East Carolina Announces 2002 Football
Signing Class
From ECU Media Relations
GREENVILLE —
Twenty-one high school student-athletes and one junior college transfer
signed National Letters of Intent on Wednesday to play football at East
Carolina University.
Head Coach
Steve Logan unveiled the signees, which include 13 players from the state of
North Carolina.
"While I'm
always hesitant to single anyone out in particular, I'd just say that I'm
more than excited and more than happy with the young men that we signed,"
Logan said. "Our coaches did a great job and we found some young men that
have a lot of talent and that wanted to be at East Carolina."
The Pirates'
recruiting class of 2002 includes 13 offensive players, eight defensive
players, and one kicking specialist. By position, the class consists of six
offensive linemen, four wide receivers, four defensive backs, three
quarterbacks, three defensive linemen, one linebacker, and one
kicker/punter.
Five of the
signees are listed among the best prospects in their respective states by
SuperPrep magazine while five have received all-region recognition at their
position by Prep Star magazine.
"This is a
broad-based group. We stuck to our philosophy of signing the best athletes
available, although there were a few particulars that we did try to get in
place that maybe can help us a little bit quicker than normal," Logan said.
"I like to stay reserved in my comments, but I know that there are some
young men on our list that, before it's over with, will impact this program
greatly."
While over 50
percent of the class is native to the state of North Carolina, ECU signed
three players from Florida, two from Virginia, two from Georgia, and one
each from Tennessee and Oklahoma.
Keeping local
talent close to home, the Pirates inked six players from the eastern North
Carolina area. Included are William Bland (Havelock), Eric Graham (Richlands),
Steve Mercier (Shallotte), Kevin Roach (Williamston), Kort Shankweiler
(Greenville), and Mar'ques Woolford (Jacksonville).
The lone
junior college signee is defensive back Richard Moton (Tulsa, Okla.), who
played at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Junior College the past two seasons.
ECU, which
has made three straight bowl appearances and has not had a losing season
since 1997, is scheduled to open spring practice on Tuesday, February 12.
Pirates' recruiting
class tallies 22:
Name
Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (School)
William Bland
QB 5-9 175 Havelock (Havelock)
Bryson Bowling WR/DB 6-3 165 Johnson
City, TN (Science Hill)
Jared Brogden DB
5-9 160 Holly Springs (Apex)
Dontre` Brown DL 6-0 240 Fayetteville (Douglas Byrd)
Ryan Dougherty P/K 5-11 185
Orlando, FL (William R. Boone)
Gary Freeman OL
6-2 290 Chesapeake, VA (Deep Creek)
Eric Graham OL 6-6 300 Richlands (Richlands)
Iverick Harris WR 6-3 195 Burlington (Cummings)
Shauntae Hunt DL
6-6 248 Warrenton (Warren County)
Reicko Jones
DB 5-9 165 Riviera Beach, FL (William T. Dwyer)
David Jorgensen OL 6-4
290 Laurinburg (Scotland County)
Mickey McCoy WR 6-2
185 Kennesaw, GA (Harrison)
Steve Mercier OL
6-3 285 Shallotte (West Brunswick)
Richard Moton DB
6-4 190 Tulsa, OK (NE Oklahoma A&M JC)
Lorenza Pickett LB
6-1 225 Fayetteville (Douglas Byrd)
James Pinkney QB
6-3 190 Delray Beach, FL (Olympic Heights)
Kevin Roach WR 6-5 190 Williamston (Williamston)
Kort Shankweiler QB 6-2 205 Greenville (J.H. Rose)
Drew Sutton OL 6-4 270 Bon Aire, GA (Warner Robins)
Eric Terry DL 6-4 225 Rockingham (Richmond County)
Thomas Wingenbach OL 6-6 295 Winchester, VA
(John Handley)
Mar`ques Woolford DB 6-4 200 Jacksonville (White Oak)
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Thumbnail Profiles:
William Bland
5-9, 175, QB
Havelock, N.C. (Havelock High)
* Completed 47
of 96 passes for 1,077 yards and 13 TDs as a senior
* Also rushed 131 times for 775 yards and 14 TDs, averaging 5.9 yards a
carry
* Starting QB for Havelock High for each of the past two seasons and led the
Rams to the state playoffs in their first year at the 4-A level
* All-Big East 4-A Conference and tabbed for East-West All-Star Game
* Coached by Wilbur Sasser, a Goldsboro native who lettered at East Carolina
from 1968-70 under Clarence Stasavich and Mike McGee
* Has speed in the 4.4-4.5 range and could play a number of positions
Bryson Bowling
6-3, 165, WR
Johnson City, Tenn. (Science Hill High)
* Tennessee
Sports Writers Association first team All-State Class 5A at wide receiver
* Tabbed as a second team all-state pick by AP
* Had 43 receptions for 1,002 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior
* Conference player of the year and named All-East Tennessee
* Played in Georgia-Tennessee All-Star Game
* Coached by John Bowles
* Solid academic credentials with a 3.2 GPA
* Accomplished decathlon performer on the strength of sprint, triple jump,
and polt vault skills
Jared Brogden
5-9, 160, DB
Holly Springs, N.C. (Apex High)
* Rated as one
of the top 20 defensive backs in the Atlantic region by Prep Star magazine
* Two-time all-conference selection
* Played in the North Carolina-South Carolina Shrine Bowl in December
* Recorded 32 solo tackles and three interceptions last season, plus had 652
yards as a punt returner
* Had 41 tackles, three interceptions, and a fumble recovery in 2000
* Father, Joe Brogden, is an assistant coach at Apex High
Dontré Brown
6-0, 240, DL
Fayetteville, N.C. (Douglas Byrd High)
* Listed among
top 15 defensive linemen in Atlantic region by Prep Star magazine
* Tallied 175 tackles, 12 tackles for losses, seven fumbles caused, five
sacks, three fumble recoveries and one interception
* All Mid-South 4-A Conference selection as a junior
* Runs a 4.8 in the 40-yard dash
* Also played fullback in high school
Ryan Dougherty
5-11, 185, P/K
Orlando, Fla. (William R. Boone High)
* Rated one of
the top six kicking specialists in Florida by the Orlando Sentinel
* All-state in 6-A class
* Averaged 41.1 yards per punt last season
* Has reputation for being able to consistently kickoff into the end zone
* Also an outstanding soccer player
* Coached by Phi Ziglar
* Helped team to 8-3 record and district title as a senior
Gary Freeman
6-2, 290, OL
Chesapeake, Va. (Deep Creek High)
* Two-time
all-state, three-time all-district, and two-time all-region selection
* Named first team All-Group 3A by the Associated Press
* First team All-Southeastern District on offense and defense
* Listed as the 37th best prospect in the state of Virginia by Superprep
magazine
* Tallied 34 tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery, and a blocked kick on
defense last season
* Bench presses 340
* Team has been 23-2 over the last two years playing in Virginia's largest
classification
Eric Graham
6-6, 300, OL
Richlands, N.C. (Richlands High)
* Named to
all-area team by Jacksonville Daily News
* All-East Central 2-A Conference
* Helped Wildcats to 11-2 record and state playoffs
* Also handled long snapping on punts and field goals
* Starting center on Richlands basketball team and was a standout performer
in the discus in track
Iverick Harris
6-3, 195, WR
Burlington, N.C. (Cummings High)
* Listed as
the 28th best prospect in North Carolina by SuperPrep magazine and one of
the top 20 wide receivers in the Atlantic region by Prep Star
* Rated as a three-star prospect by rivals100.com and is listed as the 67th
best receiver in the country
* Caught 65 passes for 1,375 yards and scored 17 touchdowns as a senior
* All-region selection
* Selected to play in East-West All-Star Game
* Four-year starter
* Helped team to 13-2 record and the Class 2-A state championship game
* Has been clocked at 4.5 seconds in the 40
Shauntae Hunt
6-6, 248, DL
Warrenton, N.C. (Warren County High)
* Selected to
play in North Carolina's East-West All-Star Game
* Named conference's defensive lineman of the year
* Three-time all-conference selection
* Coached by Morton Jones
* Had 115 tackles and four sacks in 2001
* Tallied 75 tackles and three sacks as a junior
* Also played offensive tackle
* Comes from same program that produced ECU's Marvin Townes and Richard
Alston
* Runs a 4.8 in the 40 and bench presses 275
Reicko Jones
5-9, 165, DB
Riviera Beach, Fla. (William T. Dwyer High)
* Caught 36
passes for 594 yards for 8-3 team in 2001
* Had 22 catches for 463 yards and eight TDs as a junior on team that
reached the state 5-A championship game
* Returned six kickoffs for touchdowns as a junior and had three more as a
senior
* First team all-state as a kick returner in 2000
* Third team all-state in 2001 as a defensive back
* Has had 11 interceptions over the past two seasons
* Selected to play in the Treasure Coach Outback All-Star Game
* Runs a 4.4 in the 40
David
Jorgensen
6-4, 290, OL
Laurinburg, N.C. (Scotland County High)
* Coached by
Mark Barnes
* Comes from strong program that produced current Pirates Brandon Rainer,
Garrett Peterkin, and Nathan Barnes
* Runs a 5.2 in the 40 and bench presses 440
Mickey McCoy
6-2, 185, WR
Kennesaw, Ga. (Harrison High)
* Listed as
the 48th best prospect in the state of Georgia by SuperPrep magazine
* Accounted for 1,000 yards rushing and receiving last season and scored 13
touchdowns
* Helped team reach the state 5-A championship game as a junior
* Played slotback and strong safety in high school under coach Bruce
Cobleigh
* Comes from talent-rich program that has nearly 30 players currently active
in the college ranks
Steve Mercier
6-3, 285, OL
Shallotte, N.C. (West Brunswick High)
* Blocking
grade of better than 90 percent for each of the past two seasons
* Over 70 knockdown blocks as a senior
* Two-time All-Mideastern 3-A/4-A Conference selection
* Two-time selection for all-county and all-area teams
* Selected to play in both the East-West All-Star Game and the North
Carolina-South Carolina Shrine Bowl
* Coached by Heath Hewitt
Richard Moton
6-4, 190, DB
Tulsa, Okla. (Northeastern Oklahoma A&M Junior College)
* Two-year
junior college totals include 67 solo tackles, 61 assists, 14 pass
deflections, six interceptions for 109 yards and a touchdown, and two fumble
recoveries
* Had 16 punt returns for 161 yards and a touchdown last season
* Consistently runs a 4.5/4.6-second time in the 40 and bench presses 300
Lorenza
Pickett
6-1, 225, LB
Fayetteville, N.C. (Douglas Byrd High)
* Rated as the
No. 23 prospect in the state by SuperPrep and among top 20 linebackers in
the Atlantic region by Prep Star
* Reputation as one of the more physical defenders in the state with 10
forced fumbles as a senior
* Named defensive player of the year in one of the state's toughest leagues
* Chosen to represent North Carolina in the Shrine Bowl All-Star game
* Helped team to 11-3 record last season
James Pinkney
6-4, 190, QB
Delray Beach, Fla. (Olympic Heights High)
* Led the larger
classification schools in Florida's Palm beach County in passing yardage
(1,807)
* Completed 98 of 182 passes with 13 touchdowns and eight interceptions as a
senior
* Also rushed for 60 yards and four touchdowns in 2001
* All-area selection by the Palm Beach Post
* Selected to play in the Treasure Coast Outback All-Star Game
Kevin Roach
6-5, 190, WR
Williamston, N.C. (Williamston High)
* Listed as
the No. 35 prospect in the state of North Carolina by SuperPrep magazine and
one of the top 20 wide receivers in the Atlantic region by Prep Star
* Caught 50 passes for 902 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior
* Selected to play in both the Shrine Bowl and North Carolina's East-West
All-Star Game
* Two-time all-conference selection
* All-area pick and named area's offensive co-player of the year
* Also won all-academic honors
* Three-year starter
* Had 18 catches for 311 yards and four TDs as a junior
* Comes from same program that produced ECU's Pernell Griffin, an
All-America linebacker last season
Kort
Shankweiler
6-2, 205, QB
Greenville, N.C. (J.H. Rose High)
* Passed for
1,200 yards and 11 touchdowns last season with just three interceptions
* Two-time all-conference and all-area pick
* Selected to play in Shrine Bowl
* Team MVP as a senior
* Completed 93 of 185 passes for 1,657 yards and 13 touchdowns with only six
interceptions in 2000
* Son of ECU offensive line coach Steve Shankweiler
Drew Sutton
6-4, 270, OL
Bon Aire, Ga. (Warner Robins High)
* Two-year
starter on team that went 11-1 in 2000 and 6-5 last season
* Posted a solid 78 percent blocking grade as a senior
* Two-time Gatorade Player-of-the-Week award winner
* Second team All-Middle Georgia and honorable mention on all-region team
* Coached by Richard Fendley
Eric Terry
6-4, 225, DL
Rockingham, N.C. (Richmond County High)
* All
Mid-Southeastern 4-A Conference and selected to play in the Shrine Bowl
* Coached his senior year by Ed Emory, ECU's head coach from 1980 to '84
* Has been clocked in the 40 at 4.75 seconds and has a 29-inch vertical jump
Thomas
Wingenbach
6-6, 295, OL
Winchester, Va. (John Handley High)
* Three-year
starter
* Reputation as an excellent pass-protection blocker
* Played right tackle and handled blind-side protection duties for a
left-handed quarterback
* Coached by Todd Hill
Mar'ques
Woolford
6-4, 200, DB
Jacksonville, N.C. (White Oak High)
* Talented
all-around athlete who played his first year of football since junior high
in 2001
* Also a standout on White Oak's basketball and track teams
* Clocked at 4.4 in the 40
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02/23/2007 01:38:44 PM
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