SAGINAW, Mich. — Caledonia quarterback Mason McKenzie lit up the high school football field in West Michigan in 2022.
Now, he is off to Saginaw Valley State and Cardinals head coach Ryan Brady could not be more fired up to have McKenzie in his quarterback room.
"Definitely excited about Mason and getting to work with him. Mason and I got a great relationship," Brady said. "I coach the quarterbacks so him and I are going to be working hand and hand. I know he's excited. It's going to be a great fit and a great relationship so I am excited that he is going to be on campus soon. I am looking forward to the next five years with him."
McKenzie was the 13 On Your Sidelines MVP of the Year this past year after leading the Scots to their second straight 8-1 regular season and a trip to Ford Field for the first time since 2005 for Caledonia.
"I noticed that he was a winner, and I love winners," Brady said. "He's just a great young man. I love the skillset. He offers so many things with his legs and his arm. He's a great decision maker. He's got legitimate arm talent. He's the total package."
The three-star recruit complied over 3,100 total yards his senior season and had a combined 39 total touchdowns. Obviously, with those kinds of numbers, he was heavily recruited by local GLIAC teams including Ferris State, GVSU and Davenport. However, it was SVSU that was able to reel McKenzie in.
"It was definitely a recruiting battle," Brady said. "He had some FCS offers as well. I was a little more concerned with those, but we were just very upfront and very intentional. We love West Michigan. We have had a lot of success recruiting West Michigan. Mason, obviously, was a big one. We are excited he is a Cardinal."
McKenzie hopes to earn the starting job as a true freshman, and Brady says he'll get the chance to battle for it.
"He's going to get the chance to compete," Brady said. "All of our freshman come in and they get a chance to compete. We develop everybody. We are going to see how fast he can pick things up."
However, Brady says he hopes to utilize the new rule in Division 2 football by playing McKenzie three games without burning his redshirt.
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