GSU signing baker's dozen - WALB.com, Albany News, Weather, Sports

February 1, 2006

Statesboro - Georgia Southern University football received a National Letter of Intent from 11 high school student-athletes on Wednesday.

Head coach Brian VanGorder announced his first signing class during an afternoon press conference at the Parrish Football Center.

 

VanGorder also announced that quarterback Zach Stanford (Metter/Metter) and defensive back Brandon Jackson (Ft. Lauderdale, FL/Plantation) transferred to Georgia Southern at the semester break and will be eligible to participate in spring drills. Stanford played baseball last fall at South Georgia College while Jackson saw action as a true freshman at Central Michigan during the 2005 campaign.

 

In all the Eagles signed eight on offense and five on defense.

 

The recently hired coaching staff, having arrived on-campus the first week in January, worked around a shorter evaluation time frame than normal. VanGorder was pleased on how they handled the process and noted that having contacts in Georgia and Florida helped the situation.

 

“Considering our situation I was pleased with the way we went about recruiting. We did the best we could on the road during the final two weeks of the contact period,” said the Eagles’ first-year head coach. “We had to rely more on information from high school coaches and our own video evaluation. Already having recruiting ties in the state helped us as far as the credibility of our staff and with the high school coaches.

 

“Our program is trying to emphasize the total student-athlete. We looked for players that had their priorities in order as they enter Georgia Southern. We emphasized that to the recruits during their visit,” said VanGorder.

 

With the loss of all four starting defensive backs to graduation, that was a main area the football staff concentrated on. The Eagles signed Jackson and two high school recruits. While switching to more of a multiple look on offense, Southern received commitments from four offensive linemen, two quarterbacks and two tight ends. VanGorder looked for size up front as the four linemen are 6-3 or taller while both tight ends are listed at 6-3.

 

“We’re changing the offense and that also involves the type of offensive lineman we wanted, looking for increased height and weight. We are involving a tight end in our system so that was (an area) important to find,” stated VanGorder. “With the graduation of our secondary we looked to answer that need and I think we did. On paper I think we filled our needs.”

 

 

2006 Georgia Southern University Football Recruiting Class

 

Name                                      Pos        Ht.       Wt.      Hometown (High School)

Matt Duke                               OL         6-5       285       Jacksonville, FL (University Christian)

Phillip Edwards                         SS          6-1       195       Macon (Mary Persons)

Jeremiah Enloe                         QB         6-3       195       Fayetteville (Fayette County)

Chopper Foskey                       DE         6-2       225       Dublin (Dublin)

Carson Hill                               DB         5-10     165       Haddock (Baldwin County)

Brandon Jackson                      DB         6-0       185       Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Plantation/Central Michigan)

Thomas Lewis                          OL         6-5       265       Augusta (Glenn Hills)

Jeremy Martin                          DL         6-4       235       Wrightsville (Johnson County)

Jim Martin                                OL         6-4       240       Valdosta (Valdosta)

Zach Stanford                          QB         6-1       210       Metter (Metter)

Kevin Van Kirk                        OL         6-3       285       Ft. Lauderdale, FL (American Heritage Plantation)

Michael Veal                            TE          6-3       225       Marietta (Pope)

Jonathan Walters                      TE          6-3       238       Dublin (Dublin)

 

 

MATT DUKE  *  OL  *  6-5  *  285  *  Jacksonville, FL (University Christian)

Ranked 80th nationally among all offensive tackles by ESPN Scouts.Inc… Times-Union Third Team All-1st Coast… 1st Coast Shrine Bowl nominee on the defensive line… played for coach Keith Stroud… lettered in football and wrestling… helped football team qualify for the playoffs in 2003 and advanced to the state semifinals last fall… last year won the District and Regional heavyweight wrestling title… qualified for the 2005 state wrestling meet… son of Tom and Ellen Duke.

 

PHILLIP EDWARDS  *  SS  *  6-1  *  195  *  Macon (Mary Persons)

Third Team All-Middle Georgia… tied a school record with eight interceptions during his senior year… finished with 51 tackles… played for coach Steve Chafin… received the team ‘Leadership Award’… averages 17 points a game and voted ‘Best Rebounder’ on the basketball team… lettered in football and basketball… son of Steve and Brenda Edwards.

 

JEREMIAH ENLOE  *  QB  *  6-3  *  195  *  Fayetteville (Fayette County)

Received the ‘Best Offensive Player’ award at Fayette County his senior year… All-Area honors last fall… team captain… lettered in football for coach Tommy Webb and also in basketball… MVP of basketball team in 2004… named to the Henry County Classic basketball All-Tournament team in 2004… helped his team to a 23-1 mark as the starting forward… son of Tom and Jan Enloe.

 

CHOPPER FOSKEY  *  6-2  *  225  *  Dublin (Dublin)

First Team All-State in Class AA by the Atlanta Journal Constitution… During senior year earned First Team All-Region, First Team All-Heart of Georgia and First Team All-Middle Georgia honors… Member of the South team in the North-South All-Star game… team captain… First Team All-Heart of Georgia as a junior… also tabbed Second Team All-Region and Second Team All-Middle Georgia during junior season… lettered in football (4) and track (2)… played for coach Roger Holmes… son of Ronnie and Wanda Foskey.

 

 

CARSON HILL  *  DB  *  5-10  *  165  *  Haddock (Baldwin County)

Ranked 57th nationally among all cornerbacks by ESPN Scouts.Inc… A four-year letterwinner, helped Baldwin County advance to the state semifinals finishing last fall 10-4… two-time All-Middle Georgia… First Team All-State… named ‘Defensive MVP’ and also received the ‘Most Versatile Award’… team captain… played for coach Jesse Hicks… recorded a team-leading 85 tackles in addition to four interceptions, 10 pass break-ups and blocked four field goals… also returned punts… turned in the fastest shuttle time in the nation at the Nike Combine (3.69)… listed among the ‘Top 50’ prep recruits in the state of Georgia… lettered four years in football… son of Leroy Hill, Sr… younger brother of Leroy Hill, starting linebacker for Super Bowl XL participant Seattle Seahawks.

 

BRANDON JACKSON  *  DB  *  6-0  *  185  *  Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Plantation)

Played in nine games last year as a true freshman at Central Michigan… made 10 tackles and broke up a pass… transferred to Georgia Southern at the semester break and will have three years of eligibility remaining… All-State honors in high school as a defensive back… First Team All-Conference and First Team All-Broward County… two-year starter… lettered two times in football and track… led Plantation HS to a 10-1 record… during his senior year finished with 64 tackles, four interceptions, four fumble recoveries and four forced fumbles… registered 60 tackles and three interceptions his junior season… played for coach Frank Hepler.

 

THOMAS LEWIS  *  OL  *  6-5  *  265  *  Augusta (Glenn Hills)

Second Team All-Area… Second Team All-Region… graded out at better than 90 percent last season and recorded more than 100 knockdown blocks… 2005 team ‘Lineman of the Year’… team captain… four-year letterwinner in football… played on both offense and defense… played for coach Felix Curry… son of Milton and Sharon Durham.

 

JEREMY MARTIN  *  DL  *  6-4  *  235  *  Wrightsville (Johnson County)

Earned First Team All-State honors as an offensive lineman… First Team All-Region his senior year and Second Team accolades during his junior year… lettered in football (2), basketball (4) and track (4)… played for coach Bill Bonds… member of the 2004 state track runner-up team… son of Lynn and Sarah Martin.

 

JIM MARTIN  *  OL  *  6-4  *  240  *  Valdosta (Valdosta)

Named All-Region 1-AAAAA as a junior and senior… lettered two years each in football and baseball… played for coach Rick Darlington… son of Joe and Midge Martin.

 

ZACH STANFORD  *  QB  *  6-1  *  200  *  Metter (Metter)

Played baseball last fall at South Georgia College… transferred to Georgia Southern at the semester break and will have four years of eligibility remaining… First Team All-State Class AA by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution… received All-State and All-Region as a junior and senior… set a Georgia High School career record throwing for 9,062 yards during his stellar four-year career… earned his first start at quarterback during his freshman year and started the rest of his career… team advanced to the state semifinals his first two years and quarterfinals his junior season... senior year Metter HS moved up to Class AA... earned First Team All-State Class A during his sophomore and junior season... compiled a 34-10 record as Metter's starting quarterback... played for coach Shane Dular during his junior and senior seasons... son of Ricky and Debra Stanford.

 

KEVIN VAN KIRK  *  OL  *  6-3  *  285  *  Ft. Lauderdale, FL (American Heritage Plantation)

Two-time First Team All-Ft. Lauderdale… two-time First Team All-County… four-year starter… team captain… team-leading 96 knockdown blocks during his senior year… twice received ‘Most Valuable Lineman’ award… participated in the North-South All-Star game held in Orlando… junior year team advanced to the state semifinals… lettered in football (4) and track (3)… one brother plays collegiate baseball and another was drafted by the Boston Red Sox… son of Bobby and Mary Van Kirk.

 

MICHAEL VEAL  *  TE  *  6-3  *  225  *  Marietta (Pope)

Received All-Cobb County honors from the Cobb County Touchdown Club and Atlanta Journal-Constitution… Cobb County Touchdown Club All-Region… two-time ‘Player of the Week’… team captain… caught 30 passes for 305 yards and three touchdowns his senior year… named to the 6AAAAA Region All-Star team… three-year starter and four-year letterwinner in football… started on both offense and defense his senior year… played for coach Bob Swank… son of Marshall and Deborah Veal.

 

JONATHAN WALTERS  *  TE  *  6-3  *  238  *  Dublin (Dublin)

Two-time All-Region and All-Middle Georgia… First Team All-State… team captain… recorded 20 knockdown blocks his senior year… graded out at 91 percent last season… caught five passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns… 25 tackles playing defensive end and recorded one interception… lettered four years in football and three in basketball… team was state runner-up his freshman year and advanced to the semifinals as a junior… won Regional title last fall… played for coach Roger Holmes… son of Shirley Walters.

 

from Georgia Southen Sports Information

 

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