CEDAR CITY, Utah, Feb. 3 – Southern Utah University received commitments from 19 football players on the first day of the spring 2010 National Letter of Intent signing period, Thunderbird Coach Ed Lamb announced today.
Included on the list are 10 players from Utah, four from Nevada, three from California and one each from Alaska and Texas. Eighteen of the players are high school athletes withone junior college transfer in the mix.
Among the 19 signees are nine who were all-state selections and 16 who earned all-region or all-district honors.
Two of the signees are from nearby St. George, Utah: quarterback Mike Sharp from Dixie High School and K.J. Boyer, a defensive lineman from Pine View High. Sharp was named Utah Region Nine's MVP and first-team all-state last year after racking up over 3,000 yards of total offense, while Boyer was a Utah 4A all-state selection as well as a three-time all-region pick. Also signing from Utah were offensive linemen Chase Davis from Morgan HS and Steve Clark from Northridge HS; TE/DEs Mark Evans from Woods Cross and Trevor McFalls, a first-team all-stater, from Juan Diego HS; defensive linemen Nick Nissen of Delta, another first-team all-stater, and Josh Kariya from Davis HS; linebacker Connor Stephens from Bonneville HS and quarterback Tannon Pederson from Lone Peak, who also earned all-state recognition.
From Nevada the Thunderbirds received commitments from QB/LB Austin Anderson from Arbor View High, all-state safety Tyrone Blake from Palo Verde HS, running back Andre Clay from Clark HS and Anthony Norris from Liberty HS. All four are from Las Vegas.
California signees include linebacker Chad Hansen, who earned all-conference honors last year at Mt. San Jacinto JC; Zach Russell an all-state offensive lineman from Trabuco Hills and Alex Topete from Southeast HS.
SUU also signed defensive end Kouri Jones, a district defensive MVP from Converse, Texas Judson High; and Charles King, an all-state DB/WR from Eielson High in Fairbanks, Alaska.
SUU also received commitments from five transfer athletes during the early signing period. Those include quarterback Brad Sorensen from BYU, offensive linemen Devin Tavana and Brandon Beddes from Snow College, linebacker Tyler Osborne from Snow, and wide receiver Justin Brown, who spent last season at Mesa Community College in Arizona.
"I'm really excited about our 19 new Thunderbirds,” head coach Ed Lamb said of the class. “Each young man was selected for recruitment based on their overall potential for future success. We evaluated their academic worthiness, athletic ability and community involvement. Based on these criteria, I believe that SUU just signed the finest class of young men in college football."
