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YSU signs 19 recruits in quickest time ever
The 19 players, including
4 freshmen, were signed by 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
Video
YOUNGSTOWN — Youngstown State football coach Jon Heacock hopes the quickness his 2008 recruits used in signing their letters of intent will carry over to their performances on the field.
“We had every kid on our list signed and delivered by 8:30 a.m. this morning,” said Heacock at a press conference Wednesday at the Coaches Court in Beeghly Center. “That is without a doubt the quickest that we’ve ever had our recruit list finished.”
The list consists of 19 players, including 14 freshmen, four junior transfers and one sophomore transfer. The transfers are all enrolled at YSU and will take part in spring practice, which is scheduled to begin March 26.
This year’s list included just two local players, but Heacock said his staff tried to get more.
“We always start our recruiting process from the inside and then move outside,” he said. “We try to find the local guys first, but most of the ones we were after had committed early to other schools. Heck, we’d take all those guys that signed with other schools. We end up getting the guys who really want to be here.”
Heacock said graduation took a heavy tool on the roster.
“We lost a heck of a group of guys and we knew that we needed to recruit some people that would [alleviate] our depth problems,” he said. “We were especially hit hard on defense and that’s why we went heavy on defensive recruits this year. We also added some size.”
The two area players are defensive back Gary Thornton of East and offensive lineman Bill Dugan of Poland.
“They are both great kids and two who wanted to be part of this program,” Heacock said.
Thornton, who spent his first three high school seasons at Rayen and then moved over to the new East High School last season, was excited about the prospects of playing at YSU.
“It more of an honor to be playing for my city,” Thornton said. “It’s going to be great for my family because they can see me play all the time.”
Thornton, who first considered going to the U.S. Military Academy, said he’s “ready to go.”
“I’ve met so many great people at Youngstown State and I’m excited and ready to get started.,” he added. “I told Coach Heacock that I’ll play anywhere that he needs me to play, offense, defense or special teams.”
The five transfers who are already enrolled at YSU include two Division I transfers. They are junior tailback Dana Brown (5-10, 206) from Clairton, Pa., who transferred from Iowa, and junior quarterback Brandon Summers (6-0, 208) from Southfield, Mich., who transferred from Toledo.
The Penguins also have a transfer from Gardner-Webb in sophomore safety Andre Elliott (6-2, 180). He has been enrolled at YSU since the fall, but couldn’t play because of the NCAA rule which requires him to sit out one season. Elliott played high school football at Maple Heights.
The two junior college transfers are junior Draye Ersery (6-0, 220), a linebacker from Colorado Springs, Colo., and the College of the Desert/Mesa State, and junior Donald Jones (6-0, 200), a wide receiver from Plainfield, N.J., and Lackawanna Junior College.
The Penguins also have a talented athlete in freshman Bryan Gaiters (5-9, 175) from Zanesville. He was first team All-Ohio last year and a finalist for Mr. Football.
“He’s just a heck of an athlete and we’ll probably start him out on defense and see what happens,” Heacock said. “He has great athletic ability and is a tremendous long jumper in track.
“We are still looking for one big guy inside on defense like about a million other schools, but we’d like to find an older guy who can come right in and help us out defensively,” said Heacock, who will be starting his eighth season as head coach. He is excited about spring practice.
“We’ll have between 90 and 100 players out this spring with all the walk-on players and it should be very interesting.”
The spring game is scheduled for April 18 at 7:30 p.m. at Stambaugh Stadium.
mollica@vindy.com