While most Hillsdale College students spent their spring break on the beach in the tropics or at home with their family and friends, a group of football players and coaches traveled to Immokalee, Fla. and spent their days laying down sod and roofing houses in the hot sun.
From March 18 to 25, head football coach Keith Otterbein, assistant coach Nate Shreffler, senior Jesse Norris, juniors Steve Embry and Jimmy Plaskey, sophomores Eric Burke, Devin Moynihan and Trent Kramer and freshmen David Shirey and Brett Pasche volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, working to build houses in a development in Immokalee.
Otterbein said he has personally been wanting to do a service trip for years and when the father of one of his players pitched the idea, he began exploring the thought with his team.
Full Story
Tradition • Character • Service
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Weatherhead and Holmes get closer to NFL dreams
This was a big week for Hillsdale graduating seniors Troy Weatherhead and Andre Holmes as both performed for NFL scouts. Weatherhead, Hillsdale's all-time leading passer threw and completed a number of tests and position drills at both Grand Valley's and Michigan State's pro-days on Monday and Wednesday respectively. Holmes, Hillsdale's all-time leading receiver is coming off February appearances in the Texas vs. the Nation All-Star game and the NFL combine. He also worked out this week at Michigan State and then at Hillsdale on Thursday.
Weatherhead talked to MLIVE.com and the Grand Rapids Press's Greg Johnson on Wednesday, “I showed pretty good arm strength on my deep (throws), which is my big thing,” he said. “I put the ball on the sideline and did well on those comeback routes. I could have had a couple of better throws, but I got some good feedback from the scout (running the drills) after I threw the ball. The ball was coming out of my hand really crisp today.”
“I threw it really well Monday, and did just as well today, I thought,” he said.
“It’s been my goal since I was a real little kid, and now I got a shot,” he said. “It’s nice getting out here, being exposed to all the scouts. I had a great career at Hillsdale, played great competition in Division II and made a lot of great friends. I’m really happy how it all ended up.”
Holmes impressed the New England Patriots enough on Wednesday that they followed up with a private workout on Thursday in Hillsdale.
He has also sparked enough interest in the Dallas Cowboys and will work out at their Valley Ranch, TX facility during the first week of April.
Weatherhead talked to MLIVE.com and the Grand Rapids Press's Greg Johnson on Wednesday, “I showed pretty good arm strength on my deep (throws), which is my big thing,” he said. “I put the ball on the sideline and did well on those comeback routes. I could have had a couple of better throws, but I got some good feedback from the scout (running the drills) after I threw the ball. The ball was coming out of my hand really crisp today.”
“I threw it really well Monday, and did just as well today, I thought,” he said.
“It’s been my goal since I was a real little kid, and now I got a shot,” he said. “It’s nice getting out here, being exposed to all the scouts. I had a great career at Hillsdale, played great competition in Division II and made a lot of great friends. I’m really happy how it all ended up.”
Holmes impressed the New England Patriots enough on Wednesday that they followed up with a private workout on Thursday in Hillsdale.
He has also sparked enough interest in the Dallas Cowboys and will work out at their Valley Ranch, TX facility during the first week of April.
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
Chester Marcol Sighting in Da U.P.
Look who was first in line to buy tickets this morning for the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional hosted by Michigan Tech. It was Hillsdale College's legendary kicker and 1972 NFC Rookie of the Year Chester Marcol. Chester makes his home in Dollar Bay, MI not far from the Tech campus.
Full article at MiningGazette.com
Thursday, March 03, 2011
Collegian: Combine results with hype
Holmes places third in broad jump among all WR’s
By Nathan McClallen
Hillsdale Collegian - Original Post
Published: Thursday, March 3, 2011
The nation's top 300 NFL prospects gathered in Indianapolis over the weekend at the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine. Hillsdale senior Andre Holmes was among 46 wide receivers given the opportunity to showcase their abilities on the biggest stage of any professional draft.
The athletes are grouped by position — each group participates in specific workouts on particular days. The wide receivers worked out Sunday, so Holmes sprinted, caught passes and participated in drills alongside high-profile recruits such as
Alabama University's Julio Jones and Georgia University's A.J. Green, starting at 9 a.m.
And he belonged.
Holmes recorded the third farthest broad jump of the wide receivers at 10 feet, 10 inches and finished with one of the top-10 fastest times in the three-cone drill.
In the 40-yard dash, Holmes ran a 4.52, placing him in the middle of the pack. The 40-yard dash has been one of the most recognized tests of the combine in recent years, and although top-end speed doesn't always transfer into pads and a helmet, Holmes said he was a little disappointed in his performance.
"I wanted a low 4.4," he said. "The field felt a little slow, I think a lot of guys ran slower than their best."
Despite this, his agent informed him that he probably improved his draft stock on the whole.
Hillsdale College head football coach Keith Otterbein drove down to watch Holmes Sunday, and he agreed.
"He certainly proved that he deserved to be there," Otterbein said. "If anything, I think he increased his opportunities."
Holmes is being projected anywhere from a priority free agent after the draft to a possible fourth-round selection in the draft.
Otterbein said Holmes' biggest upside was his continued physical development.
"He certainly wasn't that fast when we recruited him," he said. "He's got deceptive speed."
Since he was invited to the combine, Holmes has been training at a facility in Tampa Bay, Fla., with other NFL hopefuls. Through this experience, Holmes has gotten accustomed to training alongside big-time Division I players. Still, it didn't completely remove the novelty of interacting with the same guys who are up on the mock draft board every thirty minutes on ESPNEWS.
"At the combine, they just threw us all in the hospital the first day and started taking blood tests and all that stuff," he said. "I was talking to this guy throughout the day — I just thought he was some tall quarterback, or a tight end."
At roll call that night, Holmes realized his new acquaintance was 6-foot-6-inch Ryan Mallet of Arkansas University, the best-throwing quarterback at the combine.
Though Mallet is settled in as a top-5 pick at his position, Holmes has plans to continue moving up the board.
After all, there are still 55 days until the 2011 NFL Draft.
Holmes' next big test will be at Michigan State University's Pro-Day on March 16, a workout Hillsdale senior quarterback Troy Weatherhead will also be participating in.
By Nathan McClallen
Hillsdale Collegian - Original Post
Published: Thursday, March 3, 2011
The nation's top 300 NFL prospects gathered in Indianapolis over the weekend at the 2011 NFL Scouting Combine. Hillsdale senior Andre Holmes was among 46 wide receivers given the opportunity to showcase their abilities on the biggest stage of any professional draft.
The athletes are grouped by position — each group participates in specific workouts on particular days. The wide receivers worked out Sunday, so Holmes sprinted, caught passes and participated in drills alongside high-profile recruits such as
Alabama University's Julio Jones and Georgia University's A.J. Green, starting at 9 a.m.
And he belonged.
Holmes recorded the third farthest broad jump of the wide receivers at 10 feet, 10 inches and finished with one of the top-10 fastest times in the three-cone drill.
In the 40-yard dash, Holmes ran a 4.52, placing him in the middle of the pack. The 40-yard dash has been one of the most recognized tests of the combine in recent years, and although top-end speed doesn't always transfer into pads and a helmet, Holmes said he was a little disappointed in his performance.
"I wanted a low 4.4," he said. "The field felt a little slow, I think a lot of guys ran slower than their best."
Despite this, his agent informed him that he probably improved his draft stock on the whole.
Hillsdale College head football coach Keith Otterbein drove down to watch Holmes Sunday, and he agreed.
"He certainly proved that he deserved to be there," Otterbein said. "If anything, I think he increased his opportunities."
Holmes is being projected anywhere from a priority free agent after the draft to a possible fourth-round selection in the draft.
Otterbein said Holmes' biggest upside was his continued physical development.
"He certainly wasn't that fast when we recruited him," he said. "He's got deceptive speed."
Since he was invited to the combine, Holmes has been training at a facility in Tampa Bay, Fla., with other NFL hopefuls. Through this experience, Holmes has gotten accustomed to training alongside big-time Division I players. Still, it didn't completely remove the novelty of interacting with the same guys who are up on the mock draft board every thirty minutes on ESPNEWS.
"At the combine, they just threw us all in the hospital the first day and started taking blood tests and all that stuff," he said. "I was talking to this guy throughout the day — I just thought he was some tall quarterback, or a tight end."
At roll call that night, Holmes realized his new acquaintance was 6-foot-6-inch Ryan Mallet of Arkansas University, the best-throwing quarterback at the combine.
Though Mallet is settled in as a top-5 pick at his position, Holmes has plans to continue moving up the board.
After all, there are still 55 days until the 2011 NFL Draft.
Holmes' next big test will be at Michigan State University's Pro-Day on March 16, a workout Hillsdale senior quarterback Troy Weatherhead will also be participating in.
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
Youtube: Andre Holmes WR 2011 NFL Combine 40 yard dash Hillsdale College
Thanks to Hillsdale Charger O-line senior Mackie Meece for posting this.
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