Football fills need for speed
Football Head Coach Mike DeBord sat in the press conference following November’s 35-10 home loss against Western Michigan and reflected upon a disappointing 4-8 season.
“We have to improve our speed at wide receiver,” DeBord said. “We need speed at all of the skill positions.”
DeBord and his staff addressed this at Wednesday’s national signing day. CMU received 19 letters of intent, with the recurring theme being quickness and playmaking ability at the skill positions.
“You look at this class in terms of speed, it is probably the fastest class we have ever recruited,” DeBord said.
This is his fourth recruiting class since arriving to Mount Pleasant.
The two most talked about recruits are Saginaw linebacker Anthony Rogers and Harper (Ind.) Junior College wide receiver Jovan Witherspoon.
Rogers gave a verbal commitment to Central in December, but wavered on his decision before announcing his signing at a press conference at Saginaw High Wednesday. He was ranked the No.9 in the Detroit Free Press Fab 50.
Rogers is among eight players from Michigan in the 2003 freshman class. Also included in the diverse group are two players from Florida, two Georgia, two Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
Witherspoon traveled a winding path to CMU. After being named a Reebok High School All-American out of Bishop Luers in Ft. Wayne, Ind. he committed to Notre Dame. Witherspoon transferred to Northwestern before taking a snap with the Irish, and was forced to sit out the 2000 season.
Witherspoon caught 12 passes for 93 yards and a touchdown in the last four games for the Wildcats as a freshman. He then left the school before his sophomore year, despite the potential for a starting spot.
“Jovan went into those programs basically saying, ‘give me the ball,’ but it is not like that in college,” DeBord said.
He caught 34 passes for 584 yards for five touchdowns in seven games as a sophomore at Harper.
“He’s learned a lot about the team game at the college level. I feel very good about his mentality coming into Central Michigan,” DeBord said.
The 6-foot-3-inch wide receiver Witherspoon will have a chance to start in the fall with the graduation of Rob Turner and Rod Means. He runs a 4.46 40-yard dash and has two years of college eligibility left.
Another receiver that may contend for immediate playing time is Damien Linson of Plymouth, N.C. He holds the North Carolina state record for career touchdowns with 60 and receiving yards with 4,451.
Jemmy Jasmin of North Beach Miami (Fla.) High School and Lonnell Bess of Southfield-Lathrup are the other receivers committed to CMU.
Central showed confidence in quarterbacks Derrick Vickers, Grant Arnoldink and Kent Smith by signing only one signal-caller. Nick Gildersleeve of Dundee was a three-time honorable mention all-state selection, but is not expected to get playing time as a freshman. He runs a 4.59 40-yard dash.
Central only signed one defensive back in Curtis Cutts of Ford City, Pa. to help new secondary coach Bob Bartolomeo.
“You might see some of these guys change positions when we get into camp. We were just looking for the best football players who can help our team,” DeBord said.
Joining Rogers on defense will be De’Onte Burnam of Vienna, Ga. Burnam was named Class “A” Georgia Player of the Year after reaching the state finals as a senior.
The sleeper of the class might be running back Jerry Seymour of Miramar, Fla. He is from the same high school as Vickers and former CMU linebacker Jovan Clarke. Seymour runs a 4.48 40-yard dash and was first-team all-state as a senior.
“That kid is just a great player,” DeBord said.
Tight end Joseph Staley of Rockford was the first to commit to CMU last summer and will add speed to the position. Staley ran a 21.9 second 200-yard dash and was ranked No. 13 in the Free Press Fab 50.
CMU expects to sign one more player today, and it may be running back Isaac Brown of Bridgeport.
The team will begin spring practice March 22 in preparation for the 2003 opener at Michigan Aug. 30.
