Notre Dame Announces 2012 Gridiron Recruits Falcons Bring in a Wealth of Football Talent from in and out of the State of Ohio
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Skip Snow Director of Athletic Communications Notre Dame College 216.573.5319 [email protected] www.NotreDameFalcons.com Notre Dame announces 2012 gridiron recruits Falcons bring in a wealth of football talent from in and out of the state of Ohio SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio, Feb. 1 -- Notre Dame Head Coach Adam Howard announced the program's 2012 recruiting class on Wednesday. The class of prospective incoming freshman and transfer students already enrolled at NDC marks the program's fourth since being launched in November 2008. “We were able to really focus in on a number of targeted needs, and we wound up with a class we’re thrilled with,” said Howard. The class is comprised of players from seven states - in addition to a wellspring of talent culled from the Buckeye State, Notre Dame recruited student-athletes from Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan and Pennsylvania. (Player profiles) “We received some very talented out-of-state commitments,” Howard indicated, “along with some solid Ohio guys and a few exciting transfers who are players returning to Northeast Ohio. Cedric Hill and Brandon Watkins from Michigan are three-star players with immense ability. Jeremy Glass is a big-time line prospect from Kentucky. Among our Ohio recruits, we’re very happy with players the caliber of Akyee Henderson (Cleveland), Joseph Nawalaniec (Parma) and Seth Rall (Bucyrus). And those names are just the tip of the iceberg.” Hill is a free safety who had 71 tackles, five interceptions and nine pass break-ups in his 2011 senior season at Southfield High School in Detroit. His Southfield teammate Brandon Watkins -- a running back -- garnered 40 touchdowns in a three-year prep career and rushed for 1,300 yards in 2011. Glass is a strong 6-foot-2, 275-pound offensive lineman who was a four-year starter with a long list of accolades at Holy Cross High School in Louisville, Ky. Henderson is a lockdown corner back from Glenville Academic Campus who performed extremely well at a summer camp at NDC in 2011. Nawalaniec was a three-time All-District defensive lineman at Benedictine High School (Cleveland). And Rall -- a tight end -- heads to College Road from Wynford High School where he caught 77 passes in a three-year prep career. Notre Dame’s 2012 commitments include 49 high-school players and three college transfers. Those student-athletes join a Falcon program that itself is heading into its "junior" season. The Notre Dame program was launched in fall 2010, becoming the only collegiate scholarship football program in metropolitan Cleveland. The Falcons went 2-9 in their inaugural season and improved to 5-6 last season. In fall 2012, Notre Dame will begin its first season of play as a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, a league recognized by many to be the top football circuit in NCAA Division II. For media inquiries, contact Director of Athletic Communications Skip Snow at [email protected] or 216-373-5319. -more- Notre Dame announces 2012 recruits (continued) List of recruits: Player Ht.Ht.Ht. Wt. Pos. Hometown (Previous School) HS Coach Patrick Barrett 6-0 185 S Niles, Ohio (Niles McKinley HS) Brad Yeager Azarie Battle 6-6 260 DL North Royalton, Ohio (North Royalton, Ohio) Nick Ciulli Kyle Bobo 6-2 270 OL Groveport, Ohio (Groveport Madison HS) Tim Brown Mario Carson, Jr. 5-10 295 C Detroit, Mich. (Detroit Consortium) Dion Godffrey Zach Chatlain 6-3 220 QB Bucyrus, Ohio (Wynford HS) Tom Phillips P.J. Cleary 6-2 195 SS Pickerington, Ohio (Pickerington North HS) Tom Phillips Matthew Cox 6-2 225 OL Lorain, Ohio (Lorain HS) Mark Solis Nicholas Davidson 5-8 190 LB Solon, Ohio (Solon HS) Jim McQuiade Richard Ellis III 6'2 215 TE Toledo, Ohio (St. Francis DeSales HS) Mike Blochowski Clayton Evans 6-1 250 DE Venetia, Pa. (Peter's Township HS) Rich Piccinini C.J. Germany 5-10 170 WR Cleveland, Ohio (Villa Angela St. Joseph HS) John Story David Gilchrist 6-3 245 OL Elyria, Ohio (Midview HS) Bill Albright Jeremy Glass 6-1 270 OL Louisville, Ky. (Holy Cross HS) Mike Fletcher Marco Gresham 5-10 165 DB Dayton, Ohio (Chamidade-Julienne HS) Marcus Colvin Michael Hageman 6-5 210 TE Chagrin Falls, Ohio (Chagrin Falls HS) Mark Iammarino Akyee Henderson 6-0 185 DB Cleveland, Ohio (Glenville HS) Ted Ginn Cedric Hill 6-1 190 WR Detroit, Mich. (Southfield HS) Bill Conley Darius James 6-2 230 DE Springfield, Ohio (Springfield HS) Rick Robertson Johnnie Karban 6-3 220 LB Parma, Ohio (Parma Senior HS) Rob Gyr Brennan Laird 6-3 210 QB Olmsted Falls, Ohio (Olmsted Falls HS) Jim Ryan Brendan Large 6-2 225 LB Grafton, Ohio (Midview HS) Bill Albright Christian Lee 5-10 175 DB Reynoldsburg, Ohio (Reynoldsburg HS) Buddy White Nicholas Marchetti 6-0 185 LB Middletown, Ohio (Bishop Fenwick HS) Fred Cranford Frank Marshall 5-10 210 LB Waldorf, Md. (North Point HS) Ken Lane Tyler McKenzie 6-1 255 OL Sunbury, Ohio (Big Walnut HS) Joe Weaver Malik Merriweather 6-3 210 LB Elyria, Ohio (Elyria HS) Kevin Fell Patrick Moran 6-5 240 DE North Olmsted, Ohio (North Olmsted HS) Mike Ptacek Caleb Morris 5-11 170 WR Columbus, Ohio (Hamilton HS) Nate Hillrich Nicholas Myers 6-5 305 OL Decatur, Ind. (Bellmont HS) Larry Getts Joseph Nawalaniec 6-0 250 DL Parma, Ohio (Benedictine HS) Ben Malbasa Haakim Oliver 5-11 200 LB Monroeville, Pa. (Gateway HS) Terry Smith William Parker 6-2 215 S Wyandotte, Mich. (Wyandotte Roosevelt HS) Ron Adams Skyler Parks 6-0 265 OL Canton, Ohio (Canton McKinley HS) Ron Johnson Kyle Perkins 6-1 180 WR Westlake, Ohio (Westlake HS) Mark Campa Kortez Prather 5-10 175 DB Waldorf, Md. (North Point HS) Ken Lane Ryan Predovic 6-0 230 LB Macedonia, Ohio (Nordonia HS) Al Huge Bill Pullman 6-0 170 FS Parma, Ohio (Parma HS) Rob Cyr Seth Rall 6-4 220 TE Bucyrus, Ohio (Wynford HS) Travis Moyer Brian Richards 6-2 250 OL Springfield, Ohio (Springfield HS) Rick Robertson K.J. Rieder 6-5 270 OL Dayton, Ohio (Northmont HS) Lance Schneider Ron Turner 5-11 175 S Cincinnati, Ohio (Northwest HS) Chad Murphy Troy Vasquez-Atkins 6-3 305 OL Niles, Ohio (Ursuline HS) Daniel Reardon Ty Vasquez-Atkins 6-5 320 OL Niles, Ohio (Ursuline HS) Daniel Reardon Andrew Villolovos 6-4 270 OL Sylvania, Ohio (St. Francis DeSales HS) Mike Blochowski Zenan Wample 6-8 360 OL Upper Sandusky, Ohio (Upper Sandusky HS) Jake Moyer Brandon Watkins 5-10 190 RB Detroit, Mich. (Southfield HS) Bill Conley Onslow Williams 5-9 170 DB Springfield, Ohio (Springfield HS) Rick Robertson Trevor Winston 6-3 260 DL North Olmsted, Ohio (North Olmsted HS) Mike Ptacek Garrett Wiska 6-0 265 DT Northville, Mich. (Detroit Catholic Central HS) Tom Mach TRANSFERS Player Ht.Ht.Ht. Wt. Pos. Hometown (Previous School) Derrick Bavol 6-5 250 DE Tampa, Fla. (The Citadel) Demetrius Best 6-3 290 OT Tampa, Fla. (Hampton College) William Gray 6-1 225 DE Cleveland, Ohio (Erie CC) Player profiles: PATRICK BARRETT (6(6----0,0, 185 | S | Niles, Ohio ------ Niles McKinley HS) Sure tackler with a nose for the football and a knack for creating turnovers … was a three-year letter winner for Head Coach Brad Yeager and the McKinley Red Dragons … was NMHS’s Defensive Player of the Year as a senior (2011) when he registered 96 tackles, three interceptions, four sacks and a pair of forced fumbles … also earned the nod as team’s top defender in his junior season (2010) … tabbed as an All-All-American Conference performer and a First Team All-Trumbull County selection in all three prep seasons (2009-11) … son of Craig and Pam Barrett. AZARIE BATTLE (6(6----6,6, 260 | DL | North Royalton, Ohio ------ North Royalton HS) Strong, angular and athletic presence on the defensive line … was a three-year letter winner at North Royalton where he was a steady producer on the d-line for Head Coach Nick Ciulli … logged six sacks en route to being honored as an All-Northeast Ohio Conference First Teamer as a senior (2011) … was a First Team All-NOC defender in 2010 also, collecting four sacks … was also a thrower on the Bears Track & Field squad for two seasons … brother -- Ike Charlton -- played four seasons in the NFL (Seahawks, Jaguars, Giants) and several in the CFL in the 2000s … son of Ronnie and Angela Battle. -more- Notre Dame announces 2012 recruits (continued) KYLE BOBO (6(6----2,2, 270 | OL | Groveport, Ohio ------ Groveport Madison HS) A blocker who finishes and plays with intelligence … earned three varsity letters for the Cruisers … was Head Coach Tim Brown’s Offensive Lineman of the Year award winner as a senior (2011) … son of Rodney and Kellie Bobo. MARIO CARSON, JR. (5(5----10,10, 295 | C | Detroit, Mich. ------ Detroit Consortium Prep) A versatile snapper who plays with leverage and tenacity … a four-year letter winner for Head Coach Dion Godfrey and the Cougars … named team MVP after his junior season (2010) … was an All-Michigan selection as a senior (2011) … also earned three letters in basketball and two in baseball … son of Mario Carson and Timika Smith. ZACH CHATLAIN (6(6----3,3, 220 | QB | Bucyrus, Ohio ------ Wynford HS) Athletic quarterback able to produce with his arm and legs … earned four letters at Wynford for Head Coach Travis Moyer … tabbed as a First Team All-North Central Conference player in 2011 … Named the Craword County Player of the Year in 2011 … rushed for 1,083 yards and 20 TDs as a senior (2011); passed for 1,491 yards and 15 scores; had 77 tackles on defense … son of Bill and Judy Chatlain.