- All
FOOTBALL RECRUITING: Crazy week of D2 recruiting comes to a conclusion with another batch of commitments
It was a busy seven days on the state’s Division II college football recruiting landscape.
The end of the frenzy was as hectic as the beginning, with more players committing then days in the week.
Between last Sunday night and this Sunday night, 10 local players committed to D2 school across the state.
The first five – Warren Cousino’s Tony Jazvac (OL), Warren Mott’s Jack Steele (LB), Caledonia’s Heath Hoogerhyde (athlete), Grand Rapids Catholic Central’s Keane Belcher (DL), Traverse City Central’s Tyler Gildersleeve (OL) – made their commitments at the start of the week, reported on by State Champs on Wednesday.
The next five came over the weekend, when Saline quarterback Tyler Palka committed to Saginaw Valley State, wide receiver Ian Fischer (Frankenmuth) committed to Michigan Tech and split end Brian Williams (Oak Park) and running back Jahaan Brown (East Grand Rapids) both committed to Ferris State.
A transfer from Ohio, Palka was one of the state’s most dangerous field generals in 2012, guiding Saline to a Division 1 district championship, throwing 1,720 yards and scoring 21 touchdowns (15 through the air and 6 on the ground). As a junior at Toledo Whitmer, he quarterbacked the team to the state finals.
Ann Arbor.com gave Palka its Washtenaw County Player of the Year Award.
Fisher (5-9, 185) is a go-across-the-middle specialist and reliable possession receiver. He helped take Frankenmuth to an undefeated regular season this fall and a league title.
Romello Brown is coming off an enormous statistical campaign where he rushed for 1,845 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Jahaan Brown and Williams were each two-year starters for their respective prep squads. Brown helped lead East Grand Rapids to the Division 3 final four as a junior in 2011 and this year rushed for 1,495 yards and 20 touchdowns, while Williams was a first-team all-OAA pick back in the fall for an Oak Park team that won league and district crowns.
The Oak Park wide out was the second Knights pass-catcher to commit to Ferris State since Thanksgiving. Brandon Harding, Williams fellow starting receiver with the Knights the past two years, committed to the Bulldogs program earlier this month.
