August 20, 2007 -- As the 2007
fall football season draws to within just two weeks of the opening kick-off, the Oberlin football
program is pleased to continue to announce its stellar incoming
recruiting class. For this month's edition, we are proud to introduce Yeomen Derrick Dennis, Ryan Harvey, Ron Rupard, Cody Wiewandt, and Adam Wigren.
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Derrick Dennis |
Hometown: Detroit, Mich.
High School: Renaissance
Position: Fullback
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 185
High School Honors: Maintained a overall 3.4 GPA. On the honor roll every semester. All-City Honorable Mention for RB in Detroit of 07.
Why Oberlin? "I chose Oberlin because it had the best of both worlds! It lets me continue my football career. Which is my passion! It, also lets me get an excellent education. Which will come in to play for the rest of my life."
Head Coach Jeff Ramsey: "Derrick will provide some immediate depth at the fullback position. He is an accomplished downhill blocker and also brings the ability to be a threat out of the backfield as a runner or pass catcher. These are hard to find in combination at fullback. We recruited Derrick because he fits the mold that we look for in a blocking back. He is a runaway missile and I can't wait to get him into our offense."
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Ryan Harvey |
Hometown: Perry, Ohio
High School: Perry
Position: Running Back
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 185
High School Honors: 1st Team All Ohio-Running Back, Offensive Player of the Year N.E. Ohio Great Lakes District, 1st Team N.E. Ohio Great Lakes District-Running Back, 1st Team All Chagrin Valley Conference-Running Back, 1st Team All Lake County-Running Back, Chagrin Valley Conference All Academic Team, Team Co-Captain, Team MVP
Why Oberlin? "Oberlin College had drawn me in from the time I stepped foot on the campus. The feeling I get there is one that can not be matched by any other college. While going to Oberlin, I know I will receive a quality education that will help lead toward a prosperous future. Also, the football team is an up and coming conference contender and I am very excited to be a part of the Oberlin Yeomen for the next four years. The opportunities that the college has to offer from an educational and an athletic stand point made my decision a no-brainer."
Head Coach Jeff Ramsey: "Ryan is a great young running back. He comes to us from Perry High School in the Cleveland area where he took over the running back position after R.V. Carroll came to Oberlin. Ryan has won numerous awards and brings great intensity and speed to an already established offensive backfield. Ryan is a multi-dimensional back that can line up as an inside receiver or behind a fullback. He can and will do many things for us at Oberlin, and we look forward to having Ryan suiting up for the Yeomen over the next four years."
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Ron Rupard |
Hometown: Waynesfield, Ohio
High School: Waynesfield-Goshen
Position: Linebacker
Height: 5'11"
Weight: 190
High School Honors: Team MVP, 2x Team Defensive MVP, All-District LB, Lima Dream Team HM, 2x 1st team all-league LB, All Auglaize County LB, Wendy's Heisman Nominee, School Valedictorian
Why Oberlin? "I chose Oberlin College because of the extensive level of academia that is offered. Out of all the schools I looked into, none compared to Oberlin. I want to be a doctor, and Oberlin’s acceptance rate into medical school is higher, by far, than any other college I considered. Another deciding factor was athletics. The ability to be able to play college football is a very appealing attribute. I really feel confident in the coaching style and in the attitudes of my teammates! The recruiting process made the decision very easy. The demeanor in which every little detail was approached both academically and in athletics was phenomenal. Finally, the overall atmosphere and feeling of the campus, is perfect. There is no better fit for me than Oberlin College."
Head Coach Jeff Ramsey: "I can't express how thrilled we are to have Ron be a part of this program. Ron is the quintessential Yeomen athlete. He has a laundry list of athletic accomplishments and is also valedictorian of this class. Ron will come in and compete for one of the linebacker positions right away in camp. He is a hard nosed kid that uses his physicality to his advantage. He is a downhill player and will run anything over that is in his way. Ron is a fantastic young man, he comes from a great family and will blossom into a leader on this team over time."
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Cody Wiewandt |
Hometown: Berlin Heights, Ohio
High School: Milan-Edison
Position: Linebacker
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 230
High School Honors: 2006 2nd Team All-Sandusky Bay Conference. 2006 Sandusky Bay Conference All-Star.
Why Oberlin? "There is no tangible reason why I chose Oberlin. It may sound cliché, but the feel was just right – academically, athletically, and socially. Academically I was impressed by the nationwide prestige and classroom rigor. Athletically I felt at home with Coach Ramsey and his staff, and excited at the chance to be a part of a program on the rise. Socially, I was taken in by the students’ creativity and breadth of interest. There is no doubt in my mind that Oberlin was the best choice for me to continue my growth and maturation as both a scholar and an athlete, and I can’t see myself attending anywhere else this fall."
Head Coach Jeff Ramsey: "One of the biggest things we are excited about with Cody is his determination. He is one of those guys that gets to the football on every play. He’s 100% hustle all the time, and we expect to see him contribute as early as his freshman year. He has great hands and feet, which will serve him well along the defensive line. He’s got a bright future ahead of him at Oberlin College."
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Adam Wigren |
Hometown: Knoxville, Tenn.
High School: Farragut
Positions: Nose Guard/Defensive End
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 235
High School Honors: 2006 All-Region Team, Team Captain, High School football weightlifting records (Bench, Squat, Power clean), CAREacter star athlete of the week, Farragut Press Player of the Week, Knoxville News Sentinal top 8 defensive linemen, Senior Season (NG) 72 Tackles in 13 games, 16 TFL for -36 yards, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery.
Why Oberlin? "I first found out about Oberlin through the recruiting process. I researched the school and realized that it looked like a great place to go, where I would get a great education and still have the opportunity to continue my football career. I went on 2 overnight recruiting trips and everyone on the coaching staff and all the players made me feel at home right away. They informed me about everything that Oberlin had to offer and I began to feel more and more comfortable there. What sold me on Oberlin was the effort put forth by the coaching staff to recruit me and I found out how much they cared about what was best for me. I am very excited about my college career at Oberlin."
Head Coach Jeff Ramsey: "Adam represents the piece that our defense has been missing over the past two years. A solid player up the middle on the defensive line. We look forward to having Adam compete early in camp for playing time. He brings an incredible work ethic and a high level of self discipline. These are attributes that you look for when recruiting a student athlete and Adam has them in spades. It is very rare that you get a player with the skill set that Adam brings and in the same player have the up side that Adam has to improve over the next four years. Adam will be a special player for Oberlin College, both on and off the field."
Other Editions of Meet Your 2007 Incoming Yeomen!:
March 28, 2007 | May 29, 2007 |
