by Bill Seals
Although the Cyclones recently became the first to offer a Class of 2019 offensive lineman from St. Louis (Mo.), one coach told the prospect it should have come even sooner.
DeSmet Academy junior Marquise Simmons said he got the offer from graduate assistant Kenny McClendon, who said they’d been looking at the big man for a while.
“I got a note from my coach that he had a message for me to call one of the assistants there,” said Simmons. “I heard about the offer after school. The Iowa State coach said they wished they had offered me last year, because they were looking to do that. He didn’t want to make me wait.”
The 6-foot-2, 319-pound offensive lineman said he doesn’t know a lot about the Cyclones, but looks forward to learning more.
“It was honestly out of the blue, because I hadn’t heard anything from them,” he said. “I haven’t been there before, but they seem to be a pretty decent program. They take the players they have and find a way to work and get it done. When they beat Oklahoma, they weren’t more talented than them but they wanted it more. That’s how they won that game.”
In addition to his lone offer from ISU, Simmons said he’s hearing from Oklahoma, Kansas, Miami (Ohio), Kansas State and UCF.
“I think I got stronger and developed a bigger love for the game of football than I did my freshman and sophomore year,” Simmons said, when asked about what has made him a more attractive line recruit. “I took to my coaching a lot more.”
Since I-State stepped up its recruitment of him, the offensive lineman said he’s been in contact with McClendon on a few occasions.
“He says he loves the way I play,” Simmons said. “He said I’d be a perfect fit up there. He’s trying to get me to come up there for a Junior Day, and I want to see how much the coaches are engaged and their level of energy and passion.”
Although the Cyclones recently became the first to offer a Class of 2019 offensive lineman from St. Louis (Mo.), one coach told the prospect it should have come even sooner.
DeSmet Academy junior Marquise Simmons said he got the offer from graduate assistant Kenny McClendon, who said they’d been looking at the big man for a while.
“I got a note from my coach that he had a message for me to call one of the assistants there,” said Simmons. “I heard about the offer after school. The Iowa State coach said they wished they had offered me last year, because they were looking to do that. He didn’t want to make me wait.”
The 6-foot-2, 319-pound offensive lineman said he doesn’t know a lot about the Cyclones, but looks forward to learning more.
“It was honestly out of the blue, because I hadn’t heard anything from them,” he said. “I haven’t been there before, but they seem to be a pretty decent program. They take the players they have and find a way to work and get it done. When they beat Oklahoma, they weren’t more talented than them but they wanted it more. That’s how they won that game.”
In addition to his lone offer from ISU, Simmons said he’s hearing from Oklahoma, Kansas, Miami (Ohio), Kansas State and UCF.
“I think I got stronger and developed a bigger love for the game of football than I did my freshman and sophomore year,” Simmons said, when asked about what has made him a more attractive line recruit. “I took to my coaching a lot more.”
Since I-State stepped up its recruitment of him, the offensive lineman said he’s been in contact with McClendon on a few occasions.
“He says he loves the way I play,” Simmons said. “He said I’d be a perfect fit up there. He’s trying to get me to come up there for a Junior Day, and I want to see how much the coaches are engaged and their level of energy and passion.”
