Signed: Anthony Whigan
WHAT HE DID: Whigan led a run-oriented offense that rushed the ball nearly 40 times per game. Their 2,243 total yards ranked No. 8 overall in the country for junior colleges and its 5.1 yards per rush was ranked 12th in the nation. Only four other NJCAA teams gave up fewer sacks than Lackawanna.
WHAT HE WON: Lackawanna finished its 2018 season undefeated, 11-0, for the first time in school history. In addition to winning its conference, the Falcons finished as El Toro Bowl champions, beating defending NJCAA champion Arizona Western. It earned Lackawanna a No. 6 overall ranking by the NJCAA. Whigan was a first-team All-Northeast Conference selection this past season. He also earned second-team all-state honors during his junior and senior year of high school. Whigan went from a mid-range three-star to a four-star prospect. He's the seventh-ranked junior college prospect overall and the top-ranked offensive tackle for 2019.
WHERE HE VISITED: Whigan took official visits to Louisville and South Carolina in June. He also took an unofficial visit to Maryland, but Penn State became the team to beat following his first unofficial visit, which took place in May. He then returned for the Lasch Bash BBQ at the end of July and ended up verbally committing about 10 days later, Aug. 7. Whigan did meet with coaches from Florida State, Maryland, Miami and Syracuse late in the process, but held firm with his commitment.
QUOTABLE: “Whigan was the lynchpin for us all year,” said Lackawanna offensive coordinator Josh Pardini. “He took every snap for us this season, so he was able to stay healthy, which was great because we really needed him when matching up against great defensive ends. But he really improved his run blocking and that had a lot to do with how much stronger he got this past offseason. He really dedicated himself to that and it showed this season. He was literally physically able to just move people.
“In our last game, he played against South Carolina commit Devontae Davis, who’s a really talented football player. Anthony didn’t allow a sack, a tackle for loss or even a pressure the entire day. So, he played really well for us this season. He’s the kind of guy and player that everyone looks for. He’s the nicest guy on the team and the hardest worker on the team. Nothing ever seems to faze him.”