By David Carducci
Record-Courier staff writer
Kent State hopes to fortify the defensive side of the football with its 2010 recruiting class.
Of the 20 players on the list of new recruits announced on Wednesday’s “National Signing Day,” 16 play are primarily defensive players.
As a whole, the newest Golden Flashes rank as the third-best class in the Mid-American Conference, according to the recruiting experts at the Web site of Rivals.com.
“Last year, we were the No. 1-ranked class, so we are still in that top tier,” said KSU head coach Doug Martin, whose Flashes finished 5-7 overall last year and in the middle of the MAC pack at 4-4 in conference play. “I think that speaks volumes for where we’ve come as a program.
“We really bolstered our skill players last year,” Martin said. “This year our focus was across the board on defense and on the offensive line. We really like this group and think there are some kids that can help us out right away.”
Two of the four recruits Martin highlighted as potential prizes to this year’s class could contribute early to the Golden Flashes’ defense: Cornerback Dylan Farrington, from Chapel Hill, N.C. and Hargrave Academy in Virginia, and linebacker Steve Mehrer, an All-State selection from Jerome High School in Dublin.
The speedy Farrington, who intercepted 19 passes during his high-school career, is 1-of-6 recruits who are already enrolled in classes at Kent State. That important list includes fellow Hargrave Academy alumni Calvin Tiggle at safety, Robert Kearney on the defensive line, Brandon Hazzard at linebacker and Tom Pizzuro on the offensive line.
Quarterback Cedric McCloud from Central Carolina Sports Academy in North Carolina is also already on the KSU campus.
“I don’t know if we’ve ever had that many players enrolled here (mid-year),” said Martin. “You can’t put a price tag on that. Those guys will go through our strength and conditioning program now. They’ll be here for spring practice. They’ll be here for the summer. That’s a huge advantage.”
Pizzuro and McCloud were the other two recruits Martin emphasized as potential standouts in the new class.
“(Pizzuro) can definitely come in and help this year,” said Martin. “McCloud is a 6-foot-3, 225-pound quarterback with great size. I haven’t seen a guy throw a ball like this since I coached (Jacksonvile Jaguars starter) David Garrard at East Carolina. He has a tremendous arm. We are certainly excited about him.”
Martin was also excited to get a late commitment from the only player the Flashes competed for head-to-head with the Univesity of Akron — Richard Gray, a 6-foot-2, 248-pound All-State defensive end from Woodland Hills in Pittsburgh.
Gray visited Kent State two weeks ago, then visited Akron last week. He committed to the Flashes on the eve of signing day.
The Flashes won another recruiting battle with fellow Mid-American Conference East Division rival Ohio University when Pickerington cornerback Malcom Pannell committed after watching KSU beat the Bobcats this season during his official visit to Athens.
KSU hopes the 5-11 Pannell can eventually team with Farrington as the bookend corners of the future.
“Malcom has great size and plays very physical at the corner position,” said Martin. “We think he can be a presence for us early on.”
Tiggle and fellow safety Luke Wollet from Poland Seminary could also find an opportunity to play early while learning from senior starters Brian Lainhart and Dan Hartman.
Linebackers like Meher, Hazzard, Zack Hitchens of Canal Wichester and Rahmon Swain from Martin Luther King in Georgia may have similar opportunities.
“We are senior heavy in the linebacking corps,” said assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Zane Vance. “So we got some guys who can play and get some experience.”
Swain is a late addition to the class, who was recruited by several SEC schools. The Flashes also locked in 6-2, 255-pound defensive lineman Jerome Davis of Buford, Ga., after he visited Georgia Tech just last week.
Davis is part of a big seven-man class of defensive linemen that includes Gray, Hargrave’s Kearny, Carlows Brown (6-1, 255 pounds) of McKeesport, Pa., end Mark Fackler (6-4, 235) from Kenton, Roosevelt Nix-Jones (6-0, 240) of Reynoldsburg, and the massive Terrell Johnson (6-4, 290) of Archbishop Spalding in Maryland.
On the opposite line, the 6-3, 300-pound Pizzuro projects at guard, while 6-5, 255-pound Lebanon grad Elias Sayre “has a tremendous frame and great feet,” according to Martin, and should fit at one of the tackle spots.
In the skill area, KSU added running back Robert Hollomon from Cushing Academy in Massachussetts and cornerback-wide receiver Sam Miller from nearby Orrville.
Martin called the 5-9, 170-pound Hollomon a clone of speedy KSU sophomore Jacquise Terry. Holloman has been timed at 4.31 in the 40-yard dash. The 6-foot, 184-pound Miller, meanwhile, could be a do-it-all guy, capable of returning kicks and punts and playing both corner and wide receiver.
“He is athletic enough to do whatever coach Martin decides,” said Vance.
As they have done successfully in the past, the Flashes are holding a few scholarships in the hopes of signing two-to-three more players within the next few months.
“That’s been a successful tool for us in the last few years,” said Martin. “That’s how we got (starting quarterback) Spencer Keith last year. We also got (starting wide receiver) Shawn Bayes after the signing period.
“There are a lot of guys out there who think they are going to SEC schools, they wait up until signing day and then they have nowhere to go. Some guys qualify a little bit later.”
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Contact David Carducci at dcarducci@recordpub.com