Athlete of the Week: Jake Fuller

Despite Jake Fuller's, BR '00, recent individual success, he has not forgotten that football is a team sport. Just as he is not content with his personal play when his squad loses, he refuses to take credit for his rushing success in Yale's win against Valparaiso. Instead he praises the offensive line for creating the holes which allowed him to rush for 165 yards in 19 carries against Val-paraiso, and 111 yards in 27 carries against Bucknell. In the Valpo win, only his third varsity game at Yale, he rushed for the most yards in a game since Chris Hetherington, JE '96, ran 166 yards in a 1995 game.

Fuller hails from Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, where he was a tailback and defensive back, and received academic all-state honors his senior year. He also played basketball and baseball, captaining all three sports.

Julia Tiernan/YH

Although he was a member of very successful football teams his junior and senior years of high school, he was not heavily recruited by colleges. But playing on the Bulldog junior varsity squad freshman year, he began to show promise for varsity success. Even though he was improving, he was not expected to see much playing time this fall. Injuries to Jabbar Craigwell, JE '98, and Craig Freccero, TD '99, however, created an opening for him in the starting position. As offensive coach Larry Ciotti said, "Jake rose to the occassion. With every week he's getting better and better. He's gaining more confidence and more experience with each practice."

Fuller's remarkable improvement can be attributed to the great amount of time and hard work he devotes to his training. He trained all summer with his brother who plays for Eastern Michigan. During the season, Fuller attends two hours of daily practice and another half-hour to an hour of meetings and films. He goes to Ciotti's office almost every day to watch films of practices and opponents.

The offensive coach commented that Fuller has "great vision to find the holes." Ciotti feels that Fuller's mental game is every bit as important as his physical one. "Jake's greatest attribute is his determination to become a better player," he said.

Fuller himself is modest, and emphasizes the necessity of teamwork for individual success. "I don't consider myself a standout," he said. "What I do depends on the offensive line. If there are no holes I won't run well. The offensive line does all the hard work, but they don't get enough credit." Fuller is obviously being overly modest, but his statement demonstrates his commitment to the team. His goal is for Yale to win the Ivy League championship, and if the rest of the team has the same level of determination as Fuller, anything is possible.

Back to Sports...