The College Football Hall of Fame and National Football Foundation’s Southern Arizona Chapter will honor 10 of the leading scholar-athletes from Southern Arizona high schools at 5 p.m. today at the UA Student Union.
One of the speakers, and among those honored, will be former UA linebacker Jake Fischer. Talk about a success story.
UA director of athletics Greg Byrne likes to talk about his first meetings with Fischer and how the undersized linebacker was quiet and shy three years ago.
“But by his senior year, Jake could hold his own in any discussion,” said Byrne. “He is smart, articulate and well-meaning. Watching his growth is one of the reasons I so enjoy my job. He’s just terrific.”
Fischer isn’t going to play in the NFL — he wasn’t born with the requisite size and speed — but he made the most out of what he had. At Arizona, in spite of missing the 2011 season with a knee injury, Fischer made 283 tackles.
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Tonight he will be honored for a job well done.