Burnaby, B.C. – The Simon Fraser University Clan football team announced today the recruiting list for the upcoming 2011 season. In total, 52 players have been added to the fall roster.
“The aspect of our team that we felt we needed to improve was athleticism; guys who can run. But we’ve got some big guys, too,” said Clan head coach Dave Johnson. “We’re not quite where we need to be yet, but we’re not where we used to be, either. I feel like we’ve made a transition; this is the first year where we’ve really addressed our needs.”
The Clan added nine offensive linemen and eight defensive linemen. Among those 17 individuals is William Hodgman, an offensive lineman from Arizona who last season played junior college football with Arizona Western. Hodgman is 6’4” and at 315 pounds will be among the biggest linemen on the current Clan roster.
SFU will also be buoyed by a large tight end recruiting class. “This was a position of need for us last year,” said head coach Dave Johnson. “We felt we’ve taken care of this position not just for next year, but years to come.”
The Clan added four tight ends to the picture, three of which are British Columbia highschool players. Noslan Jara (Notre Dame), Adam Zaruba (Carson Graham), and Kody Penner (Salmon Arm) will provide an injection of local talent, while Johnson credits Ontario native Marcell Noel Etchu Njang as one of those athletically gifted players who will solidify that position.
SFU has also brought in Trey Wheeler, a 6’1” quarterback from Liberty Highschool in Issaquah, Washington, who fielded offers from an assortment of universities and colleges, including a Division I scholarship offer from the University of Wyoming, but despite having a verbal commitment with the Cowboys, has decided to take his game north of the border. Wheeler was also recently named to The Seattle Times’ top-10 college prospect list.
“We are really excited about this group, but they’re going to have to come in and develop and get stronger to adjust to the play of the Great Northwest Athletic Conference,” said Johnson.
For the complete list of Clan recruits CLICK HERE
Matt Lee
Advocating for football prospects one story at a time.
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