Wednesday, February 7, 2007

 

PIONEERS GET 56 COMMITMENTS ON FOOTBALL SIGNING DAY

"Tusculum Inks 16th-ranked Running Back in the Nation"

 

                GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Fifty-six (56) student-athletes have indicated they will attend Tusculum College and play football for the Pioneers announced TC head coach Frankie DeBusk Wednesday.

 

                "I'm very excited about this year's recruiting class," said DeBusk.  "This is an outstanding group of young men and I'm very proud of our coaching staff and the tremendous job they did."

 

                Once again, Tusculum was on the mind of several Georgia prep standouts as 22 student-athletes committed to the Pioneers from the Peach State alone.  Thirteen players from South Carolina committed to Tusculum on the first day, while 11 from the State of Tennessee indicated they will stay within the state and play for the Pioneers, including several from nearby Knoxville, Morristown, Elizabethton and Kingsport.

 

                Tusculum received three commitments from the State of Florida, but none bigger than running back Cameron Harris.  The 5-8, 185-pound native of Titusville was named the 2006 Florida 3A Player of the Year and was listed as the No. 16 running back in the nation by Rivals.com.  Harris rushed for 2,088 yards last season on 247 carries, including an amazing 26 touchdowns.

 

                The wide receiver position was the most notable area addressed by Tusculum this year with a dozen commitments at that spot alone.  The offensive line and defensive line had 11 each commit to Tusculum, while the defensive back position had nine commitments.  Six linebackers inked with Pioneers as did four running backs and two kickers.

 

                Tusculum posted a 6-5 record in 2006, its sixth winning season in the last seven years.

 

                Tusculum College, located in Greeneville, Tenn., is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, USA and is a NCAA Division II member of the South Atlantic Conference which is comprised of nine colleges and universities in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.

 

- TC -

 

2007 Tusculum College Football Commitments

Name

Pos.

Ht.

Wt.

Hometown/High School

Pat Aiken

OL

6-2

280

Greenwood, S.C./Greenwood HS

Jeremy Allen

DB

6-1

190

Knoxville, Tenn./South Doyle

Duran Babtunde

RB

5-10

170

Greensboro, N.C./Eastern Guilford HS

Johnny Brown

DB

6-1

170

Titusville, Fla./Astronaut HS

TJ Clark

DB

5-10

190

Triangle, Va./CD Hylton HS

Conn Cowley

OL

6-0

250

Pinson, Ala./Clay Chalkville HS

Tim Doute

LB

5-10

220

Morristown, Tenn./West HS

Alonzeo Drumming

DL

6-0

240

Aiken, S.C./Aiken HS

Robbie Edwards

OL/LS

6-2

305

Asheville, N,C./Erwin HS

Darnell Epps

DL

5-11

240

Lynchburg, S.C./Crestwood HS

Marcus Foster

RB/WR

5-8

170

Siloam, Ga./Greene County HS

Deonte Gist

WR

5-11

175

Wellford, S.C./Byrnes HS

Jonathan Gwaltney

K

6-2

195

Chattanooga, Tenn./Red Bank HS

Chance Harmon

OL

6-1

290

Lexington, S.C./White Knoll HS

Cameron Harris

RB

5-8

185

Titusville, Ga./Astronaut HS

Larry Harris

LB

6-1

205

Atlanta, Ga./McNair HS

Christian Harrison

DB

5-10

175

Greensboro, Ga./Greene County HS

Travis Heath

OL

6-1

270

Union Point, Ga./Greene County HS

Spencer Hensley

DL

6-0

240

Asheville, N.C./Erwin HS

John Hester

WR

5-9

160

Titusville, Fla./Astronaut HS

Derrick Jackson

DL

6-0

245

Woodville, Ga./Greene County HS

Angelo Johnson

WR

6-0

185

Georgetown, S.C./Georgetown HS

Freddie Jones

RB/WR

5-7

170

Appling, Ga./Greenbrier HS

Tamjai “TJ” Jones

DB

5-8

165

Duncan, S.C./Byrnes HS

Justin Kino

OL

6-1

250

Atlanta, Ga./McNair HS

Jermaine Kirkland

WR

6-0

200

Knoxville, Tenn./Central HS

Jordan Kitzmiller

WR

6-3

180

Kingsport, Tenn./Sullivan South HS

Steve Leonard

OL

6-2

265

Dalton, Ga./Northwest Whitfield HS

Kevin Lewis

WR

6-1

185

Jonesboro, Ga./Lovejoy HS

Jonathan Lyons

WR

6-4

175

Elizabethton, Tenn./Hampton HS

Josh Magni

OL

6-1

285

Lexington, S.C./White Knoll HS

Taylor Martin

DL

6-2

245

Atlanta, Ga./McNair HS

Rydell Mayes

LB

6-0

205

Murfreesboro, Tenn./Riverdale HS

Daniel McCallister

OL/LS

6-1

220

Sumter, S.C./Crestwood HS

Jason Muehling

DL

6-2

240

Calhoun, Ga./Calhoun HS

Justin Norman

DL

6-4

275

McDonough, Ga./ Luella HS

Zack Norman

DL

6-4

205

Greenwood, S.C./Greenwood HS

DeAngelo Paschall

DB

5-9

170

Atlanta, Ga./McNair HS

DJ Ralls

WR

6-1

190

McDonough, Ga./Henry County HS

Gareth Rowlands

K

6-1

175

Wales, Great Britain/Kings Academy

Hannibal Ruiz

OL/DL

6-2

260

Peachtree City, Ga./Creekside HS

Eddie Russ

WR

5-11

185

Cottondale, Fla./Cottondale HS

Anthony Salis

WR

6-4

195

Jonesboro, Ga./Mundys Mill HS

Trevor Salyer

OL

6-2

245

Kingsport, Tenn./Dobyns Bennett HS

Roderick Sanon

LB

5-10

205

Inon City, Ga./Seminole County HS

Jermaine Sloan

WR

5-7

150

Belton, S.C./Belton Honea Path HS

Terrance Smith

DL

6-6

200

Riverdale, Ga./North Clayton HS

Josh Stone

OL

6-1

320

Smithsville, Tenn./DeKalb County HS

Mason Strickland

DB

6-0

175

Calhoun, Ga./Calhoun HS

Bernard Taylor

DL

5-11

225

Knoxville, Tenn./Central HS

Garland Taylor

DB

5-9

180

Hixson, Tenn./Red Bank HS

PJ Thomas

WR

5-11

185

Jonesboro, Ga./Jonesboro HS

Eddie Threet

DB

5-9

175

Marietta, Ga./Pope HS

Greg Underwood

LB

5-11

185

Anderson, S.C./T.L. Hanna HS

Jameson Watson

DL

6-1

240

Duncan, S.C./Byrnes HS

Chris Webb

DL

6-1

260

Greensboro, Ga./Greene County HS