The Wyoming Cowboys opened 2010 spring drills with a two and one half hour practice Saturday morning. The practice was the first of two non-contact practices to begin the spring.
UW head coach Dave Christensen was excited to have his team back on the practice field, and was pleased with what he saw from his second Cowboy squad.
“We had a good practice today," said Christensen. “We’re a faster football team, and I had been looking forward to seeing that speed in practice for the first time. I thought we practiced with a good tempo. With this being our second year, I believe our players understand what we expect in practice but we still have to continue to work on our practice habits as we begin spring. I know that we are much further ahead having a year behind us. I was very encouraged by what I saw today, and I believe the kids were excited to get out here and get going.”
A return to fundamentals was the focus on Saturday, as it will be throughout the 15 spring practices.
“We will be doing a lot of fundamental work throughout spring -- going through the install of our playbook, doing a lot of individual work, group work and teaching,” said Christensen. “A lot of that fundamental work will be teaching technique, footwork, alignments, position assignments, those types of things. Then when we get through these first two practices, we can start working on the physical part of the game and the offensive and defensive team work.”
The biggest change this year will be Wyoming’s switch to a 4-3 base defense from a 3-4 the previous three seasons. The goal of the switch is to increase the speed on the defensive side of the ball for the Pokes, and was made possible by the existing personnel on the Cowboy roster.
“We had some guys who were bigger linebackers, and we’ve put some more size on them and moved them down on the defensive line. Gabe Knapton is about 250 pounds now. Josh Biezuns is 245, and Ben Durbin is 250. Moving those guys down will give us good speed up front. We will probably try to platoon more up front next year and play seven or eight guys at the four defensive line positions. But I think our speed and athleticism up front will be very good, and we’ll get the experience as time goes on. Next Thursday, we’ll put our pads on for the first time and get a better look at how it works.”
Also adding speed to that defense is made possible by some young linebackers on the outside like Ghaali Muhammad and Devyn Harris, as well as veteran middle linebacker Brian Hendricks. Harris intercepted a pass on the first day of practice during one-on-one passing drills.
Saturday’s practice consisted of 17 periods, which lasted from two to 20 minutes each. Five of those periods focused on fundamentals, five group periods and three team periods.
The final group period of the day featured seven on seven passing drills for 20 minutes, with the Cowboy backs and receivers pitted against the linebackers and defensive backs. During that 20-minute period, sophomore quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels completed 16 of 19 pass attempts (84.2 percent). The leading receivers were seniors Travis Burkhalter, with five catches, and David Leonard, with four. Redshirt freshman wide receiver Rodney Jaynes had three receptions, while senior Zach Bolger and junior-college transfer Mazi Ogbonna had two each. One of Ogbonna’s catches was a tough juggling catch across the middle.
The defense also had its moments during the seven-on-seven passing drill. Junior free safety Eric Mitchell intercepted a deep pass down the sideline. Sophomore strong safety Luke Ruff forced a fumble, and linebackers Jeff Roueche, Reece Hall and Muhammad each had one pass breakup apiece.
When asked what the New Mexico Bowl victory last December meant to his team as they began preparations for a new season, Christensen said it gave the players a better understanding of what was out there for them and what they could achieve.
"It’s going to take a lot of hard work to get back to that position, but I think getting a taste of a bowl game got these young men excited about working hard in the offseason," he said. "They have put in that hard work during the five weeks of our player development program, and have made great strides.”
The Cowboys began spring practice 18 days earlier this season, having begun 2009 spring drills on March 24. Christensen had a couple of reasons for moving up the schedule.
“First, I like to use as much time during spring as we are allowed,” said Christensen. “I think it helps if you have someone injured. We’ll have three practices and then 10 days off for spring break, so anyone who may get bumped or bruised early can have time to heal. We also have spread our practices out so that we’re not practicing on back-to-back days. I think our players keep fresher that way and are less likely to be injured due to fatigue.
“Second, it allows us a lot of teaching and meeting time in between practices by starting earlier and spreading out our practices over a longer period.”
Where does the second-year head coach see his football team compared to a year ago?
“I believe we’re a much-better conditioned football team, a much more physical football team with better speed,” said Christensen. “We still have a lot of work to do to develop into a good football team, but I like the direction we’re going.”
T-shirts worn by the coaching staff with the team’s motto for this season were also evident on Saturday.
“Our seniors decided that our team slogan for this year would be Bring the Wood. That is something I let the senior class decide each year. A year ago it was Break the Rock.”
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Monday, March 1, 2010
Cowboys sign Florida linebacker
University of Wyoming head football coach Dave Christensen announced the 24th member of his 2010 football recruiting class on Monday, with the signing of linebacker Ruben Narcisse of Miami, Fla., to a national letter of intent. Narcisse played his high school football at Chaminade-Madonna Prep in Hollywood, Fla.
Narcisse earned First Team All-State Class 2B honors in 2009 as selected by the Florida prep sportswriters. He also was a First Team All-Broward County selection. He was credited with 88 total tackles, 10 sacks, five fumble recoveries, three blocked punts, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and scored two touchdowns from his linebacker position. Of his 10 sacks, six came during the state playoffs.
As a team captain his senior year, Narcisse helped lead his Chaminade-Madonna Lions to a 12-1 overall record and a 7-0 conference mark as they won their Class 2B District Championship and advanced to the State Semifinals. In the state playoffs, Chaminade-Madonna posted a dominating 35-0 win over three-time defending state champion Pahokee in the Regional Semifinals. The Lions then recorded a convincing 35-18 win over North Broward Prep in the Regional Finals before losing, 7-6, to Tampa Catholic in the State Semifinals. Tampa Catholic finished as the state runner-up to Bolles High School of Jacksonville. Narcisse played for head coach Tim Tyrrell at Chaminade-Madonna Prep.
Narcisse is the oldest of two children of Daniella and Lyonel Narcisse. He was also recruited by South Florida, Toledo, Virginia and West Virginia. He originally committed to South Florida prior to USF changing coaching staffs leading up to national signing day.
Narcisse joins 17 other high school signees and six junior college transfers in Wyoming's 2010 recruiting class. The national letter of intent signing period for football ends on April 1.
Narcisse earned First Team All-State Class 2B honors in 2009 as selected by the Florida prep sportswriters. He also was a First Team All-Broward County selection. He was credited with 88 total tackles, 10 sacks, five fumble recoveries, three blocked punts, two interceptions, two forced fumbles and scored two touchdowns from his linebacker position. Of his 10 sacks, six came during the state playoffs.
As a team captain his senior year, Narcisse helped lead his Chaminade-Madonna Lions to a 12-1 overall record and a 7-0 conference mark as they won their Class 2B District Championship and advanced to the State Semifinals. In the state playoffs, Chaminade-Madonna posted a dominating 35-0 win over three-time defending state champion Pahokee in the Regional Semifinals. The Lions then recorded a convincing 35-18 win over North Broward Prep in the Regional Finals before losing, 7-6, to Tampa Catholic in the State Semifinals. Tampa Catholic finished as the state runner-up to Bolles High School of Jacksonville. Narcisse played for head coach Tim Tyrrell at Chaminade-Madonna Prep.
Narcisse is the oldest of two children of Daniella and Lyonel Narcisse. He was also recruited by South Florida, Toledo, Virginia and West Virginia. He originally committed to South Florida prior to USF changing coaching staffs leading up to national signing day.
Narcisse joins 17 other high school signees and six junior college transfers in Wyoming's 2010 recruiting class. The national letter of intent signing period for football ends on April 1.
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Christensen pleased with recruits
Richard Anders
on photo/Wyoming coach Dave Christensen talks to the media and Cowboy fans Wednesday as he introduces his 2010 recruiting class.
2010 Recruiting Bios
By UW Media Relations
The 2010 Wyoming recruiting class reflects a national recruiting base and features an international flavor.
"As a staff, we've gone wherever we've needed to, to find the best players available," Wyoming head coach Dave Christensen said Wednesday in announcing his new class."This class reflects our national, and you could even say international, recruiting as we signed young men from 13 states and three foreign countries.
"We focused on improving the athleticism and speed of our team with the addition of our second class, and I believe we accomplished that."
Included in the class of 23 student-athletes are Nehemie Kankolongo from Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada; Oliver Schober from Munich, Germany; and Kurt Taufa'asau from Pago Pago, American Samoa. Kankolongo rode a bus last summer all the way from British Columbia to Laramie to attend summer football camp. He also had a tie to Wyoming as former Cowboy defensive lineman Corey Mace, who went on to play for the Buffalo Bills of the NFL, is a family friend. Schober was noticed playing in Munich, Germany, by a former player of Christensen, and Taufa'asau first made his way from Pago Pago, American Samoa, to the mainland by playing two years at New Mexico Military (Community College) before being recruited by a fellow Polynesian -- Wyoming assistant coach Mike Fanoga.
This year's Wyoming class consists of 17 high school recruits and six junior college transfers. The positions of offensive line, defensive line and wide receiver received the largest influx of players, with five offensive linemen, five defensive linemen and four wide receivers being added to the Cowboy roster. A total of 13 offensive players, nine defensive players and one recruit listed as an "athlete" were added in this year's class of recruits.
While Christensen emphasized that he wants to sign a balanced class each year in terms of recruiting players at all positions, he did acknowledge that there were some specific needs that the Cowboy coaching staff addressed this offseason.
"We always want to maintain a balance in all of our recruiting classes," said Christensen. "But we obviously wanted to improve our depth at wide receiver, offensive line and defensive line, and we feel very good about the players we've added in those areas."
The wide receiver position not only added four new faces, but added two experienced receivers in junior college teammates DeJay Lester and Mazi Ogbonna from Snow College in Utah. Of the five defensive linemen, two of those additions were also experienced junior college players in Taufa'asau and his junior college teammate B.J. Sumter. One of the five offensive line additions, Nick Puetz, brings two years of junior college experience with him from Coffeyville Community College in Kansas.
A year ago, Christensen brought in a class that made immediate contributions led by Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels. Christensen believes this year's class has that same potential to make an immediate impact in 2010.
"We had 12 true freshmen from our first recruiting class make significant contributions last year," said Christensen. "I wouldn't be surprised if several members of this year's class make big contributions to our team this coming season."
Carta-Samuels and senior Dax Crum are the only two quarterbacks returning for the Cowboys from last season, and so depth at quarterback was also addressed in this year's recruiting class. Three of UW's signees had outstanding high school careers as quarterbacks. Those three are Emory Miller Jr. from Mesquite, Texas; Sam Stratton from Littleton, Colo.; and Darrenn White from Kansas City, Mo. White is such a versatile player that he is listed simply as an "athlete" on the Wyoming recruiting list.
"We signed three young men in this class who are all exceptional athletes at the quarterback position," said Christensen. "I feel very good about what they bring to our team."
The individuals that make up this year's Wyoming recruiting class come to Wyoming with a number of impressive credentials including:
•Running back Evan Williams ranked as the No. 9 overall recruit in the state of Minnesota
by Rivals.com.
•Defensive lineman Riley Lange ranked as the No. 13 overall recruit in the state of Colorado by Rivals.com.
•All-purpose back Darrenn White ranked as the No. 19 overall recruit in the state of Missouri by Rivals.com.
•Offensive lineman Daniel Fleischman ranked as the No. 24 overall recruit in the state of Washington by SuperPrep/Scouts.com.
•Defensive lineman Sonny Puletasi ranked as the No. 34 overall recruit in the talent-rich state of Oklahoma by Rivals.com. He also earned First Team All-State honors from both the Oklahoma High School Coaches' Association and The Daily Oklahoman.
•Running back Nehemie Kankolongo led his Centennial High School team in Coquitlam, British Columbia to its first provincial championship since 1966.
•Wide receiver Drew Martinez of Green River was named to the Casper Star-Tribune Super 25 All-State team both his junior and senior seasons.
•Defensive lineman Tyler Strong was named First Team All-State Class 4A by The Denver Post.
•Cornerback Austin Daniels was a two-year starter at Mt. San Antonio Community College in California where he led his team to back-to-back appearances in the California State Community College Championship, finishing as the runner-up in 2008 and capturing the state title in 2009.
•Wyoming's other five junior college signees, like Daniels, all led their teams to postseason in 2009. DeJay Lester and Mazi Ogbonna helped lead Snow College to the Zions Bank Top of the Mountains Bowl Championship in Sandy, Utah. Nick Puetz and his Coffeyville Community College squad captured the North Star Bowl in Rochester, Minn., and B.J. Sumter and Kurt Taufa'asau led New Mexico Military to an appearance in the Central Bank Salt City Bowl in Hutchinson, Kan.
on photo/Wyoming coach Dave Christensen talks to the media and Cowboy fans Wednesday as he introduces his 2010 recruiting class.2010 Recruiting Bios
By UW Media Relations
The 2010 Wyoming recruiting class reflects a national recruiting base and features an international flavor.
"As a staff, we've gone wherever we've needed to, to find the best players available," Wyoming head coach Dave Christensen said Wednesday in announcing his new class."This class reflects our national, and you could even say international, recruiting as we signed young men from 13 states and three foreign countries.
"We focused on improving the athleticism and speed of our team with the addition of our second class, and I believe we accomplished that."
Included in the class of 23 student-athletes are Nehemie Kankolongo from Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada; Oliver Schober from Munich, Germany; and Kurt Taufa'asau from Pago Pago, American Samoa. Kankolongo rode a bus last summer all the way from British Columbia to Laramie to attend summer football camp. He also had a tie to Wyoming as former Cowboy defensive lineman Corey Mace, who went on to play for the Buffalo Bills of the NFL, is a family friend. Schober was noticed playing in Munich, Germany, by a former player of Christensen, and Taufa'asau first made his way from Pago Pago, American Samoa, to the mainland by playing two years at New Mexico Military (Community College) before being recruited by a fellow Polynesian -- Wyoming assistant coach Mike Fanoga.
This year's Wyoming class consists of 17 high school recruits and six junior college transfers. The positions of offensive line, defensive line and wide receiver received the largest influx of players, with five offensive linemen, five defensive linemen and four wide receivers being added to the Cowboy roster. A total of 13 offensive players, nine defensive players and one recruit listed as an "athlete" were added in this year's class of recruits.
While Christensen emphasized that he wants to sign a balanced class each year in terms of recruiting players at all positions, he did acknowledge that there were some specific needs that the Cowboy coaching staff addressed this offseason.
"We always want to maintain a balance in all of our recruiting classes," said Christensen. "But we obviously wanted to improve our depth at wide receiver, offensive line and defensive line, and we feel very good about the players we've added in those areas."
The wide receiver position not only added four new faces, but added two experienced receivers in junior college teammates DeJay Lester and Mazi Ogbonna from Snow College in Utah. Of the five defensive linemen, two of those additions were also experienced junior college players in Taufa'asau and his junior college teammate B.J. Sumter. One of the five offensive line additions, Nick Puetz, brings two years of junior college experience with him from Coffeyville Community College in Kansas.
A year ago, Christensen brought in a class that made immediate contributions led by Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels. Christensen believes this year's class has that same potential to make an immediate impact in 2010.
"We had 12 true freshmen from our first recruiting class make significant contributions last year," said Christensen. "I wouldn't be surprised if several members of this year's class make big contributions to our team this coming season."
Carta-Samuels and senior Dax Crum are the only two quarterbacks returning for the Cowboys from last season, and so depth at quarterback was also addressed in this year's recruiting class. Three of UW's signees had outstanding high school careers as quarterbacks. Those three are Emory Miller Jr. from Mesquite, Texas; Sam Stratton from Littleton, Colo.; and Darrenn White from Kansas City, Mo. White is such a versatile player that he is listed simply as an "athlete" on the Wyoming recruiting list.
"We signed three young men in this class who are all exceptional athletes at the quarterback position," said Christensen. "I feel very good about what they bring to our team."
The individuals that make up this year's Wyoming recruiting class come to Wyoming with a number of impressive credentials including:
•Running back Evan Williams ranked as the No. 9 overall recruit in the state of Minnesota
by Rivals.com.
•Defensive lineman Riley Lange ranked as the No. 13 overall recruit in the state of Colorado by Rivals.com.
•All-purpose back Darrenn White ranked as the No. 19 overall recruit in the state of Missouri by Rivals.com.
•Offensive lineman Daniel Fleischman ranked as the No. 24 overall recruit in the state of Washington by SuperPrep/Scouts.com.
•Defensive lineman Sonny Puletasi ranked as the No. 34 overall recruit in the talent-rich state of Oklahoma by Rivals.com. He also earned First Team All-State honors from both the Oklahoma High School Coaches' Association and The Daily Oklahoman.
•Running back Nehemie Kankolongo led his Centennial High School team in Coquitlam, British Columbia to its first provincial championship since 1966.
•Wide receiver Drew Martinez of Green River was named to the Casper Star-Tribune Super 25 All-State team both his junior and senior seasons.
•Defensive lineman Tyler Strong was named First Team All-State Class 4A by The Denver Post.
•Cornerback Austin Daniels was a two-year starter at Mt. San Antonio Community College in California where he led his team to back-to-back appearances in the California State Community College Championship, finishing as the runner-up in 2008 and capturing the state title in 2009.
•Wyoming's other five junior college signees, like Daniels, all led their teams to postseason in 2009. DeJay Lester and Mazi Ogbonna helped lead Snow College to the Zions Bank Top of the Mountains Bowl Championship in Sandy, Utah. Nick Puetz and his Coffeyville Community College squad captured the North Star Bowl in Rochester, Minn., and B.J. Sumter and Kurt Taufa'asau led New Mexico Military to an appearance in the Central Bank Salt City Bowl in Hutchinson, Kan.
2010 UW Football Signee Bios
High School Players
Travis Bogard OL 6-4 275 Fr. Kenmore, Wash. (Inglemoor)
Bogard earned First Team All-KingCo Conference honors as both an offensive center and defensive lineman his senior season at Inglemoor High School in Kenmore, Wash. Inglemoor posted a 5-4 record in 2009. In addition to being a standout two-way football player, he is also one of the top wrestlers in the state of Washington, being ranked No. 3 in the state in all classifications at the 285-pound division. His junior year of high school, he won the Washington Greco-Roman State Wrestling Championship, and placed second in state in Freestyle. Bogard was a National Team qualifier in wrestling in both 2008 and 2009. He played for head football coach Frank Naish.
One of three children of Christy and Mitch Bogard was also recruited by Oregon State and Washington. His grandfather, James Bogard, played football at Oklahoma.
Justin DiRe OL 6-6 270 Fr. Carlsbad, Calif. (La Costa Canyon)
Pronunciation: dur-RAY
DiRe was selected First Team All-Avocado League as an offensive tackle by the North County Times his senior season. The San Diego Union-Tribune named him to its fall All-Academic Team both his junior and senior seasons. He played in a very successful Southern California football program at La Costa Canyon High School in Carlsbad, Calif. DiRe helped La Costa win back-to-back Avocado League titles in 2008 and 2009. His junior season, La Costa posted an 11-2 record and advanced to the CIF Finals. His senior season, DiRe's team posted an 11-1 record, and reached the CIF Semifinals. He was voted a team captain his senior season. He played for head coach Darrin Brown at La Costa Canyon.
The son of Kim Sandefur and Dan DiRe, he was also recruited by Colorado State and San Diego State.
Daniel Fleischman OL 6-6 290 Fr. Issaquah, Wash. (Issaquah)
Fleischman was an outstanding offensive and defensive lineman at Issaquah High School. He earned All-Region and All-Conference honors his senior season. He was ranked as the No. 24 best player in the state of Washington by SuperPrep/Scouts.com. Fleischman was also an All-Conference selection his junior season as both an offensive and defensive lineman. He helped lead Issaquah High to an 8-4 record in 2009 as his team reached the quarterfinals of the state playoffs and placed seventh in the state. His junior season, Issaquah posted an 11-3 record and earned a spot in the state championship game before finishing as the state runner-up. Fleischman recorded 23.5 tackles, including 3.5 sacks and 3.0 tackles for losses as a senior. His junior season, he was credited with 19.5 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 5.0 tackles for losses. As a sophomore, he recorded 12 tackles, 1.0 sack and 4.0 TFLs. His team elected him a team captain as a senior. He also earned Academic All-State honors his junior year. Fleischman played for head coach Chris Bennett.
Fleischman is the middle of three children of Joanne and Eric Fleischman. Other schools that recruited him included Air Force, Arizona, BYU, Hawaii, Idaho, Washington and Washington State.
Skyler Hinton OL 6-4 305 Fr. Columbia, Mo. (Rock Bridge)
Hinton earned All-State, All-Area and All-District honors as an offensive lineman his senior season at Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, Mo. Hinton was named Second Team All-State Class 6, the largest classification in Missouri, by the Missouri High School Coaches' Association. He was a three-year letterwinner in football and a one-time letterman in basketball at Rock Bridge. He graduated early from high school and enrolled at the University of Wyoming in January of 2010. Hinton was elected a team captain his senior season. Rock Bridge posted a 5-5 record and placed third in districts in 2009. Hinton was active in Big Brothers, Big Sisters in high school. He was a Senior Mentor Core Leader, and was involved in Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He played for head football coach A.J. Ofodile.
One of three children of Elaine and Michael Hinton, his mother played both basketball and softball at the University of Nebraska-Omaha where she played on UNO's National Championship Softball Team in 1975, and was inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991. His father is a basketball official and baseball umpire. Hinton was also recruited by Northern Illinois, Syracuse and Vanderbilt.
Marqueston Huff DB 6-0 180 Fr. Texarkana, Texas (Liberty-Eylau)
Huff was named All-Northeast Texas and All-District his senior season at Liberty-Eylau High School in Texarkana, Texas. He also achieved All-District honors as a junior, and was named All-State in track and field as a sprinter and high jumper his junior season. Huff intercepted three passes, was credited with 85 tackles, forced three fumbles, recovered one fumble and blocked one punt his senior season. His junior year, he intercepted two passes, made 53 tackles, forced one fumble and blocked two field goals. He was voted a team captain in football both his junior and senior seasons. He played for head coach Pat Brady.
His aunt and uncle are Rhonda and Richard Carson, he was also recruited by Baylor, Missouri and New Mexico.
Nehemie Kankolongo RB 5-11 200 Fr. Coquitlam, B.C. (Centennial)
Pronounced: NAMY (Rhymes with Amy), kank-uh-LONG-o
Kankolongo led Centennial High School of Coquitlam, B.C., to a Vancouver Provincial Championship his senior season, while being named the Best Back in the championship game. It marked the first provincial championship for Centennial since 1966. Kankolongo rushed for 219 yards and 4 touchdowns on 37 carries in the championship game. He was selected his team's Best Offensive Player for the season, leading his squad to a 10-1 record. Kankolongo rushed for over 1,900 yards and scored 25 touchdowns as a senior. His junior campaign, he helped lead Centennial High to a 7-3 record and the semifinals of the provincial championships while rushing for over 2,200 yards, scoring 30 TDs and earning team MVP honors. He was voted a team captain both his junior and senior seasons. He also rushed for over 700 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore and 400 yards and five TDs as a freshman. He played for head coach Kevin Phillips.
He is one of five children of Marie-Claire and Bukasa Kankolongo. He was also recruited by Idaho.
Riley Lange DL 6-3 245 Fr. Parker, Colo. (Ponderosa)
Pronunciation: LANG
Lange comes to Wyoming as the No. 13 ranked recruit in the state of Colorado by Rivals.com. He also earned Honorable Mention All-State Class 5A honors from The Denver Post in 2009. As a senior at Ponderosa High School in Parker, Colo., Lange recorded 135 tackles, including 15.0 sacks and 20.0 tackles for losses. On offense, he was the starting fullback, scoring six touchdowns. A team captain in 2009, he helped lead Ponderosa to a 6-4 record and the first round of the Class 5A state playoffs. As a junior, he was credited with 137 tackles, 9.0 sacks and 10.0 tackles for losses, while earning All-Conference honors as a linebacker. Lange has been invited to play for the South Squad in the Colorado High School Coaches' Association All-State Game the week of June 8-12 at the University of Northern Colorado campus in Greeley. He played for head coach Randy Huff.
One of three children of Diane and Steve Lange, he was also recruited by Colorado, Colorado State, Kansas State, Oregon State and TCU.
Drew Martinez WR 6-1 170 Fr. Green River, Wyo. (Green River)
Martinez remains in his home state of Wyoming to play for the Cowboys. He was named to the Casper Star-Tribune Super 25 All-State team for the second consecutive year in 2009. He accounted for 1,652 all-purpose yards and scored 25 touchdowns on offense, while intercepting eight passes on defense. Green River posted a 9-6 record in '09 and advanced to the first round of the state playoffs. Green River High built an 11-3 record in 2008 and reached the state championship game. In 2007, Green River was 7-7 and advanced to the semifinals of the state playoffs. As a junior, Martinez amassed 2,785 all-purpose yards, scored 27 touchdowns and intercepted four passes. His sophomore season, he earned All-Conference honors, accounting for 965 all-purpose yards, scoring 12 touchdowns and intercepting six passes. He was selected a team captain as a junior and senior in football. Martinez also lettered three years in basketball, two years in soccer and one year in track. He played for head football coach Darren Howard.
He is the youngest of two children of Laurie and Andrew Martinez. He was also recruited by Colorado State and UNLV.
Dylan McElveen DB 6-1 175 Fr. University Park, Ill. (Crete-Monee)
Pronunciation: Mac-ELL-veen (Rhymes with Mean)
McElveen was named an Honorable Mention All-State selection for all classifications by the Chicago Tribune as a defensive back his senior season at Crete-Monee High School in Crete, Ill. He helped lead his Crete-Monee Warriors to a 10-2 record and the quarterfinals of the Illinois 6A State Playoffs in 2009 (Class 6A is the third largest classification in Illinois). Crete-Monee captured the Southland Conference Championship with a perfect 5-0 conference mark, and entered the Illinois State Playoffs as the No. 3 seed in Class 6A, with a regular season record of 8-1. He was also an outstanding track and field athlete in high school. McElveen earned All-Conference honors in track and field both his sophomore and junior years of high school, and he was a regional qualifier both seasons. As a junior, McElveen was part of the 4 x 200-meter state championship relay team and the 4 x 100 relay squad that placed fourth in state. His twin brother, Adrian, played running back for Crete-Monee High. Both played for head football coach Jerry Verde.
McElveen and his twin brother, Adrian, are the youngest of five children of Cynthia and Leonard McElveen. Dylan McElveen was also recruited by Akron, Minnesota, Northern Illinois, UNLV and Western Michigan.
Emory Miller Jr. QB 5-11 195 Fr. Mesquite, Texas (Horn)
Miller received Second Team All-District 5A-11 honors his senior season at Mesquite Horn High School in Mesquite, Texas. He also earned All-District honors in football and basketball his junior season. As a senior, Miller completed 213 of 333 yards (64.0 percent) for 2,678 yards and threw 22 touchdown passes. He added 706 rushing yards and 11 rushing TDs for a total offense of 3,384 yards. His junior season, he completed 250 of 366 passes (68.3 percent) for 2,740 yards and 19 TDs, while adding 533 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns for 3,273 yards of total offense. He played for head coach Rodney Webb.
The son of Tammy and Emory Miller, he was also recruited by Air Force, Navy, TCU and Tulsa.
C.J. Morgan WR 5-10 175 Fr. Aurora, Colo. (Eaglecrest)
Morgan earned First Team All-City and Honorable Mention All-State Class 5A from The Denver Post in 2009. He was an extremely versatile performer for Eaglecrest High School in Aurora, Colo. Morgan had 24 receptions for 486 yards and seven receiving touchdowns, including a season long 89-yard TD reception. He also rushed for 597 yards on 63 carries and seven rushing TDs his senior season. As a team captain, he led Eaglecrest to the second round of the 2009 state playoffs, defeating Fort Collins High in the first round before losing to Regis High in the second round. His junior year, he was named First Team All-City as he caught 26 passes for 385 yards and four receiving touchdowns, while rushing 54 times for 482 yards and five TDs. Morgan also recorded 21 tackles, intercepted one pass and forced two fumbles as a junior. He was voted a team captain both his junior and senior seasons. He played for head coach Tom Doherty.
One of three children of Aimee and James Lyday, he was also recruited by Colorado.
Sonny Puletasi DL 6-3 220 Fr. Lawton, Okla. (Lawton)
Pronunciation: pool-uh-TOSS-ee
Puletasi achieved a number of honors his senior year playing for Lawton High School in Lawton, Okla. He was named to the Oklahoma Coaches' Association All-State team and is scheduled to play in the Oklahoma All-State game on July 30, 2010. He was selected to the First Team All-State Defensive Team by The Daily Oklahoman in '09, and was named the District 6A-1 Defensive Lineman of the Year. In the talent-rich state of Oklahoma, Puletasi was ranked No. 34 in the Rivals.com's rankings of all 2009 prospects coming out of the state of Oklahoma. A team captain, Puletasi led Lawton High to an 8-2 record and the quarterfinals of the state playoffs. He recorded 100 tackles, 12.0 sacks and blocked five punts his senior season. His junior season, Puletasi was credited with 45 tackles, 3.0 sacks and three interceptions. He achieved Honor Roll status all four years of high school He played for head coach Randy Breeze.
He is the eldest of four children of Fa'amasani Puletasi. Puletasi was also recruited by Kansas, Kansas State and Oklahoma State.
Oliver Schober LB 6-0 240 Fr. Munich, Germany (Feodor-Lynen)
Schober comes to Wyoming from Munich, Germany, where he learned to play the American game of football. His connection to the University of Wyoming coaching staff came through David Odenthal, a former college player of Wyoming head coach Dave Christensen. Odenthal played for Christensen at the University of Toledo, and coached in the league that Schober played. Schober played his amateur football for the Munich Cowboys and for National Team Germany.
Schober is the youngest of two sons of Elsa and Hans-Joerg Schober. His older brother, Daniel, played for the Cologne Centurions in NFL Europe.
Sam Stratton QB 5-11 195 Fr. Littleton, Colo. (Chatfield)
Stratton comes to the University of Wyoming from Chatfield High School in the Denver suburb of Littleton, Colo., where he was a four-year starter at quarterback. He earned Honorable Mention All-State Class 5A honors from The Denver Post as both a junior and senior. Stratton concluded his high school career as Chatfield's career leader in total offense with over 5,000 yards of total offense, including over 3,600 passing yards and nearly 2,000 rushing yards. He also accounted for 54 touchdowns in his career. Stratton's senior season was cut short in the sixth game of the regular season when he injured his right knee in a game versus Pomona. In the six games he played in '09, he had completed 58 of 89 passes (65.2 percent) for 650 yards and six passing touchdowns, while rushing for 550 yards and seven rushing TDs. An outstanding two-sport athlete in football and track and field, Stratton also holds the Chatfield school records in the 400 meters (48.4 seconds) and 200 meters (21.8 seconds). Stratton was named First Team All-State in track as a junior. He anchored Chatfield's 4 x 200-meter relay team to a Class 5A State Championship in the spring of 2009, and placed second individually in the 400-meter dash. Stratton qualified for and competed in the state track and field championships as a freshman, sophomore and junior. He played for head football coach Brett McGatlin.
The youngest of two sons of Sara and Mike Stratton, he was also recruited by Air Force, Arizona State, Colorado, Colorado State and Kansas State.
Tyler Strong DL 6-3 275 Fr. Longmont, Colo. (Niwot)
Strong was named First Team All-State Class 4A by The Denver Post his senior season at Niwot High School. His senior year, he made 90 tackles, including 5.0 sacks, and intercepted two passes as a linebacker. He also played some fullback on offense. His junior season, Strong was credited with 120 tackles and he intercepted two passes. He earned All-Conference and All-Area honors both his junior and senior seasons from the Longmont Times-Call and the Boulder Daily Camera. He was a four-year letterman in football at Niwot High School, and was voted a team captain as a senior. Strong will join his former high school teammate Jeff Roueche, who is a redshirt freshman linebacker on the Wyoming Football team. He played for head coach Ron Tesone.
The son of Diane and Ron Strong, he was also recruited by Colorado, Colorado State and Nebraska.
Darrenn White Athlete 6-0 175 Fr. Kansas City, Mo. (University Academy)
White comes to Wyoming as the No. 19 ranked recruit in the state of Missouri by Rivals.com. He played quarterback in high school, but is being recruited as an athlete by Wyoming and could play a number of positions in college. White was named First Team Class 1 All-State as an all-purpose back by the Carthage Press in Carthage, Mo., and was named Third Team Class 1 All-State as a quarterback by the Missouri Football Coaches' Association. His senior year of high school at Kansas City's University Academy saw him pass for 1,809 yards and 19 touchdowns and rush for 1,855 yards and 26 TDs for a total of 3,664 yards of total offense. He captained his University Academy team to a 7-3 record, his school's first district championship and the second round of the state playoffs in '09. White also achieved honor roll status his senior year of high school. He played for head coach Damon Paul.
One of five children of Leah Banks and Darrell White, he was also recruited by Duke, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.
Evan Williams RB 5-11 185 Fr. Minneapolis, Minn. (DeLaSalle)
Williams was ranked as the No. 9 overall recruit in the state of Minnesota by Rivals.com in 2009. He was named to the Minnesota All-State Second Team for all classifications by the Associated Press as a quarterback his senior season. He has been recruited as a running back by Wyoming. His senior season, Williams rushed for 2,301 yards, passed for 1,266 and accounted for a total of 41 touchdowns rushing and passing. As a team captain in 2009, he led DeLaSalle High School to an 11-1 record and the sectional semifinals of the state playoffs. His junior season, he rushed for 2,041 yards and accounted for 31 touchdowns, leading led DeLaSalle to a 13-1 record and a State Championship. He played for head coach Sean McMenomy.
The youngest of two children of Dana and Steve Williams, he was also recruited by Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota, UCLA and Wisconsin.
Junior-College Signees
Austin Daniels CB 5-10 175 Jr. Pasadena, Calif. (Mt. San Antonio CC, Calif.)
Daniels helped lead Mt. San Antonio Community College to a 13-1 record and the 2009 California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) State Championship, defeating Northern California Champion San Mateo by a score of 7-6. Daniels earned Second Team All-Conference honors in the Southern California Central Conference as a sophomore in '09. A two-year starter at cornerback, Daniels was part of Mt. SAC's back-to-back appearances in the CCCAA State Championship Game. In 2008, they lost to Northern California Champion Butte College by a score of 17-9. His sophomore season, Daniels ranked third on the Mounties squad with 55 total tackles. He had two interceptions (including one he returned 55 yards for a TD), 11 pass breakups, 2.0 tackles for losses and one fumble recovery. In the 2009 state championship game, Daniels recorded two tackles and one pass breakup. As a freshman in 2008, Daniels ranked sixth on the Mt. SAC team with 54 tackles, two interceptions (including one he returned 98 yards for a TD), eight pass breakups, 1.0 tackle for a loss and one forced fumble. He played for head coach Bob Jastrab at Mt. San Antonio. He played his high school football at Muir High School in Pasadena where he was a three-year letterman in football and a four-year letterwinner in track and field.
One of three children of Annette and Kenneth Daniels, he was also recruited by Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn and Iowa State.
DeJay Lester WR 6-2 195 Jr. Layton, Utah (Snow CC, Utah)
Lester enrolled at the University of Wyoming in January of 2010 after transferring from Snow Community College in Ephraim, Utah. He caught 27 passes for 456 yards during the 2009 season and scored two touchdowns. He also returned eight kickoffs for 195 yards, which was an average of 24.4 yards per return. Snow College finished 10-2 overall and 7-1 in the Western States Football League this past season. They earned a 41-37 victory over Grand Rapids Community College to capture the Zions Bank Top of the Mountains Bowl. They ended the season ranked No. 5 in the final NJCAA National Poll. Snow College ranked No. 16 in the nation in total offense, averaging 397.3 yards per game. Snow ranked No. 8 in the nation in passing offense, averaging 267.8 yards passing per game. He was coached by Steve Coburn while at Snow College. Lester played his high school football at Layton Christian in Layton, Utah.
He was also recruited by Middle Tennessee, Utah and Utah State.
Mazi Ogbonna WR 6-1 190 Jr. Westbury, N.Y. (Snow CC, Utah)
Pronunciation: MAH-zee, ahg-BON-uh
Ogbonna enrolled at the University of Wyoming in January 2010 after being named First Team All-Western States Football League (WSFL) as a wide receiver at Snow Community College in 2009. He was also selected Second Team All-WSFL as a return specialist. He caught 40 passes for 827 yards, averaged 20.7 yards per catch and scored 11 receiving touchdowns.. As a kick returner, he averaged 30.3 yards per return with 21 returns for 637 yards. He helped lead Snow College to a 10-2 overall record and a 7-1 mark in the WSFL. They earned a 41-37 victory over Grand Rapids Community College to take the Zions Bank Top of the Mountains Bowl Trophy. They ended the season ranked No. 5 in the final NJCAA National Poll. Snow College ranked No. 16 in the nation in total offense, averaging 397.3 yards per game. Snow ranked No. 8 in the nation in passing offense, averaging 267.8 yards passing per game. He was coached by Steve Coburn. Ogbonna played his high school football at Hicksville High School in Hicksville, N.Y.
He was also recruited by Rutgers, Utah and Utah State.
Nick Puetz OL 6-4 315 Jr. Salina, Kan. (Coffeyville CC, Kan.)
Pronunciation: PITTS
Puetz enrolled at the University of Wyoming in January 2010, coming from Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kan. He was a Second Team All-Jayhawk Conference selection in 2009 at Coffeyville Community College. He helped lead Coffeyville to a 7-4 overall record as Coffeyville concluded the season ranked No. 12 in the final NJCAA National Poll. The team also won the North Star Bowl over Rochester (Minn.) by a final score of 54-12. He earned the Wayne Hittle Memorial Award and the Pete Peltzer Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award at Coffeyville. As a freshman, he was selected Honorable Mention All-Jayhawk Conference along with earning Academic All-Conference honors. He was coached at Coffeyville by Darian Dulin. He played his high school football at Southeast of Saline High School.
His parents are Mary and Ken Puetz. He was also recruited by Houston.
B.J. Sumter DT 6-1 310 Jr. Columbia, S.C. (New Mexico Military)
Sumter helped lead New Mexico Military to a No. 20 ranking in the final NJCAA National Poll in 2009. He was credited with 45 tackles, 3.0 tackles for losses, 1.0 sack and one interception his sophomore season at New Mexico Military in 2009. New Mexico Military posted a 7-4 record in '09 and earned an appearance in the inaugural Central Bank Salt City Bowl where they lost 22-14 to Hutchinson Community College of Kansas. In the bowl game, Sumter was credited with five tackles, 1.0 sack and 1.5 tackles for losses. The New Mexico Military defense ranked No. 42 in the nation in total defense, allowing opponents 362 yards of total offense per game, and No. 20 in pass defense, giving up only 153.3 passing yards per game. In the weight room, Sumter broke the all-time combined three-lift record at New Mexico Military with a total combined lift of 1,215 pounds in the bench press, hang clean and squat. He played for head coach Jeff Lynn at New Mexico Military. Sumter played his high school football at Dutch Fork High School in Irmo, S.C.
The son of Rochelle and Bernard Sumter, he was also recruited by New Mexico State.
Kurt Taufa'asau DT 6-2 285 Jr. Pago Pago, American Samoa, (New Mexico Military)
Pronunciation: (Each syllable rhymes with the words OUT or OUCH.) tou-FOU-sou
Taufa'asau earned First Team All-Western States Football League (WSFL) as a defensive lineman in 2009. New Mexico Military posted a 7-4 record in '09 and earned an appearance in the inaugural Central Bank Salt City Bowl where they lost 22-14 to Hutchinson Community College of Kansas. In the bowl game, Taufa'asau was credited with four tackles. New Mexico Military concluded the 2009 season ranked No. 20 in the final NJCAA National Poll. The New Mexico Military defense ranked No. 42 in the nation in total defense, allowing opponents 362 yards of total offense per game, and No. 20 in pass defense, giving up only 153.3 passing yards per game. He played for head coach Jeff Lynn at New Mexico Military. Taufa'asau played his high school football at Samoana High School in Pago Pago, American Samoa.
The son of Tuilua'ai and Vincent Taufa'asau, he was also recruited by Troy University, Utah State and Western Kentucky.
Travis Bogard OL 6-4 275 Fr. Kenmore, Wash. (Inglemoor)
Bogard earned First Team All-KingCo Conference honors as both an offensive center and defensive lineman his senior season at Inglemoor High School in Kenmore, Wash. Inglemoor posted a 5-4 record in 2009. In addition to being a standout two-way football player, he is also one of the top wrestlers in the state of Washington, being ranked No. 3 in the state in all classifications at the 285-pound division. His junior year of high school, he won the Washington Greco-Roman State Wrestling Championship, and placed second in state in Freestyle. Bogard was a National Team qualifier in wrestling in both 2008 and 2009. He played for head football coach Frank Naish.
One of three children of Christy and Mitch Bogard was also recruited by Oregon State and Washington. His grandfather, James Bogard, played football at Oklahoma.
Justin DiRe OL 6-6 270 Fr. Carlsbad, Calif. (La Costa Canyon)
Pronunciation: dur-RAY
DiRe was selected First Team All-Avocado League as an offensive tackle by the North County Times his senior season. The San Diego Union-Tribune named him to its fall All-Academic Team both his junior and senior seasons. He played in a very successful Southern California football program at La Costa Canyon High School in Carlsbad, Calif. DiRe helped La Costa win back-to-back Avocado League titles in 2008 and 2009. His junior season, La Costa posted an 11-2 record and advanced to the CIF Finals. His senior season, DiRe's team posted an 11-1 record, and reached the CIF Semifinals. He was voted a team captain his senior season. He played for head coach Darrin Brown at La Costa Canyon.
The son of Kim Sandefur and Dan DiRe, he was also recruited by Colorado State and San Diego State.
Daniel Fleischman OL 6-6 290 Fr. Issaquah, Wash. (Issaquah)
Fleischman was an outstanding offensive and defensive lineman at Issaquah High School. He earned All-Region and All-Conference honors his senior season. He was ranked as the No. 24 best player in the state of Washington by SuperPrep/Scouts.com. Fleischman was also an All-Conference selection his junior season as both an offensive and defensive lineman. He helped lead Issaquah High to an 8-4 record in 2009 as his team reached the quarterfinals of the state playoffs and placed seventh in the state. His junior season, Issaquah posted an 11-3 record and earned a spot in the state championship game before finishing as the state runner-up. Fleischman recorded 23.5 tackles, including 3.5 sacks and 3.0 tackles for losses as a senior. His junior season, he was credited with 19.5 tackles, 2.5 sacks and 5.0 tackles for losses. As a sophomore, he recorded 12 tackles, 1.0 sack and 4.0 TFLs. His team elected him a team captain as a senior. He also earned Academic All-State honors his junior year. Fleischman played for head coach Chris Bennett.
Fleischman is the middle of three children of Joanne and Eric Fleischman. Other schools that recruited him included Air Force, Arizona, BYU, Hawaii, Idaho, Washington and Washington State.
Skyler Hinton OL 6-4 305 Fr. Columbia, Mo. (Rock Bridge)
Hinton earned All-State, All-Area and All-District honors as an offensive lineman his senior season at Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, Mo. Hinton was named Second Team All-State Class 6, the largest classification in Missouri, by the Missouri High School Coaches' Association. He was a three-year letterwinner in football and a one-time letterman in basketball at Rock Bridge. He graduated early from high school and enrolled at the University of Wyoming in January of 2010. Hinton was elected a team captain his senior season. Rock Bridge posted a 5-5 record and placed third in districts in 2009. Hinton was active in Big Brothers, Big Sisters in high school. He was a Senior Mentor Core Leader, and was involved in Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He played for head football coach A.J. Ofodile.
One of three children of Elaine and Michael Hinton, his mother played both basketball and softball at the University of Nebraska-Omaha where she played on UNO's National Championship Softball Team in 1975, and was inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame in 1991. His father is a basketball official and baseball umpire. Hinton was also recruited by Northern Illinois, Syracuse and Vanderbilt.
Marqueston Huff DB 6-0 180 Fr. Texarkana, Texas (Liberty-Eylau)
Huff was named All-Northeast Texas and All-District his senior season at Liberty-Eylau High School in Texarkana, Texas. He also achieved All-District honors as a junior, and was named All-State in track and field as a sprinter and high jumper his junior season. Huff intercepted three passes, was credited with 85 tackles, forced three fumbles, recovered one fumble and blocked one punt his senior season. His junior year, he intercepted two passes, made 53 tackles, forced one fumble and blocked two field goals. He was voted a team captain in football both his junior and senior seasons. He played for head coach Pat Brady.
His aunt and uncle are Rhonda and Richard Carson, he was also recruited by Baylor, Missouri and New Mexico.
Nehemie Kankolongo RB 5-11 200 Fr. Coquitlam, B.C. (Centennial)
Pronounced: NAMY (Rhymes with Amy), kank-uh-LONG-o
Kankolongo led Centennial High School of Coquitlam, B.C., to a Vancouver Provincial Championship his senior season, while being named the Best Back in the championship game. It marked the first provincial championship for Centennial since 1966. Kankolongo rushed for 219 yards and 4 touchdowns on 37 carries in the championship game. He was selected his team's Best Offensive Player for the season, leading his squad to a 10-1 record. Kankolongo rushed for over 1,900 yards and scored 25 touchdowns as a senior. His junior campaign, he helped lead Centennial High to a 7-3 record and the semifinals of the provincial championships while rushing for over 2,200 yards, scoring 30 TDs and earning team MVP honors. He was voted a team captain both his junior and senior seasons. He also rushed for over 700 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore and 400 yards and five TDs as a freshman. He played for head coach Kevin Phillips.
He is one of five children of Marie-Claire and Bukasa Kankolongo. He was also recruited by Idaho.
Riley Lange DL 6-3 245 Fr. Parker, Colo. (Ponderosa)
Pronunciation: LANG
Lange comes to Wyoming as the No. 13 ranked recruit in the state of Colorado by Rivals.com. He also earned Honorable Mention All-State Class 5A honors from The Denver Post in 2009. As a senior at Ponderosa High School in Parker, Colo., Lange recorded 135 tackles, including 15.0 sacks and 20.0 tackles for losses. On offense, he was the starting fullback, scoring six touchdowns. A team captain in 2009, he helped lead Ponderosa to a 6-4 record and the first round of the Class 5A state playoffs. As a junior, he was credited with 137 tackles, 9.0 sacks and 10.0 tackles for losses, while earning All-Conference honors as a linebacker. Lange has been invited to play for the South Squad in the Colorado High School Coaches' Association All-State Game the week of June 8-12 at the University of Northern Colorado campus in Greeley. He played for head coach Randy Huff.
One of three children of Diane and Steve Lange, he was also recruited by Colorado, Colorado State, Kansas State, Oregon State and TCU.
Drew Martinez WR 6-1 170 Fr. Green River, Wyo. (Green River)
Martinez remains in his home state of Wyoming to play for the Cowboys. He was named to the Casper Star-Tribune Super 25 All-State team for the second consecutive year in 2009. He accounted for 1,652 all-purpose yards and scored 25 touchdowns on offense, while intercepting eight passes on defense. Green River posted a 9-6 record in '09 and advanced to the first round of the state playoffs. Green River High built an 11-3 record in 2008 and reached the state championship game. In 2007, Green River was 7-7 and advanced to the semifinals of the state playoffs. As a junior, Martinez amassed 2,785 all-purpose yards, scored 27 touchdowns and intercepted four passes. His sophomore season, he earned All-Conference honors, accounting for 965 all-purpose yards, scoring 12 touchdowns and intercepting six passes. He was selected a team captain as a junior and senior in football. Martinez also lettered three years in basketball, two years in soccer and one year in track. He played for head football coach Darren Howard.
He is the youngest of two children of Laurie and Andrew Martinez. He was also recruited by Colorado State and UNLV.
Dylan McElveen DB 6-1 175 Fr. University Park, Ill. (Crete-Monee)
Pronunciation: Mac-ELL-veen (Rhymes with Mean)
McElveen was named an Honorable Mention All-State selection for all classifications by the Chicago Tribune as a defensive back his senior season at Crete-Monee High School in Crete, Ill. He helped lead his Crete-Monee Warriors to a 10-2 record and the quarterfinals of the Illinois 6A State Playoffs in 2009 (Class 6A is the third largest classification in Illinois). Crete-Monee captured the Southland Conference Championship with a perfect 5-0 conference mark, and entered the Illinois State Playoffs as the No. 3 seed in Class 6A, with a regular season record of 8-1. He was also an outstanding track and field athlete in high school. McElveen earned All-Conference honors in track and field both his sophomore and junior years of high school, and he was a regional qualifier both seasons. As a junior, McElveen was part of the 4 x 200-meter state championship relay team and the 4 x 100 relay squad that placed fourth in state. His twin brother, Adrian, played running back for Crete-Monee High. Both played for head football coach Jerry Verde.
McElveen and his twin brother, Adrian, are the youngest of five children of Cynthia and Leonard McElveen. Dylan McElveen was also recruited by Akron, Minnesota, Northern Illinois, UNLV and Western Michigan.
Emory Miller Jr. QB 5-11 195 Fr. Mesquite, Texas (Horn)
Miller received Second Team All-District 5A-11 honors his senior season at Mesquite Horn High School in Mesquite, Texas. He also earned All-District honors in football and basketball his junior season. As a senior, Miller completed 213 of 333 yards (64.0 percent) for 2,678 yards and threw 22 touchdown passes. He added 706 rushing yards and 11 rushing TDs for a total offense of 3,384 yards. His junior season, he completed 250 of 366 passes (68.3 percent) for 2,740 yards and 19 TDs, while adding 533 yards and 12 rushing touchdowns for 3,273 yards of total offense. He played for head coach Rodney Webb.
The son of Tammy and Emory Miller, he was also recruited by Air Force, Navy, TCU and Tulsa.
C.J. Morgan WR 5-10 175 Fr. Aurora, Colo. (Eaglecrest)
Morgan earned First Team All-City and Honorable Mention All-State Class 5A from The Denver Post in 2009. He was an extremely versatile performer for Eaglecrest High School in Aurora, Colo. Morgan had 24 receptions for 486 yards and seven receiving touchdowns, including a season long 89-yard TD reception. He also rushed for 597 yards on 63 carries and seven rushing TDs his senior season. As a team captain, he led Eaglecrest to the second round of the 2009 state playoffs, defeating Fort Collins High in the first round before losing to Regis High in the second round. His junior year, he was named First Team All-City as he caught 26 passes for 385 yards and four receiving touchdowns, while rushing 54 times for 482 yards and five TDs. Morgan also recorded 21 tackles, intercepted one pass and forced two fumbles as a junior. He was voted a team captain both his junior and senior seasons. He played for head coach Tom Doherty.
One of three children of Aimee and James Lyday, he was also recruited by Colorado.
Sonny Puletasi DL 6-3 220 Fr. Lawton, Okla. (Lawton)
Pronunciation: pool-uh-TOSS-ee
Puletasi achieved a number of honors his senior year playing for Lawton High School in Lawton, Okla. He was named to the Oklahoma Coaches' Association All-State team and is scheduled to play in the Oklahoma All-State game on July 30, 2010. He was selected to the First Team All-State Defensive Team by The Daily Oklahoman in '09, and was named the District 6A-1 Defensive Lineman of the Year. In the talent-rich state of Oklahoma, Puletasi was ranked No. 34 in the Rivals.com's rankings of all 2009 prospects coming out of the state of Oklahoma. A team captain, Puletasi led Lawton High to an 8-2 record and the quarterfinals of the state playoffs. He recorded 100 tackles, 12.0 sacks and blocked five punts his senior season. His junior season, Puletasi was credited with 45 tackles, 3.0 sacks and three interceptions. He achieved Honor Roll status all four years of high school He played for head coach Randy Breeze.
He is the eldest of four children of Fa'amasani Puletasi. Puletasi was also recruited by Kansas, Kansas State and Oklahoma State.
Oliver Schober LB 6-0 240 Fr. Munich, Germany (Feodor-Lynen)
Schober comes to Wyoming from Munich, Germany, where he learned to play the American game of football. His connection to the University of Wyoming coaching staff came through David Odenthal, a former college player of Wyoming head coach Dave Christensen. Odenthal played for Christensen at the University of Toledo, and coached in the league that Schober played. Schober played his amateur football for the Munich Cowboys and for National Team Germany.
Schober is the youngest of two sons of Elsa and Hans-Joerg Schober. His older brother, Daniel, played for the Cologne Centurions in NFL Europe.
Sam Stratton QB 5-11 195 Fr. Littleton, Colo. (Chatfield)
Stratton comes to the University of Wyoming from Chatfield High School in the Denver suburb of Littleton, Colo., where he was a four-year starter at quarterback. He earned Honorable Mention All-State Class 5A honors from The Denver Post as both a junior and senior. Stratton concluded his high school career as Chatfield's career leader in total offense with over 5,000 yards of total offense, including over 3,600 passing yards and nearly 2,000 rushing yards. He also accounted for 54 touchdowns in his career. Stratton's senior season was cut short in the sixth game of the regular season when he injured his right knee in a game versus Pomona. In the six games he played in '09, he had completed 58 of 89 passes (65.2 percent) for 650 yards and six passing touchdowns, while rushing for 550 yards and seven rushing TDs. An outstanding two-sport athlete in football and track and field, Stratton also holds the Chatfield school records in the 400 meters (48.4 seconds) and 200 meters (21.8 seconds). Stratton was named First Team All-State in track as a junior. He anchored Chatfield's 4 x 200-meter relay team to a Class 5A State Championship in the spring of 2009, and placed second individually in the 400-meter dash. Stratton qualified for and competed in the state track and field championships as a freshman, sophomore and junior. He played for head football coach Brett McGatlin.
The youngest of two sons of Sara and Mike Stratton, he was also recruited by Air Force, Arizona State, Colorado, Colorado State and Kansas State.
Tyler Strong DL 6-3 275 Fr. Longmont, Colo. (Niwot)
Strong was named First Team All-State Class 4A by The Denver Post his senior season at Niwot High School. His senior year, he made 90 tackles, including 5.0 sacks, and intercepted two passes as a linebacker. He also played some fullback on offense. His junior season, Strong was credited with 120 tackles and he intercepted two passes. He earned All-Conference and All-Area honors both his junior and senior seasons from the Longmont Times-Call and the Boulder Daily Camera. He was a four-year letterman in football at Niwot High School, and was voted a team captain as a senior. Strong will join his former high school teammate Jeff Roueche, who is a redshirt freshman linebacker on the Wyoming Football team. He played for head coach Ron Tesone.
The son of Diane and Ron Strong, he was also recruited by Colorado, Colorado State and Nebraska.
Darrenn White Athlete 6-0 175 Fr. Kansas City, Mo. (University Academy)
White comes to Wyoming as the No. 19 ranked recruit in the state of Missouri by Rivals.com. He played quarterback in high school, but is being recruited as an athlete by Wyoming and could play a number of positions in college. White was named First Team Class 1 All-State as an all-purpose back by the Carthage Press in Carthage, Mo., and was named Third Team Class 1 All-State as a quarterback by the Missouri Football Coaches' Association. His senior year of high school at Kansas City's University Academy saw him pass for 1,809 yards and 19 touchdowns and rush for 1,855 yards and 26 TDs for a total of 3,664 yards of total offense. He captained his University Academy team to a 7-3 record, his school's first district championship and the second round of the state playoffs in '09. White also achieved honor roll status his senior year of high school. He played for head coach Damon Paul.
One of five children of Leah Banks and Darrell White, he was also recruited by Duke, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.
Evan Williams RB 5-11 185 Fr. Minneapolis, Minn. (DeLaSalle)
Williams was ranked as the No. 9 overall recruit in the state of Minnesota by Rivals.com in 2009. He was named to the Minnesota All-State Second Team for all classifications by the Associated Press as a quarterback his senior season. He has been recruited as a running back by Wyoming. His senior season, Williams rushed for 2,301 yards, passed for 1,266 and accounted for a total of 41 touchdowns rushing and passing. As a team captain in 2009, he led DeLaSalle High School to an 11-1 record and the sectional semifinals of the state playoffs. His junior season, he rushed for 2,041 yards and accounted for 31 touchdowns, leading led DeLaSalle to a 13-1 record and a State Championship. He played for head coach Sean McMenomy.
The youngest of two children of Dana and Steve Williams, he was also recruited by Iowa, Iowa State, Minnesota, UCLA and Wisconsin.
Junior-College Signees
Austin Daniels CB 5-10 175 Jr. Pasadena, Calif. (Mt. San Antonio CC, Calif.)
Daniels helped lead Mt. San Antonio Community College to a 13-1 record and the 2009 California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) State Championship, defeating Northern California Champion San Mateo by a score of 7-6. Daniels earned Second Team All-Conference honors in the Southern California Central Conference as a sophomore in '09. A two-year starter at cornerback, Daniels was part of Mt. SAC's back-to-back appearances in the CCCAA State Championship Game. In 2008, they lost to Northern California Champion Butte College by a score of 17-9. His sophomore season, Daniels ranked third on the Mounties squad with 55 total tackles. He had two interceptions (including one he returned 55 yards for a TD), 11 pass breakups, 2.0 tackles for losses and one fumble recovery. In the 2009 state championship game, Daniels recorded two tackles and one pass breakup. As a freshman in 2008, Daniels ranked sixth on the Mt. SAC team with 54 tackles, two interceptions (including one he returned 98 yards for a TD), eight pass breakups, 1.0 tackle for a loss and one forced fumble. He played for head coach Bob Jastrab at Mt. San Antonio. He played his high school football at Muir High School in Pasadena where he was a three-year letterman in football and a four-year letterwinner in track and field.
One of three children of Annette and Kenneth Daniels, he was also recruited by Arizona, Arizona State, Auburn and Iowa State.
DeJay Lester WR 6-2 195 Jr. Layton, Utah (Snow CC, Utah)
Lester enrolled at the University of Wyoming in January of 2010 after transferring from Snow Community College in Ephraim, Utah. He caught 27 passes for 456 yards during the 2009 season and scored two touchdowns. He also returned eight kickoffs for 195 yards, which was an average of 24.4 yards per return. Snow College finished 10-2 overall and 7-1 in the Western States Football League this past season. They earned a 41-37 victory over Grand Rapids Community College to capture the Zions Bank Top of the Mountains Bowl. They ended the season ranked No. 5 in the final NJCAA National Poll. Snow College ranked No. 16 in the nation in total offense, averaging 397.3 yards per game. Snow ranked No. 8 in the nation in passing offense, averaging 267.8 yards passing per game. He was coached by Steve Coburn while at Snow College. Lester played his high school football at Layton Christian in Layton, Utah.
He was also recruited by Middle Tennessee, Utah and Utah State.
Mazi Ogbonna WR 6-1 190 Jr. Westbury, N.Y. (Snow CC, Utah)
Pronunciation: MAH-zee, ahg-BON-uh
Ogbonna enrolled at the University of Wyoming in January 2010 after being named First Team All-Western States Football League (WSFL) as a wide receiver at Snow Community College in 2009. He was also selected Second Team All-WSFL as a return specialist. He caught 40 passes for 827 yards, averaged 20.7 yards per catch and scored 11 receiving touchdowns.. As a kick returner, he averaged 30.3 yards per return with 21 returns for 637 yards. He helped lead Snow College to a 10-2 overall record and a 7-1 mark in the WSFL. They earned a 41-37 victory over Grand Rapids Community College to take the Zions Bank Top of the Mountains Bowl Trophy. They ended the season ranked No. 5 in the final NJCAA National Poll. Snow College ranked No. 16 in the nation in total offense, averaging 397.3 yards per game. Snow ranked No. 8 in the nation in passing offense, averaging 267.8 yards passing per game. He was coached by Steve Coburn. Ogbonna played his high school football at Hicksville High School in Hicksville, N.Y.
He was also recruited by Rutgers, Utah and Utah State.
Nick Puetz OL 6-4 315 Jr. Salina, Kan. (Coffeyville CC, Kan.)
Pronunciation: PITTS
Puetz enrolled at the University of Wyoming in January 2010, coming from Coffeyville Community College in Coffeyville, Kan. He was a Second Team All-Jayhawk Conference selection in 2009 at Coffeyville Community College. He helped lead Coffeyville to a 7-4 overall record as Coffeyville concluded the season ranked No. 12 in the final NJCAA National Poll. The team also won the North Star Bowl over Rochester (Minn.) by a final score of 54-12. He earned the Wayne Hittle Memorial Award and the Pete Peltzer Outstanding Offensive Lineman Award at Coffeyville. As a freshman, he was selected Honorable Mention All-Jayhawk Conference along with earning Academic All-Conference honors. He was coached at Coffeyville by Darian Dulin. He played his high school football at Southeast of Saline High School.
His parents are Mary and Ken Puetz. He was also recruited by Houston.
B.J. Sumter DT 6-1 310 Jr. Columbia, S.C. (New Mexico Military)
Sumter helped lead New Mexico Military to a No. 20 ranking in the final NJCAA National Poll in 2009. He was credited with 45 tackles, 3.0 tackles for losses, 1.0 sack and one interception his sophomore season at New Mexico Military in 2009. New Mexico Military posted a 7-4 record in '09 and earned an appearance in the inaugural Central Bank Salt City Bowl where they lost 22-14 to Hutchinson Community College of Kansas. In the bowl game, Sumter was credited with five tackles, 1.0 sack and 1.5 tackles for losses. The New Mexico Military defense ranked No. 42 in the nation in total defense, allowing opponents 362 yards of total offense per game, and No. 20 in pass defense, giving up only 153.3 passing yards per game. In the weight room, Sumter broke the all-time combined three-lift record at New Mexico Military with a total combined lift of 1,215 pounds in the bench press, hang clean and squat. He played for head coach Jeff Lynn at New Mexico Military. Sumter played his high school football at Dutch Fork High School in Irmo, S.C.
The son of Rochelle and Bernard Sumter, he was also recruited by New Mexico State.
Kurt Taufa'asau DT 6-2 285 Jr. Pago Pago, American Samoa, (New Mexico Military)
Pronunciation: (Each syllable rhymes with the words OUT or OUCH.) tou-FOU-sou
Taufa'asau earned First Team All-Western States Football League (WSFL) as a defensive lineman in 2009. New Mexico Military posted a 7-4 record in '09 and earned an appearance in the inaugural Central Bank Salt City Bowl where they lost 22-14 to Hutchinson Community College of Kansas. In the bowl game, Taufa'asau was credited with four tackles. New Mexico Military concluded the 2009 season ranked No. 20 in the final NJCAA National Poll. The New Mexico Military defense ranked No. 42 in the nation in total defense, allowing opponents 362 yards of total offense per game, and No. 20 in pass defense, giving up only 153.3 passing yards per game. He played for head coach Jeff Lynn at New Mexico Military. Taufa'asau played his high school football at Samoana High School in Pago Pago, American Samoa.
The son of Tuilua'ai and Vincent Taufa'asau, he was also recruited by Troy University, Utah State and Western Kentucky.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Sage named UW receivers coach
Former New Hampshire coach Derek Sage, center, has been named UW receivers coach.
University of Wyoming head football coach Dave Christensen announced on Thursday the hiring of Derek Sage as receivers coach. Sage brings with him eight years experience as a college coach.
The last five seasons he was part of an outstanding University of New Hampshire football program. The Wildcats ended the 2009 season ranked No. 7 in all three Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) national polls -- the Sports Network Poll, the FCS Coaches’ Poll and “The Any Given Saturday Poll”. UNH posted a 10-3 record in ‘09, and captured the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) North Division for the second consecutive year. The Wildcats advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2009 FCS Playoffs before losing to eventual National Champion Villanova, 46-7.
Earlier in the season, New Hampshire had defeated Villanova 28-24, handing the national champion its only loss of the season. UNH earned bids to the FCS playoffs each of his five seasons at the Durham, N.H., school, advancing to the quarterfinals in 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2009 and making it to the first round of the playoffs in 2007.
“Derek (Sage) has been part of a very successful program at the University of New Hampshire, and has worked for some excellent coaches in his coaching career,” said Christensen. “We were looking for someone with experience coaching receivers. Derek not only has that experience as a coach, but he played tight end, himself, at the college level. He has great knowledge and experience coaching receivers in the spread offense. Derek also has west coast recruiting ties, which is another positive for our program. He is a very aggressive, enthusiastic young coach, who I know will bring a lot of energy to our program and our coaching staff.”
Sage said he is excited to be part of something special at Wyoming.
“I know the offense that Coach (Dave) Christensen brought here from Missouri and that Coach (Marcus) Arroyo installed here last year is a very productive offensive system," Cage said. "I know the vision Coach Christensen has for this program, and I wanted to be a part of that. It’s pretty hard not to be excited to coach receivers in this type of offense.
“I have been fortunate to coach with some great coaches and learn from them. I try to take something from every coach I work with. I want to thank Coach Christensen for giving me this opportunity. I also want to thank all the coaches I’ve had the opportunity to work with and learn from -- Sean McDonnell, Chip Kelly, Chris Ault -- I can’t thank them enough for the opportunities they’ve given me.”
During his coaching career, Sage has worked with some outstanding coaches. From 2003-04 he coached under head coach Chris Ault at Nevada. From 2005-09, he served as an assistant under head coach Sean McDonnell at New Hampshire. During two of those seasons at New Hampshire in 2005-06, he worked with current Oregon head coach Chip Kelly, who was then the offensive coordinator at New Hampshire before becoming the offensive coordinator at Oregon and eventually taking over as head coach of the Ducks.
In 2009, Sage completed his fifth season as coach of the New Hampshire wide receivers. While at New Hampshire, Sage coached some of the great receivers in UNH history, including, All-America wide receiver David Ball. Ball set New Hampshire receiving records for career receptions (304) and career receiving yards (4,655). He also became the NCAA career leader in TD receptions, with 58 in his career, breaking Jerry Rice’s previous record of 51 at Mississippi Valley State.
Sage coached 2007 First Team CAA selection Keith LeVan, who ranks second on UNH’s career reception list, with 201, and led the CAA in touchdown receptions in ‘07. Sage also mentored 2008 First Team CAA selection Mike Boyle, who led the CAA in touchdown receptions in ‘08 and finished his career with a 16 yard-per-catch average.
Sage came to UNH from the University of Nevada, where he assisted coaching the defensive backfield as a graduate assistant in 2003 and helped coach the wide receivers as a graduate assistant in 2004. Former Nevada receiver Nicheron Flowers ranked sixth in the nation in receiving with 91 catches for 1,136 yards and six touchdowns in 2004.
A native of Nevada, Sage played for Sacramento City College for two years, helping win conference and bowl championships at the junior college level. He completed his college career at Cal State Northridge, where he was a two-year letterman at tight end. Sage earned his bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Northridge in 2002. While completing his undergraduate degree, he also helped coach at Moorpark Community College (Calif.) working with the offensive line and tight ends. Moorpark won a conference title and a bowl championship that season.
Sage will coach both the Wyoming wide receivers and tight ends. He fills the spot that was previously held by Dan Hammerschmidt, who took an assistant coaching position at his alma mater, Colorado State, in December 2009.
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