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Hernando Today

The Future is Now

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By MARTY MILLER

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: June 3, 2008

When Stephen Pelaez was a freshman at Nature Coast Technical High School, his grandfather Pat Murray and his mother Dawn Pelaez did not think there would come a day when young Stephen would be going away to play college football.

"No, I didn't think that would ever happen, said his grandfather. "Stephen was just a skinny, little kid early in high school."

Now the young Pelaez is a much bigger, stronger and tougher kid as he signed a football scholarship to play at St. Francis University, a NAIA school located in Joliet, Ill.

Pelaez, who was the starting quarterback and linebacker for the 7-4 Sharks last season, said that the college is interested in him playing defense.

"They want me to be a rover for them, something between a safety and an outside linebacker," said the NCT senior. "The coaches told me they are very short on safeties for next year. So it looks like I'll have a chance to play right away."

For his coach, Jaime Joyner, Pelaez is the eighth player off the 2007 football team to sign with a college or university.

"It's a great feeling," Joyner said about having so many kids sign to play college football. "I'm not worried about Stephen. He's a play-maker no matter what side of the ball he's on."

After serving as a back-up quarterback for his sophomore and junior seasons, Pelaez took over the QB duties for Josh Ortiz this year.

Solid numbers

In running a veer offense, Pelaez ran for 869 yards (a 7.0 yards per carry average) and scored five touchdowns. He also completed 41-of-90 passes for 686 yards, two touchdowns with four interceptions.

On defense, Pelaez played linebacker and had 29 solo tackles, 25 assists, four tackles for loss, two sacks, two interceptions and one interception return for a score.

"I found out about them when coach took all the seniors to a recruiting fair in Lake Wales," recalled Pelaez. "I had six offers to play football and at first I didn't think I would go to St. Francis. But I visited the place and I changed my mind. It's a small school that has about 4,000 students and I liked the coaches a lot."

Joyner believes Pelaez will be able to adjust to anything his college coaches want him to do.

"I'm not worried about him," said Joyner. "I think he has the type of attitude to adjust to anything. After all, he played quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end, defensive end, linebacker, safety, punter and he was our long snapper on kicks this year."

At 6-foot-3, 185 pounds last football season, Pelaez said his college coaches hadn't told him he really needed to gain any weight before next season.

"It was my personal decision to gain some weight," admitted Pelaez. "I was 185 during football season and now I'm 195 and I may gain a little more weight before I go up there in August."

It is that trip that has his mother, Dawn, who delivers papers for the Tampa Tribune, has her worried the most. "I'm worried about him being away from home. The only time he's been away was when he went up to visit the school," she said. "I'm very proud of him and in August, we're all going to drive up and help him move," she said. "And that is going to be an emotional trip for everyone."

Pelaez is the second NCT starting quarterback to play college football in Illinois.

Last year, Ortiz signed to play with St. Francis rival Quincy and Pelaez said that Ortiz has already called him about it.

"He said I'll like it up in Illinois and that he can't wait to play us for the next four years," said Pelaez with a smile.

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