Cal Lutheran, Under Fiscal Restraints, Signs 5 Players, Including 4 From Junior Colleges

Because of a $15,000 cut in athletic-scholarship funding, Cal Lutheran couldn’t give scholarships to junior college players at the start of its spring semester, which began earlier this month.

On Wednesday, though, CLU received commitments from five players, including four JC recruits. Because the JC players were not enrolled by the start of the spring semester, none of them will be able to participate in spring football practice in April. But they will play in the fall.

The junior college players are: George McKenzie (6-3, 250), defensive tackle from Moorpark College; Ted Briscoe (6-0, 170), cornerback from Ventura College, and Jeff Kelley, defensive back, and Mark McGrath, linebacker, both from Saddleback Community College.

One high school recruit who signed is Paul Pierson, an offensive and defensive lineman from South Gate High.

CLU Coach Bob Shoup said the fiscal cutbacks that hampered his recruiting were schoolwide and that there was no misuse of funds within the athletic department.

The cutbacks will force the Kingsmen to begin spring drills with only 28 players, said Shoup, who added, “We won’t have any new recruits there.”

Besides the five players who signed Wednesday, CLU expects to sign six more later this week.