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LIVINGSTON, Ala. --
University of West Alabama head coach Bobby Wallace
announced his first signing class at UWA on Wednesday
afternoon.
“Basically, we feel real good about
our class,” Wallace said. “We feel as if we have brought
in some kids that can help us win immediately.”
UWA inked 26 players on National
Signing Day, including 14 high school seniors, five
community college and six Division I transfers.
“We are about 40-percent transfers
and 60-percent high school players, which is a bit odd”
stated Wallace about the 2007 signing class. “The key
thing for us was getting players here that wanted to be
here. These people wanted to come here.”
UWA is coming off its first winning
season in 14 years. The Tigers success culminated in a
school record nine players being named All-Gulf South
Conference, three named to the Don Hansen Football
Gazette NCAA Division II All-Southeast Region Team and
the schools first American Football Coaches Association
All-American, since 1997, in Mitch Warfield.
West Alabama opens the season at
Samford University on Thursday, August 30th.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
Signee
(Pos.) Ht. Wt. Hometown
(High School/Previous School)
Joseph Bernard (OL)
6'5 265
Vinegar Bend, Ala. (Fruitdale HS)
Demarquis Besteda (WR) 6'4
200
Jackson, Ala. (Jackson HS)
Quentin Bowens (DE/LB) 6’1 265 Killen,
Ala. (Brooks HS/Jacksonville State)
Marquis Chapel (RB) 5’10
195
Quinton, Ala. (Dora HS)
Vincent Coley (LB) 5’11 240 Bay
Minette, Ala. (Baldwin Co. HS/Murray State)
Ralph
Curtis (WR) 5’9 180
Gulfport, Miss. (Taylorsville HS/Northeast Miss CC)
Cameron Dailey (DL) 5'11 245
Homewood, Ala. (Homewood HS)
Brooks
Daniels (LB) 6’2 205
Jennings,
Fla. (Hamilton HS/Alabama)
Curtis
Dawson (DL) 6’2 285
Hoover,
Ala. (Hoover HS/Troy)
Sam
Edwards (WR) 6’3 187
Birmingham, Ala. (Clay-Chalkville HS)
Chris
Eubanks (DB) 6’3 205 Loxley,
Ala. (Robertsdale HS)
Brandon High-Dorsey (DE) 6’3 200
Auburn,
Ala. (Auburn HS)
Dominic Holt (LB/RB) 5’11 190 Sweet
Water, Ala. (Sweet Water HS)
Kerry
Hudson (OL) 6’0 285
Philadelphia, Miss.
(Philadelphia HS/East Central (MS)
CC)
Mentral Ledbetter (OL) 6’0 290
Louisville, Miss. (Louisville HS/East Central (MS) CC)
Cole
Mason (RB)
6’2 245
Parrish, Ala. (Parrish HS/Southern Miss)
Kenneth
McGhee
(OL) 6’3 265
Seminole, Ala. (Pensacola HS/Holmes (MS) CC)
Garry
Pack (LB)
6’1 230
Hattiesburg, Miss. (Oak Grove HS/Mississippi)
Jared
Porter (OL)
6'2 280
Winfield, Ala. (Winfield HS/Southeast Louisiana)
Will
Roach (WR) 6’0
185
Killen,
Ala. (Brooks HS/Alabama)
Rodney
Ross (OL)
6'3 295
Itta Bena, Miss. (Mississippi Delta CC)
Marlon
Sanders (DL) 5’11 270
Cropwell, Ala. (Pell City HS)
Nathan
Tartt (WR) 6’2 180
Birmingham, Ala. (Clay-Chalkville HS)
Dennis
Taylor (ATH) 5’10 155
Robertsdale, Ala. (Robertsdale HS)
Cameron Trull (P) 6’1
192 West Point, Miss. (Oak Hill Academy)
Aundre
Woods (WR) 6’4 201 Boligee,
Ala. (Greene Co. HS)
Kyle
Yates (OL) 6’1 275
LaGrange, Ga. (Heard Co. HS)
* As of 4:00 p.m.
2/9/07
2007 UWA FOOTBALL SIGNEES
BIOS
Cameron Trull (Punter,
6’1, 192, West Point, Miss./Oak Hill Academy)
Prepped for Randy Carlisle at Oak Hill Academy … Four
sport athlete for the Radiers … Was named All-Conference
punter … Tallied 97 career punts, averaging 42.4 yards
with an average hang time of 4.4/4.5 seconds … Recorded
a long punt of 71 yards … Also caught 17 passes for 735
yards with four touchdowns.
Vincent Coley (Linebacker, 5’11, 240, Bay Minette,
Ala./Murray State)
Saw
action on Murray State’s special teams unit during his
freshman season with the Racers… Played for Jack French
at Baldwin County High School … Was named Second Team
All-State his senior season with the Tigers, while
compiling 143 tackles … Also played baseball at BCHS.
Kerry Hudson (Offensive Lineman, 6’0, 285, Philadelphia,
Miss. /East Central (MS) CC)
Played for Terry Underwood at East Central Community
College … Was named the Warriors Most Valuable Offensive
Lineman … Prepped at Philadelphia High School for Brian
Anderson … Helped the Torndoes to a 34-11 record in his
four seasons.
Mentral Ledbetter (Offensive Lineman, 6’0, 290,
Louisville, Miss. /East Central (MS) CC)
Played for the Warriors of East Central Community
College under Terry Underwood … Prepped at Louisville
High School for John Mullins … Helped the Wildcats to
the North State Championship and was voted Team Captain.
Quentin Bowens (Defensive End/Linebacker, 6’1, 265,
Killen, Ala. /Jacksonville State)
Played at Jacksonville State prior to joining West
Alabama … Was named Defensive MVP at East Central
Community College, where he received All-Regional and
All-State honors, along with being named Preseason
All-American … Prepped at Brooks High School for Bob
Godsey.
Demarquis Besteda (Wide Receiver, 6’4, 200, Jackson,
Ala. /Jackson HS)
Prepped at Jackson (AL) High School … Was named to the
Alabama Sports Writers Association’s 4A All-State team
and Most Valuable Receiver.
Rodney Ross (Offensive Lineman, 6’3, 295, Itta Bena,
Miss. /Mississippi Delta CC)
Played at Mississippi Delta Community College for Jay
Miller … Was named All-State in his two years at MDCC,
including First Team his sophomore season … Brother of
UWA’s single-season rusher, Marcus Ross, who rushed for
1,325 yards in 2004.
Brooks Daniels (Linebacker, 6’2, 205, Jennings, Fla.
/Alabama)
Played two seasons at Alabama recording
226
career tackles …
Only player in school history with back-to-back 100
tackle seasons …
Two-time Lee Roy Jordan Headhunter Award recipient for
the Tide …
2002 Associated Press All-SEC Team (Second Team) …
He
contributed 102 tackles as a sophomore (2001), making
him one of only two sophomores in school history with
100 or more tackles...Recorded 10 double-figure tackle
games at Alabama since 2000.
Aundre Woods (Wide Receiver, 6’4, 201, Boligee, Ala.
/Greene Co. HS)
Prepped at Greene County HS for Dedrick Bell … A three
sport athlete for the Tigers … Caught five passes for
248 yards and four touchdowns vs. Holt HS last season …
Runs a 4.4, 40-yard dash … Was named Best Receiver …
Also played basketball and baseball.
Kenneth McGhee (Offensive Lineman, 6’3, 265, Seminole,
Ala. /Holmes (MS) CC)
Played for Hugh Shurden at Holmes County Community
College … Was named All-State First Team in 2005-2006 …
Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2006 … Prepped at
Pensacola High School under Mike Bennett … Led the
Tigers to the District and Regional Championships in
2004 … Was named All-Area First Team in 2004.
Will Roach (Wide Receiver, 6’0, 185, Killen, Ala.
/Alabama)
Comes to UWA by way of Alabama … Prepped at Brooks High
School … Accounting for 15 total touchdowns his senior
season, rushed for 973 yards and passed for another 176
yards … Compiled 6,199 all-purpose yards in his career.
On defense, he had 53 tackles and three interceptions
from his safety spot … Was named All-County and
honorable mention All-State selection.
Curtis Dawson (Defensive Lineman, 6’2 285, Hoover,
Ala./Troy)
Made two stops before joining UWA … Played at Alabama
prior to Troy … One of the state's best defensive
players … Helped lead the Bucs to the 6A state
championship, making 137 tackles and 11 sacks … Tabbed
to the Birmingham News’ Super Seniors list … Named to
the 2003 ASWA Super All-State Team and was the 6A
lineman of the year, also listed the No. 9 in-state
prospect by Superprep and the 55th best defensive line
prospect, nationally.
Marlon Sanders (Defensive Lineman, 5’11, 270, Cropwell,
Ala./Pell City HS)
Prepped at
Pell City High School under Jay Brown … A three year
starter for the Panthers … Recorded 77 tackles and eight
sacks his senior season … Helped guide the PCHS to three
straight 6A Playoff appearances … Was named Honorable
Mention All-Metro Birmingham.
Garry Pack (Linebacker, 6’1, 230, Hattiesburg,
Miss./Mississippi)
Played at the
University of Mississippi for coaches David Cutcliffe
and Ed Orgeron … Played in 30 games, drawing 18 starts
for the Rebels … Recorded 136 career tackles at UM with
8.5 being tackles for loss … Tallied three sacks for a
loss of 27 yards … Prepped at Oak Grove HS under Nevil
Barr … Was named a PrepStar All-America selection ...
Member of SuperPrep Dixie Team, and was rated No. 9 in
Mississippi ... Received The Clarion-Ledger's Mr.
Football Award and first team All-State status after
leading Oak Grove to the 2003 Mississippi Class 5A
Championship game ... Rated No. 1 on The
Clarion-Ledger's "Ten Most Wanted" list ... Was also
named a Top 40 recruit and "Dandy Dozen" team member by
The Clarion-Ledger ... Was the only player from the
state of Mississippi to be named to the Orlando
Sentinel's 2003 All-Southern Football Team ... Ranked by
Tom Lemming, of ESPN.com, as the nation's 25th-best
"inside presence" and nation's No. 31 linebacker
prospect by collegefootballnews.com ... Ranked No. 8 on
the Rivals.com Top 20 in Mississippi chart, which also
rated him 7th in the nation among inside linebackers as
well as 76th among all players in America ... A
Mississippi Association of Coaches Class 5A second team
All-State inside linebacker ... Rated No. 8 among inside
linebackers on the 2003 Super South Top 200 list ... A
2003 Mobile Register Super Southeast Top 120 honoree ...
First team All-Area pick ... Selected Oak Grove's Most
Valuable Player ... Played in the 2004
Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic in Mobile, Ala.,
and was selected as Mississippi's Most Valuable Player
... Helped the Warriors to a 32-9 record and three
consecutive 5A playoff appearances, including a
school-record 14 victories in 2003 ... Also earned two
letters in baseball ... Was voted Most Valuable Player
in baseball.
Cole Mason
(Running back, 6’2, 247, Parrish, Ala./Southern Miss)
Played at Southern Miss
for coach Jeff Bower … Played in eight games during the
2005 season, finishing as the team’s third leading
rusher, with 41 carries for 136 yards … Scored four
touchdowns, tying for the most at the running back
position with Larry Thomas … Averaged 3.3 yards per
carry … Prepped at Parrish High School under Scott
Basden, where he was a two-year starter ... Helped
Parrish finish with a 13-1 record and the Class 1A state
championship as a senior, finishing with 1,940 yards and
scored 27 touchdowns as a senior ... Selected to the 1A
All-State team as a linebacker by the Alabama
Sportswriters Association ... All-County on both offense
and defense ... Also played baseball ... Ranked 17th
overall in the state by SuperPrep ... A three-star
rating by Forrest Davis Football Recruiting Annual ...
Two-star rating by TheInsiders.com ... Two-star (5.3)
rating by rivals.com |
