Grid scholarship to Marian changes Teeters’ life plans
As recently as early-December, Princeton Community senior Malik Teeters thought he’d join a labor union and do blue-collar work after high school graduation.
Then Ben Cullen, assistant football coach and recruiting coordinator at Marian College in Indianapolis, came to PCHS one day after making a telephone call to Princeton head coach Andy Zirkelbach.
Zirkelbach’s response, touting Teeters as a college football prospect, and Cullen’s visit led to a football scholarship for which the 6-foot-, 230-pound fullback, defensive lineman and linebacker signed Saturday on the Marian campus.
“I wasn’t going to college unless something came up for football,” said the 17-year-old son of Princeton resident Carrie Teeters Mullen and former two-time state wrestling champion Jason Greer, 1991 Princeton grad now in law enforcement in Tucson, Ariz.
“I’m undecided on an academic major, although I’m thinking about communications or marketing. Dad wanted me to go to college.
“He has had a lot of influence on my football career. Everyone says I’m like dad, and he always said to work my hardest and never give up.”
|
|
Teeters earned the Tigers’ Most Valuable Player award the past season, when Princeton ended a 22-game losing streak by beating Indianapolis Washington in Week 2 and later beat Boonville for its first Big Eight Conference win since 2004. Serving as team captain a second straight year, he made 46 tackles including two sacks and three others for losses. At fullback he caught one touchdown pass.
“Malik has a legitimate chance to become a college fullback,” Zirkelbach said.
“At 230 pounds he’s an in-between for guard or tackle, but he has the athletic ability and skills to play a skill position on offense. He has running and pass-blocking ability and can be a receiver. A versatile player.
“If Marian decides to play Malik on defense, his position probably will depend on what else they’ve got. He could play defensive end, defensive tackle or inside linebacker.”
Marian, which played its first football season in 2007 and saw its mostly freshman and sophomore team beat Taylor, is an NAIA school. Its coach is Ted Karras, coach at Rose-Hulman as recently as 2005, when former Princeton quarterback and tight end Adam Williams began a four-year college varsity career.
“Adam said Coach Karras is hard on freshmen, but you learn a lot from him. He said playing for Coach Karras will be a good experience,” said Teeters, who played some fullback as a freshman and sophomore and likes itbecause “you get to hit people,”
Comments
Got something to say?
You must be logged in to post a comment.
