Fort Collins – Call it fuzzy quarterback math. Perhaps Colorado State signed two quarterbacks in Arvada West’s Sean McDougal and Scottsdale, Ariz., Chaparral product Nick Neuenfeldt. Or maybe the Rams took one quarterback and one athlete. Then again, it could be that CSU got two athletes.
Signing two quarterbacks was the one rarity in CSU’s signing- day list of 23. There were no last-minute additions or subtractions. The first in the class to commit last summer, Loveland defensive end Nick Eaton, was the first to send a fax Wednesday morning. The last fax rolled in just after noon from Florida, from running back John Mosure, after a signing day ceremony at Miami’s Columbus High School.
CSU coach Sonny Lubick said he’ll let the quarterback situation sort itself out, calling both McDougal and Neuenfeldt excellent athletes.
“There’s flexibility at quarterback,” Lubick said. “In fact, both our quarterbacks are people who can play other positions.”
In the days of pure dropback quarterbacks, such as the departing Justin Holland, there was room to sign just one quarterback, said offensive coordinator Dan Hammerschmidt. With CSU determined to return to the days of using dual-threat quarterbacks in the mold of Bradlee Van Pelt, it wants to sign prospects who are athletic enough to play other positions if necessary.
McDougal, whose older brothers Matt and Kevin played for the Rams, committed during the second week in December. Neuenfeldt was on the same recruiting trip and heard McDougal give his commitment. When Neuenfeldt was still not committed late last month, the CSU coaches thought he was too good to pass up.
Lubick recalled CSU telling former Manual High School quarterback Jovon Bouknight that he could play as a receiver or defensive back. Wyoming went ahead and signed him as a quarterback, and Bouknight developed into one of the top receiver/return specialists in the Mountain West Conference.
McDougal, who tagged along with his older brothers at CSU since he was in grade school, was an All-Colorado pick who led Arvada West to the Class 5A state semifinals. He threw for 2,888 yards, completing 61 percent of his passes, and rushed for 533 yards.
Neuenfeldt led his team to a 22-3 record the past two years. As a senior he threw for 1,866 yards and rushed for 302.
“Nick was too good a football player to pass up,” Hammerschmidt said, adding he expects both quarterbacks to redshirt next fall and remain at quarterback at least through spring ball next year.
As for his overall class, Lubick said: “What we have to do is keep in context what the other schools are doing. They are getting pretty good players, also. I really feel our last few classes, CSU is not going backwards.
“Maybe we haven’t had a 10- or 11-win season in a couple of years. We’re still solid. We’re very solid.”
There were some historical ties with the recruits beyond the McDougal connection. Lubick said former CSU coach Leon Fuller, a high school administrator in Austin, Texas, recommended defensive end Patrick Massey, whose father played for Fuller during Fuller’s post-CSU stint at Texas. La Jolla (Calif.) High School defensive end Michael Maracle was steered to CSU by two of his coaches: former Rams Anthoney Hill and E.J. Watson.
“Any half-decent athlete at that school is going to be pointed to CSU from the first day he walks in the building,” Lubick said.
Footnotes
Backup running back Nnamdi Ohaeri, who transferred from UCLA last year because he wanted to play offense, has asked Lubick to move him to the secondary. That might open playing time for Mosure. … No coach was happier to wrap up recruiting than assistant Dave Arnold. He nearly ran into a moose when he was in Alaska recruiting tight end Cory Macon. And Arnold walked away unhurt from a car crash during a recruiting trip to Tulsa. … Spring ball will start March 27 or 29, with the spring game April 22. … Construction on the new locker room will begin after the spring game, said associate athletic director Doug Max. The game might be played on campus instead of at the stadium if fundraising is completed in time to install a new turf field. … Scott City (Kansas) Community High School offensive lineman Guy Miller and Mullen safety Josh Dorsey may “grayshirt” and enroll next January because CSU has only 22 available scholarships for the fall.
Natalie Meisler can be reached at 303-820-1295 or nmeisler@denverpost.com.
