Kerridge will keep Traverse City line going

Traverse City (Mich.) St. Francis has a pair of top prospects this season in Max Bullough and Matt Zakrzewski, committed to Michigan State and Indiana respectively. Next year's class will be led by Joe Kerridge, a 6-foot-1, 230 pound fullback.

The hard-nosed class of 2011 prospect said he has been invited to this weekend's Purdue at Michigan game, and the LSU at Alabama game.

"I am going to be at the Michigan game," Kerridge said. "I started getting letters from Michigan two or three weeks ago, then I got tickets to their game against Penn State. I couldn't make that. They have been sending mail about the school and the team."

Kerridge received the invite from Alabama on Tuesday.

"That was a big surprise," Kerridge said. "I liked that a lot. I have always liked Alabama. I just always watched them growing up. I like their style of play, and it is nice and warm down there."

Kerridge's connections to Michigan run deep.

"I have a little bit of an in-state preference," Kerridge said. "My grandpa, my cousin, brother, and aunt all went to Michigan. I have been a Michigan fan my whole life. My brother graduated from there two years ago. Then, with Max committed to Michigan State, I have an interest there too."

Kerridge plays on both sides of the ball for St. Francis, the reigning Division seven state champions, and winners of 22 straight games, thanks in part to Kerridge's legs; but not just from carrying the football.

"I really like fullback a lot," Kerridge said. "I like linebacker too. I was also the all-state punter. It is a choice to focus on what I want to do. I would say fullback first, then probably punting."

A 6-foot-1, 230 pound punter is hard to believe, especially one that excels at fullback and linebacker. But, Kerridge's stats back it up.

"Last year, I averaged 48 yards a punt. I have only punter about five times this year. I had a 43 yard average about mid-way through the season, then I shanked one that brought my average down."

St. Francis averages about 52 points a game, so Kerridge's opportunities to punt this season have been limited. The team is built on efficiency, both on offense and defense. The roster is about 30 players deep, but the Gladiators are able to play at a high level for four quarters. Their endurance comes from a unique way going about practice and pre-season camp. In fact, at games, you can see the Gladiators during warmups sprint on and off the field simply to get into line to stretch, or head to the locker room.

"Our coach stresses sprinting on and off the field, in practices, in scrimmages, and during seven on sevens. The idea is to sprint during plays and drills so we don't have to set aside much conditioning time."

St. Francis travels to the upper peninsula of Michigan for pre-season camp.

"That is a really tough conditioning week," Kerridge said. The camp is on a little lake in the middle of nowhere. Everything is planned out. We wake up at six in the morning, and we will do a beach run, but it is more like pulling plates and doing agility drills in the sand. We do another set of conditioning after breakfast."

The pre-season training allows the Gladiators to excel with a smaller roster.

"After that week, we had some conditioning periods in the first few practices set aside, but after that, we have lightened it up the rest of the year. Our coaches have received a lot of good feedback from last year's seniors about how they had their legs during the playoffs."