It all started with the announcement right here on Channel 7.
Since then, Head Coach Jeff Duvendeck has recruited 95 players to the school, and has searched far and wide for a roster that can compete.
Lawrence Tech football kicks off its first football season in 70 years this Saturday.
“They just gave me an opportunity to play football, I’m from West Palm Beach, Florida, so here I am,” freshman receiver Kendyl Williams said.
It’s been a long road for the blue devils but the vision of bringing the sport back to campus in Southfield is something that the entire community is ready for.
“It’s always been a dream of mine since I got into coaching to start a program, there’s been more challenges than I expected but it’s kind of how new practices are right?” Duvendeck added.
With the support of not only the administration, the Southfield community is rallying behind the idea of a team in its backyard, these players are feeling the love.
“Just walking around campus you can kind of feel the excitement, all the separate programs talking it up and everything so it’s going to be a big game,” freshman Andrew Campbell said.
“Everywhere we go, ‘LTU has football? Oh man, when’s the first game?’ Everyone is excited,” Duvendeck said.
These players aren’t playing for a program with rich tradition or deep history, and that’s okay. Ifb fact, that’s a draw to these recruits who get to build something from the ground up.
“The fact that you get the ability to build it from the ground up in the way, in your vision as you want it and set the standards for centuries to come for all the rest of the players,” Campbell added.
“I truly believe and I think this is a very attainable goal, that we’ll be competing for national championships within these players time. I think the administration, the school has support us well enough to put us on par with that,” Duvendeck said.
