WINTER GARDEN, Fla. - Foundation Academy linebacker and receiver Danny Stutsman has a simple approach to each snap.
- Has received two official offers thus far
- Father Steven played tight end for Baylor
- Recorded 86 tackles as a linebacker last season
“You’re not even thinking about it, once you’re in the play," the rising junior said. "You don’t even realize it. You just react, like that.”
And 12th-year head coach Brad Lord has seen it first-hand.
“Some players who are really great, they study the film, they get to the hole, they make the play," he said. "Danny studies the film, jumps over two guys, and makes the play quicker than most of the players.”
Stutsman's 86 tackles and 10 sacks as a sophomore last year would be good enough to make most stand out at any school, but at Foundation, he gets to be a bigger fish in a small pond. His performance began to attract the attention of Division I schools around the country, and in order to deal gauge the situation, Danny turned to his father Steve, a former Baylor tight end. His advice resonated.
“Take it slow,'" Danny said his father told him." "Every day, every offer is a huge offer. It doesn’t matter if it’s from the NAIA or Vanderbilt, just take it all in.”
But it was that Vanderbilt offer that came in earlier this month that would break ground. Because prior to that, no Lions player had ever received an offer from an SEC school. And it likely won't be his only one from football's top conference, with Florida expressing interest as well.
“It’s a dream come true," Stutsman said. "Being that little boy growing up, just throwing the football in the back yard, just dreaming of being Saturday nights, Saturday day, just playing football. It’s unbelievable.”
He also hopes his recruitment process can help set an example for his other teammates and colleagues, sending a message that when it comes to small schools getting recognition from colleges, size matters not.
“You can get offers from small schools just like West Orange, Dr. Phillips. The times have changed," he said. "You don’t have to be at a big school to get recognized. You can do that in 2A or 1A.”