25 players commit to RedHawks

Coach Treadwell: Having a full year to recruit made a difference.

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Updated 10:24 AM Thursday, February 2, 2012

By Pete Conrad

Staff Writer

OXFORD — Coach Don Treadwell put a large thumbprint on Miami University’s football program Wednesday when he signed a whopping 25 recruits to national letters of intent.

There also was intent from Treadwell’s side, the intent to “build a foundation.”

According to the second-year RedHawks coach: “Having a full year to recruit really makes a difference.”

Last year Treadwell had less than a month. After he was named coach on Dec. 31, 2010, all he could do was consolidate the previous staff’s recruiting efforts and add several players of his own. The 2011 class consisted of 17 recruits.

“This year we filled it to the brim because we’ve had the advantage to be out on the road,” Treadwell said. “You talk about a great time to build a foundation.”

Three areas of concern for a Miami squad which finished 4-8 overall last season were a running game that ranked last in the nation, a kicking game that converted 2-of-6 field goals and a defensive line decimated by injuries.

Help is on the way.

The RedHawks scored one of the Mid-American Conference’s major coups with the signing of David DeLeon, a defensive tackle from Bamberg, S.C., who chose Miami over Minnesota, Colorado, Pitt and Illinois.

He’s one half of what Treadwell called the “bookends” from that state. The other is defensive end Wesley Scott from Ridgeland, S.C., also a two-time state weightlifting champion.

“It’s a great reward for a lot of work,” Treadwell said, noting that recruiting coordinator Zak Willis “has a lot of influence in South Carolina, which really helped.”

Eight of Miami’s 25 recruits are from South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia.

The RedHawks addressed their run game by signing four offensive linemen and three running backs, including Jamire Westbrook from Kings High School and Jack Snowball from Wadsworth.

“There are certain things you can’t teach, like toughness. Boy, does he bring that,” Treadwell said of Westbrook, who had 5,867 career all-purpose yards.

Snowball, Ohio’s Division I co-Offensive Player of the Year in 2011, rushed for 2,594 yards as a senior.

“The neat thing about Jack is, we were able to hang around late,” Treadwell said. “A lot of (college) offenses are centered around the spread and are looking for players who run 4.4. He knows how to churn out tough yards and really has good balance.”

Miami also signed place-kicker Kaleb Patterson from Duncan, S.C., who played for a two-time state champion and has a career-long field goal of 54 yards.

Overall, the RedHawks signed 12 players from Ohio, including nine from Southwest Ohio.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197 or Pete.Conrad@coxinc.com.

Miami recruits
Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	High school
Bryson Albright	DE	6-5	210	St. Xavier
J’Terius Brown	DE	6-3	225	Miller Grove, Milledgeville, Ga.
Ryan Callen	OT	6-5	270	Central, Hinsdale, Ill.
Brandyn Cook	OL	6-2	295	St. Xavier
Nick Custer	OL	6-4	275	Elder
Orlando David	TE	6-3	240	Chaminade-Madonna, Miami, Fla.
Terry Davis	OL	6-4	305	Wyoming
David DeLeon	DT	6-1	278	Bamberg-Ehrhardt, Bamberg, S.C.
Josh Dooley	LB	5-11	200	Mason
Austin Gearing	QB	6-5	205	Fenwick
Nate Gerbus	LB	6-1	220	St. Xavier
Kent Kern	LB	6-1	220	Toledo St. John’s Jesuit
DaQuan Lucas	DB	5-10	185	St. Stephens, Timberland, S.C.
Jay Mastin	S	6-1	200	Centerville
Spencer McInnis	RB	5-9	175	Orchard Lake St. Mary, Commerce Twp., Mich.
Fred McRae	WR	5-9	160	Chaminade-Madonna, Miami, Fla.
Kaleb Patterson	K	5-9	160	Byrnes, Duncan, S.C.
Jimmy Rousher	TE	6-3	254	Canfield
Wesley Scott	DL	6-3	245	Ridgeland, S.C.
Sam Shisso	WR	6-5	205	East Mecklenburg, Charlotte, N.C.
Jack Snowball	RB	6-0	211	Wadsworth
Marshall Taylor	DB	6-4	185	Crisp County, Cordele, Ga.
Jamire Westbrook	RB	5-9	195	Kings
Rokeem Williams	WR	6-1	185	Williston-Elko, Williston, S.C.
Mitchell Winters	DE	6-5	245	Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Mississauga, Ontario