22 Days Until National Signing Day / Feb. 3, 2010
Owls land speedy safety
Latest FAU commit follows a couple former teammates, believes that the Owls are "the next big thing."
Originally published on
1/12/2010
by
Chuck King
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While the main recruiting duties are handled by coaches, often it’s the players themselves who help land prospective players.
That’s exactly what happened with one Miami-Dade County linebacker.
After a year of hearing two former high school teammates praise FAU’s football program and school in general, the linebacker had to see for himself.
After discovering during this weekend’s recruiting visit that the team was everything his former teammates were telling him and more, the decision to commit came easily.
“During the visit I felt a connection with the players, and the staff members from the school and the coaches, also,” said David Lozandier, a 6-foot, 190-pound safety-to-be from North Miami.
“The thing that I like about FAU is that it’s a new program that’s coming up. It just feels like something big is going to happen and nobody knows it yet. I feel like FAU is going to be the next big thing in the next two years.”
Former North Miami teammate Randell Johnson was Lozandier’s host during the recruiting visit. Like Johnson, Nexon Dorvilus also signed with the Owls out of North Miami last year.
“They both were telling me how great the college was, and about the campus and the football team,” Lozandier said. “They felt at home when they got there.”
Lozandier recorded 97 tackles, five sacks, four fumble recoveries and two interceptions this season while playing strong side linebacker and middle linebacker.
FAU coaches, however, told Lozandier they would likely move him to strong safety – a move that suits the player just fine.
“That’s the position I was planning to play,” Lozandier said. “I want to show everybody my speed. I never got to really show it during high school because I just played linebacker.”
North Miami coach Darryel Bethune said Lozandier ran a couple sub-4.5 40s at the FIU camp. Lozandier, though, was coming off a hamstring injury, then.
Lozandier, who runs the 100- 200- and 400-meters for the North Miami track team, says he’s faster now.
“They don’t really know about my speed,” said Lozandier, who runs the 100 meters in 10.58 and the 400 meters in 47.78. “I haven’t told them I ran a 4.34 yet. …I’m planning on trying to break a state record in the 100 and 400.”
Florida International, Central Michigan and Florida A&M had already offered Lozandier. Miami and Kansas State had shown early interest, too.
“He runs to the ball and he’s a leader,” Bethune said. “He was a team captain and he led by example. He shows great emotion for the game. He definitely loves the game.”