Van Gorden to Montana State; Bobmam to Pack
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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Steve Yingling,
syingling@tahoedailytribune.com
March 31, 2005
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Two of the most-talented football players in South Tahoe High history didn't have recruiters calling them at all hours of the night and their family mail boxes constantly stuffed with enticing letters.
Consequently, record-setting quarterback Mikey Van Gorden and booming placekicker Matt Bobman had to find their own way into college football.
On Wedneday, the 6-foot Van Gorden announced he will walk on at Montana State of the Big Sky Conference while Bobman will stay closer to home and walk on for Chris Ault at Nevada.
"The biggest factor was academics. I want to be an architect and they have a great architecture program and a great football program there, too," Van Gorden said.
The chance to earn a scholarship as a freshman was the deciding factor in Bobman choosing Nevada.
"It was pretty frustrating because I felt like I should have gotten more looks," Bobman said. "Nevada's coach offered a walk-on spot with the potential to earn a scholarship and it's a great offer and I think I'll make the most of it."
Wolf Pack head coach Chris Ault and assistant head coach Ken Wilson weren't immediately able to return calls to their offices on Wednesday night.
Van Gorden shattered nearly every passing record at South Tahoe High, even though opposing defenses knew the 6-foot signal caller was going to pass almost every down. He passed for 2,400 yards and a Northern Nevada League record-tying 27 touchdown passes. Each mark is a school record as well.
Montana State's initial plans for Van Gorden reportedly don't require him to get behind center.
"They never said you're going to play quarterback or anything. They want to try and find a position for me. Their (tight ends) coach told me they'd try me at receiver because they are short on receivers, but that could change. I just want to play at the next level."
St. Joseph's College of Rensselaer, Ind., expressed the most interest in Van Gorden as a quarterback, but Van Gorden preferred to go to a bigger school that met his academic needs.
"St. Joe's didn't really have what I wanted and it's smaller than our high school," Van Gorden said.
Relinquishing the quarterback duties won't cause Van Gorden too much suffering.
"The quarterback has to take so much more on them than say a DB or a receiver," Van Gorden said. "You're still thinking a lot but you don't have to worry about how the line is doing, if the running back is going to block, what routes the receivers will run and checking off plays."
With Damon Fine exhausting his eligibility last fall, the Wolf Pack will need a new placekicker. Freshman redshirt Brett Jaekle, a 6-4, 225-pounder from Bonanza High in Las Vegas, is the only returning placekicker in the program.
"I'm pretty relieved that I'm not checking my mail every day and hoping something is there," Bobman said. "And I can tell coaches from several smaller schools that were pursuing me that they can stop because I have made a decision."
Bobman connected on 48- and 47-yard field goals last year but really shined on his kickoffs. Nearly 75 percent of his kickoffs were touchbacks as he routinely pounded the ball out of the end zone.
