2014 USF Signing Day Recap

SIOUX FALLS, SD -Fifth-year USF head coach Jed Stugart announced his 2014 football signing class on Wednesday as part of National Signing Day. Stugart owns a 33-12 record (.733) at USF and a career mark of 59-19 (.756).The Cougars signed 10 student-athletes today pushing the entire class to 15, with the addition of three junior college early enrollees and a pair of mid-year transfers in January.

In all, Sioux Falls signed four offensive linemen, three defensive tackles, three wide receivers, one cornerback, one tight end, one defensive lineman, one outside linebacker and one free safety. The class covered nine states overall with three student-athletes coming from South Dakota.

The following is a breakdown of the 2014 signing class:

1. Zack Tamburo (DT, 5-11, 270, Fr., Phoenix, Ariz./Desert Vista HS)

HIGH SCHOOL: Prep OL/DL who figures to play the defensive tackle position at Sioux Falls... graduated in 2013... attended the United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School during the fall 2013 academic semester…helped Desert Vista (Ariz.) to a 9-3 record, a No. 6 state ranking and to the second round of the state playoffs as a senior... logged 23 tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks (loss of two yards), two quarterback hurries and forced two fumbles on his way to 2012 AZCentral American Family Insurance Division I honorable mention all-state honors…notched 25 tackles, one tackle for loss and one sack (loss of 10 yards) as a junior…the Desert Vista Thunder defeated Hamilton 45-19 to win the 2011 AIA Division I high school state football championship…named Division I Section III “South” First Team Offense and Second Team Defense…honorable mention all state selection and the 2011 Desert Vista HS Student Athlete of the Year…two-time all region selection who also competed in wrestling and track & field for the Thunder…high school teammate of USF sophomore quarterback Matt Young.

2. Trey Pipkins (OL, 6-7, 275, Fr., Apple Valley, Minn./Apple Valley HS)

HIGH SCHOOL: Standout offensive lineman for head coach Chad Clendening at Apple Valley (Minn.) High School…helped the Eagles to a 6-6 record, sectional crown and berth in the 2013 Minnesota Boys State Football Playoffs as a senior…caught a touchdown in Apple Valley’s 28-0 shut out of Minneapolis Washburn in the 2013 section tournament…part of an o-line that cleared a path to a new program record for most consecutive games with 150 rushing yards…Apple Valley went 8-3 in 2012 after winning just one game in 2011 to qualify for the state playoffs for the first time in 19 years…won the starting left tackle spot as a junior and helped quarterback Tommy Singer set school records for passing yardage and touchdown passes…Pipkin is also a power forward/center on the Apple Valley boys basketball team; the Eagles defeated Park Center 74-57 in the 2012-13 Class 4A title game and is currently the No. 1-ranked team in the state of Minnesota…also a thrower on the Eagles’ track and field squad…also received interest from the University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University.

3. A.J. Garrow (WR, 5-9, 175, Fr., Brandon Valley, S.D./Brandon Valley)

HIGH SCHOOL: Prep standout that graduated as Brandon Valley’s all-time leading receiver and the 4th most prolific wide out in South Dakota history, finishing with 144 career receptions for 1,485 yards and 14 touchdown catches…also threw two touchdowns…earned All-Conference Metro, Argus Leader Elite 45 and SDHSAA all-state honors…racked up 57 receptions for 419 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior as the Lynx went 7-3 and it was his second year in a row with at least 50 catches…had 14 receptions against Roosevelt in the Class 11AAA semifinals to set an 11-man state record…two-time All ESD selection…also ran track for the Lynx.

4. Sawyer Knick (OLB, 6-2, 220, Fr., Big Lake, Minn./Becker HS)

HIGH SCHOOL: Four-time athletic letterman who suited up at outside linebacker and played on special teams at Becker High School…tabbed All Granite Ridge Conference as a senior and all-section honorable mention as a junior…as a junior helped lead the Bulldogs to the Class 4A semifinals…dedicated lifter and member of the 1,300 Pounds Club…participated in a 7-on-7 passing league that won the Minnesota Vikings/National Guard state crown his junior campaign…also wrestled and ran track…Spotlight on Scholarship Winner…Honor Roll student who earned 54 college credits after his spring high school semester…named to the St. Cloud State Dean’s List for Fall 2013 (Post Secondary Option).

5. Steven McKee (DL, 6-1, 240, Fr., Yankton, S.D./Yankton HS)

HIGH SCHOOL: Provided senior experience to an otherwise young Yankton offensive line…logged 69 tackles including 21.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks en route to 2013 SDHSAA Class 11AA All-State honorable mention honors…a two-time Eastern South Dakota Conference all-league pick whose other accolades included Mr. Defense, the Lynch Award and the Will to Win Award…former YHS Student Athlete of the Month…also ran track…Bucks head coach Arlin Likness said in an interview that “Steven has been a strong leader on both sides of the ball; offensively, he understands what needs to get done, and has helped our young players along.”

6. Blake Kirsch (OL, 6-5, 270, Fr., Antigo, Wisc./Antigo HS)

HIGH SCHOOL: Highly decorated prep athlete who competed in football, hockey and baseball for the Red Robins, earning a total of 10 varsity letters (FB: 3, HCKY: 4, BASE: 3)…2013 senior team captain who earned Great Northern Conference first team and all-region offensive line honors…played both ways during the 2012 Wisconsin Boys State football playoffs and earned both GNC second team offense and honorable mention defense accolades…standout 1B/RHP for the 2013 Great Northern Conference Champions and Regional Champion Red Robins…led GNC with a .390 batting average and .479 OBP…his 2.86 ERA ranked second in the conference…scholar athlete who served as class president for two academic years…graduated with high honors and a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council, Key Club, A-Club, Rube Goldberg and the Spanish Club.

7. Levi Rozeboom (OL, 6-1, 265, Fr., Inwood, Iowa/Lincoln HS)

HIGH SCHOOL: Started on the offensive line for Class 11AAA state champion Lincoln (S.D.) High School... the Patriots went 11-0 during his senior season…a three-year starter, Rozeboom helped make the Patriot offense one of the state’s very best…he blocked on a line that helped the unbeaten state champions average 41.3 points a game and never score fewer than 23. The Patriots averaged 275 yards rushing a game and 136.3 yards receiving – and they saved their best for last, setting season highs for rushing yards (432) and total yards (518) in the 47-24 finals win over Sioux Falls Roosevelt...named First Team All City and 11AAA All-State as a senior, member of the 2013 Argus Leader Elite 45 Team (senior)…honored as the Outstanding Lineman in 2013 11AAA State Championship Game.

8. Taylor Kathol (WR, 6-4, 190, Fr., Hartington, Neb./Cedar Catholic HS)

HIGH SCHOOL: Starting quarterback and free safety for a Cedar Catholic Trojan squad that went 7-3 overall in 2013 and made it to the second round of the NSAA State Football Championship…two-time first team all-district and a 2013 Nebraska Class C2 All-State first team defensive back…named honorable mention all-state as a junior...was also an honorable mention all Mid-States Conference and all-state honorable mention guard for the Trojan boys’ basketball team…competed in the 400 meter dash for the boys’ track and field team.

Senior statistics: 643 yards rushing, 10 rushing TDs, 1,468 yards passing, 16 passing TDs; 142.2 quarterback rating.

Career statistics: 1,180 yards rushing, 2,655 yards passing, 21 rushing TDs, 27 passing TDs, 131.5 quarterback rating; 135 receiving yards.

9. Clarke Cooper (TE, 6-3, 230, Fr., Castle Rock, Colo./Valor Christian HS)

HIGH SCHOOL: Highly-touted recruit that played tight end, defensive end and long snapper for the Valor Christian Eagles…also played baseball and basketball…1st Team All-State Academic in both football and basketball…will graduate Cum Laude and a member of the National Honor Society and the National Society of High School Scholars.

10. Nick Zimmerman (OL, 6-4, 275, Fr., Rosendale, Wisc./Laconia HS)

11. David Clark (CB, 6-1, 200, Jr., San Diego, Calif./Southwestern College)

2012 & 2013 (FRESHMAN & SOPHOMORE): Spent his first two collegiate seasons at Southwestern College (Calif.), where he played cornerback, strong safety and free safety…received the Iron Man Award for breaking the Jaguar football program’s lifting record (for defensive backs, wide receivers and quarterbacks) for the first time in a decade…was credited with 37 tackles as a sophomore (3.7 per game), one sack for a loss of five yards and picked off a pass…the 2013 Patriotic Bowl Champion Jaguars went 9-2 overall.

12. James Broaddus (DT, 6-5, 245, Jr., Fort Walton Beach, Calif./Florida A & M)

A 6’5, 245-pound defensive tackle who spent his first three collegiate campaigns at Florida A & M University (NCAA D-I FCS). After redshirting as a freshman in 2011, Broaddus appeared in 11 games this season for the Rattlers (3-9) and was credited with 13 tackles, one sack and one pass breakup. He earned the start at left defensive end for the Rattlers at No. 4 Ohio State on Sept. 21 and finished with one TFL, one sack and forced a fumble in Florida A & M’s 27-10 season-opening victory at the Citrus Bowl against Mississippi Valley State (9/1/13). A product of Fort Walton Beach (Fla.) and Choctawhatchee High School, Broaddus will have two years of football eligibility with the Cougars.

13. Marco Naugthon (DT, 6-2, 295, Jr., Mineola, Iowa/Iowa Western CC)
Marco Naughton (Mineola, Iowa) arrives in Sioux Falls by way of Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The 6’2, 295-pound defensive tackle played in 14 career games for the defending Midwest Football Conference champion IWCC Reivers. Naughton recorded 43 total tackles as a sophomore and tallied four stops in the Reivers' (11-1) 6-0 victory against Butler in the 2013 Graphic Edge Bowl. Naughton will have two years of eligibility at USF.

14. Earlzo Singleton (WR, 5-10, 190, Jr., Chicago, Ill./RCTC)

Chicago native Earlzo Singleton is a 5-10, 190-pound wide receiver that starred at Rochester (Minn.) Community and Technical College in 2010 but did not play football this past season. The speedster owned impressive freshman numbers at RCTC to help lead the Yellowjackets to the Minnesota Junior College title and No. 12 national ranking. Singleton caught 40 catches for 700 yards and 11 TDs and also returned four kicks for scores to earn Minnesota College Athletic Conference all-league honors as a freshman.

As a prep senior at Michele Clark (Ill.), Singleton caught 41 passes for 1145 yards, averaging 27.9 yards per catch while hauling in five touchdowns. A former high school baseball standout, Singleton will also play baseball at USF. He has two years left of football eligibility and three years of baseball eligibility.

15. Wyatt Hixon (FS, 6-1, 200, Jr., Valencia, Calif./College of the Canyons)
2012 & 2013 (FRESHMAN & SOPHOMORE): Played free safety at the College of the Canyons (Calif.), where he was credited with 13 tackles in nine games as a sophomore.

HIGH SCHOOL: Played one year of football at Montclair College Preparatory School under Reggie Smith, Jr…named all-conference after his senior year.

Courtesy: Stephanie Pendrys, USF

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Source: 2014 USF Signing Day Recap

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