Geter/Kicking/Fundraising
Posted: Thu Aug 23, 2007 7:10 am
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Article published Thursday, August 23, 2007
Geter plays big, looks like BGSU starter
Florida freshman tough runner
By RYAN AUTULLO
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
BOWLING GREEN - Joe Zaccheo cannot recall the month, the year, or even the defender's name, but he remembers clearly the details from a particular sequence during a Florida high school playoff football game against Glades Central.
"I put Willie on a little sweep and he cut it outside and then he cut it back in," Zaccheo said. "The safety [highly ranked nationally] looked at Willie and kind of licked his chops, and Willie proceeded to plant that kid in the ground and leave cleat marks on his chest."
Willie is Willie Geter, a freshman running back who has thunderously leaped to the top of the depth chart at Bowling Green State University.
The starting running back position was expected to be won by either incumbent Chris Bullock or junior college transfer Eric Ransom, but instead, a pocket-size 18-year-old is practicing with the first-team offense.
Zaccheo, Geter's coach at Monsignor Pace in Miami, was not surprised to hear Geter will likely start in nine days at Minnesota.
"I would be surprised if someone called me up in the middle of the year saying he's not doing so good," Zaccheo said. "I would expect to get a call in the middle of the year, someone saying, where did this kid come from?"
That's a fair question.
Geter, despite being named All-Florida first team last year - no small feat considering the quality of football played in that state - did not receive heavy interest from major programs.
Presumably, his small stature, 5-9, 170 pounds, scared away bigger programs. Akron and Southern Florida were the only other schools that offered Geter a scholarship.
"To be honest with you, if Willie had two or three more inches you probably wouldn't have been able to get him," Zaccheo said. "Willie is a legitimate Division I player stuck in a small body."
Geter, whose last name is pronounced like that of the New York Yankees shortstop, has also wowed his college coaches. His rare blend of speed and elusiveness has helped him pass by Bullock, who rushed for 769 yards in 2006, and Ransom, who just recently began practicing after being sidelined early in camp with a hamstring injury.
"What I told my [staff] after last season was we need a [player like former Northern Illinois petite running back] Garrett Wolfe, and lo and behold we found him in Willie Geter," BGSU coach Gregg Brandon said. "Did I think Willie would come in and be this dynamic as a true freshman? No. He's everything we saw in high school that you would anticipate him to eventually be in college. We just didn't think it would happen this quick."
Geter, by accounts from his current and former coaches, is humble and soft-spoken. He'd rather deflect praise to his offensive line than take credit for the work.
But when told that Zaccheo called him "a monster in the weight room," Geter laughed and said Zaccheo's assessment is accurate.
"Yeah, that's surprising but it's true," Geter said. "I've been put down plenty of times about my size. It makes me work hard. I dig deep and play tough no matter how big they are."
A former teammate of Geter's found that out the hard way during a practice two years ago.
"I had a starting free safety about 6 foot, 185 pounds," Zaccheo said. "Willie ran an inside power play and cut it outside. Then the free safety came up to make the play and he thought he was going to bulldog Willie. Willie cut up into him and dislocated his collar bone, or broke it, or dislocated his shoulder. All I know is I lost my free safety for six weeks."
AND THE WINNER IS: Brandon said he will name the starting quarterback for the Minnesota game early next week. Tyler Sheehan has gotten most of the first-team repetitions throughout camp and looks to be a lock to start over Anthony Turner.
GO HOME KIDS: Brandon made a deal with his players yesterday about 5 p.m. If kicker Sinisa Vrvilo made a 55-yard field goal, practice would be over. Vrvilo, in his first year at BGSU, missed right, but Brandon gave him another chance. Vrvilo sent the ball through the uprights. Practice over.
"All I know is I could have never done that last year so that's huge for us," Brandon said.
FUTURE PLANS: BGSU director of athletics Greg Christopher was at practice yesterday and said the department is conducting a fund-raising feasibility study to help determine how much money in donations can be expected for forthcoming renovation projects.
Contact Ryan Autullo at:
[email protected]
Article published Thursday, August 23, 2007
Geter plays big, looks like BGSU starter
Florida freshman tough runner
By RYAN AUTULLO
BLADE SPORTS WRITER
BOWLING GREEN - Joe Zaccheo cannot recall the month, the year, or even the defender's name, but he remembers clearly the details from a particular sequence during a Florida high school playoff football game against Glades Central.
"I put Willie on a little sweep and he cut it outside and then he cut it back in," Zaccheo said. "The safety [highly ranked nationally] looked at Willie and kind of licked his chops, and Willie proceeded to plant that kid in the ground and leave cleat marks on his chest."
Willie is Willie Geter, a freshman running back who has thunderously leaped to the top of the depth chart at Bowling Green State University.
The starting running back position was expected to be won by either incumbent Chris Bullock or junior college transfer Eric Ransom, but instead, a pocket-size 18-year-old is practicing with the first-team offense.
Zaccheo, Geter's coach at Monsignor Pace in Miami, was not surprised to hear Geter will likely start in nine days at Minnesota.
"I would be surprised if someone called me up in the middle of the year saying he's not doing so good," Zaccheo said. "I would expect to get a call in the middle of the year, someone saying, where did this kid come from?"
That's a fair question.
Geter, despite being named All-Florida first team last year - no small feat considering the quality of football played in that state - did not receive heavy interest from major programs.
Presumably, his small stature, 5-9, 170 pounds, scared away bigger programs. Akron and Southern Florida were the only other schools that offered Geter a scholarship.
"To be honest with you, if Willie had two or three more inches you probably wouldn't have been able to get him," Zaccheo said. "Willie is a legitimate Division I player stuck in a small body."
Geter, whose last name is pronounced like that of the New York Yankees shortstop, has also wowed his college coaches. His rare blend of speed and elusiveness has helped him pass by Bullock, who rushed for 769 yards in 2006, and Ransom, who just recently began practicing after being sidelined early in camp with a hamstring injury.
"What I told my [staff] after last season was we need a [player like former Northern Illinois petite running back] Garrett Wolfe, and lo and behold we found him in Willie Geter," BGSU coach Gregg Brandon said. "Did I think Willie would come in and be this dynamic as a true freshman? No. He's everything we saw in high school that you would anticipate him to eventually be in college. We just didn't think it would happen this quick."
Geter, by accounts from his current and former coaches, is humble and soft-spoken. He'd rather deflect praise to his offensive line than take credit for the work.
But when told that Zaccheo called him "a monster in the weight room," Geter laughed and said Zaccheo's assessment is accurate.
"Yeah, that's surprising but it's true," Geter said. "I've been put down plenty of times about my size. It makes me work hard. I dig deep and play tough no matter how big they are."
A former teammate of Geter's found that out the hard way during a practice two years ago.
"I had a starting free safety about 6 foot, 185 pounds," Zaccheo said. "Willie ran an inside power play and cut it outside. Then the free safety came up to make the play and he thought he was going to bulldog Willie. Willie cut up into him and dislocated his collar bone, or broke it, or dislocated his shoulder. All I know is I lost my free safety for six weeks."
AND THE WINNER IS: Brandon said he will name the starting quarterback for the Minnesota game early next week. Tyler Sheehan has gotten most of the first-team repetitions throughout camp and looks to be a lock to start over Anthony Turner.
GO HOME KIDS: Brandon made a deal with his players yesterday about 5 p.m. If kicker Sinisa Vrvilo made a 55-yard field goal, practice would be over. Vrvilo, in his first year at BGSU, missed right, but Brandon gave him another chance. Vrvilo sent the ball through the uprights. Practice over.
"All I know is I could have never done that last year so that's huge for us," Brandon said.
FUTURE PLANS: BGSU director of athletics Greg Christopher was at practice yesterday and said the department is conducting a fund-raising feasibility study to help determine how much money in donations can be expected for forthcoming renovation projects.
Contact Ryan Autullo at:
[email protected]
