Berube: Third Hornet to Commit to Chargers

Berube third Hornet to commit to Chargers

Hillsdale senior joins teammates Frosch and Otterbein at Hillsdale College

Paul Costanzo, Sports Editor
Hillsdale Daily News

Drew Berube can relax now — kind of.

The Hillsdale senior still has
baseball season and the hoopla that comes with the final months of
one’s senior year in high school, but with his college choice now a
done deal, he can focus solely on those two things.

Berube committed to Hillsdale College and football coach Keith Otterbein Monday night.

“I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders,” Berube, who
chose Hillsdale over Adrian College, said. “I can finally start working
out with some of their programs.”

Berube — a defensive lineman — is the third player from Hillsdale
High School to join the Chargers’ 2006 recruiting class. Quarterback
Brad Otterbein and tight end Gage Frosch signed with Hillsdale on
National Signing Day in early February.

“You’ve got to recruit good players out of your own back yard,”
Keith Otterbein — who is Brad’s father — said. “I was excited watching
them the whole way along. For a long time we knew (Berube) was a guy we
wanted to get to our program.”

Berube is the sixth defensive lineman and third defensive end the Chargers have brought in this year.

He was an honorable mention All–State selection in Class B as a key member of Hillsdale’s district championship team.

He finished the season with 75 total tackles, 19 for loss and seven
sacks. He was also a starting offensive lineman helping pave the way
for a 1,000–yard rusher in Matt English.

“I think he’s got great upside,” coach Otterbein said.

At 6–3 and 240 pounds, Berube was a good–sized defensive lineman in
high school. Combined with his speed and athleticism, he was able to
cause a lot of problems for the opposition.

But he knows that he’s going to have to get bigger and stronger to succeed at the next level.

“I just have to work hard and get a lot stronger,” he said.

But that is something he is ready to do in order to take full advantage of what has been a lifelong dream.

“I get to play college football,” Berube said. “That’s exciting.”

Hillsdale also added two other players to its list of signees. Zach
Rausch, a 6–0 220–pound linebacker from Pickerington, Ohio, and Brad
Weaver, a 5–9 170–pound tailback from Napoleon, Ohio.

The three new signees give the Chargers 29 so far, and it could grow.

“Our staff has really done a good job,” Otterbein said. “This class
will be somewhere between 30 and 35 real good football players.

“Having a big class is a real benefit for us.”