MISSOULA - Fourth-year Montana football coach Bobby Hauck had a unique experience this year.Known for his recruiting skills, Hauck didn’t have to apply them nearly as often as he did in his earlier years at Montana. That’s because his team has so many players coming back - and had so few seniors leaving - that the recruiting class he announced Wednesday totaled seven players.
In reality Hauck announced five new recruits - all freshmen - because quarterback Jeff Larson of Cut Bank was here as a “gray shirt” and part-time student and Oklahoma transfer J.D. Quinn had enrolled last fall but was not eligible to play in 2006.
One thing Hauck really liked about the five true newcomers is that all come from high school programs used to winning.
Asked about having just two Montana recruits in the class Hauck said the philosophy hasn’t changed.
“We’ll recruit every kid in Montana we think will help us win a championship,” he said.
Hauck also said the fall of 2006 was much more relaxing due to the small recruiting pool and the work load it produced. He said he made maybe five percent of the number of recruiting calls he ordinarily would make.
And even though Griz coaches always try to identify high school juniors early on the limited recruiting class might have given coaches a jump start in that area as well.
The large returning group also means limited openings for walk-ons with the 2007 Grizzly team.
“I think we did very well,” Hauck said. “This is a good group of guys. If I could take five of each of them and had enough for them scholarship-wise I would. There’s not one of them that you wouldn’t take every single year.”
The class of 2007:
David Arndt, OL, 6-5 ½, 245, Fr., Highlands Ranch, CO (Arapahoe HS): A two-year football letterman at Arapahoe High School...all-conference selection at offensive tackle...also played defensive tackle...two-year letterman in track, competing in the discus and shot put...team MVP in JV basketball as a sophomore...football teams advanced to the quarterfinals his junior and senior seasons and the semis his sophomore year, and had a three-year record of 22-10...his high school football coach was Mike Campbell...Personal: Birth date: May 19, 1989. He will major in business. Parents: Rolf and Crystal Arndt of Highlands Ranch.
Lyle Brown, WR, 5-9, 175, Fr., Castle Rock, CO (Douglas County HS): Was relocated from Puckett, Mississippi, to Colorado after Hurricane Katrina hit...All-Continental League pick as a senior at Douglas County High School, when his team went 11-2 but lost in the state semi-finals...played varsity football three seasons at Puckett High School in Mississippi, where his teams went 11-1, 10-1, and 11-1, advancing to the state playoffs all three seasons.....second team all-state and all-county in football as a junior when he had 90 tackles and six sacks...his high school football coach was Jeff Ketron...his four-year record in football in Mississippi and Colorado is 43-5 overall...track team was sixth in the Colorado state meet in the 800-meter relay...was clocked at 10.8 in the 100 meters...Personal: Birth date: February 28, 1989. He will major in sociology and hopes to pursue a career in criminal justice. Parents: Gina Brown Tate of Castle Rock and Lionel Brown of Aurora, Colorado.
Ryan Fetherston, DE, 6-4, 210, Fr., East Helena, MT (Helena HS): An outstanding all-around athlete who letters in wrestling four times, and football and track and field twice at Helena High School...his current record in wrestling is 26-0 with 18 pins at 215 pounds...“Super State” and all-state at defensive end (first team) and quarterback (second team) as a senior...tabbed for East-West Shrine Game and Montana-Dakota All-Star Game...his school’s Male Athlete of the Year in 2006...senior year he was voted offensive team MVP and “Most Inspirational...also all-state in football as a junior... sophomore year in wrestling he won the “Mr. Takedown Award”...junior year he was an All-American wrestler and the state champion at 189 pounds, had 34 wins, and won the “Mr. Pin” Award (30 pins)...academic all-state selection three times...a two-time captain in wrestling and once in football...high school football coach was former (1985-88) Griz quarterback Tony Arnston...Personal: Birth date: June 23, 1988. He will major in secondary education. His career goals are to become a teacher and coach. His parents are Tim and Chris Fetherston of East Helena.
Jeff Larson, QB, 6-4, 220, Fr., Cut Bank, MT (Cut Bank HS): Earned 12 letters at Cut Bank High School: four in football and tennis, three in basketball, and one in golf...four-time all-state pick, three times in tennis and twice in both basketball and football...team captain in football, basketball, and tennis...state hoops tourney MVP as a senior...his senior year he passed for 2,212 yards and 34 touchdowns and rushed for nine TDs...his high school football coach was Paul Schilling...Personal: Birth date: October 29, 1987. He will major in business, and he hopes to become an accountant. Enrolled at UM in the spring of 2007. Jeff’s parents are Greg and Shelley Larson of Cut Bank.
Jamaine Olson, CB, 5-11, 170, Fr., Beaverton, OR (Jesuit HS): A two-year letterman and starter at Jesuit High School, where his teams went 26-1 and won the state championship in 2006 with a perfect 13-0 record...first team all-state defensive back as a senior...a three-year letter winner in track and all-league pick in that sport...first team all-state in track, running the 100 and 200 meters, and on the state champion 4x100 relay team..he also played wide receiver and had six touchdown receptions and averaged more than 40 yards per catch...his high school football coach was Ken Potter...Personal: Birth date: February 1, 1989. He plans to major in pre-med. Jamaine’s mom is Rayelle Olson of Beaverton.
J.D. Quinn, OL, 6-4, 315, Jr., Garland, TX (U of Oklahoma/Garland HS): A transfer from Oklahoma, J.D. has been at UM since this past fall...started four games as a redshirt freshman at Oklahoma in 2005...did not play last season due to NCAA sanctions...a standout football player at Garland High School, where he lettered four times in football, three times in baseball, and once in track...a two-time all-state, all-district and all-city selection in football as a prep...voted his team’s “Lineman of the Year” as a senior when he had 104 “pancake” blocks...team captain and All-American in football as a senior...Personal: Birth date: February 23, 1986. His major is sociology.
DeAngelo Starr, CB, 6-0, 155, Fr., Corona, CA (Corona High School): Lettered in three sports at Corona High School: football, wrestling, and track....was selected the football MVP and “Outstanding Defensive Back” as a senior...tabbed “Best Sprinter and “Best Hurdler” in track as a junior...an all-league and All-C.I.F. pick in football...his prep football coach was John Brandom...Personal: Birth date: October 13, 1988. Major: Undecided. Parents: Lynnette James and DeAngelo Starr Sr., and Brenda Faulk and Michael Brown.
Click here to see a highlight video of 2007 Grizzly football recruits.
Click here to hear coach Bobby Hauck announce the 2007 Grizzly football recruits.
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