Springfield, Mo. – Evangel University football has announced their first high school recruits for the 2012 season. Each of the players will enter Evangel as freshmen next fall.
“Our staff has done an outstanding job of identifying student-athletes from around the country who can help us build our program back into an NAIA power, while also finding young men who can identify with the culture of a strong Christian school,” said head coach Brenton Illum.
“We have travelled to California, Texas, Florida, Oklahoma, Arkansas and throughout Southwest Missouri to build a base for recruiting that we will invest our time in for years to come. This staff, led by recruiting coordinator Kyle Williams, has worked tirelessly for months to watch literally thousands of prospects, make phone calls until we fall asleep each night, and compete for the opportunity to add these great young men to our football family.”
“The financial investment of our football alumni has allowed us to recruit much more thoroughly than ever before in the history of Evangel football,” added Illum. “I am so thankful for their belief in what we are doing and for their willingness to support our work.”
Among the players in the initial freshmen signing class are southwest Missouri products J.R. Looft from Hollister and Justin Breedlove out of Lebanon. Looft (6-5, 295) was a Class 2 All-State performer and was named All-Central Ozark Conference as an offensive lineman for Hollister. He is that program’s first ever college signee. Breedlove (OL, 6-4, 245) was an All-District pick twice for Lebanon. Another area signee is Buffalo High School product Derick Harris (6-2, 265), an All-Central Ozark Conference offensive lineman who is also among the state’s top wrestlers.
Casey Perry (5-11, 175) played on Fayetteville High School’s Class 7A Arkansas state championship last fall. The defensive back was an all-conference performer for the Bulldogs.
Two players from Naples, Florida that were on the Naples HS Class 6A state runner-up team are also among the signees. Cody Christner (6-3, 195) was an honorable mention All-State selection as a defensive end and linebacker and running back Steven Williams (5-7, 165) was limited by an ankle injury last season but rushed for 883 yards, 7 touchdowns and had 369 receiving yards as a junior.
Evangel has signed three offensive linemen from Texas. Michael Cheatham (6-4, 315) played for a 10-2 DeSoto High School team in Duncanville, Kaleb Littleton (6-3, 275), out of Iowa City, was an all-regional selection by area media, and Darron Shannon (6-4, 285) was an all-district pick twice in his career at Plano High School.
Also included is WR Sterling Fuggett (6-3, 190) out of Ryan HS in Hickory Creek, Texas who was part of a 12-1 team that advanced to the third round of the Texas 4A state playoffs.
Kherwyn Marshall (6-0, 275) had 25 tackles and two sacks as a defensive lineman for McKinley HS in Baton Rouge, Lou. Andrew Minter (5-7, 185) was an all-district running back at Stillwater, Oklahoma and topped 100 rushing yards four times last season in addition to a 99-yard game. Defensive back Antoine Palmer (5-11, 185) was an all-district football and track athlete at Alief Taylor HS in Houston, Texas.
Austen Brooner (6-1, 205) is a linebacker from Pryor, Oklahoma that set school records in career rushing yards, career tackles and was named MVP of Class 5A, District 4. Another pickup at linebacker is Brandon Spurling (6-0, 230) out of Lake Mary HS in Orlando, Fla. He served as a team captain was an all-conference selection.
Evangel also signed Acronis “Cephas” Mitchell (6-2, 240) out of Maynard-Evans HS in Orlando. Mitchell played under veteran head coach Chip Gierke who guided the Apopka HS program from 1978-94.
The latest batch of signees adds to five transfers committed to Evangel for next season. Evangel announced that group in January: http://www.evangel.edu/Athletics/News/item.asp?UID=810&Title=Football-Lands-Former-Hillcrest-QB-and-Missouri-State-Transfer-Mitch-Jenkins
“The message that we speak of in recruiting is clear: We are working to make Evangel Football the best football experience possible and we believe that when our student-athletes leave here with a degree, they will be able to look back and say without a doubt that they could not have become the men that they are if they had chosen any other school in the country,” said Illum.
Evangel will announce additional signees as information becomes available. Illum expects to add up to 25 scholarship-level players to the 2012 recruiting class.
