Sports
Ohio Football Announces 2013 Recruiting Class
By: Seth Austin
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The Ohio Bobcats football team announced the addition of 22 new players to the 2013 squad Wednesday on National Signing Day.
Bobcats head coach Frank Solich and recruiting coordinator Brian Haines were pleased with the finalized class coming off a 9-4 campaign in 2012.
“These last two classes have been outstanding classes for us,” Solich said. “We’re looking forward to these guys coming in and being part of the program.”
Solich was especially happy with Ohio’s haul from within the home state.
“We've got 22 signees and if you look at that, nine of them are from the state of Ohio and that's significant to us,” he said. “Obviously, Ohio is a state we want to saturate in terms of recruiting and get the best we can get. When we got here eight years ago that was difficult to do.”
A heavy focus was placed on reeling in talent on the defensive line with the ‘Cats signing eight recruits listed as either defensive tackles or ends.
“We lost a lot of defensive linemen to graduation so that needs to be replenished,” Solich said
Injury pains from the past also played into the desire to bring in eight d-linemen.
“We tried to look at the areas where you have a tendency to get banged up a lot. It reminds me that you cannot have enough depth.”
In addition to the defensive linemen, the Ohio signees consisted of four defensive backs, three wide receivers, three offensive linemen, two tight ends, one running back and one linebacker. Two players from the class are transferring from junior colleges and four of the 22 are already enrolled in classes and could expect to contribute as early as spring.
“When you reach into the junior college ranks or at prep schools,” Solich said, “You expect those guys to be able to come in and challenge.
“I think it will play out to be one of our better recruiting classes,” Solich added. “You're never quite sure until a guy comes in and performs for you, but I feel pretty good with my experience over the years that this group will excel.”
2013 Ohio Bobcats Recruiting Class
Leon Alexander (S, Detroit, Mich.)
Cleon Aloese (DL, Pago Pago, A.S.)
Tarell Basham (DE, Rocky Mount, Va.)
Dorian Brown (RB, Pittsburgh, Pa.)
Jarid Brown (CB, Huntington, Md.)
Cedric Brown (WR, Martinsburg, W.Va.)
Brendan Cope (WR, Warren, Ohio)
Tyree Graves (DL, Clearwater, Fla.)
Tate Leavitt (OL, Thornville, Ohio)
Troy Mangen (TE, Union, Ohio)
Cameron McLeod (DL, McLain, Miss.)
Mason Morgan (TE, Cincinnati, Ohio)
Zach Murdock (OL, Dublin, Ohio)
Quentin Poling (LB, Spencerville, Ohio.)
Tony Porter (DL, Lawrenceville, Ga.)
Corey Quallen (S, Mason, Ohio)
Casey Sayles (DE, Omaha, Neb.)
Trent Smart (DE, Wilmington, Ohio)
Dyquan Stewart (CB, Stafford, Va.)
Watson Tautuiaki (DL, Sacramento, Calif.)
Durrel Wood (OL, Columbus, Ohio)
Justin Wyatt (WR, Lawrenceville, Ga.)