I can do better and I have done better. In the gym, I won the "Strongest Man" award for 25 reps on the bench at 185, and was a finalist in the lineman's showcase. I also received an invitation to attend the Rivals.com top 100 midwest camp.
Sports have been important to me my whole life. I started playing baseball when I was 5, and football when I was 7. I played travel baseball, travel basketball, was an all-state YMCA swimmer when I was 8, and competed in Youth wrestling tournaments. In high school, I played basketball my first two years, and was a starter on the JV both years, but switched to wrestling my junior year to help me become a better football player. I qualified for regionals and was 29-13 my first year of wrestling. I like being an athlete, not just a football player.
My athletic director, Mr. Fred Smith, nominated me a year ago for a two year appointment to the Michigan High School Athletic Association Student Advisory Council, and I was selected. There are 16 student athletes from across the state that meet every other month in Lansing to work on special projects - we did a "captain's manual" to help guide captains of high school sports teams, and have been creating and filming TV infomercials about high school sports. I got to help coordinate the state football finals at Ford field, worked in hospitality, helped with the press conferences and award the championship trophy to the Division 5 champion.
I have not established a preference for where I want to play football and study - I want to find a place where I can help my team, enjoy the college experience, train hard and get better, and look back after four years and say I made the right choice. I think of my high school coach, Joe Austin, as not just my coach but my mentor and friend, and look forward to the same relationship with my college coach. One of my proudest moments was being invited to participate in Coach Austin's induction into the Michigan Coaches' Hall of Fame last spring. I am not limiting myself to small or big schools, or any geographic preference. I am a Christian, and would be open to a faith based school, although I am not limited to that.
