Bobcats’ pipeline goes right through Altoona

By Cory Giger, cgiger@altoonamirror.com
Going away to college alone can be scary, but Tyler Futrell, Neal Huynh and Alphonso Lewis won’t have to worry about that.

The three Altoona Area High School products will have each other for support as they continue their education and football careers at Ohio University. The trio signed letters of intent with the Bobcats on national signing day Wednesday.

‘‘I couldn’t see going by myself to some place,’’ Futrell said. ‘‘I knew if I was going to do that I would feel uncomfortable. But now I’m venturing into a new territory with friends.’’

Futrell, a 6-foot, 180-pound receiver/defensive back this past season for the 8-2 Mountain Lions, won’t have to look far to see a familiar face. His college roommate will be Huynh, a 6-3, 210-pound defensive end/tight end.

Huynh said Ohio has ‘‘a great staff, good facilities, campus is nice, good environment.’’ He went on his recruiting visit with Lewis, a 6-1, 195-pound linebacker/running back.

‘‘It just felt like home down there,’’ Lewis said. ‘‘I just thought that if we go together as a team, we’ll always be like one.’’

Ohio’s head coach is Frank Solich, who spent most of his career at Nebraska and led the Cornhuskers for six seasons from 1998-2003. He compiled a 58-19 record at Nebraska and has gone 19-18 in three seasons with the Bobcats, who play in the Mid-American Conference.

Altoona coach Phil Riccio said Solich and his staff did an outstanding job during the recruiting process.

‘‘Those guys really kept making the trek over here, through Cresson mountain when the weather was bad,’’ Riccio said. ‘‘They saw three good football players, and they just kept fighting to get them.’’

Former Ohio assistant Carl Pelini was heavily involved in recruiting the Altoona players. He since has left the program to be an assistant under his brother, new Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini.

Solich and his staff made sure to keep tabs on the Mountain Lion trio after Pelini departed.

‘‘Once Pelini stepped down, Frank Solich ... did a lot,’’ Lewis said.

Futrell won the Joe F. Cohen Blanket Award as Altoona’s team MVP this past season. He was a first-team defensive back and second-team flanker on the Mid-Pen Conference All-Star team. He chose Ohio over Temple, which wanted him to walk on, Robert Morris and several other Division I-AA schools.

Lewis was a first-team linebacker in the Mid-Penn. Pitt was tops on his list, but he didn’t receive an offer from the Panthers, and he chose the Bobcats over some other MAC schools and Youngstown State.

Huynh was a second-team defensive end in the conference. He picked Ohio over Akron and Temple.

‘‘I’m glad because my family and friends can come see me play,’’ Huynh said of the school being close to home.

It’s close, but not too close, Futrell pointed out.

‘‘It’s great because it’s four hours away, so it’s far enough away that you get away from everyone and live your own life,’’ he said. ‘‘But if anybody’s in need, we can come back. That played a big role [in the decision].’’

The MAC has established itself as a strong conference, with its members frequently pulling off big upsets. Riccio said the players know what they’re getting into going to a quality league.

‘‘They know they’re going to a high-level caliber of football,’’ he said. ‘‘They’re going to get themselves ready, and they’re going to be good ones.’’

Two other Mountain Lions, quarterback Jarryd Burkett and linebacker/tight end Julian Foster, signed letters of intent Wednesday to play at the Division II level.

Burkett, a 6-2, 195-pounder, signed with Lock Haven.

‘‘The campus is just phenomenal up there, the coach is phenomenal,’’ Burkett said. ‘‘Getting the opportunity to play is one of the biggest things I wanted to pursue, so I’m going to get a chance at Lock Haven.’’

Foster, a 6-1, 200-pounder, signed with Seton Hill.

‘‘It’s a great place, and I like the environment,’’ Foster said. ‘‘The coaches are great, and they treat it like one big family. They also have my major, which is computer science, and they have a lot of things available for me.’’

Cory Giger is at 949-7031 and cgsports12@aol.com.