Below is an article by Gary Estwick from the Beacon Journal regarding a Kent State recruit.
Floridian prepares to head north
Hard-hitting safety will try to bring consistency to the Flashes' secondary
By Gary Estwick
Beacon Journal staff writer
Fritz Jacques has heard a lot of snow jokes lately.
Jacques experienced fluffy white flakes for the first time in early January, when he visited Kent State on a football recruiting trip.
``Everybody jokes with me about that,'' said Jacques, who lives in semitropical Naples, Fla. ``They tell me I'm going to be sick.''
He thinks he'll be OK, and that's why Jacques, a hard-hitting safety from Lely High, will sign with the Golden Flashes on Wednesday's national signing day.
The 6-foot, 170-pound Jacques will join a KSU secondary that struggled to find consistency last season. The Flashes' pass defense ranked last in the Mid-American Conference.
The Golden Flashes' new teammate might be able to help. Jacques said the KSU coaching staff has told him he will play safety.
Chris Metzger, the football coach at Lely High, has called Jacques ``the hardest hitter in Southwest Florida.''
Jacques was a Class 5A All-Florida honorable mention pick after compiling 111 tackles and two interceptions as a senior.
``He is a physically dominating presence,'' Metzger said. ``He just throws his body around with reckless abandon.''
Jacques said he picked KSU over Florida Atlantic, Florida International, Northeastern, Eastern Kentucky and others.
Jacques runs the 40-yard dash in 4.53 seconds.
``He really didn't start making waves until his senior year, so he hasn't gotten the type of buildup over several seasons that other recruits have received,'' said Derek Redd, a reporter who writes about high school sports at the Naples Daily News.
``Plus, Lely had won only one game in the two previous seasons.''
The Trojans did reach the playoffs this past season.
Metzger said Jacques had a solid performance at the University of Miami's football camp.
``He wasn't on any lists when he got there,'' Metzger said. ``He was able to go to UM and a combine and get out there and compete versus the top kids. People started turning heads.''
Jacques also bulked up in the weight room and made academic improvements in the classroom.
Metzger said Jacques excels at rising to challenges, from making big hits to helping out his offense by rushing for 215 yards and three touchdowns in Lely's final two games.
``He's one of those kids that could potentially be one of those big cover corners (and) also has the physical attributes that maybe some small corners don't have,'' Metzger said.
Jacques should have a smooth transition to college because of his basic knowledge of zone defenses and his ability to read offenses.
Before Jacques arrives at KSU next fall, he will finish the high school basketball season; he is the starting point guard at Lely. Jacques will also compete in sprints on the track team.
Then his next challenge will start.
``I thought the program was getting better every year,'' Jacques said. ``I'm looking to try my hardest and make an impact in helping the team win a MAC championship.''
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