MOREHEAD, Ky. – The Morehead State football program has added 22 players on defense and special teams for the 2016 season. The newcomers include nine linemen, eight defensive backs, two linebackers, two long snappers and one kicker.
"The defensive class is stacked with talent and speed. I truly think a number of these guys will have an opportunity to be impactful early in their careers," said head coach
Rob Tenyer. "Some of these guys will play from necessity, and others will play because they're physically and mentally ready.
"The players we recruited on special teams are guys we expect to come in and contribute the first day of camp. All three guys are talented and gifted at their position, and should be huge factors in our success this season."
Morehead State has added a total of 35 athletes to its program, including 14 players from Kentucky schools. The list of
offensive additions has been released already.
"I'm extremely excited about our 2016 recruiting class," said Tenyer. "We are to the point where we can be very specific regarding our positional needs, and I believe this class has the potential to be an elite class. The overall group will make us faster, more athletic, and add immediate depth to all positions.
The Eagles have six home games among the 11-game schedule for 2016. MSU hosts Lincoln (Pa.) (Sept. 17) for the home opener and Family Weekend and entertains Marist (Oct. 15) for Homecoming.
Below is the list of defensive additions.
Ben Allison (DB, 6-1, 185, Cincinnati, Ohio, Elder HS)
Played for head coach Doug Ramsey … Started all 24 games his final two seasons … Made 94 tackles, including two for losses, and forced two fumbles in 2015 … Also had two interceptions and broke up 13 passes as a senior … Recorded 48 tackles and had one INT, 1 TFL, 1 FF and 1 FR as a junior in 2014 … Named Honorable Mention All-City and All-District his final season … Named First-Team GCL.
Tavian Board (DE, 6-2, 230, Owensboro, Ky., Owensboro HS)
Played for head coaches Joe Prince and Jay Fallin … Had 78 tackles and forced four fumbles as a senior in 2015 … Totaled four sacks and scored a touchdown … Named Second-Team All-State by the Courier-Journal his senior season.
Jesse Brown (DT, 6-2, 295, Beaver Dam, Ky., Ohio County HS)
Played for head coach Jody Ashby … Tallied 40 tackles for loss among his 127 total stops as a senior … Also had 10 sacks, four fumble recoveries and two blocked kicks in 2015 … Named First-Team All-Region as a senior and Second-Team All-Region for offense … Named the WXMZ Player of the Year … Named all-state by the Lexington Herald-Leader ... Helped engineer a five-game improvement from 2014 to 2015, leading Ohio County to be named "Team of the Year" by the Homerz Radio Show.
Kordell Brown (LB, 5-11, 220, Washington D.C., St. John's College HS)
Suited up for head coach Joe Patterson … Notched 93 tackles and four sacks as a junior … Had 85 tackles and five sacks, plus a pair of interceptions, in 2015 as a senior … Selected all-conference final two seasons and all-district as a senior … Helped SJCHS to be ranked in the top 100 teams in the nation his junior season.
Taylor Broughton (DT, 6-2, 257, Ashland, Ky., Paul Blazer HS)
Played for head coach Tony Love … Recorded 64 tackles, including seven sacks and 10 total tackles losses, as a senior in 2015 … Had 52 tackles and four TFLs his junior season in 2014 … Was a two-time all-conference and all-district selection.
Hunter Burdno (DT, 6-1, 261, Liberty Township, Ohio, Lakota East HS)
Played for head coach Rick Haynes … Notched 65 total tackles, including five behind the line of scrimmage, as a senior in 2015 … Had 16 career sacks, 13 career forced fumbled, 21 career TFLs and blocked seven kicks … Named First-Team All-Conference and to the all-area team by the Journal-News as a senior … all-conference pick as a junior … Father Brett played collegiate football at Akron.
Jackson Cain (DB, 6-1, 195, Walton, Ind., Cass HS)
Played for head coach Scott Manneng at Cass High School … Played sophomore and junior seasons at Huntington North (Ind.) High School for head coach Trent Fine … Totaled 275 tackles his final three seasons … Has four interceptions for HN as a junior in 2014 … As a senior, had 105 total tackles and also rushed for 915 yards and 15 touchdowns … Named First-Team All-Conference as a sophomore, junior and senior … Named one of the top five defensive backs in Indiana his junior and senior campaigns … Named First-Team All-State as a junior and senior …Grandfather Jack was a quarterback at Indiana State.
Kalen Carson (DB, 5-9, 170, Coral Springs, Fla., Coral Springs HS)
Played for head coach Rashad West … Totaled 1,466 all-purpose yards his senior season … Scored nine touchdowns and had 21 tackles as a senior … Named First-Team South Florida Conference … Named First-Team All-County by the Sun Sentinel … Named All-Broward County by the Miami Herald … Helped CSHS win the South Florida Conference was named Player of the Game in the championship contest … Also helped the 4x100 track team at his school finish sixth in the state.
Jovon Cobbs (DB, 5-11, 160, Cincinnati, Ohio, Sycamore HS)
Played for head coach Scott Datillo … Named all-conference as a senior in 2015 … Named his team's captain and Most Valuable Player in 2015 … His brother Jay plays football at West Virginia State.
Sam Driggers (DT, 6-3, 280, Hebron, Ky., Connor HS)
Played for head coach Dave Trosper … Had 30 tackles as a junior in 2014 … Absorbed injury during senior year and missed six games … Helped CHS win the district as a sophomore … Named all-conference and all-district as a senior.
Brandon Fields (LS, 6-0, 230, Apopka, Fla., Wekiva HS)
Played for head coach Kenard Lang … Had zero errant snaps during entire high school career … Named Metro Conference All-Star as a senior … Ranked the No. 3 long snapper in Florida after senior year … Helped WHS to its best record (8-2) in school history and first-ever playoff berth in program history in 2015.
Sam Harvin (DB, 5-11, 190, Nashville, Tenn., Franklin Road Academy)
Played for head coach Bill Whittemore … On offense, had 96 carries for 1,056 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2015 … Named First-Team All-State … also named all-region … Helped FRA win a Division II state championship.
Dante Jones (DE, 6-2, 210, Evansville, Ind., Bosse HS)
Played for head coach Eric Schnur … Recorded more than 120 tackles his final two seasons … Had 77 tackles, including four sacks, as a senior … Also hauled in 18 passes for 268 yards in 2015.
Jacob McNeil (LS, 6-1, 225, Akron, Ohio, Archbishop Hoban HS)
Played for head coach Tim Tyrrell … Had 17 pancake blocks on the offensive line his final two years … Named Second-Team All-Conference and Second-Team All-Ohio Inland his senior year when he helped AHHS win the state championship with a 14-1 record … Sister Lauren is a pitcher on the Kent State softball team.
Jack Meyer (DE, 6-1, 245, Cincinnati, Ohio, Moeller HS)
Played for head coach Jim Rodenberg … Named the 2015 Defensive Lineman of the Year for the conference … Was a two-time all-conference award winner … Named Second-Team Defensive Line by Tri-State Football … Helped Moeller win the 2013 state title … Also an accomplished wrestler who ranks in the top 20 nationally … Also played varsity rugby and track and field … brother Dean is a collegiate wrestler at Wheeling Jesuit University.
Jaylen Minefield (DE, 6-2, 225, Seymour, Tenn., Seymour HS)
Played for head coach Jerry Cooper … Had 338 career tackles … Totaled 16 career fumble recoveries, 7 forced fumbles and two interceptions while scoring five touchdowns … Also averaged more than 20 yards per catch on offense … A three-time First-Team All-District pick … Also named all-county and all-region after sophomore, junior and senior seasons … Father Cassius played collegiate football at Carson-Newman (Tenn.).
Boaz Pogue (LB, 6-2, 230, Chambersburg, Pa., Chambersburg Area HS – Fork Union Military Academy)
Played for head coach Col. John Schuman at Fork Union … Played for head coach Mark Saunders at Chambersburg Area High School … Averaged six tackles per game last year at FUMA … Also had three interceptions and three sacks in just five games … Named a Public Opinion All-Star his junior and senior years at CAHS … Named all-region as a senior … Named a Defensive All-American following senior season … Sister Chantel Tremetiere played collegiate basketball at Auburn and in the WNBA … Other sister Brooklyn Shearer played collegiate field hockey at Appalachian State.
Juanyea Tarver (DB, 5-10, 172, Kennesaw, Ga., Allatoona HS)
Played for head coach Gary Varner … Totaled 281 career tackles … Had 13 career sacks and five career interceptions … Registered 111 stops, including seven sacks, as a junior in 2014 … Had 106 total stops (60 solos) and six sacks as a senior in 2015 … Named all-county twice … Named all-state as a senior … Helped AHS win a state title as a senior.
Bryan Terry (DB, 6-0, 180, Marietta, Ga., Pope HS)
Totaled 57 tackles and had three interceptions as a senior … Named the Cobb County Defensive Player of the Year … Named Honorable Mention All-Region by the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
Jalin Troutman (K, 5-11, 180, Mt. Washington, Ky., Bullitt East HS)
Played for head coach Darrell Vincent … Made 42 of 44 extra points and six field goals in 2015 … Rated the top kicker in the Louisville area by the Ray Guy ProKicker.com camp … Had more than 50 touchbacks on kickoffs … Named First-Team All-District as a kicker and punter … Named Honorable Mention All-State … Twice named Academic All-State.
Lucas Turpin (DT, 6-2, 245, Somerset, Ky., Southwestern HS)
Played for head coach Larry French … Named Honorable Mention All-State his junior and senior campaigns … Named Honorable Mention All-State by the Courier-Journal in 2015 … Also named all-county and all-district twice … A four-time Academic All-State selection … Also played four years of baseball where he was named all-county, all-district and all-region … Brother Zack plays baseball at Georgetown (Ky.).
Sydney Wellons (DB, 5-11, 175, Chesapeake, Va., Indian River HS, Fork Union Military Academy)
Played for head coach Col. John Shuman at Fork Union … Played for head coach Glenwood Ferebee at IRHS … Totaled more than 1,100 career receiving yards and scored 10 touchdowns on offense … Named all-conference receiver as a junior … Named All-Tidewater as punt returner his senior season …Brother Justin played collegiate football at James Madison.
