Gilliland signs 21 in first UWA class
LIVINGSTON — Concentrating on filling needs, particularly in the secondary and on the offensive front, first-year University of West Alabama head coach Brett Gilliland signed 21 players to his first Tiger recruiting class on Wednesday.
“We are excited about our class. We believe they are all guys who can come here and have good careers,” Gilliland said. “They have a chance to do something special. We have hit the areas we needed to.”
The Tigers inked four offensive linemen and four defensive backs, along with three players that Gilliland and his staff have tagged as “athletes” that will be able to fill spots where need arises.
“On offense our biggest need was on the line. We were able to sign several that we are pleased with and excited about,” Gilliland said. “On defense we needed some help in the secondary and believe we were able to get it. We also wanted to go get a couple of good receivers to have some depth there and we are pleased with the players we got.
“This is a really strong class,” he said. “We believe in graduating players and we stress that, but we want them to also reach out to get that diploma with a championship ring on their finger.”
Eighteen members of the signing class are high school players, with three from the Mississippi Junior College ranks, including two players from back-to-back Junior College National Champion East Mississippi Community College. Gilliland is expecting to add more members of the signing class at a later date.
| 2014 UWA Football Signees (Updated as NLIs Come In) | ||||||
| Name | Pos | Ht | Wt | Previous | Hometown | |
| LaBaron Anthony | QB/Ath | 6-0 | 180 | Bradwell Institute | Hinesville, Ga. | |
| DeMarcus Bingham | WR | 6-3 | 215 | Foley HS | Foley, Ala. | |
| Breland Massey | DB | 6-1 | 177 | McGill-Toolen HS | Mobile, Ala. | |
| George Rutherford | OL | 6-3 | 305 | Escambia HS | Pensacola, Fla. | |
| Greg Thomas | DB | 5-10 | 160 | McGill-Toolen HS | Mobile, Ala. | |
| Brent O’Neal | RB | 5-10 | 195 | Canterbury HS | St. Petersburg, Fla. | |
| Dezmon Huntley | QB | 6-0 | 173 | Pebblebrook HS | Mableton, Ga. | |
| Hollis Bright | DL | 6-0 | 290 | Demopolis HS | Demopolis, Ala. | |
| Jeremy Caldwell-Fabregas | LB | 6-1 | 203 | Libert Park HS | Hinesville, Ga. | |
| Carl Green | DL | 6-3 | 265 | Pearl River CC | McComb, Miss. | |
| Taderion Myhand | DB | 6-0 | 190 | C Henderson HS | Troy, Ala. | |
| LaDarius Brinson | Ath | 5-11 | 195 | St. Jude HS | Pike Road, Ala. | |
| Prince Rogers | OL | 5-11 | 292 | Dothan HS | Dothan, Ala. | |
| Justin Mack | WR | 6-2 | 175 | East Miss CC | Laurel, Miss. | |
| Fenest Armstrong | DB | 6-0 | 195 | East Miss CC | Laurel, Miss. | |
| Shane Crawford | TE | 6-3 | 240 | Pace HS | Pace, Fla. | |
| Marvin Davidson, Jr. | RB | 5-8 | 175 | Leroy HS | Sunflower, Ala. | |
| Brady Pugh | TE | 6-3 | 225 | Walker HS | Jasper, Ala. | |
| Jessie Richards | OL | 6-5 | 250 | Rehobeth HS | Dothan, Ala. | |
| Adain Sloan | OL | 6-2 | 260 | Enterprise HS | Enterprise, Ala. | |
| Nicarius Peterson | Ath | 5-11 | 172 | McKenzie HS | McKenzie, Ala. | |
| Mid Year Signees | ||||||
| Daryl Collins | WR | 5-11 | 205 | Kentucky | Gasden, Ala. | |
| Rashaad Lee | RB | 5-7 | 180 | Pine Forest HS | Pensacola, Fla. | |
| Duke Leland | DB | 5-8 | 175 | NE Miss CC | Batesville, Miss. | |
LaBaron Anthony – QB/Ath – 6-0 – 180 – Bradwell Institute – Hinesville, Ga.
Passed for 682 yards as a senior … Rushed for 619 yards and seven touchdowns … All-Region 3AAAAA selection in 2013 … Played his prep football at Laurel HS …
Fenest Armstrong – DB – 6-0 – 195 – East Mississippi Community College – Laurel, Miss.
Helped EMCC to back-to-back junior college national championships … Had 39 tackles, a sack and two interceptions last season.
Marcus Bingham – WR – 6-3 – 215 – Foley High School – Foley, Ala.
Caught 55 passes for 1,100 yards as a senior … Had 104 career receptions for 1,906 yards … Played in Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Football Game … All-State selection by Alabama Sports Writers Association.
Hollis Bright – DL – 6-0 – 290 – Demopolis High School – Demopolis, Ala.
Helped lead DHS to nine wins and a trip to the state playoffs as a senior … 2013 Demopolis Times preseason all-county selection … Selected to 2013 West Alabama Watchman All-County Team.
LaDarius Brinson – Ath – 5-11 – 195 – St. Jude High School – Pike Road, Ala.
Played quarterback, wide receiver and cornerback … Averaged 32.5 yards per reception … First Team All-Area, First Team All-State as a basketball player … Averaged 15.1 points per game as a basketball player … Helped lead St. Jude to a basketball state championship.
Jeremy Caldwell-Fabregas – 6-1 – 203 – Liberty County High School – Hinesville, Ga.
Made 107 total tackles, 75 solo, as a senior … Averaged 9.7 tackles per game as a senior … Recorded 95 tackles, including eight for loss as a junior … Credited with five sacks and intercepted two passes his junior year … Caught 21 passes for 454 yards and seven touchdowns … Played in the 2013 GSA All Star Senior Football Game … Also returned kicks.
Shane Crawford – TE – 6-3 – 240 – Pace High School – Pace, Fla.
Had 11 receptions for 160 yards and a touchdown as a senior … Averaged 14.5 yards per reception … Also played some on the defensive front … Played in the 10th Annual Subway High School All-Star Football Game … Also strong blocker on the edge.
Marvin Davidson, Jr – RB – 5-8 – 175 – Leroy High School – Sunflower, Ala.
Rushed for more than 2,000 yards as a senior … Honorable mention All-State by ASWA … Ran for 1,326 and 15 touchdowns in the first six weeks of his senior season … Also played basketball and baseball.
Carl Green – DL – 6-3 – 265 – Pearl River Community College – McComb, Miss.
Named the South Division’s Most Valuable Defensive Player in the 40th-annual MACJC All-Star Football Classic … Had 23 tackles and a sack as a sophomore … Played prep football at McComb High School.
Dezmon Huntley – QB – 6-0, 173 – Pebblebrook High School – Mableton, Ga.
Cam Newton 7 on 7 MVP … Cam Newton All-Star 7 on 7 Team … Played three years of varsity baseball.
Justin Mack – WR – 6-2 – 175 – East Mississippi Community College – Laurel, Miss.
Caught 29 passes for 553 yards and seven touchdowns at EMCC last season … Averaged 19.1 yards per reception … Helped led EMCC to back to back junior college national titles …
Breland Massey – DB – 6-1 – 177 – McGill-Toolen High School – Mobile, Ala.
Recorded 51 total tackles his senior season while leading McGill-Toolen to 12 wins and the semi-finals of the Alabama 6A State Playoffs … Honorable mention 6A All-State by Alabama Sports Writers Association.
Taderion Myhand – DB – 6-0, 190 – Charles Henderson High School – Troy, Ala.
Recorded 88 tackles and nine interceptions as a senior year … helped lead Charles Henderson to a 14-1 record and a trip to the Super 6 Finals last season … 2013 ASWA 4A All State 1st Team … 2013 Dothan Eagle Super 12 … 2013 Troy Messenger All Area 1st Team … returned two interceptions for touchdowns … Also broke up 11 passes …Forced four fumbles and recovered two fumbles.
Brent O’Neal – RB – 5-10 – 195 – Canterbury High School – St. Petersburg, Fla.
Rushed for 1,936 yards and 35 touchdowns as a senior … Averaged 10.2 yards per carry … Rang up over 2,500 all-purpose yards as a senior … Signed with The Citadel out of high school … All-county first-teamer also helped lead Canterbury to its first district title and playoff victory … Served as a team captain and was a four-year letterman at Canterbury … Rushed for 4,745 yards and 79 touchdowns in his career and averaged 10.5 yards per carry … Named to the all-county and All-Suncoast teams … Second team All-Big County and second team all-state. He helped lead Canterbury to its first-ever state playoff berth in 2011.
Nicarius Peterson – Ath – 5-11 – 172 – McKenzie High School – McKenzie, Ala.
Played wide receiver and defensive back at MHS … Also plays baseball at McKenzie … Dangerous punt returner.
Brady Pugh – TE – 6-3 – 225 – Walker High School – Jasper, Ala.
Averaged 23.8 yards per reception as a senior … Took home top tight end honors from UWA Football Camp last summer.
Jessie Richards – OL – 6-5 – 250 – Rehobeth High School – Dothan, Ala.
Also played defensive end and tight end … Three-year starter … FFA officer and member of his church youth group … Also lettered in basketball.
Prince Rogers – OL – 5-11 – 292 – Dothan High School – Dothan, Ala.
Had seven pancake blocks in 2011 … Graded out at 82 percent for the season … Had 42 pancake blocks in 2013 … All-conference … Team captain … Recorded 12 tackles in a game against Eufaula.
George Rutherford – OL – 6-3 – 305 – Escambia High School – Pensacola, Fla.
First-team 6A All-State in 2013 … Two-time All-Area selection, Rutherford was the anchor of an Escambia offensive line that produced an area-best 484.1 rushing yards per game … Helped pave the way for an offense that scored 54 touchdowns on the ground … First-team All-Panhandle … Pensacola News Journal Super Senior … All-area pick as a junior … Listed by NoleDigest.com as one of the top interior line prospects in the Florida Panhandle … FSHF 2013 6A Preseason All-Elite Team.
Aidan Sloan – OL – 6-2 – 260 – Enterprise High School – Enterprise, Ala.
Winner of his team’s Leadership Award … All-conference and all region player.
Greg Thomas – DB – 5-10 – 160 – McGill-Toolen High School – Mobile, Ala.
Alabama state 100 meters champion in track and field … In on 18 tackles while helping lead his team to 12 wins and State 6A semi-finals as a senior