Over The Pylon

Despite signing day being a couple weeks ago, the Cardinals have added 4 more players to those initially thought to have signed with BSU on the first day that letters of intent could be delivered. Eric Patterson and Michael Ayers we chatted a bit about last week, but two more names hit the presses today in Dylan Curry and Chris Sparrow. Curry hails from Frankfort, KY and Sparrow from Scotts, MI. The BSU release for all four…

Ball State first-year head football coach Pete Lembo has added four recruits to the 2011 class, bringing the total to 23 for this year’s class. “We could not be more pleased with how this recruiting cycle has progressed,” Lembo says. “We proceeded methodically right through the signing date and identified some outstanding young men who were still available. These guys are excited to be coming to Ball State and will make our football program better.”

The following players have been added to the 2011 recruiting class:
Michael Ayers 6-1 210 LB Elks Grove, Calif. (Laguna Creek)
HIGH SCHOOL: Earned two letters for head coach Mark Nill . . . All-Delta Valley Conference as a senior after earning second-team honors as a junior . . . totalled 110 tackles as a senior . . . managed 206 tackles in career . . . PERSONAL: Son of Michael and Amy Ayers . . . one brother and one sister . . . born March 23, 1993, in Vallejo, Calif.
Quote from Coach Lembo: “Michael is a charismatic young guy who is very athletic. He is a former quarterback who has good leadership skills. As a linebacker, his speed, explosiveness and change of direction is impressive to watch. He has great instincts and a frame to get much bigger.”

Dylan Curry 6-5 255 TE Frankfort, Ky. (Western Hills)
HIGH SCHOOL: Earned four letters for head coach Don Miller . . . helped team to an 8-4 record as a senior, which was the best record in school history . . . helped team to a ranking of No. 2 in Class 3A as a senior . . . all-state as a senior after receiving honorable mention as a junior . . . voted team’s Most Valuable Player as a senior . . . passed for 1,435 yards and 13 touchdowns and rushed for 730 yards and 16 TDs as a senior . . . passed for 5,012 yards with 39 TDs and rushed for 1,075 yards and 28 touchdowns in his career . . . set the school record for career passing yards . . . first player in Western Hills High School history to receive a Football Bowl Subdivision scholarship . . . academic all-state as a sophomore, junior and senior . . . also competed in baseball and basketball . . . PERSONAL: Son of Paul and Missy Curry . . . one brother and one sister . . . owns a 3.58 grade-point average on the school’s 4.0 scale . . . born Feb. 2, 1992, in Frankfort, Ky. . . . full name is Dylan Paul Curry.
Quote from Coach Lembo: “Dylan is a former multi-sport athlete who comes from an athletic family. He attended camp at Ball State as a rising senior and really liked the campus. Dylan gives us a body type at tight end that is different from what we currently have in the program. Since he will redshirt in the fall due to NCAA rules after attending the University of Louisville in 2010-11, Dylan can use this upcoming season to develope and learn the position.”

Eric Patterson 5-10 190 DB Tampa, Fla. (H.B. Plant)
HIGH SCHOOL: Earned one letter in football for head coach Robert Weiner . . . helped team to a 12-3 record as a senior, including a 4-0 mark in conference play . . . all-conference and all-county as a senior . . . managed 60 tackles, 22 pass breakups and one interception as a senior . . . averaged 44.67 yards per kickoff return on six returns as a senior . . . tallied 74 tackles, 26 PBUs and two interceptions in career . . . PERSONAL: Son of Eric Patterson and Devona Sanders . . . one sister and three brothers . . . born Feb. 5, 1993, in Tampa, Fla. . . . full name is Eric Patterson Jr.
Quote from Coach Lembo: “Eric is a cornerback with good size and speed. He played at a premier program in Florida – one we are very familiar with as a staff. Eric had some other Division I offers in January, but turned those down in search of the right fit. He was very comfortable with our team on his visit and we are excited to have him on board.”

Chris Sparrow 6-2 295 OL Scotts, Mich. (Vicksburg)
JUNIOR COLLEGE: Played two seasons at Harper Junior College . . . two-time all-region . . . all-conference in his second season after earning honorable mention in his first campaign . . . selected Harper’s Most Valuable Offensive Player in his second season . . . HIGH SCHOOL: Earned two letters for head coach Jim Rasmussen . . . team captain as a senior . . . all-conference as a senior . . . Kalamazoo Gazette All-Area as a senior . . . named Vicksburg’s Most Valuable Player and Lineman of the Year as a senior . . . also played baseball and basketball . . . batted over .400 in baseball and was named to all-conference second team . . . PERSONAL: Son of William and Karen Sparrow . . . one sister . . . born June 15, 1989, in Kalamazoo, Mich. . . . full name is Christopher William Sparrow.
Quote from Coach Lembo: “Chris is a very mature young man both physically and mentally. He is very driven, but is likeable and is definitely a team player. He is really put together, but looks much lighter. Chris is a guy who loves the game and the weight room. He will fit in well with the other personalities on the offensive line.”

Who am I most excited about? Curry and Sparrow for very different reasons. First and foremost, they’re the newest shiny objects to obsess over, but more importantly, they shore up critical positions that there is great need for. Anytime you can have an athletic and big bodies tight end, as well as an experienced offensive lineman, that makes life a bit easier.

Filed under: Ball State, Recruiting |