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SPRINGFIELD — A quick glance at the list of Wittenberg University’s 2010 football recruits makes you think the coaching staff has had a fun offseason.
Wittenberg recruited players from American Samoa, Las Vegas and Washington, D.C.
“They were great recruiting trips,” head coach Joe Fincham joked.
In reality, any scouting of those players was done by film. As always, the coaches mostly stayed close to home. Fifty of the 63 players on the list, which could still grow by the time practices start in August, are from Ohio.
Seven are from area schools: Springfield defensive lineman B.J. Bush and defensive back Erick Collins, Southeastern quarterback Reed Florence, Northeastern wide receiver Chad Phillips, Graham linebacker Casey Crable, fullback Logan White and defensive lineman Zach Reuber.
After a 12-1 season in 2009 and a run to the national quarterfinals, it was easier for the coaches to sell players on Wittenberg.
“We’ve always been able to sell the tradition and the campus and the education, but when you have the type of season we had this past season, everyone wants to be associated with winners,” Fincham said. “Our guys worked really hard at it, too, as well as the admissions staff down at the bottom of the hill.”
The new recruits will join a program ranked in the top 10 in two preseason polls.
“Everyone expects you to win at Wittenberg,” Fincham said. “I would just like to fly under the radar like we did this past year. Being ranked at the end of the year is all that counts.”
The Tigers can’t afford to focus on just one position, but three positions they targeted this year, knowing who they’ll lose to graduation in the next two years, were defensive line, linebacker and running back.
Three defensive lineman who stand out for Fincham are Stephen Zumdick of Dixie Heights, Brock Mitchell of Licking Falley and Michael Hofer of Granville.
Three linebackers with potential are Spencer Leno of Massillon, Graham’s Crable and Evan Killilea of Columbus DeSales.
At running back, the top recruits are Graham’s White, Michael Mainella of Canal Winchester, Jake Conrad of Ridgewood and Nick Orlando of Fisher Catholic.Football
2010 WITTENBERG RECRUITS
Tyson Agler, Napoleon, DL
Kyle Blakeman, Wilmington, WR
Dane Boggs, Mt. Orab Western Brown, TE
Justin Bunch, Troy, LB
B.J. Bush, Springfield, DL
Beau Carson, Chartiers Valley (Pa.), WR
Aaron Coeling, Centerville, OL
Dejuan Colbert, Lawrence Central (Ind.), RB
Erick Collins, Springfield, DB
Jake Conrad, W. Lafayette Ridgewood, RB
Casey Crable, Graham, LB
Brendon Cunningham, Fairmont, WR
Reed Florence, Southeastern, QB
Brandon Gieseking, Whiteland (Ind.), WR
Devin Hill, Northland, FB
Dwight Hill, LaSalle, LB
Michael Hofer, Granville, DL
Jace Humphreys, Fort Loramie, TE
Brad Jones, Sidney, LB
Harold Kalibala, Stephen F. Austin, LB
Tyler Kelly, Arcanum, OL
Evans Killilea, Columbus DeSales, LB
Desi Kirkman, Lima Central Catholic, WR
Drew Klamar, Upper Arlington, OL
Adam Klever, Cincinnati Moeller, OL
Kameron Knight, Anna, WR
Dylan Kren, Ocean Township (N.J.), DL
Colt Landis, W. Lafayette Ridgewood, DB
Spencer Leno, Massillon, LB
David Lieberman, Northmont, DL
Michael Mainella, Canal Winchester, RB
Zach Mathews, Sunbury Big Walnut, OL
Brandon Mitchell, Reynoldsberg, DB
Brock Mitchell, Licking Valley, DL
Josh Montgomery, Reynoldsburg, DL
Edmund Opong-Wadee, Washington Maret (D.C.), FB
Nick Orlando, Lancaster Fisher Catholic, RB
Tim Patterson, Heath, TE
Chad Phillips, Northeastern, WR
Nathan Rathbun,, Naples Barron Collier (Fla.), DL
Tadgh Reidy, Louisville Trinity (Ky.), OL
Zach Reuber, Graham, DL
Derek Reynolds, Northmont, DL/P
Michael Roehrenbeck, Columbus Academy, LB
Drew Rosselot, Cincinnati Moeller, FB
Jim Roth, Norwalk St. Paul, K/P
Javanh Sanders, Las Vegas Centennial (Nev.), RB
Tyler Sasser, Indianapolis Ben Davis (Ind.), OL
Terrence Satele, Leone, American Samoa, FB
Matthew Schramm, London, OL
Cody Smith, Kettering Fairmont, DL
Corey Smith, Cincinnati Moeller, K
Christopher Spurlock, Logan Elm, DL
Jonathan Stoner, Bowling Green, WR
Andrew Stylski, Bay Village, OL
Mark Swope, Fairborn, DB
Tyler Thompson, Canal Winchester, WR
Colt Ward, Miami Trace, LB
Logan White, Graham, FB
Justin Whitlatch, Canal Winchester, QB
Matt Widemon, Indianapolis Cathedral (Ind.), OL
Bobby Zidaroff, Chaminade-Julienne, OL
Stephen Zumdick, Edgewood Dixie Heights (Ky.), DL
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