Selective Eastern signs 14

The football recruiting process turned a bit more selective for Beau Baldwin and his Eastern Washington University coaching staff this time around. And the dividends of that altered approach were realized Wednesday morning when the Eagles’ head coach announced the signing of 14 “high quality” recruits – including transfer quarterback Bo Levi Mitchell, a two-year starter at Southern Methodist University – to national letters of intent. “We had a limited amount of scholarships coming in,” explained Baldwin, EWU’s third-year head coach, who signed a whopping 33 recruits last February, “so we had some definite target areas we wanted to hit, and I feel like we did just that. “We were probably a little more picky than we’ve been in the past. Last year’s class was so big, we were able to take a few more chances on some guys. But this year we felt like we needed to be sure about everybody we signed, because we were going to sign such a lower number.” In Mitchell, the Eagles landed an experienced Division I quarterback capable of stepping in immediately to help offset the graduation loss of senior Matt Nichols, who will leave Cheney as the holder of nearly every significant passing and total offense school record. Mitchell, a 6-foot-2, 210-pounder out Katy (Texas) High School, was on Baldwin’s recruiting radar two years ago and made an official visit to Eastern before signing with SMU. He started all 12 games as a true freshman for the Mustangs and seven more last fall before suffering a shoulder injury and losing his starting job to another rookie, Kyle Padron. Prior to tearing the labrum in his left shoulder and watching SMU’s last six games from the bench, Mitchell threw for 1,725 yards and 12 touchdowns. “He is someone we thought was an incredibly skilled player out of high school, and he obviously proved that by starting from Day One at SMU,” Baldwin said of Mitchell, who will compete in spring drills and be a junior next season. “After he signed his release (from SMU), we started talking to him again, and he told us he had never forgotten about us. “He followed Nichols’ success from afar and told us he loved his visit up here and was very close to signing with us back then.” Joining Mitchell on Eastern’s short list of recruits is another transfer quarterback, Greg Panellli, a 6-3, 225-pounder, who threw for just over 5,000 yards and 56 touchdowns as a two-year starter at Modesto (Calif.) Junior College. The Eagles also improved their team speed with the signing of a pair of wide receivers – Markeem Adams (West Seattle) and Trenton Pinson (Federal Way) – who were among the fastest track sprinters in Washington last spring. In addition, they picked up a pair of speedy recruits from California in running back Mario Brown (Bishop O’Dowd in Berkeley) and wideout Andre Williams (El Cerrito). “We placed a huge, huge emphasis on speed,” Baldwin explained, “because speed at any level – from the NFL all the way down to high school – makes a big difference. And the fastest teams have a better chance in the long run.” Eleven of Eastern’s newest recruits are from in state, but the only local signee was Sandpoint running back Cody Hecker. Christian Stefo, a highly touted 6-6, 315-pound offensive tackle from Arvada, Colo., who had made an oral committed to attend EWU, ended up de-committing and signing with Colorado State. EWU recruits Markeem Adams WR, 6-0, 175, Seattle, Wash. (West Seattle HS ‘10) Eagle Head Coach Beau Baldwin: “He has incredible speed — he’s one of the fastest, if not the fastest, athletes in the state. The speed he brings is something you are always trying to improve on as a program. To go with that, he has good size. Usually at Eastern when you have players with that kind of speed, they are 5-7 or 5-8. He’s 6-1 and can play defensive back or receiver for us. He has done great things at the high school level, but I believe his best football is ahead of him. We’re excited about Markeem.” HIGH SCHOOL: Will graduate from West Seattle HS in 2010. Was the Metro League Sound Division Offensive Player of the Year as he earned all-league honors at four different positions. He was a first team All-Metro League Sound Division selection as a wide receiver, and second team as an outside linebacker, punter and kicker. He caught 18 passes for 438 yards and five touchdowns as a senior. His West Seattle teammate Isaiah Jenkins also signed with the Eagles. They led West Seattle to a 6-4 record and a share of the Metro League Sound Division regular season title. As juniors, they helped West Seattle win their first eight games before losing in the playoffs. As a junior, Adams earned second team All-Metro League Sound Division honors as a kicker. Adams won the State 3A title in the 200 meters (21.47) as a junior and was second in the 100 (10.89). As a sophomore, he was fifth in the 200 (22.44, 22.39 in the prelims). He had an undefeated freshman season in the 200 by winning the State 3A state title in 22.16, the second-fastest time by a freshman in state history. He also took sixth at state in the 100 (11.25), with his preliminary time of 10.95 also the second fastest in state history for a freshman. Personal: Born 10/11/91 in Seattle, Wash. Parents are Roger and Rhana Adams. Intends on majoring in mechanical engineering. Mario Brown RB , 5-9 , 175 , Berkeley, Calif. (Bishop O’Dowd HS ‘10) Eagle Head Coach Beau Baldwin: “He’s tremendous with the ball in his hands. You see the smaller running back having a lot of success at both the college and professional levels more and more. He fits right into that, and with what we do in our running game he’s going to be perfect. He’s very dynamic, he’s tough and he does all the little things right. He has great character and will bring so much to that position. I’m excited about what Mario can do — he’s electrifying with the ball in his hands. We saw it last year with the way Taiwan Jones was able to change a game. Mario has the ability to absolutely scare defenses and we’re excited about that.” HIGH SCHOOL: Will graduate from Bishop O’Dowd HS in California in 2010. Earned first team All-Hayward Area Athletic League honors as a senior running back. He led the league in rushing, finishing with 1,200 yards and 14 touchdowns. He scored 17 total touchdowns for 102 points to rank second in the league. His team finished 4-6-1 and advanced to the playoffs. As a junior in 2008, he ran for 1,928 yards (9.2 per carry) and 23 touchdowns, and also caught 16 passes and had 270 yards in returns. Defensively he added 33 tackles, five interceptions and a forced fumble as he helped lead the Dragons to a 10-2 record. He had the fastest 40-yard dash time (4.52) at the 2008 Oakland Scout.com Combine. Personal: Born 11/9/91 in Oakland, Calif. Intends on majoring in business at Eastern. Jase Butorac OL , 6-3 , 280 , Sammamish, Wash. (Skyline HS ‘10) Eagle Head Coach Beau Baldwin: “He will probably be an inside lineman for us, but he’s athletic enough where he can play any spot on our offensive line. He has the smarts to play center, the toughness and grit to play guard and the athletic ability to play tackle. He has all the tools and played for a state championship team. We’re absolutely thrilled he’s with us. He will add instant competition to the position and will be ready to compete right away and do great things at Eastern.” HIGH SCHOOL: Will graduate from Skyline HS in 2010. Named by the Seattle Times as a “White Chip” selection as one of the top 100 prospects in the state of Washington. Was selected to the Seattle Times “Star Times” All-Area team as an offensive lineman. He was a first team All-KingCo League Crest Division selection as an offensive tackle and a second team choice as a defensive lineman. He protected the blind side of BYU-bound Skyline quarterback Jake Heaps, who passed for 3,936 yards and 41 touchdowns. Skyline won the State 4A title with a 45-21 romp past Ferris to finish the season 12-2. Before the 2009 season began, he was selected on Ron Siegel’s preseason All-State team. As a junior, he also earned first team All-KingCo League Crest Division honors as an offensive lineman. Skyline also won the 2008 State 4A title with a perfect 14-0 record, defeating Issaquah 20-15 in the title game. His Skyline teammate Evan Day also signed with EWU, and current Eagles Jason Harris (‘06) and Tyler Washburn (‘08) also graduated from Skyline. Personal: Born 8/12/92 in Tacoma, Wash. Parents are Mark and Melanie Butorac. Zach Chapman TE , 6-3 , 240 , Vancouver, Wash. (Mountain View HS ‘10) Eagle Head Coach Beau Baldwin: “He has the combination of a great frame and tremendous potential to add to that. Zach is the total package and has the physical tools to be very dominant here. He is big, strong, fast and tough, and he brings great character or our program as well. Right away you see his incredible work ethic on video, in practice and with how he attacks the weight room. Whether it’s tight end or defensive end, he will be a force early in his career.” HIGH SCHOOL: Will graduate from Mountain View HS in 2010. Named by the Seattle Times as a “White Chip” selection as one of the top 100 prospects in the state of Washington. Zach was a 2009 4A Greater St. Helen’s League Coaches All-League First Team selection at defensive end. He was also selected as a GSHL All Level All-Star (includes players from all 18 GSHL schools at the 4A, 3A and 2A classifications). His team selected him as a co-captain and co-lineman of the year. He attended the same high school as former Eagle Michael Roos (‘00 graduate), who is now an All-Pro offensive tackle for the Tennessee Titans. Caleb Worthington (‘09) is another Mountain View graduate on EWU’s roster. Chapman’s grandparents live in Spokane. Evan Day DL , 6-3 , 245 , Sammamish, Wash. (Skyline HS ‘10) Eagle Head Coach Beau Baldwin: “He has the potential to put on some weight and play defensive tackle, and he’s athletic enough to play defensive end. He’s a lot like Evan Cook is now for us where he can play both inside and outside. He has the combination of strength and speed. We’re excited to sign Evan Day after he played for a state championship team because he understands what it takes day-in and day-out to be a winner, and the hard work needed in the off-season. We’ve had our eye on him since watching his junior year video.” HIGH SCHOOL: Will graduate from Skyline HS in 2010. Named by the Seattle Times as a “White Chip” selection as one of the top 100 prospects in the state of Washington. He was a first team All-KingCo League Crest Division selection as both an offensive guard and as a defensive lineman. He had seven sacks to lead the league. Skyline won the State 4A title with a 45-21 romp past Ferris to finish the season 12-2. Skyline also won the 2008 title with a perfect 14-0 record, defeating Issaquah 20-15 in the title game. His high school teammate Jase Butorac also signed with EWU, and current Eagles Jason Harris (‘06) and Tyler Washburn (‘08) also graduated from Skyline. Personal: Born 9/4/91 in Bellevue, Wash. Parents are Michael and Valerie Day. Intends on majoring in communications at EWU. John Goldwire LB , 6-1 , 225 , Lakewood, Wash. (Lakes HS ‘10) Eagle Head Coach Beau Baldwin: “He jumped out on video. We saw how athletic and explosive he was playing the slot receiver position on offense at 220 pounds. Players with those attributes are the types of linebackers we want to have. The best players we’ve had at that position have been great athletes and many of them running backs, and in John’s case, slot receiver. It just jumped out at us how big he is, how well he moves and how hard he hits. He will come in and compete right away at linebacker.” HIGH SCHOOL: Will graduate from Lakes HS in 2010. Named by the Seattle Times as a “White Chip” selection as one of the top 100 prospects in the state of Washington. He earned honorable mention All-South Puget Sound League 3A Division accolades. He helped lead Lakes to the State 3A Playoffs after a perfect regular season. His team defeated North Thurston 56-0 and Mt. Spokane 24-0 before falling to Liberty 17-13 in the semifinals as Lakes finished the season 12-1. Personal: Born 3/29/92 in Bayaman, Puerto Rico. Parents are Isan and Itssia Goldwire. Jared Hanson OL , 6-5 , 295 , University Place, Wash. (Curtis HS ‘10) Eagle Head Coach Beau Baldwin: “While at our summer football camp, his great frame was what initially what caught our eye. From there he showed the skills and potential to be able to play either tackle or guard within our system. Because of his mature body, he will compete right away on the offensive line. I’m excited about what he’s going to bring to our program.” HIGH SCHOOL: Will graduate from Curtis HS in 2010. Named by the Seattle Times as a “White Chip” selection as one of the top 100 prospects in the state of Washington. He was a second team All-South Puget Sound League South Division selection as an offensive lineman. He helped lead Curtis to the State 4A Playoffs after a perfect regular season. His school defeated Central Kitsap 21-16 in the first round, but fell to eventual champion Skyline 49-14 in the quarterfinals as Curtis finished the season 11-1. Curtis finished 9-2 his junior season and advanced to the first round of the playoffs. Current Eagle Ray Falelaulii (‘07) also graduated from Curtis, as did Eastern head coach Beau Baldwin (‘90), offensive coordinator/offensive line coach Aaron Best (‘96) and defensive backs coach Torey Hunter (‘90). Personal: Born 11/14/91 in Tacoma, Wash. Parents are Marvin and Marie Hansen. Intends on majoring in criminal justice at EWU. Cody Hecker RB , 6-0 , 210 , Sandpoint, Idaho (Sandpoint HS ‘10) Eagle Head Coach Beau Baldwin: “We recruited him as a running back, but he also has the type of body we like at linebacker. He moves well and plays hard. He made huge strides from his junior and senior season in terms of size and the amount of work he put in. He is a bigger type of back with very good explosion. It’s always fun to sign those great athletes from our area. So we’re excited about what Cody can bring to our program.” HIGH SCHOOL: Will graduate from Sandpoint HS in Idaho in 2010. Earned first team All-Inland Empire League honors on offense. The Spokesman-Review also selected him to its All-North Idaho squad. He rushed for 954 yards and 10 touchdowns on 124 carries (7.7 per carry). He also had three catches for 118 yards (39.3 yards per reception) and two scores as he scored a total of 74 points. He also had four sacks on defense as he led Sandpoint to a 9-3 record, falling to Blackfoot 29-23 in the Idaho State 4A championship game. Hecker rushed for 194 yards on 19 carries in a 20-7 win over Colville (Wash.), including a 77-yard run. He also had 172 yards and three touchdowns versus Lake City of Coeur d’Alene. Personal: Born 9/19/91 in Boise, Idaho. Parents are Curt and Barb Hecker. Intends on majoring in communications or theatre at Eastern. Isaiah Jenkins DB , 6-0 , 170 , Seattle, Wash. (West Seattle HS ‘10) Eagle Head Coach Beau Baldwin: “We saw him at our football camp a couple of years ago and he immediately caught our eye. He can play on either side of the ball at the college level, but we are going start him at cornerback. He is another defensive player for us who showed incredible offensive skills in high school. He will compete right away at the cornerback position.” HIGH SCHOOL: Will graduate from West Seattle HS in 2010. Earned first team All-Metro League Sound Division honors as both a wide receiver and defensive back. He caught 23 passes for 434 yards and five touchdowns as a senior. His West Seattle teammate Markeem Adams also signed with the Eagles. They led West Seattle to a 6-4 record and a share of the Metro League Sound Division regular season title. As juniors, they helped West Seattle win their first eight games before losing in the playoffs. As a junior, Jenkins earned second team All-Metro League Sound Division honors as both a wide receiver and defensive back. Personal: Born 6/27/92 in Spokane, Wash. He is the son of Maria Moore. Trenton Pinson WR , 5-11 , 185 , Auburn, Wash. (Federal Way HS ‘10) Eagle Head Coach Beau Baldwin: “When you talk about speed, he’s right up there with the fastest athletes in the state which will show up this spring when he competes in track and field as a senior. He played running back in high school, but he has pass-catching skills that will allow him to move to the receiver position. It adds a special dimension of gaining yards after the catch. Finding this type of player was something we wanted to accomplish in recruiting, and Trenton fits that mold perfectly.” HIGH SCHOOL: Will graduate from Federal Way HS in 2010. Earned first team 4A All-State honors as an all-purpose back from the Associated Press. Named by the Seattle Times as a “White Chip” selection as one of the top 100 prospects in the state of Washington. Was selected to the Seattle Times “Star Times” All-Area team as an all-purpose back, and also earned All-Area honors from the Tacoma News-Tribune. He was a first team All-South Puget Sound League North Division selection as a running back. He rushed for nearly 1,200 yards and averaged 30.4 yards per kickoff return. He set the SPSL single-game record for touchdowns when he scored seven against Jefferson on Oct. 29, 2009. In track and field, he placed second as a junior at the WIAA State 4A Championships in both the 100 (10.81 seconds) and the 200 (22.04). In the 100, he had the same time as the winner (senior Duran Ward from Todd Beamer). As a sophomore, Pinson placed seventh in the 100 (11.21). Personal: Born 10/2/91 in Fort Campbell, Ky. Parents are Rickey and Sherrel Pinson. He is related to former Cincinnati Reds baseball player Vada Pinson. Ryan Seto TE , 6-5 , 230 , Lynden, Wash. (Lynden HS ‘10) Eagle Head Coach Beau Baldwin: “He has great skills, and the weight and strength he can put on is still untapped. Once he is able to focus in on football and the off-season, he can be the next big tight end we like to have in our offense. We lose Nathan Overbay, so we’re looking for that next 6-5 tight end. He’s been on our radar for a long time, and we’ve liked him and recruited him ever since we saw him in our football camp.” HIGH SCHOOL: Will graduate from Lynden HS in 2010. Earned first team 2A All-State honors as both a tight end and linebacker from the Associated Press. He was the 2A MVP on the WashingtonPreps.com 2A All-State squad. He was also selected as the Most Valuable Player of the Northwest Conference for 3A/2A players. Seto also was a unanimous 3A/2A All-NWC first-team selection at tight end and linebacker. He led Lynden with 905 yards receiving and nine touchdowns on 40 receptions. He also played a big role on Lynden’s defense, helping the Lions post five shutouts and hold opponents to an average of 8.9 points per game. Seto helped lead Lynden to its second-straight State 2A title, defeating West Valley (Spokane) 16-6 in the title game. He helped keep alive drives with five catches for 94 yards, including one that set up Lynden’s first touchdown. Lynden finished 13-1 as it won its third title in four years. Seto helped Lynden win the 2008 State 2A title with a 35-34 victory over Prosser as the Lions rallied from a 15-point deficit to win their 10th-straight game after a 2-2 start. Lynden was 10-3 and advanced to the semifinals in 2007, and in 2006 the Lions were 13-1 and won the state title. Before the 2009 season began, he was selected as one of the “other players to watch” on Ron Siegel’s preseason All-State team. As a junior, he also earned first team 2A All-State honors as a tight end from the Associated Press. Has also played basketball for three years at Lynden, and is currently averaging more than nine points per game for the Lions. Personal: Born 5/8/92 in Bellingham, Wash. Parents are Douglas and Jovita Seto. Devin Topps LB , 6-2 , 210 , Kent, Wash. (Kentridge HS ‘10) Eagle Head Coach Beau Baldwin: “He’ll compete right away because he has the combination of great size and athletic ability at his position. His skill set from the linebacker position to blitz and rush the passer is really impressive. We plan on keeping him on the outside within our scheme. He’s physical and was also a very good running back in high school. He shows his athleticism in a variety of ways, and on top of that he’s tough and a great football player. We’re excited about his ability to bring competition at that position right away.” HIGH SCHOOL: Will graduate from Kentridge HS in 2010. Named by the Seattle Times as a “White Chip” selection as one of the top 100 prospects in the state of Washington. He missed most of the 2009 season with an injury. Before the 2009 season began, he was selected on Ron Siegel’s preseason All-State team. As a junior, he earned first team All-South Puget Sound League 4A North Division honors as a linebacker. His Kentridge teammate Dylan Zylstra also signed with the Eagles. They helped Kentridge to a 6-4 record overall, including a 6-2 league mark. Russell Turpin (‘09) is another Kentridge graduate on EWU’s roster. Personal: Born 7/21/92 in Walla Walla, Wash. Intends on majoring in business or communications. Andre “Bird” Williams WR , 5-9 , 170 , Richmond, Calif. (El Cerrito HS ‘10) Eagle Head Coach Beau Baldwin: “He’s going to help our return game and will be a great fit at our slot position. When he gets the ball in his hands, he is absolutely dangerous. He can catch the ball, he can run the ball from the backfield and he can return kicks. He is the type of player who can step-in and help replace players like Tony Davis and Nicholas Ramos. He’s electrifying and is another player in this class with the ability to provide the yards after the catch you are always looking for. We’re excited about Andre.” HIGH SCHOOL: Will graduate from El Cerrito HS in California in 2010. The Contra Costa Times selected him to its All-East Bay squad as a second team defensive back. As a senior, he rushed for 711 yards and six touchdowns, and also caught passes for another 575 yards and seven touchdowns. He scored 18 total touchdowns for the season. Personal: Born 3/22/92 in Berkeley, Calif. Nickname is “Bird.” Intends on majoring in business at Eastern. Dylan Zylstra DL , 6-4 , 225 , Kent, Wash. (Kentridge HS ‘10) Eagle Head Coach Beau Baldwin: “He has a motor and plays every play like it’s his last. Out of high school, he reminds us of what (2008 Buck Buchanan award winner) Greg Peach looked like. Right now he is playing basketball at a high level, which shows his athleticism. With his motor and ability to come off the edge, he’s going to fit in perfectly with what we do on the defensive line.” HIGH SCHOOL: Will graduate from Kentridge HS in 2010. Earned honorable mention 4A All-State honors as a linebacker from the Associated Press. Named by the Seattle Times as a “White Chip” selection as one of the top 100 prospects in the state of Washington. Was selected to the Seattle Times “Star Times” All-Area team as a defensive end/linebacker. He was the South Puget Sound League North Division Defensive Back of the Year and earned first team all-league honors as a linebacker. He had 67 tackles as a senior with 5 1/2 sacks, 13 1/2 total tackles for loss, four blocked kicks and two passes broken up. His Kentridge teammate Devin Topps also signed with the Eagles. They helped Kentridge to a 6-4 record overall, including a 6-2 league mark. He has also played basketball for three years at Kentridge, and is currently averaging more than 11 points per game. He helped lead Kentridge to third place in the 2009 State 4A Tournament. Russell Turpin (‘09) is another Kentridge graduate on EWU’s roster. Personal: Born 10/11/91 in Renton, Wash. Parents are Douglas and Belinda Zylstra. Other Eastern newcomers Bo Levi Mitchell QB 6-2 210 Katy, Texas (Katy HS ‘08 & SMU) Eagle Head Coach Beau Baldwin: “Bo Levi is a player we were impressed with on video two years ago and brought him here on a recruiting trip. He has everything you are looking for in a quarterback in terms of physical tools and intangibles that come with playing the position at a high level. He was successful in high school taking snaps from under center, and turned around and was successful in the shotgun-oriented run-and-shoot offense of June Jones at SMU. He will be able to step right in and make every throw in our offense. It takes a special quarterback to lead a Texas high school football team to a 29-1 record in his career as a starter, including a 16-0 state championship season as a senior.” SMU: Played two seasons at SMU, starting all 19 of the games he played. In his career, he completed 385-of-676 passes (57.0 percent) for 4,590 yards (241.6 per game) with 36 touchdowns and 33 interceptions. His efficiency rating was 121.8, he had long completions of 96, 94, 77 and 70 yards, and was sacked 38 times. He had six 300-yard passing games and six with at least three TD passes. As a sophomore in 2009, he started SMU’s first seven games before being replaced by freshman Kyle Padron. Mitchell completed 56 percent of his passes for 1,725 yards, 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, for a passing efficiency rating of 117.9. However, SMU was 3-4 in those seven games before winning five of their last six to finish 8-5 and defeat Nevada 45-10 in the Hawaii Bowl. Mitchell’s top performances in 2009 victories included a 353-yard, three-touchdown performance against UAB and 266 yards and a pair of scores versus East Carolina, including a 96-yard completion. He also passed for 202 yards and a touchdown in a 31-23 victory over Stephen F. Austin, a team Eastern would later lose to in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoffs. Mitchell had a career-high 424 yards against Washington State on Sept. 19 as he completed 40-of-57 passes (70.2 percent) with a pair of touchdowns, but he was intercepted four times. His interception in overtime led to a game-winning field goal by the Cougars in their only victory of the season under second-year head coach Paul Wulff, who spent the previous eight seasons as EWU’s head coach. In 12 games as a freshman, Mitchell completed 57.6 percent of his passes for 2,865 yards, 24 touchdowns, 23 interceptions and a passing efficiency rating of 124.4. He threw for three touchdowns in his collegiate debut at Rice, and was 24-of-37 for 370 yards with five TDs and no interceptions in a 47-36 win over Texas State. The five TD passes tied for second-most all-time in a game at SMU and his 24 on the year were third-most. At Central Florida, he had a 94-yard TD pass. He finished the year with four 300-yard games and had five games with at least three TD passes. The Texas State victory was SMU’s lone win in 12 games in 2008. HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from Katy High School in Texas in 2008. As a senior in 2007, he passed for 2,451 yards and 37 touchdowns with only four interceptions. He led Katy to an undefeated season and a state championship and was 29-1 as a starter in his career. He was named to the Houston Chronicle’s Houston Top 110. Greg Panelli QB 6-3 225 Newman, Calif. (Orestimba HS ‘07) Eagle Head Coach Beau Baldwin: “He has an absolutely live arm and he has good size. Like Matt Nichols, he has the body to be very durable. Greg brings the arm strength to be able to make every throw in our offense. He’s taken snaps both under center and from the shotgun, which is important to us. He’s good with his three-step drop, five-step drop and his play-action. On top of those things, he can put touch on his throws when needed. He’s already in the weight room and working out with the team, and he’s a great fit for our program.” Modesto JC: He played the 2009 and 2008 seasons at Modesto Junior College where he passed for more than 5,000 yards and 56 touchdowns. Twice he earned All-Golden Gate Conference honors. As a sophomore, he completed 60.4 percent of his passes for over 3,000 yards with 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He led Modesto to the Graffiti Bowl where it defeated San Jose JC 45-14 as he was named the game’s MVP. As a freshman, he completed 58 percent for over 2,200 yards, 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions. His team won the conference title in 2008 and was also victorious in the Graffiti Bowl, finishing with an 8-3 record. HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from Orestimba HS in 2007. As a senior, he completed 53.4 percent of his passes (135-of-253) for 2,534 yards (253.4 per game), 23 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He led his team to a 5-5 record with six performances of at least 250 yards. The most he had in a single game was 411 yards, and in another game he had 336 yards and three touchdowns on just 10 completions in only 13 attempts. He also rushed for 272 yards and a touchdown. Personal: Born 11/27/89 in Huntington Beach, Calif. Intends on majoring in physical education with emphasis on health and wellness.