- All
Transfers likely to bolster Waterford Mott offense as Corsairs gear up for the KLAA season
Waterford – When Dez Fitzpatrick transferred to Waterford Mott, many in and around the program knew just how good of a fit he would be with the Corsairs.
Fitzpatrick, a four-star receiver who committed to Louisville, moved over to Mott after spending the previous two seasons at Farmington and will join a high-octane offense known for throwing the ball and scoring points.
Just two practices into the 2015 season, Fitzpatrick said that his time with the Corsairs has gotten off to a good start and he’s already learned plenty from the Mott coaching staff.
“It’s been great so far,” he said. “These are offensive geniuses (the coaches) know a lot about it and I’ve learned so much from them so far.”
Mott coach Chris Fahr said that one of the things he’s learned about Fitzpatrick during summer workouts and in the first two days of practice is his work ethic.
“One, it’s how good of a kid he is and two, it’s how good of a family that he has,” Fahr said. “His dad is a tremendous human being and his mom is a great lady. But the biggest thing is that he works his butt off. He’s one of the first ones out here and one of the last ones to leave. He works really hard and he’s a humble kid. He’s a four-star recruit, but I’m just as happy to have him here as a person and as a player.”
A hole to fill for Fahr is at quarterback. Dakota Kupp graduated and will compete at Central Michigan at the quarterback position. But it looks like Mott found a competent replacement in senior Jake Baldwin, a transfer from Grand Ledge.
Fitzpatrick said that the offense, with himself and Baldwin stepping in, it already clicking and he envisions a banner year for the Mott offense.
“We’re already clicking,” he said. “Jake’s hitting the right receivers and I think our passing game is going to be unstoppable. And our running game with our big offensive line and Corbin (Moorer), it’s going to be hard (to stop).”
Baldwin said stepping into the Mott offense is the perfect fit for him. For one it allows him to not only make plays with his arm, but running the ball as well.
“It’s exactly what I look for, if I could pick an offensive playbook, it would be this kind of spread-offense that’s high and up-tempo,” he said. “That’s what I live for, me being able to run the ball and being able to make plays with my feet and my arm, that’s what I look for, it’s awesome.”
Last season Mott finished 6-4 making the postseason for the first time since 2007. Should the Corsairs qualify this season it would mark just the second time in school history the program would play in the postseason in back-to-back seasons.
Fahr noted that the transition for both Fitzpatrick and Baldwin has been a smooth one and that they have meshed with the rest of the team.
“The biggest thing is that they’re really good kids and we have a team full of really good kids,” he said. “So when you have really good kids with other really good kids, they blend just fine.”
Fitzpatrick said that after a strong summer of camps and 7-on-7 workouts, he and his teammates have lofty goals and are confident that they can compete with any team in the state.
“Through 7-on-7’s, through the summer when we’re playing the Southfields, the Cass Techs, the Detroit Kings,” he said. “We just compare ourselves to them and we feel that we can excel against anybody.”
The addition of Fitzpatrick and Baldwin is expected to place Mott in a position to compete for the Kensington Lakes Activities Association North Division. The Corsairs tied for the division title last season.
