Aug. 7, 2014
Interviews with Jordan Thiel & Andrew Vollert
The one returning San Jose State football player to catch a pass in every game last season had one of the best seasons a freshman tight end had in Spartan history.
Billy Freeman, a do-everything player from Red Mountain High in Mesa, Ariz., caught 27 passes for 427 yards and two touchdowns in 2013. That's not all, he was in the middle of the Spartans' trick-play arsenal completing two passes, one of them for a 30-yard touchdown in the November 2 win at UNLV.
Freeman was one of three freshmen occupying the tight end position a year ago. Jordan Thiel, recruited in the same class as Freeman in 2012, saw most of his action on special teams and came up with his first major college reception in the Wyoming victory.
Then true freshman Andrew Vollertmade the switch from wide receiver as a high school senior at St. Ignatius Prep in San Francisco to tight end in a month at San José State. The 6-foot-4 Vollert hauled in a 29-yard pass in the season-opening win against Sacramento State, but injured his shoulder in the act of making the catch and did not play the rest of the season.
Fifth-year senior Sam Tomlitzshares time in practice with Thiel and Vollert presently while Freeman is getting his work done on the sidelines.
Thiel and Vollert offer their views on how preseason practice is going and a look ahead to the August 9 scrimmage.
Season tickets featuring the $299 (four reserved tickets & four Bill Walsh bobbleheads) 4-PACK for the Spartans' five games in Spartan Stadium are available and are on sale. Use the promo code 4pack.
Call 408-924-SJTX or visit www.sjsuspartans.com to order your tickets.