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Thursday, August 21, 2008
Malzahn Moves On Another Springdale Prospect
Western Arkansas, AR
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By: Mike Capshaw
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Photo(s) By: Kim Singer
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Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Colorado, Florida State, Michigan and Oregon are among schools regularly sending letters. Arkansas also has shown interest through assistant Bobby Allen, whose son, Christian, played American Legion baseball with Mitchell’s brother, Blake, this summer.
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Mitchell Roberts said he was “pumped” when he learned of his first Division I scholarship offer, which he didn’t expect would come before he even played a snap of his junior season.
The 6-foot-3, 225-pounder also didn’t expect the offer would be to play on the offensive side of the ball, where he lines up as an inside receiver in Shiloh Christian’s Spread offense but could play fullback in college. However, Tulsa offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn told Mitchell the Golden Hurricane staff still is evaluating him as a linebacker or defensive end as well.
Mitchell figures to be one of the top prospects in the state from the Class of 2010, but most predict he’ll end up at linebacker where he piled up 92 tackles as a sophomore. Because of his height, Tulsa also is looking at Roberts as a defensive end.
Regardless of what position it’s for, Roberts is happy to have a scholarship offer so early in the recruiting process.
“I was pretty pumped about it,” Roberts said of the offer that he first learned about weeks ago after having a solid showing at Tulsa’s team camp. “Coach Malzahn told (Saints coach Josh) Floyd he wanted me to call him and (Malzahn) told me he was going to offer me a full scholarship.
“He told me he thought I could really help out the football team and that I was the kind of guy they like to have in their program.”
Roberts sports a 4.0 GPA and scored a 25 on the ACT, his first attempt of “four or five more times” he plans to take it. He runs the 40-yard dash in 4.8 seconds, bench presses 280 pounds and squads 475.
Roberts becomes the third underclassman from the city of Springdale to be offered a scholarship by Tulsa. The others are Saints sophomore offensive lineman Travis Bodenstein and Springdale Har-Ber junior safety Houston Pruitt. Malzahn, Tulsa’s offensive coordinator, coached at Springdale High and Shiloh Christian, so he’s certainly familiar with the prospects from his old hometown.
“Mitchell is only a junior, so that’s why we haven’t done a whole lot besides sending out (recruiting) video,” Floyd said. “He has some great size and some God-given ability. He’s a very physical football player who knows how to play with his pads.”
Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Colorado, Florida State, Michigan and Oregon are among schools regularly sending letters. Arkansas also has shown interest through assistant Bobby Allen, whose son, Christian, played American Legion baseball with Mitchell’s brother, Blake, this summer.
“They saw me at the VYPE 7-on-7 and said they were very impressed with the way I was moving and my intensity,” Roberts said. “Coach Allen talked to my dad quite a bit after I gave them my highlight film. They like me at linebacker, but also talked about possibly playing defensive end.”
Roberts won’t suit up for Shiloh Christian’s scrimmage Monday night against Fayetteville due to a knee injury, but he does plan to be ready to play by the Saints’ Sept. 5 season opener at Shreveport (La.) Evangel Christian.
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