Originally written August 8, 2004, for Jeric’s Lackawanna Sports
By Jeric Yurkanin
Every hour Lakeland fullback Joe Tuzze spent inside the weight room is finally paying off.
Standing 5 feet, 11 inches and weighing 220 pounds, Tuzze heard the criticism. Some people questioned whether he was big enough to play Division I college football.
Apparently, the University of Akron believed he was big enough.
“It’s a big city down there, and they have everything new,” Tuzze said. “They even have a rock wall.”
Akron may have impressed Tuzze with its facilities, but it was his strength, toughness and production that impressed the Zips.
That 5-foot-11, 220-pound frame is expected to become one of Lakeland’s biggest threats on both sides of the football this fall.
Last season, Tuzze led the Chiefs in tackles and established a school record with 132 tackles. His presence helped Lakeland become only the second team in school history to win 13 games in a single season.
He was just as dangerous when carrying the football.
At fullback, Tuzze rushed for a career-high 1,196 yards and powered his way into the end zone 24 times.
“It is a blessing to coach a kid like Joe Tuzze,” Lakeland coach Dan Case said. “He is a good player and a good person. Joe is working extremely hard in the classroom, off the field and on the field.”
If anyone questioned Tuzze’s strength, he answered them at the Penn State Nike Camp.
Tuzze completed 38 repetitions of 185 pounds.
Thirty-eight.
He was also able to bench-press 400 pounds.
Those numbers don’t belong to an undersized football player. They belong to someone who has spent years turning criticism into motivation.
“Joe is a good kid,” said teammate Keith Galinsky, one of Lakeland’s leading tacklers behind Tuzze last season. “He is a very strong kid. He’s entering his fourth year on varsity now. Joe is just a great kid and a great friend.”
Tuzze produced one of the biggest performances of his career in last year’s state playoff game against Line Mountain, rushing for 178 yards.
That performance wasn’t an accident. It was another example of what Tuzze had been doing throughout his career.
Since he became Lakeland’s starting fullback, the Chiefs have compiled a remarkable 29–1 regular-season record.
Just how valuable is Joe Tuzze to Lakeland’s offense?
You really don’t need to do much research to answer that question.
During one road trip last season, a Lakeland assistant coach asked Case and the other coaches whether they had everything before the team bus departed. They were worried that something—or perhaps someone—had been forgotten.
Case laughed.
“Don’t worry about me,” he answered. “Just forget me—but don’t leave Tuzze behind.”
It was a funny comment, but there was plenty of truth hiding inside the joke.
Lakeland might have survived without one of its coaches on the bus.
Leaving Tuzze behind was an entirely different story.
Who wouldn’t want a player like Joe Tuzze in the backfield or lining up on defense?
“He’s a great football player,” teammate Kyle Miller said. “You can always depend on him to make big plays when we need them the most.”
Next fall, Tuzze is expected to join an outstanding group of Lakeland players moving on to Division I college football, including record-setting quarterback Evan Kraky, lineman Mark Mushel, tight end Jeff Cavanaugh and linebacker John Wormuth.
Some people may still look at Tuzze and see a 5-foot-11 fullback.
Lakeland sees its record-setting tackler, a 1,000-yard rusher, a 24-touchdown scorer and one of the strongest players to ever wear a Chiefs uniform.
The University of Akron isn’t simply getting a powerful football player.
It is getting a leader, a worker and the type of player no coach would ever want to leave behind.
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