Mark Speir. Photo: Doug Powell
It was pretty clear what type of players Western Carolina head football coach, Mark Speir and his staff was looking for when they began their short recruiting trips in early January.
“What we decided as a staff is that we better just go out and find the best athletes and the best football players we can find. As we started this search I told [the staff] there are two criteria, we wanted men of character and we wanted men who could run,” Speir said.
One of the major things Speir pointed out was that he and his staff wanted to own North Carolina. They did so by signing 10 players from the state.
“Here in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Atlanta, there is tremendous high school football. Tremendous athletes.”
“Our mission is to own North Carolina. We said that coming in. I’m a North Carolina [guy], most of these guys are North Carolinians. We’re proud of this state and high school football in this state,” Speir said.
Speir and his class inked 15 players on National Signing day Wednesday, February 1st, of those 15, six were quarterbacks.
“You saw on our list there are six quarterbacks, but there’s only one spot. How does that happen? First of all, we’re going to find a quarterback… to run this offense,” Speir claimed.
All the six quarterbacks that were signed are known to be very good athletes and showcase the ability to take off and run if necessary.
“High schools, where do they put their best athletes, typically? At quarterback.”
“We’re going to figure out who the best one or two of them are and they are going to be our quarterbacks. The rest will move and be great wide-outs, defensive backs, outside
Photo: Doug Powell
linebackers.”
“So when you see six quarterbacks, we didn’t go crazy, alright, that was by plan and by design and we’re excited about those guys,” Speir said.
Overall the 2012 class included six quarterbacks, one running back, one wide receiver, four offensive lineman, two cornerbacks, two defensive ends and a linebacker. Two players have already enrolled for the spring semester in January.
“We could have very easily settled, but these guys rolled their sleeves up and they did what we are going to ask our players to do in a couple of weeks and that is to roll your sleeves up and go battle”
“We’re just excited that we have 17 new Catamounts that are going to go forge this new future,” Speir concluded.
The Catamounts spring football game will be held on Saturday, April 14, in Cullowhee.
