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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 4, 1999)
nin Nebraska 1999 recruits Name: John Garrison Pos: RE/DL Ht: 6-5 Wt 265 Hometown: Blue Springs, Mo. (Blue Springs) Stats: 101 tackles (67 solo), 29 tackles for loss, 25 sacks, 1 interception Head Coach Frank Soiich says: “John fits the mold for the size of a guy that we’d like at this spot Depending on how big John gets, we may move him around, but he’ll start at rush and he’ll have a great career here for us. Patrick Kabongo RE 6-6 315 Montreal (Vanier College Prep) Stats: N/A Soiich says: “When you’re 6-6 and 315 pounds, you can play wherever you want, I guess. He’s a great athlete and with his size, he could move inside, but we’ll see.” Spencer Owen RE 6-5 235 Carrollton. Mo. (Carrollton) Stats: 113 tackles (73 solo), 6 fumble recoveries, 2 pass breakups, 5 blocked kicks, 16 sacks Soiich says: “Spencer Owen has a tremendous work ethic and in watching Spencer on film, he’s the type of player we like at rush end in terms of his style of play — very physical.” Ryon Bingham DL 6-3 270 Sandy, Utah (Alta) stats: 5.0 40-yard dash, 87 tackles, 14 sacks. 4 PBU Soiich says: “A very physical player. Ryon is also an all-state wrestler. His opponents are averaging around 50 seconds on the mat against him, so he’s kind of a boring guy to go watch in a wrestling meet” Phil Peetz DL 6-2 245 EJkhorn (Elkhora) Stats: 35 tackles Soiich says: “Phil is a tremendously strong, naturally strong kind of guy. He’s a very, very bright young player who’s got the ability to play a number of positions.” Tamotu (Junior) Tagoa’i DL 6-3 290 Hauula, Hawaii (SL Louis School) Stats: 39 tackles, 4 sacks, 17 quarterback hurries, 4 forced fumbles Soiich says: “A physical defensive lineman with great strength. He’s got very good movement and we feel very comfortable with Junior in our program. He! be the type of defensive lineman like we’ve had in the past” Shaun Coleman LB 6-4 210 Littleton, Colo. (Regis Jesuit) Stats: 44 tackles, 6 sacks Soiich says: “Shaun went both ways and could probably play quarterback in some systems, might play quarterback in out system. He is somewhat multi-dimensional.” Blanchard Johnson III LB 6-0 200 Omaha (Council Bluffs SL Albert) Stats: 151 taddes, 9 sacks Soiich says: “Blanchard is tremendously athletic and eventually could play on both sides of tiie ball.” Rob Blomeier DB 5-11 185 Lititz, Pa. (Manheim Township) Stats: 20 tackles, 2 PBU Soiich says: “He’s got excellent speed. Probably not a highly touted player out of his senior year, but we had him in camp, being able to see his athletic ability and that was enough for us.” Taylor Gehman DB 5-11 190 Omaha (Northwest) Stats: 158 tackles Soiich says: “We identified Taylor venr early on from having him in camp and watching him play. It's not difficult to pick Taylor out on film; he shows up around the ball all the tune.” Jon Dawson OL 6-3 285 Cheyenne, Wyo. (Central) State 40 knockdowns Soiich says: “Jon is very explosive; he comes off the ball, knocks people around; he’s very well suited for an aggressive style of offense.” nm ureen ul oo aua Omaha (Westside) Stats: 70 knockdowns Solich says: ‘Tim has excellent strength and we kind of like his demeanor when it comes to lining up and wanting to play tough football.” Chris Loos 0L 6-3 300 Lincoln (Southeast) Stats: N/A Solich says: “Chris is the same kind of athlete as our other players on the offensive line. He’ll fit tremendously well with our system.” Dan Waldrop 0L 6-5 320 Wilmington, Calif. (Banning) Stats: N/A Solich says: “We feel he has room to grow. He has unlimited potential.” Trevor Johnson TE 6-5 225 Lincoln (Northeast) Stats: 42 catches, 736 yards, 10 TDs Solich says: “Trevor was a great two-player for Northeast He’s a great athlete and a great person/’ Larry Henderson WB/SE 6-1 190 Los Angeles, Calif. (West Los Angeles Community College) Stats: 30 catches, 18.0 yards per catch Solich says: “Lany gives you the deep threat, the speed on reverses. He’s the kind of guy that you hke to get the ball into his hands.” Josh Davis IB 5-11 190 Loveland. Colo. (Loveland) Stats: 1,422 yards rushing, 30 TDs, 9.7 yards per cany Sofich says: “We think he'll be a tremendous l-back. He's one of the fastest players in the state of Colorado.” Robin Miller IB 5-11 220 Kerrt, Wash. (Kent-Meridian) Stats: 1,726 yards, 16 TDs Solich says: ‘‘We’ve ^ot a tremendous running back in Robin Miller. He's a big, tough, aggressive football player. He’s got a great career ahead of himhere at theuniverdty of Nebraska.” Judd Davies FB 6-1 235 Omaha (MMard North) Stats: 1,513 yards, 23 TDs Solich says: “Judd is a seat young man, a bright young man and he certainly has a great future ahead of him at the fullback spot” Carl Crawford QB 6-2 205 Houston (Jefferson Davis) Stats: 27-66,509 yards and 8 TDs passing, 1,213 yards and 14 rushing TDs Solich says: “We’re real pleased with Carl and the way he feels about Nebraska and his desire to be a part of the program. He’s an outstanding athlete.” Jammal Lord QB 6-3 195 Bayonne. NJ. (Bayonne) Stats: 22-41,360 yards and 4 TDs passing, 1,306 yards and 21 TDs rushing Solich says: “Jammal’s a talented guy that played several positions very well, but lie's a very talented quarterback/ Toniuoievaiavea ‘Toniu” Fonoti OL 64 300 Hauula, Hawaii (Kahuku) Stats: N/A Solich says: “ Toniu is all of 64, all of 300 pounds, but has the mobility of a much, much smaller player. Without question, he’s one of the top linemen around the country. Jon Frank/DN Davis says NU signing no ‘big deal’ By Brandon Schulte and David Wilson Staff writers LOVELAND, Colo. - Despite being arrest ed last week for allegedly stealing a PlayStation, Nebraska recruit Josh Davis signed a letter of intent Wednesday and appears to be headed for Lincoln in the fall. Charged with second-degree burglary and providing false information to a pawnbroker, Davis said he was somewhat concerned with the status of his scholarship offer prior to talking with NU Coach Frank Solich on Tuesday night. “I was a little worried at first,” Davis said Wednesday, “but I didn’t really think it was a big deal.” Until the details of the incident are figured out, Solich said he would stand by his 5-foot-11, 190-pound I-back recruit. “We are still getting the facts on the inci dent,” Solich said. “We have visited with the people at his high school. They all speak highly of him. I don’t think this incident is characteris tic of Josh.” A SuperPrep All-American, Davis could face a minimum of five years in prison and/or $4,000 in fines if convicted on both charges. According to Dan Colby, owner of Friendly Pawn in Loveland, Davis sold a PlayStation to the pawnbroker for $50 before returning to the shop to buy it back for $55. Colby said he could n’t remember the exact dates. “He came back about a week later - in some what of a panic - and we gave it back to him,” Colby said. “We found out a couple of days later, after we sold it back - we were instructed by the police that Davis had stolen the article.” Colby said Davis presented an ID when signing a written contract upon the sale of the PlayStation. Davis’ signature, Colby said, matched his ID, and was the same at the game system s drop off and pick up. The alleged burglary incident took place Dec. 8. According to a police report, Jan Sutton returned to her Loveland home at noon to find a broken window in the bedroom of her son, Eric. The curtain rod was broken and her son’s bed was up against the wall. Grass and leaves were scattered on the bed, but no footprints or fingerprints were found. Jan Sutton, whose two stepsons are also suspects, said she did not want to comment on the situation Wednesday. Davis also refused to comment on the inci dent, but Solich seemed confident that Davis will still join the Husker squad. “1 believe that he’ll be able to enter the uni versity and be a part of this system.” Football recruits fill NU’s ‘big’ gap ■ NU signs five players over 300 pounds and gains depth for the interior lines. By David Wilson Staff writer A “big, big need” for big, big guys was the primary focus of the Nebraska football coach es when putting together the recruiting class of 1999, Comhusker Head Coach Frank Solich said. If weight is any indication, NU’s mission was accomplished when 21 high school seniors - five weighing in at over 300 pounds - signed letters of intent Wednesday. “1 think certainly the biggest need was to get some big people into the program,” Solich said. Aside from the 11 linemen, the Huskers also signed a handful of skill players, including two quarterbacks and two I-backs. TTie Husker coaches did not revoke I-back Josh Davis’ scholarship offer after the Loveland, Colo., native was arrested for allegedly stealing a Sony PlayStation last week. “We did make a commitment to Josh when he committed to us verbally,” Solich said. Davis, who signed a letter of intent Wednesday, could face a minimum of five years in prison and/or $4,000 in fines if he is convicted of both charges he faces. The 5-foot 11,190-pounder verbally committed last sum mer. The only player to sign that had not made up his mind prior to Wednesday was Dan Waldrop, a 6-5, 320-pound offensive lineman from Wilmington, Calif. According to the Spokesman Review in Spokane, Wash., Waldrop, who signed with NU Wednesday, had committed to Washington State as of Tuesday. Along with Waldrop, who is the heaviest of the recruits, four other high school athletes list ed as offensive linemen inked letters to come to NU. Among them were Nebraska natives Tim Green, a 6-5, 305-pounder from Omaha Westside, and 6-3, 300-pound Chris Loos, from Lincoln Southeast, who will join the Nebraska offensive lme pipeline in the fall. As a whole, Solich said, he was impressed with the local talent bed. Of the 22 recruits Mike Warren/DN NEBRASKA HEAD FOOTBALL Coach Frank Solich talks to the media about the NU recruit ing class of 1999. The Huskers signed 22 players, including 21 high school players. signed Wednesday, which includes junior col lege transfer Larry Henderson, seven hail from Nebraska. “We’ve been fortunate in that we’ve always had a tremendous base,” Solich said. “That was extremely helpful. I think it’s an excellent year for Nebraska players. It was easy to decide that every one of those guys were scholarship play ers.” Also aiding in the recruiting process, Solich said, was the Huskers’ football camp held in June. Solich said 15 of the recruits who signed attended NU’s camp last summer. “That’s been tremendously valuable,” Solich said. “You know what you’re getting. Please see SOLICH on 11 Experts praise well-rounded recruit class By Adam Klinker Senior staff writer With the 1998 season behind it and th< future in front of it following the national let ter of intent signing day, the Nebraska footbal team steps into 1999 with 22 solid recruitinj commitments. While the members of the class of 199' may be lacking in style, they more than mak up for it in substance, as regarded by recruit mg experts around the nation. “It’s a year a lot like Nebraska always has, Bobby Burton of the National Recruiting ] Adviser said. “They’ve done well; they’re 1 right where they should be.” 1 High on the list for the Comhuskers was ; finding an I-back, a task they undertook and i - fulfilled doubly with Josh Davis and Robin . 1 Miller. 1 ; Though Davis and Miller were not in Burton’s top five at the I-back position, : ) Burton said, NU has obtained two top athletes. ; ; “They’ve done it,” he said. “Did they ful- j - fill it with a top-five back? No. But they’ve still got two quality backs.” However, controversy is already trailing Davis, whose status as a scholarship athlete vas brought into question following his arrest ast week on a burglary charge. Also big for the Huskers were the commit nents of two quarterbacks, Carl Crawford and ammal Lord, both among the top option quar erbacks in the nation. “It’s important that Nebraska did that,” laid SuperPrep Magazine’s Allen Wallace. “If /ou can get two quality quarterbacks, that pves Nebraska an edge that their opponents Please see RECRUITS on 11