Tag: Ferris State Bulldogs

Transfer linebacker Konnor Near commits to the Oklahoma Sooners

Ferris State transfer linebacker Konnor Near commits to the Oklahoma Sooners.

The Sooners got a big-time commitment from Ferris State linebacker transfer Konnor Near. Near was a Division-II All-American with offers from Georgia Tech, Duke, Michigan State, Cincinnati, and Texas Tech. He played four years at the Division II level and helped Ferris State win back-to-back national championships while he was there.

Near is a 6-foot-2, 235-pound linebacker from Michigan who stayed close to home to begin his football career. He was a standout performer, which caught the eyes of a handful of Power Five teams when he decided to enter the transfer portal during the spring period.

He was a tackling machine. Through the 13 games in 2022, he had 66 total tackles, with 34 solo tackles. He also recorded three sacks and a fumble recovery. Near brings in some much-needed experience and toughness to a Sooners defense looking to emulate the attitude of their head coach.

 

Near is a physical presence that displayed good play strength when filling his gap and showed enough athleticism to flow sideline-to-sideline to make plays in the outside running game.

The improvement on defense was on display at the spring game. Despite some strong performances, this is a type of move that shows Venables and his staff’s desire to continually add talent.

Near will come in and compete for snaps at inside linebacker with guys like Kip Lewis, Kobie McKinzie, and Shane Whitter. He could push Jaren Kanak for first-team opportunities.

Near is an underrated pickup that won’t be noticed by many as a game-changer. However, he’s been a productive linebacker that gives the Sooners the type of leader on a defense that can get things done.

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Oklahoma offers transfer linebacker Konnor Near

Oklahoma seeks out linebacker depth as they offer Ferris State transfer LB Konnor Near.

Oklahoma has seen its share of departures this spring via the transfer portal. The departures have come mainly from the defensive side of the ball as the Sooners retool following their 6-7 season.

While much of the roster that will contribute in the fall is already assembled, there’s always room to add talent that has produced at the collegiate level. So, it makes a lot of sense that Oklahoma offered Ferris State transfer linebacker Konnor Near.

Near, a linebacker with two years of eligibility, entered the portal toward the end of April. He picked up an offer from Sooners’ defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Ted Roof.

In his time at Division II Ferris State, Near was an All-American and helped Ferris State win its second straight national title in 2022. That kind of proven experience, albeit at a lower level, is something Brent Venables would love to add to a talented but young linebacker room.

Michigan State may be the leader by default considering Near is from Michigan. So the connection and ability to play for a major Power Five school in the state he’s from could be very appealing.

Outside of the Sooners and the Spartans, Near has picked up solid Power Five offers, including West Virginia, Duke, Georgia Tech, Texas Tech and Washington State.

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WATCH: What James Franklin had to say at a football camp in Michigan

James Franklin attends a massive football camp in Michigan with Jim Harbaugh and PJ Fleck

Football camp season is upon us, and Penn State head coach [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] is once again embracing the opportunity to get out and connect with high school players from around the Big Ten footprint. On Thursday, Franklin attended the Michigan Football Showcase at Ferris State University. He wasn’t the only Big Ten coach in attendance either.

Franklin was one of four FBS coaches on hand for the event. The others were Michigan head coach [autotag]Jim Harbaugh[/autotag], Minnesota head coach [autotag]PJ Fleck[/autotag], and Western Michigan head coach Tim Lester. Nearly 500 high school football players attended the event. Central Michigan head coach Jim McElwain was also reportedly in attendance according to Ferris State. Franklin will square off against three of those coaches this upcoming season (Fleck, Harbaugh, and McElwain).

Franklin took time at the microphone to address the importance of high school players maximizing what they get out of the college experience. Franklin said he gets annoyed hearing some high school recruits say they will be attending a college for the next three years, with the expectation they are going to go straight to the NFL after that. Franklin hopes the message resonates, and perhaps leads to some potential recruiting opportunities for Penn State down the line.

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