National Signing Day — San Jose State commitments

Feb. 2, 2010SJSU PAGENCAA FOOTBALL PAGE

San Jose -- Six players who combined to score 84 touchdowns as high school seniors, offensive and defensive linemen who add much needed strength, length and bulk and a highlytouted quarterback who threw 31 touchdown passes a year ago highlight San Jose State Universitys second stage of football recruiting for the 2011 season. Head coach Mike MacIntyre made the announcement.The Spartans signed 16 current high school seniors, 14 from California and two from Arizona schools, on the first possible signing day. Combined with seven mid-year transfers who could sign a National Leter-of-Intent (NLI) in December 2010, San Jose State has a 2011 recruiting class of 18 freshmen and five two-year college transfers.Twelve of the 23 signees currently are slotted as defensive prospectsfive linemen, two linebackers and five defensive backs. Four offensive linemen, two wide receivers, two tight ends, a running back, two all-purpose athletes and a quarterback comprise the 10 offensive hopefuls.We wanted to fill the class out with athleticism and speed at the corner positions on offense and defense. We signed two good cornerbacks were excited about, some tall offensive linemen, added size, range and speed in our defensive front and are excited to sign Joe Gray (6-2, 190, FR, Dorsey HS-Los Angeles) whom weve think is a big-time quarterback, says MacIntyre, who is in his second season as San Jose States head coach.Gray passed for 3,030 yards and 31 touchdowns in 2010. The first-team all-city Los Angeles quarterback threw for 5,022 yards and 49 touchdowns and directed his teams to a combined 19-6 win-loss record his junior and senior seasons.Seeking to replace two starting offensive linemen, the Spartans signed California Community College first-team All-America Jon Meyer (6-5, 285, JR, Foothill College) as a mid-year transfer and added Doug Blacksill (6-5, 260, FR, Liberty HS-Bakersfield), Nick Diaz (6-3, 305, FR, St. John Bosco-Bellflower, Calif.), and Wes Schweitzer (6-5, 270, FR, Chaparral-Scottsdale, Ariz.). Blacksill was rated the 29-center nationally by ESPN.com.With new tight ends Travis Lorius (6-5, 245, JR, Foothill College) and Max Miller (6-6, 250, JR, Iowa Western College) enrolled as mid-year transfers, the Spartans turned their attention to the perimeter to fill out an already young and productive receiving corps. Wide receiver K.C. Pearce (6-3, 180, FR, Redwood HS-Visalia) averaged 24.5 yards per catch and scored 10 total touchdowns as a senior. Sam Boyd (6-3, 240, FR, Roosevelt HS-Corona, Calif.) averaged 19.2 yards per catch and caught 12 touchdown passesfour of them 75 yards or longer in 2010. Boyd, Rivals.coms 49 California high school prospect, could play a number ofpositions in the San Jose State offensive scheme that involve catching the ball. Marced Kelly (5-10, 170, FR-Edison HS-Stockton, Calif.) is another all-purpose athlete who scored 18 touchdowns in 2010 and can play on either side of the ball.Speed, Size, Length In 2011 San Jose State Recruiting Classadd 1 Running back Cedric Simmons (6-1, 212, FR, Perry HS-Gilbert, Ariz.) rounds out the signees on offense. Simmons rushed for 1,149 yards and scored 16 touchdowns in his first fullseason as a teams primary ball carrier. Defensively, San Jose State became bigger inside with linemen Nathan Falo (6-1, 305,FR, Inderkum HS-Sacramento) and Tony Popovich (6-2, 280, FR-Marin Catholic HSKentfield, Calif.) and faster on the outside with Christian Hill (6-4, 220, FR-Sanger HSSanger, Calif.). Falo and Popovich were all-state selections during their respective high school careers and join mid-year transfers David Catalano (6-4, 255, FR, Canyon Del Oro HS Tucson, Ariz.) and David Tuitupou (6-6, 255, JR, Snow College).Defensive backs Tyler Ervin (5-10, 170, FR, Colton HS-Colton, Calif.), Mercy Maston (6-0, 190, FR, Bakersfield HS-Bakersfield, Calif.) and Dennis Rufus (6-1, 190, FR, Charter Oak HS-Covina, Calif.) are headed to San Jose State in the fall. Ervin and Rufus were first-team All-C.I.F. honorees in 2010 and Maston was rated 59 nationally as a cornerback byscout.com. Simon Connette (5-11, 185, FR, Santiago HS-Corona, Calif.) and Robert Fiscalini (5-11, 205, JR, Foothill College) signed at mid-year, enrolled at San Jose State and are ready to compete for positions on the depth chart during spring practice.Linebackers Josh Fasavalu (5-11, 215, FR, Poly HS-Long Beach, Calif.) and Hector Roach (6-2, 215, FR, Edison HS-Stockton, Calif.) complete San Jose States signees on the first day of the 2011 National Letter-of-Intent period.The 2011 recruiting class is the next step in MacIntyres plan to build a football program at San Jose State. Going into the season, the Spartans, like many other Football Bowl Subdivision members in NCAA Division I, will have 85 players on scholarship.Courtesy San Jose State media services