Emporia State kicker Grady Fowler has left the team for personal reasons, coach Garin Higgins confirmed Wednesday.
The 5-foot-9, 180-pound Fowler is expected to transfer to Butler Community College.
Fowler’s absence leaves the Hornets thin in their kicking game, as Johnny Torres and Wayne Gleason are the only other kickers listed on the roster.
“That’s a concern of ours, but you’ve got to worry about the guys that want to be a part of this football program and the guys that are here now,” Higgins said. “We can’t worry about what we don’t have. We’ve got to worry about what we’ve got.”
Torres, who was picked third-team preseason All-MIAA by D2football.com as a punter, will inherit both the kicking and kickoff duties.
The 5-8, 155-pound Torres has been held out of many of ESU’s practices with a groin injury. He is expected to be ready for Week One against Western (Colo.) State.
Fowler’s decision to transfer comes at an awkward time for himself and ESU.
The Chase County graduate, who earned first-team All-State honors from the Topeka Capital-Journal, sat out all last year as a redshirt freshman and had all but earned the starting kicking duties this season.
“Fowler’s our field goal kicker right now,” ESU special teams coach Gary Manuel said at Saturday’s ESU Media Day. “He’s been doing a good job.”
Fowler said that last year’s coach Dave Wiemers had offered to let him handle kickoff duties, but the kicker decided it would in his best interest to save his year of eligibility.
At Saturday’s Media Day, he said he looked forward to getting his opportunity to participate this season.
“It’s exciting to actually get to do the chance to do something and contribute,” Fowler said Saturday. “When you redshirt, you just practice, and it just seems like for nothing almost.”
Torres kicked for his high school at Bishop Carroll in Wichita and has only attempted one field goal for ESU — a missed attempt from 42 yards against Southwest Baptist in 2005.
QB decision nearing
ESU coach Garin Higgins said a decision on a starting quarterback was coming soon.
“I’m getting closer to it,” he said.
Though the coach hasn’t announced it officially yet, it appears sophomore Andre Sloan El will earn the starting nod over Ben Purkeypile.
Sloan El worked with the first-team offense through all of Wednesday’s practice, and Higgins said the sophomore had shown no side effects from intestinal surgery last month.
The evaluation period continued for the signal-callers on Wednesday, as the team ran through the two-minute drill offense to put the QBs in pressure situations.
“I’m trying to see which guy is going to be the leader out there — the one controlling the tempo of the game, controlling where everybody’s lining up and being the field general out there,” Higgins said.
Hornets get help
at corner
Kameron Gee, a 5-foot-8 cornerback from DeSoto, Texas, has joined ESU’s practices and is a member of the team.
Gee committed to ESU briefly in February before changing his mind and announcing his decision to attend Division-I Air Force.
Gee is the high school teammate of Hornets running back Adrian Abner.
2 MIAA teams
begin tonight
While ESU must wait nine more days for its opener, two MIAA schools begin their seasons tonight.
National Runner-Up Northwest Missouri State plays host to Arkansas Tech, while Central Missouri goes on the road to face Minnesota State-Mankato.
Western (Colo.) State, ESU’s first opponent, will travel to Fort Hays State for its first game on Saturday.
footballeyes (anonymous) says...
It's too bad this kid left the team, he had some promise. Interesting to see if coach really goes with Sloan El, he will end up regretting that, but everyone knew it would happen last spring, regardless of "earning it".
August 24, 2007 at 8:43 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
anunbiasedobserver (anonymous) says...
I know the Fowler kid. I think he is planning on joining the Marines as soon as his football career is over. It's ironic,but he may end up defending snake's right to make stupid comments on this message board.
August 24, 2007 at 10:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
KellyG (anonymous) says...
I personally know there is more to the story and know that Fowler just didn't leave to leave. It comes down to the fact that the new coach doesn't know a talented kicker from the hole in the ground. Everyone who knows or follows footbal knows you need to have a QB that can pass and run and you need a kicker that can kick and make the field goals in clutch situations in the tighest of games. Obiviously this coach didn't think he needed to keep someone who is young and healthly and kick 50+ yrd field goals. He wanted to keep someone that can't even walk away from practice having made 1 in a practice situation. I say, if that is how Torres practices then it will be a long season. Fowler and Butler are a great fit and obviously Butler knows how to get and keep the talent.
August 28, 2007 at 12:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
anunbiasedobserver (anonymous) says...
I just checked the Butler web site. Fowler scored 9 points in their first game against Kilgore. 2 for 2 on FG's and 3 for 3 on PAT'a
August 28, 2007 at 4:21 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )