DURANGO, Colo. — Fort Lewis College head football coach Cesar Rivas-Sandoval announced the signing of quarterback Jason Fitzpatrick to his 2012 recruiting class, raising the number of newcomers to join the Skyhawk roster to 27.

“Another great product from our summer camp …We began the relationship early and it paid off in the end,” said Rivas-Sandoval, who begins his third year as the Skyhawks' head coach in 2012. “Fitz has all the tools to be a great college quarterback. He is not only a very cerebral player, but is also more than athletic enough to make plays with his feet. We are very excited about what our quarterback competition will be like after (senior-to-be and three-year FLC starter) Tim Jenkins graduates.”

Fitzpatrick, a 6-foot-2, 200-lb. senior from Rio Rancho High School, is considered one of the top quarterbacks in New Mexico. He was the NMHSCA Quarterback Challenge champion this past year for the Rams and earned a bevy of honors, including Albuquerque Journal All-State second team, State Farm All-Metro, Sports Authority Athlete of the Month, all-district (twice), and all-academic. He was invited to a pair of Nike Elite 11 quarterback camps.

As a senior, Fitzpatrick completed 68 percent of his passes last season for 3,365 yards and 22 touchdowns. He also rushed for nine touchdowns.

Fitzpatrick played the previous two seasons at Santa Fe High School, starting both years at quarterback for the Demons.

He also competed in basketball and baseball in high school.

The son of Chris and Marie Fitzpatrick of Santa Fe, N.M., Fitzpatrick plans to major in Sociology-Criminology and minor in Psychology at Fort Lewis.

Our blueprint is recruiting young men who have great character and have a vested interest in obtaining their degree at Fort Lewis College,” Rivas-Sandoval said of his 2012 recruiting class.

“We had some areas to address with our second full season of recruiting under our belt,” he said. “We had to get faster. We have improved tremendously in many areas, especially in the secondary and offensive skill positions. We have brought in a solid number of athletes who can play more than just one position, which will make us a more well-rounded football team.”

Rivas-Sandoval expects additional players to commit to Fort Lewis in the coming weeks. “We still have a few areas to address, but we want to continue to look for the young man who will be the right fit for FLC football. We will continue to recruit for a little while longer, as well as address a few more of our needs and add to our walk-on class.”

Further information on each new recruit can be found on the 2012 FLC football signing day page.

Fort Lewis finished 3-8 overall, 2-7 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, tied for eighth place in the league. FLC loses seven seniors to graduation: punter Frank Atherton, defensive lineman David Ferris, wide receiver Justin Garman, defensive back Eric Hills, wide receiver David Matos, running back Justin Peters, and wide receiver Harrison Scheider.