Western Michigan walk-on Grant DePalma awarded scholarship (Video)
Western Michigan linebacker Grant DePalma received an awesome Christmas gift from head coach P.J. Fleck.
DePalma, a junior, walked on to the team after attending an open tryout. At 5-foot-9 and 218 pounds, he’s not the typical Division I linebacker, but he worked his way up from the scout team last year to become one of the team’s top defensive players, so Fleck – with a little help from Santa Claus – rewarded him with a scholarship.
DePalma led the Broncos with 97 total tackles this season. He also registered eight tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks on the season. He redshirted the 2013 season after transferring to WMU from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, an engineering college in Terre Haute, Ind.
“That guy’s what our program’s all about,” Fleck told his team of DePalma.
The Broncos, in Fleck’s second season, finished the season at 8-5 after losing to Air Force in the Idaho Potato Bowl on Dec. 20.
For more Western Michigan news, visit BroncoBlitz.com.
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