“You build relationships,” Collins said. “You talk about what your goals are, the culture of the program, all the things that Wittenberg has to offer from an academic standpoint, the things that Wittenberg can do for you while you’re attending it and then after you graduate what it prepares you for. I think it is a great selling point when it comes to recruiting. That was the goal: to tell that story to as many good student-athletes as we possibly could. We knew if we did that, we were going to get a lot of good ones, and that’s how it turned out.”
Wittenberg had 65 recruits in its 2021 class and 65 in 2020. This group includes eight quarterbacks and 14 offensive linemen.
“This spring taught me that we need more quarterbacks,” Collins said. “We’ve got a large group of QBs coming in, and I thought that was critical because I don’t want to be in a position where we’re limited in practice because of our quarterback numbers. Even though our talent level is really good, I just felt it was really important to improve our depth at QB. But the other spot — and it’s no different than any other time — I think you’ve got to bring in a lot of good O linemen. The offensive line, you’ve got to have a lot of guys there. Depth at that position is critical. We brought in a good group of running backs and skill guys offensively. Defensive backs is really a good looking group. But every position we’ve got good numbers.”
The freshmen will report Aug. 9. Wittenberg will hold its first practice Aug. 11.
The Tigers open the season at SUNY Cortland in New York at noon Sept. 3 and stay on the road throughout September, playing at Kenyon on Sept. 17 and at Hiram on Sept. 24. The first home game is a big one: against rival Wabash on homecoming at 1 p.m. on Oct. 1.
Collins, a 1988 Wittenberg graduate, used his own experience as a player in recruiting. He led the Tigers in receiving in 1985, 1986 and 1987 and was the team’s MVP as a senior in 1987.
“I can speak from experience, and I think that’s big,” he said. “I can talk about the experience that I had there and how special it was, but then I think we take it to another level, especially with parents. I can talk about the fact that my wife and I both graduated from Wittenberg and what it meant to both of us. Talking from that perspective has been really good. Part of the recruiting process is not just connecting with the student-athlete but connecting with the parent. They’ve got to be able to visualize where their son is going after Wittenberg. It’s not just about the experience they have at Wittenberg, the four years of excelling in the classroom and on the field, but where’s Wittenberg going to take them? We’ve really talked about all of the outstanding outcomes of our former football players that are Wittenberg graduates: where they are, what they’ve accomplished.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Wittenberg football 2022 recruiting class
Name, Position, High School, Hometown, Height, Weight
Ethan Adkins, DB, Franklin, Franklin, Ohio, 5-11, 160
Julien Alcaraz, OL, Lehigh, Lehigh Acres, Fla., 6-1, 265
Mason Bailey, WR, Westland, Galloway, Ohio, 6-0, 163
Bryce Barbian, QB, Cudahy, Cudahy, Wis., 6-0, 200
Labronze Barnett, RB, Freemont Ross, Freemont, Ohio, 6-2, 225
Trevon Barton, DE, Crestview, Convoy, Ohio, 5-11, 220
Braden Berner, DB, Tecumseh, Springfield, Ohio, 6-0, 175
Henry Birchwell, OL, Badin, Franklin, Ohio, 6-1, 240
Jaylan Blake, RB, Wesley Chapel, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 5-10, 175
Jack Blaul-Green, OL, Tippecanoe, Tipp City, Ohio, 6-4, 315
Ben Bretzin., OL, St. Vincent-St. Mary, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, 6-1 , 265
Isaiah Bridges, WR, Central Crossing, Galloway, Ohio, 6-5, 225
Trey Brininger, WR, Cardington Lincoln, Cardington, Ohio, 6-3, 215
Wyatt Buxton, QB, Westerville North, New Albany, Ohio, 6-2, 180
Tyshawn Campbell, WR, St. Augustine, St. Augustine, Fla., 5-8, 180
Trenton Carter, QB, Carmichaels Area, Carmichaels, Pa., 6-2, 185
Malcolm Carter, DE, KIPP Columbus, Columbus, Ohio, 6-2, 232
Trevor Chambers, OL, Southport, Indianapolis, Ind., 5-11, 265
Dylan Chana, TE, Wesley Chapel, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 6-1, 180
Alex Cher-Aime, LB, Bradenton Christian, Parrish, Fla., 5-8, 195
Leonello Collins, DE, Somerset Academy, Homestead, Fla., 6-0, 200
Andres Cummings-Byrd, WR, Maple Heights, Cleveland, Ohio, 5-10, 165
Jerome Daniel, LB, Lima Senior, Lima, Ohio, 5-11, 210
Gage Easterling, OL, Tecumseh, New Carlile, Ohio, 6-3, 240
Mike Evans, DT, St. Edwards, Cleveland, Ohio, 6-0, 255
Jake Fleming, DE, Windermere, Windermere, Fla., 6-2, 215
Owen Gabel, K, New Bremen, New Bremen, Ohio, 5-7, 170
Daniel Gaskill, OL, Westerville Central, Westerville, Ohio, 6-1, 260
Jake Gregg, QB, Wheelersburg, Flatwoods, Ky., 5-11, 195
Sebastian Gutierrez, DB, Wesley Chapel, Wesley Chapel, Fla., 5-11, 170
Ethan Harper, QB, Wesley Chapel, San Antonio, Fla., 6-2, 175
Conor Hayes, WR, Community School of Naples, Naples, Fla., 6-0, 165
Nate Hickman, QB, Cardington Lincoln, Cardington, Ohio, 6-2, 205
Jackson Higgason, LB, Highlands, Ft. Thomas, Ky., 5-11, 195
Bryan Hines, RB, Lima Senior, Lima, Ohio, 6-0, 190
Jordon Huff, RB, Cleveland East Tech, Strongsville, Ohio, 6-0, 205
Connor Ingram, K/P, Olentangy Liberty, Powell, Ohio, 6-0, 190
Luke Jackson, DB, Indian Lake, DeGraff, Ohio, 5-11, 180
Dawson Jones, QB, St. John Neumann, Naples, Fla., 6-0, 190
Bryce Kahl, LB, Anthony Wayne, Whitehouse, Ohio, 6-1, 185
Darius Love, OL, Westland, Columbus, Ohio, 6-4, 300
Wesney Malbranche, DB, Evangelical Christian School, Lehigh Acres, Fla., 6-2, 180
Joesian McCann, WR, Akron Buchtel, Akron, Ohio, 6-1, 185
James McCreery, WR, Westerville North, Westerville, Ohio, 5-11, 180
Andrew McFeeters, OL, Bishop Hartley, Pickerington, Ohio, 6-2, 265
Diego Medel, LB, Chelsea, Chelsea, Mich., 6-0, 215
Noah Merkel, DE, Anderson, Cincinnati, Ohio, 6-1, 220
Lincoln Mollenkopf, RB, Colonel Crawford, Bucyrus, Ohio, 5-10, 180
Thomas Monnig, K/P, Miamisburg, Miamisburg, Ohio, 5-10, 170
Gavin Murdock, QB/DB, Lakeview, Stoneboro, Pa., 5-11, 175
Connor Murga, DB, Thomas Jefferson, Clairton, Pa., 6-2, 215
Hayden Olcott, K, Olentangy, Delaware, Ohio, 5-11, 160
Vinnie Palladino, RB, Paul G. Blazer, Ashland, Ky., 5-10, 200
Hunter Payne, TE, Rochester, Rochester Hills, Mich., 6-2, 255
Andon Peacock, WR, Cincinnati Country Day, New Richmond, Ohio, 5-9, 170
Eli Renick, DE, Riverview, Sarasota, Fla., 6-2, 225
Haiden Renner, OL, Hamilton, Hamilton, Ohio, 5-10, 255
Christian Reyna, DB, Eaton, Eaton, Ohio, 6-1, 180
Noah Reynolds, DT, Westland, Columbus, Ohio, 6-3, 255
Dom Salazar, DB, Big Walnut, Galena, Ohio, 5-8, 165
Connor Savenas, RB, St. John Neumann, Naples, Fla., 6-1, 215
Kenny Sims, RB, Harrison, Lafayette, Ind., 5-8, 200
Ashton Snell, RB, Cincinnati Country Day, West Chester, Ohio, 6-0, 180
Andrew Stamp, LB, Olentangy Liberty, Powell, Ohio, 5-10, 190
Lucas Swierk, K/WR, Little Miami, Morrow, Ohio, 6-0, 175
RJ Swift, RB, Lakewood, Mayfair, Calif., 5-10, 190
Kinsy Thermidor, DE, Immokalee, Immokalee, Fla., 6-1, 225
Terrell Triplett, DT, Scioto, Dublin, Ohio, 6-0, 255
David Walterhouse, LB, Bethlehem Christian Academy, Statham, Ga., 6-0, 195
Zack Walton, DE, KIPP Columbus, Columbus, Ohio, 6-1, 215
Kerry Ware, WR, Hamilton, Hamilton, Ohio, 6-1, 170
Brandon Weller, OL, Riverview, Sarasota, Fla., 6-1, 280
Jacob White, LB, Springboro, Waynesville, Ohio, 5-10, 200
Erryl Will, DT, Marysville, Marysville, Ohio, 5-10, 205
Carson Williams, LB , Wheelersburg, Wheelersburg, Ohio, 6-2, 215
Jaiden Woods, OL, Massillon, Massillon, Ohio, 6-1, 260
Cabraun Woody, RB, Exeter Township, Reading, Pa., 5-8, 165
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