MOSCOW, Idaho - Nick Holt deemed the University of Idaho's 2006 football recruits the "best yet" as the group was unveiled Wednesday, the first day high school players can sign National Letters of Intent.
And, said Holt as he embarks on his third season as UI's head football coach, this should be the best class yet given the stability and commitment of his staff, the Vandals' membership in the Western Athletic Conference, and the facility enhancements that have taken place over the last two years at the Moscow campus.
"It was a good year," Holt said. "We addressed our needs. I'm really excited about this class."
As Holt has continued the rebuilding process at UI, the Vandals' stock has risen to the point where more and more recruiting battles are going their way.
"This was the first year we were beating legitimate schools on kids," he said. "This is the first year we had to turn guys away."
When Holt reflects on the class, he points to the signing of two high school quarterbacks and a stable of new talent at running back as highlights. Nebraska's Nathan Enderle (6-5, 210), who graduated from high school in January, already is in Moscow. He'll be joined this summer by Arizona's Jon Tobin (6-4, 210), another player to whom Holt points with pride.
"We needed some big-time quarterbacks," Holt said. "We were very fortunate to get two quality high school kids. Both kids committed early to us. Both kids were in our camps last summer. Both kids were highly recruited and both kids loved it here. They're big, strong-armed kids who can throw the ball downfield."
There is comfort in an offensive line returning intact and with redshirts and grayshirts to provide depth, Holt's staff signed only Tristan Turner (LaVerne, Calif.) as an offensive lineman. The defensive side of the ball, however, was hit hard by graduation. Immediate action was taken with the infusion of junior college transfers George Fa'avae (Torrance, Calif.) and Jon Dominguez (Fresno, Calif.) at midyear. Three high schoolers, Jonah Sataraka (Puyallup, Wash.), Aaron Lavarias (Woodinville, Wash.) and Bryan Wilson (Milpitas, Calif.) comprise the incoming freshmen group.
Having Fa'avae and Dominguez on campus now is vital to UI's progress.
"Both of them are good gets for us," Holt said. "They'll play immediately. Then we signed three high school kids who I think, in time, will be good players for us. They have good motors. They're tough physical kids. They're exactly what we're looking for in terms of good football character. They're the type of guys I like to have around me."
With kicker Mike Barrow a senior, Holt went shopping early for a replacement and found Grady Harmon from Woodway High School at Edmonds, Wash. Harmon committed early to the Vandals and is just what Holt wanted.
"He has great numbers and great accolades," Holt said. "He has loads of talent. Hopefully, he can adjust to the college game quickly."
Harmon also punts and Holt is hoping competition for that role with sophomore-to-be T.J. Conley is in the making.
The hopefuls at running back come mostly from the incoming freshmen group but one JC transfer, Brian Flowers, a JC All-American from California's El Camino Junior College, could be ready to step into the fray immediately.
"Both of our first years we didn't get through the season with our starting running back," Holt said. "We had to get some depth there. We had to go out and get us some kids who can score some touchdowns. We did a marvelous job addressing that need."
High schoolers Andre Harris (Woodland Hills, Calif.), Raymond Fry (Everett, Wash.), Princeton McCarty (Bakersfield, Calif.) and Terrance McCoy (Oakland, Calif.) are players Vandal fans might see out of the backfield in the near future.
Grayshirt Adam Shamion is tabbed as a possibility at linebacker along with incoming freshmen Paul Senescall (Spokane, Wash.) and Steven Cameron (Gardena, Calif.). Holt is similarly impressed with the cornerbacks who've chosen to come to Idaho. Expected to eventually contend in the secondary are General Parnell (San Bernardino, Calif.), Shiloh Keo (Everett, Wash.) and Adam Anderson (Chattaroy, Wash.).
JC transfer Stanley Franks initially was mentioned with that group but with D.J. Smith's early declaration for the NFL draft, Franks has returned to his natural position at receiver, a move Holt likes.
"He's going to be a good find there," Holt said.
Complete list follows
Junior college
Brian Flowers
Running back, 5-9, 190
El Camino Junior College, Inglewood High School, Inglewood, Calif.
Two-year starter at El Camino, set rushing records for a single-season and career, single-season record of 1,618 yards on 241 carries in 12 games in 2005, had 2,341 career yards to break record set in 1969, in 2005, averaged 6.5 yards per carry and 129 yards per game, rushed for 19 touchdowns, also caught 15 passes for 78 yards and two TDs in El Camino's 11-1 season (Mission Conference champion and state semifinalist) , state JC Offensive Player of the Year , Mission Conference Most Valuable Player , first-team JUCO All-American , first-team JC Gridwire All-American ... El Camino MVP ... Offensive Helmet Award ... at Inglewood High School rushed for 1,059 yards (eight TDs) as a senior, 1,131 yards (eight TDs) as a junior and 789 yards (nine TDs) as a sophomore ... had 78 tackles and five interceptions as a senior, 58 tackles and seven interceptions as a junior, and 45 tackles and one interception (returned for a TD) as a sophomore ... Bay League second-team cornerback and running back as a senior ... Inglewood Offensive MVP ... Honor roll ... Who's Who Among American High School Students Sports Edition
Said coach John Featherstone: “Brian's not real tall but he's very physical and athletic. He has very strong legs and a very strong upper body. He has great feet and great vision. And he's tough. He was a pretty electrifying player for us.”
High School
Adam Anderson
Safety, 5-10?˝ , 200
Riverside High School, Chattaroy, Wash.
Anderson is a three-year letterman , played on both sides of the ball as well as returned kicks and punts , earned all-Great Northern League recognition at running back and return specialist , also second-team all-state returner , had 784 yards rushing as a junior and 1,024 as a senior , had 13 career TDs , also had 286 yards receiving , also plays baseball and basketball, and ran track.
Said coach Allen Martin: “He has an innate ability to make people miss, he just has that gift, He leads by example. On the field, he's one of the hardest workers, He's just an all-around good athlete.”
Steven Cameron
Linebacker, 6-1, 220
Gardena High School, Gardena, Calif.
Had 101 tackles and six sacks , earned first-team all-league three times, all-Los Angeles twice and all-area twice ... twice was the most outstanding linebacker and three times was the “hardest hitter” ... competes in track in shot put and 100 meters.
Said coach Marshall Jones: “He's an explosive playmaker, very fast. He makes big tackles. He's a very exciting defensive player, He is a solid defensive player. He will continue to do what he did here and that is make big plays. The speed he has will create havoc on an offense. He is very personable, and fun to be around. I think he will fit in well. I wish he was coming back. The community is very proud of what he has accomplished, earning a scholarship.”
Raymond Fry
Running back, 5-8, 170
Mariner High School, Everett, Wash.
Fry carried the ball 174 times for 1,660 yards (an average of 9.5 yards per carry) and 31 touchdowns during an honor-laden senior season , 12 of his TD runs were for 50 or more yards , was chosen all-WESCO at running back, defensive back and kick returner , also was an all-area choice at running back by the Everett Herald , was a Seattle Times all-star at running back in addition to being chosen to the all-state teams of the Seattle Times and Associated Press , averaged 31 yards per kick return and twice ran kicks back for TDs , also returned one punt for a score , chosen to play in the East-West all-star game , three-year letterwinner and two-year starter at Mariner High , team captain .
Said coach Jon Ondriezek: “He's a top-notch individual , He's one of the finest kids I've had an opportunity to work with , He's a goal-setter and he works very hard to accomplish his goals , (as a running back) He has a tremendous ability to change directions explosively.”
Grady Harmon
K, 5-11, 193
Woodway High School, Edmonds, Wash.
Played receiver, running back and outside linebacker as well as serving as Woodway's kicker , coming to UI as kicker , one of the top five kickers in the nation by ESPN ... all-region choice by PrepStar magazine ... Everett Herald all-area ... Washington Preps 4A all-state first-team kicker ... Western Conference first-team kicker ... SI/Reebok preseason All-America team ...Seattle Times preseason all-state team ... Prokicker NW distance holder (56 yards) ... As a junior, Associated Press all-state, Western Conference first-team kicker and punter, Seattle Times all-area kicker, Everett Herald all-area kicker and punter, Washington Preps second-team kicker and honorable mention punter, ProKicker.com Talent Search Top 50, Professional Kicking Services Junior All-American and Kickit NW Kick Competition accuracy champion and distance co-champion ... also played U14, U15 and U16 soccer ... high school soccer letterman
Said coach John Gradwohl: “He's a great athlete. He's a former soccer player so he has great feet, which allows him to be a good football player, He's really put in the time in the off-season by going to camps to get better. He has a great work ethic.”
Andre Harris
Running back, 6-0, 217
William Howard Taft High School, Woodland Hills, Calif.
As a senior, rushed for 932 yards and 19 TDs , as a junior at Palisades Charter High School, he carried the ball 103 times for 638 yards and three TDs , averaged 6.73 yards per carry , on defense as a junior, had 10 tackles and returned an interception 99 yards for a TD ... ESPN Top 50 ... PrepStar Dream Team Top 100 ... Max Emfinger Super Seven TB ... Max Emfinger/USA Today Top 125 ... Rivals Top 20 all-purpose back
Said UI coach Nick Holt: “Andre has loads of potential. He's a big back. He runs real well and he can catch the ball out of the backfield. He's physical. I think he can play early for us. He could eventually be a pretty special player for us.”
Shiloh Keo (KAY oh)
Cornerback, 5-10, 175
Archbishop Murphy High School, Everett, Wash.
Keo was the Cascade Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a senior , also all-state choice at defensive back and all-conference running back , was an all-league selection at defensive back as a junior as well , team's Most Inspirational Award winner , team captain , in two years at Archbishop Murphy he rushed for 2,946 yards on 259 carries , scored 37 TDs and threw for 184 yards on option passes , also returns kicks and punts , plays baseball.
Said coach Tony Ennis: “He was voted by his teammates as someone who is an emotional leader. I think that's what describes him best, His athletic talents would be quickness, aggressiveness, and mentally he has a lot of football savvy. He is a fierce competitor, He has all the attributes of a good football player.”
Aaron Lavarias (LAH-var-ious)
Defensive end, 6-3, 235
Woodinville High School, Woodinville, Wash.
Lavarias was a two-year starter at offensive tackle and defensive tackle/end , had 43.5 total tackles in 2005 and 3.5 sacks as well as two fumble recoveries and four forced fumbles , as a junior, had 37.5 tackles and 3.5 sacks in addition to three forced fumbles ... PrepStar all-region
Said coach Wayne Maxwell: “He has a motor that never quits. He is the type of kid that when we needed to rest him, he was fighting to get back onto the field. He loves the game. He plays it with a lot of passion.”
Princeton McCarty
Athlete, 5-8, 165
West High School, Bakersfield, Calif.
McCarty was the Southwest Yosemite League Offensive Most Valuable Player as a senior , also first-team all-county and second-team all-state , two-year starter , was area Special Teams Player of the Year as a junior , played running back and corner back , as a senior, carried the ball 126 times for 1,301 yards and 18 TDs , longest TD run was 94 yards , returned three kicks and two punts for TDs , also had 124 yards receiving , defensively as a senior had one interception and 34 tackles , as a junior, rushed for 400 yards and two TDs in a shared position , returned two kicks for TDs and had two interceptions , had fastest pro agility run (3.69) at Nike Combo where he also was timed in 4.32 in the 40 , team was 12-1 and Central Section Champion senior season and 9-4 during junior year.
Said coach Rich Comford: “He was one of the fastest kids in the nation last year , He's very athletic , He's really fun to be around; really energetic and outgoing , He's a really strong, well put together kid.”
Terrance McCoy
Athlete, 5-7, 160
McClymonds High School, Oakland, Calif.
Earned first-team all-Oakland Athletic League, first-team all-city and first-team all-metro after rushing for 1,003 yards and 14 TDs , team captain
Said coach Alonzo Carter: “He's a great kid. He's the fastest guy on the team. He sacrificed a lot of individual success for the team. He is a big playmaker, a real home-run hitter. He is a great compliment back, an inside guy. Most fast guys only run sweeps, he runs hard inside. He is a tough kid. He is a football player that runs track, not a track runner who plays football, He has a lot of energy. He will play a lot of special teams. He is not a selfish kid and will be a great addition to the team. He really brings the team concept to the table. He is a speed guy that's tough.”
General Parnell
Cornerback, 5-9, 175
Cajon High School, San Bernardino, Calif.
Three-year starter , All-California Interscholastic Federation first-team running back as a senior , also all-San Bernardino County and team captain , averaged 7.6 yards per carry in gaining 764 yards rushing and accounting for 11 rushing TDs , also caught 10 passes for 128 yards and two TDs , at defensive back, had 57 tackles and three interceptions , scored twice on interception returns , all San Andreas League in track as a junior ... Who's Who Among High School Students ... academic achievement award winner ... American Legion California Boys State 2005
Said coach Rich Imbriani: “He's a very good kid , He has very good instincts , He has great feet and he's willing to learn , He'll play up to the level of competition.”
Jonah Sataraka (SAT-a-rack-a)
Defensive end, 6-2, 243
Gov. John Rogers High School, Puyallup, Wash.
Sataraka earned first-team South Puget Sound League honors as an offensive lineman and second team honors as a defensive lineman as a senior , as a junior, was second team all-SPSL on offense and defense , all-state nominee , had 25 solo tackles, 34 assists, seven tackles-for-loss and 1?˝ quarterback sacks , three-year starter , team captain ... Ram Tough award ... 2004 Defensive Lineman of the Year at Rogers ... 2005 Tough Award at Rogers ... 2005 Rogers' Inspirational Award winner ... PrepStar all-region, which also lists him as “one of the top 25 overall prospects in Washington.” ... also wrestles and competes in the throws for the track team
Said coach Gene Bowen: “The one thing that I think is going to take him a long way is nobody works harder. He flat out has a great work ethic, He is one of the best competitors I've coached, He runs things down from behind. He goes until the play isn't there anymore, He's a great one to be around, He's what every coach wants.”
Paul Senescall
Linebacker, 6-1, 215
Mead High School, Spokane, Wash.
Senescall was an all-state linebacker by the Seattle Times, Tacoma News Tribune, Associated Press and Washington Preps ... 4A Defensive Player of the Year ... Athlete of the Week by the Seattle Times ... team captain as a junior and senior ... Rock of the Year 2005 ... Mead High School MVP 2005 ... Mead career leader in tackles (303) ... as a senior, had 106 tackles, 15 tackles-for-loss and seven sacks ... had 181 career solo tackles and 33 career tackles-for-loss ... PrepStar All-American ... nominated to play in Washington high school East-West game ... one of 10 nominees for Junior Male Athlete at the Youth Awards by the Spokane Regional Sports Commission ... district and regional wrestling champion ... Rocky Mountain Classic wresting champion ... first-team all-conference wrestler ... 2005 state wrestling qualifier ... 2002 third in state in Greco wrestling
Said coach Sean Carty: “What strikes me about him is his heart and determination, which is pretty cliché for all the guys at this level ... He's a guy who you have to have on your team to be successful. He works very hard. He hates to lose. He sells out; throws his body around to make plays.”
Jon Tobin
Quarterback, 6-4, 210
Cactus High School, Glendale, Ariz.
Tobin was a two-year starter and four-year letterman at Cactus , Cactus was 14-0 his senior season to win a state title and 26-2 during his two years as starting quarterback , first-team all-state and first-team Wells Fargo Conference for two years , ran no-huddle offense , as a senior, completed 165 of 269 passes for 2,217 yards and 19 TDs , during career, completed 284 of 558 passes for 4,016 yards and 32 TDs , also rushed 194 times for 485 yards and 17 TDs and caught two passes for 53 yards and one TD ... PrepStar all-region
Said coach Larry Fetkenhier: “We have a great tradition of quarterbacks here. He grew up with it, He is very motivated. He works extremely hard, He's an excellent leader , He really improved this year in running the offense and working within the system. He was 8-of-11 with no turnovers in the state championship game. The way I worded it was, he pitched a hell of a game. He really controlled it.”
Tristan Turner
Offensive line, 6-4, 280
Damien High School, LaVerne, Calif.
Turner was a second-team all-Sierra League choice , first-team all-area by the San Gabriel Valley Tribune and the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin , three-year starter at left offensive tackle , as a senior, also played significant time at defensive tackle , during sophomore year, team never failed to convert a quarterback sneak , throughout his career, team averaged 4.5 yards per rush.
Said coach Scott Morrison: “He trains extremely hard. He's very intelligent. He's classroom-smart but he's also a very intelligent football player. By his junior year, he was able to help his teammates with their assignments, It was nice to know you could run the ball behind this guy and get quality yardage , He's a fierce competitor; intense, hard-working guy, and a great teammate. He's not in there for the personal accolades. He truly exemplifies team success.”
Bryan Wilson
Defensive line, 6-3, 280
Milpitas High School, Milpitas, Calif.
Wilson played just one year of football as a tight end and defensive lineman , 17 years old , a standout basketball player.
Said coach Kelly King, also a long-time family friend, who convinced Wilson to play football as a senior: “He's a big, athletic guy. He had a great experience (playing football). He really started to enjoy it, UI got a great kid, He knows what he wants. He's very conscientious. We have three kids in the NFL right now. With his pad level and his power, he has the potential to do that.”
