Hillsdale continues to add recruits

Hillsdale College has updated its list of incoming football players with 6 additions to the one published last evening.

WR Jacob Ackerman, 5-7, 160, Linden HS, MI
QB Drew Collins, 5-10, 170, Adrian HS, MI
TE/LB Scott Hough, 6-2, 210, Jackson Lumen Christi HS, MI
RB Alexander Koski, 5-8, 176, Grosse Pointe South HS, MI
WR Brett Miller, 5-11, 165, Scottsdale Christian Academy, AZ
DE Joseph Snyder, 6-0, 225, Detroit Catholic Central HS, South Lyon, MI

Adrian QB makes Hillsdale late choice

Excerpt from Adrian Telegram, Brian Calloway

(Drew) Collins decided Tuesday night to attend Hillsdale over Fairmont State (W. Va.). He will join the Chargers as strictly a quarterback.

“It was tough because I built such a good relationship with the quarterback coach at Fairmont,” said Collins, who threw for 1,484 yards and 15 touchdowns and ran for 1,173 yards and 16 scores while guiding Adrian to an 10-2 mark this season. “I met him at the Michigan camp and it was hard not to go there. The big thing was the school was six hours away. Hillsdale is 30 minutes away and all my friends and family can watch.”

Hillsdale had its best record in 17 years with its 10-3 mark last fall and reached the Division II playoffs for the first time in school history.

Collins, who went 17-5 as Adrian’s starting quarterback and was the county Offensive Player of the Year each of the past two seasons, is one of two quarterbacks the Chargers signed. He said having former Adrian teammate Nick Galvan also at Hillsdale helped with his decision.

“I called Nick (Tuesday) and he’s been great through the process,” Collins said. “He came and saw me when I was on my visit. It’s nice to have someone that I know and that will help make me better.”

Galvan, a defensive back, was a key contributor to the Chargers defense as a freshman last fall and finished fourth on the team with 69 tackles.

Original Article/image

A Closer Look: LB Jake Weddle

Jake Weddle played most of his high school football in Michigan at Northville High School but made a big move to big-time 4A Texas football before the start of his senior year.

Weddle had a monster year for Frisco Liberty on his way to first team All-State honors:
106 tackles (67 solo), 12 TFL, 8 fumbles caused, 3 INTs, 1.5 sacks, 2 fumbles recovered (1 TD)

He was named Dallas Morning News Defensive Player of the Week following a 49-21 win against cross-town Wakeland HS.

SportsDay defensive football player of the week: Jake Weddle

12:31 AM CST on Monday, November 2, 2009

By MARK DENT / The Dallas Morning News
mdent@dallasnews.com

School: Frisco Liberty

Jake Weddle

Who he is: A 6-2, 220-pound senior linebacker

What he did: In a 49-21 victory against Frisco Wakeland, Weddle made 18 tackles and forced four fumbles for a defense that forced 10 turnovers. One of his forced fumbles came with the score tied, 21-21, and set up Liberty's go-ahead touchdown.

He said it: "We understood how big this game was. This was to clinch the playoffs. We all understood what kind of game it was. We were prepared and knew how to stop them."

Coach said it: "Our defense really had the best game we had all year, and Jake was just awesome. He had a great personal effort. In our district, it's been tough because the offenses are so good." ­ Galen Zimmerman

Did you know? Weddle moved to Texas from Michigan this summer. "I am upset I waited this long to move here. It's exciting. The football is faster. It's better." ... He would like to play college football in Texas. His goal is to get an offer from North Texas.

A Closer Look: WR Zach Crawford

From the high school that produced Big Ben Roethlisberger and Big Karl Heidrich comes (Big?) Zach Crawford. Led Findlay HS to share of Greater Buckeye Conference title, all-region, special mention All Ohio.

A Closer Look: OL Nick DeMiro

Nick DeMiro is a big and athletic offensive lineman from Rochester Adams HS in the suburban Detroit area. DeMiro passed on offers from the Naval Academy and Southern Illinois to become a Charger.

Hillsdale Announces Initial Signing of 14 players

Click image for bigger list.


Hillsdale College Release

February 3, 2010

Charger football program restocks talent with 2010 recruiting class

Hillsdale College head football coach Keith Otterbein is pleased to announce the latest additions to the Charger football program. The team signed several players to national letetrs of intent Wednesday, and as has been its custom in recent years, expects to add more players leading up to the start of fall camp in August.

“Our staff did another outstanding job in going out to find young men who will not only help us win games on the field, but will be true assets to the college community,” Otterbein said. “We have a staff that relishes the challenge that comes with recruiting players to Hillsdale College, and a big part of our success in recent years has come because of their hard work during the recruiting season.”

Among the 14 players joining the team on signing day, two will come to Hillsdale from one of the most successful prep programs in Michigan, Detroit Catholic Central. Signees Butch Herzog and Joseph Snyder were teammates on a Shamrocks team that won the Division I state championship in 2009. Cross-town rivals from Findlay, Ohio - Zach Crawford (Findlay High School) and Brett Pasche (Liberty Benton High School) will be on the same team next year. Eight members of this class have overall high school grade point averages of 3.7 or higher.

Hillsdale is coming off its best football season since joining Division II in 1992. The Chargers finished the 2009 campaign with a 10-3 record, qualifying for the Division II Playoffs for the first time in school history. The team finished in second place in the GLIAC, and ended a five-year regular-season winning streak by Grand Valley State, in a 27-24 win over the Lakers on October 10.

Hillsdale’s 2010 season will kick off under the lights, as the Chargers will host Ferris State University in a non-league game Friday night, Sept. 3 at Frank “Muddy” Waters Stadium.

Signing Day: The Waiting Game

I am waiting to share Hillsdale's official list when it is posted.

All tidbits I have and will continue to post are announcements made by other news outlets.

At the Division II level, this process can linger on for a few days to a few weeks. Keep checking Chargerblue.com for the latest and most up to date information.