Everything You Need To Know About ND Recruits

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The following was produced by the ND Sports Information Department:

NOTRE DAME ADDS 17 TO 2009 FOOTBALL ROSTER

Seventeen high school seniors

will have their names added to the University of Notre Dame’s football roster

and begin playing for the Irish in 2009.

The 17 student-athletes

represent 11 different states – California (two), Connecticut, Florida (three),

Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana (two), New Jersey (three), Ohio, Pennsylvania,

Tennessee and Texas.

As listed by position, Notre

Dame adds two running backs, one wide receivers, two tight ends, three

offensive linemen, one defensive lineman, four linebackers, one defensive backs,

one kicker, one punter and one long snapper.

Three of the 17 players –

cornerback E.J. Banks, linebacker Zeke Motta and defensive lineman Tyler

Stockton – enrolled at the University in January and are taking classes. They

will participate in Notre Dame’s spring football practices that begin in March.

The other 14 players have signed national letters of intent.

Among the 17 players are:

Three who received First-Team All-America accolades

from USA Today – linebacker Manti

Te’o, offensive lineman Chris Watt and running back Cierre Wood.

– Three named Parade prep All-Americans – Te’o, Wood and Watt.

– Four rated among the top

100 players nationally by the Chicago Sun-Times (and Tom Lemming) – Te’o (seventh), Wood (17th),

Watt (43rd) and wide receiver Shaquelle Evans (44th).

– Four ranked in the top 100

by Sporting News – Te’o (second), Wood

(10th), Watt (35th) and Evans (44th).

– Seven rated nationally in

the ESPNU150- Te’o (second), Wood (25th), Stockton (32nd),

Evans (41st), Watt (69th), offensive lineman Zach Martin

(110th) and Banks (135th).

– Eight ranked in Scout.com’s

Top 300 – Te’o (sixth), Watt (31st), Wood (54th), Stockton

(121st), Evans (127th), offensive lineman Alex Bullard

(171st), Motta (179th) and running back Theo Riddick (241st).

– Seven ranked in the

Rivals250 by Rivals.com – Te’o (12th), Motta (54th), Wood

(76th), Watt (77th), Evans (160th), Stockton

(193rd), and Riddick (242nd).

– Eight rated in the TAKKLE

Top 200 presented by Sports Illustrated – Te’o (fifth), Wood (12th), Stockton (17th),

Evans (20th), Watt (68th), Martin (107th),

Banks (139th) and Motta (168th).

– Five rated in the

Offense-Defense Top 100 – Te’o (first), Wood (4th), Evans (36th),

Riddick (82nd) and tight end Jake Golic (88th).

– Six who participated in the

U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio last month – Evans, Golic, Motta,

Stockton, Watt and Wood.

– Two who participated in the

Under Armour All-American game last month in Orlando – Martin and Te’o.

– Two were selected to Long

Beach Press-Telegram’s Best in the

West first team – Te’o and Wood.

– Three named to the Western

100 by Tacoma News Tribune – Evans,

Te’o and Wood.

– Two who were named to the Mobile

Press-Register’s Super Southeast 120

– Motta and Bullard.

– One selected to the Super

Southern 100 by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution – Bullard.

– Two named to the Detroit

Free Press’ Best in the Midwest team

– Martin and Watt.

– Two selected Gatorade

Player of the Year by state – Te’o (Hawaii), Watt (Illinois).

2009 UNIVERSITY OF NOTRE DAME FOOTBALL FRESHMAN

Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown

(High School)

Banks, E.J. DB 5-11 181 Pittsburgh,

PA (Montour)

Bullard, Alex OL 6-3 275 Franklin,

TN (Brentwood Academy)

Calabrese, Carlo LB 6-2 225 Verona,

NJ (Verona)

Cowart, Jordan LS 6-2, 255 Plantation,

FL (St. Thomas Aquinas)

Eifert, Tyler TE 6-6 220 Fort

Wayne, IN (Bishop Dwenger)

Evans, Shaquelle WR 6-1 203 Inglewood,

CA (Inglewood)

Fox, Dan LB 6-4 219 Rocky

River, OH (St. Ignatius)

Golic, Jake TE 6-4 220

Avon,

CT (Northwest Catholic)

Martin, Zach OL 6-5 270 Indianapolis,

IN (Bishop Chatard)

Motta, Zeke LB 6-2 207 Vero

Beach, FL (Vero Beach)

Riddick, Theo RB 5-10 185 Manville,

NJ (Immaculata)

Stockton, Tyler DL 6-1 290 Linwood,

NJ (Hun School)

Tausch, Nick K 6-1 180 Plano,

TX (Jesuit)

Te’o, Manti LB 6-2 225 Laie,

HI (Punahou)

Turk, Ben P 6-0 190 Davie,

FL (St. Thomas Aquinas)

Watt, Chris OL 6-3 280 Glen

Ellyn, IL (Glenbard West)

Wood, Cierre RB 6-0 192 Oxnard,

CA (Santa Clara)

Banks, E.J.,

DB, 5-11, 181, Pittsburgh, PA (Montour) – Selected

as first-team all-state defensive back in 2007 as junior and first-team

all-state special teams player in 2008 as senior … selected to Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Fabulous

22 as well as Pittsburgh Tribune-Reviews

Terrific 25 as junior and senior … high school team was 12-1 and WPIAL Class

AAA state runner-up and conference champion during his junior year … rated as

139th-best overall player according to SI/TAKKLE Top 200 … ranked 135th overall

player in ESPNU150 and 13th among “athletes” according to ESPN …

rated 43rd-best “athlete” according to Rivals.com … named 13th best player from

Pennsylvania in Superprep’s

Pennsylvania 35 … started at quarterback and safety beginning with his freshman

year … passed for more than 1,000

yards in each season, as a sophomore (1,076), junior (1,235) and senior (1,027)

… threw for career-high 10 touchdowns as a senior, after throwing for six during

his junior campaign and seven as a sophomore … rushed for 1,015 yards and 14 TDs as a senior and 920 yards

with 10 TDs during junior season in 2007 … tallied 50 tackles and four

interceptions as junior in 2007 … also participated in basketball and track in

high school … one of three early enrollees at Notre Dame, joining Zeke Motta

and Tyler Stockton … comes from same hometown as former three-year Irish

starting quarterback Tom Clements … played for head coach Lou Cerro at Montour

High School … born Jan. 31, 1991 … son of Cardelle and Edgar Banks.

Bullard,

Alex, OL, 6-3, 275, Franklin, TN (Brentwood Academy) – Selected to Atlanta Journal-Constitution‘s

Super Southern 100 recognizing him as one of best 100 high school football

players in combination of Georgia, Florida, Alabama, North Carolina, South

Carolina, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee … the Knoxville News Sentinel rated him second in its Top 10 in Tennessee … named

to Division II all-state team by Tennessee Sportswriter’s Association following

senior season … rated 171st overall player according to Scout.com …

ranked the fifth-most agile offensive lineman and 15th-best

offensive guard by Rivals.com … named fifthbest prospect in

Tennessee in Rivals.com postseason prospect rankings by state … named thirdbest

player in Tennessee according to Superprep’s Tennessee 24 … named first-team all mid-state as

junior and senior by Nashville Tennessean … recorded 52 pancake blocks as junior at Brentwood Academy … led high

school team to Tennessee’s Division II Class AAA state championship game as senior

in 2008 … helped high school team capture the 2007 Division II Class AAA state

title as a junior with an 11-1 overall record … blocked for two running backs

who combined for 1,736 yards in 2007… father was an offensive lineman with the

Seattle Seahawks (1978-80) and at Jackson State … played for head coach Ralph

Potter at Brentwood Academy … born March 20, 1991 … full name is Alex Eugene

Bullard … son of Dorothy and Louis Bullard.

Calabrese (CAL-uh-breeze), Carlo, LB, 6-2, 225,

Verona, NJ (Verona) – Named to 2008

MaxPreps All-America second team … ranked 23rd among inside

linebackers and the fourth-best run stopper by Rivals.com … named 11th-best

prospect in the Rivals.com postseason New Jersey Top 30 … ranked 12th-best

inside linebacker by ESPN … selected to Superprep All-America

team as the 30th-best linebacker nationally … rated as sixth-best

player in New Jersey 35 by Superprep

rated 234th-overall player and 14th-best middle

linebacker by Scout.com … named first-team all-state and New Jersey defensive

player of the year as a senior at Verona High school … named second-team

all-state, first-team all-group 1 and first-team all-Essex County as junior by Newark

Star-Ledger, to go along with Essex County

sophomore defensive player of the year … totaled 131 tackles and three sacks as

senior … played quarterback and receiver on offense, catching 27 passes for 488

yards and four touchdowns his senior year … led team to New Jersey state championship in 2008 … recorded

104 tackles including 34 tackles for a loss, six sacks, three forced fumbles

and two interceptions during junior campaign … rushed for 800 yards as starting

quarterbacks during junior season in 2007 … recorded 53 tackles, 2.5 sacks and

four fumble recoveries as sophomore in 2006 … named freshman defensive player

of the year by Star-Ledger after

tallying 50 solo tackles and three sacks in 2005 … played for head coach Lou

Racioppe at Verona High School … born Nov. 25, 1990 … son of Annie and Carlo

Calabrese.

Cowart (COW-ert), Jordan, LS, 6-2, 255,

Plantation, FL (St. Thomas Aquinas) – Ranked

as 66th overall “athlete” according to ESPN … strictly a long snapper in high school

at St. Thomas Aquinas High School … made 370 long snaps during four-year high

school career … member of 2007 and 2008 Florida Class 5A state championship

teams … Raiders finished their season ranked first nationally by USA Today and

ESPN Rise … high school teammate of fellow

Irish signee Ben Turk … hails from same high school as current Notre Dame

offensive linemen Sam Young and Dan Wenger … played for coach George F. Smith

at St. Thomas Aquinas … born July 19, 1991 … son of Jodi and Gary Cowart.

Eifert (EYE-fert),

Tyler, TE, 6-6, 220, Fort Wayne, IN (Bishop Dwenger) – Named to Indiana Class 4A first-team all-state team

as a defensive back in 2008 by Associated Press … named to Indiana Football

Coaches Association Top 50 All-State team as tight end as senior … placed on

all-Northeast Indiana first team by Fort Wayne Journal Gazette in

2008 … rated as 10th-best prospect in Indiana according to

Rivals.com’s postseason state rankings … rated as 12th-best tight

end in the country by ESPN …

ranked 24th-best tight end according to both Rivals.com and

Scout.com … recorded nine

touchdowns on offense and 97 tackles as well as five interceptions, returning

one for a TD on defense as a senior in 2008 … caught 33 passes for 586 yards

and four touchdowns as a junior … received honorable mention all-state

accolades as a junior in 2007 … tallied 40 tackles and three interceptions as a

defensive back during junior season … logged minutes at tight end, wide

receiver, linebacker and safety during senior season at Bishop Dwenger High

School … led team to perfect record entering Indiana 4A state championship game

in 2008 … Superprep named him 51st-best

overall player in Midwest … as junior his quarterback was current Irish wide

receiver John Goodman … played for head coach Chris Svarczkopf in high school … born Sept. 8, 1990 …

son of Greg and Julie Eifert.

Evans,

Shaquelle (Shuh-KEEL), WR, 6-1,

203, Inglewood, CA (Inglewood) – Selected

to play in U.S. Army All-American game in San Antonio … ranked 41st-overall

player in ESPNU150 and fourth-best wide receiver … rated 44th-best

player nationally and the eighth-best wide receiver in the country by Sporting

News … dubbed the best playmaker in the west by Sporting News … named to the Western 100 following senior year by Tacoma

News Tribune … ranked as 20th-best

overall player according to SI/TAKKLE

Top 200 … rated 36th in the Offense-Defense Top 100 … rated 127th-overall

player according to Scout.com …

ranked 160th in Rivals250 … named 17th-best

overall prospect in California according to Rivals.com’s postseason state

rankings … ranked as one of top 100 high school football prospects according to

Tom Lemming of CBS College Sports … rated 39th in Athlon 2009 Consensus 100 … selected to Superprep All-America team as the ninth-rated wide receiver …

named to Superprep’s Far West

150, ranked as the seventh-overall player and best wide receiver in the area …

lauded as the top wide receiver and sixth overall player in California by Contra

Costa Times in 2009 class … named honorable

mention for 2009 Long Beach Post-Telegram’s Best in the West team … placed on all-state third

team by CalHiSports.com following senior season … earned tri-player of the year

award in Ocean League as senior … caught 51 passes for 810 yards and 11

touchdowns as senior following his junior campaign in which he caught 37 passes

for 700 yards and six TDs at Inglewood High School … participated in Hawaii Prep Football Classic, matching

all-star team from the U.S. mainland against all-star team from Hawaii, as a

member of the mainland team … played for head coach Charles Mincy at Inglewood

High School … born March 7, 1991 … son of Kelisha Wright.

Fox, Dan, LB,

6-4, 219, Rocky River, OH (St. Ignatius) – Rated

13th-best outside linebacker by Rivals.com and 15th-best

overall prospect in Ohio according to their postseason prospect state rankings

… ranked as fourth-best outside linebacker and best in pass coverage according

to OhioVarsity.com … named to Ohio All-Championship Team by Bill Greene and

Dave Berk, who rank the best players in Ohio during championship weekend … selected to Division I second-team

all-state squad by Associated Press … named third-team Division I-II all state

by OhioVarsity.com … ranked 76th-best player in Midwest by Superprep

… member of St. Ignatius High School state championship football team in 2008 …

the Wildcats finished the season ranked 12th nationally by USA Today … intercepted one pass in 2008 state title game …

recorded 76 tackles as junior, including nine tackles for loss and three

interceptions … former high school teammate of current Irish players Robby

Parris and John Ryan … played safety throughout prep career but is expected to

play linebacker at Notre Dame … played for head coach Chuck Kyle at St.

Ignatius … born March 17, 1991 … full name is Daniel Patrick Fox … son of

Kathleen and Michael Fox.

Golic, Jake,

TE, 6-4, 220, Avon, CT (Northwest Catholic) – Participated in 2009 U.S. Army All-American game in San Antonio … named first-team all-state following

senior season by Hartford Courant … ranked 88th in

Offense-Defense Top 100 …

Rivals.com ranked him as sixth-best player in Connecticut’s postseason

rankings 2009 … named 10th-best

player in New England 12 by Superprep

caught 43 passes for 613 yards and eight touchdowns as senior on offense at

Northwest Catholic High School … made 32 tackles and recorded a sack

defensively in 2008 … tallied 21 receptions for 410 yards and two TDs as a

junior in 2007 … brother Mike Jr. currently plays for Notre Dame … father,

Mike, and uncles Bob and Greg, all played for the Irish … played for head coach

Mike Tyler at Northwest Catholic High School … born Dec. 25, 1990 … full name

is Jacob Kenneth Golic … son of Mike Sr. and Chris Golic.

Martin, Zach,

OL, 6-5, 270, Indianapolis, IN (Bishop Chatard) – Selected to play in 2009 Under Armour All-American game in Orlando

… named to Best in Midwest team by

Detroit Free Press as the fifth-best player and second-best

offensive lineman (behind future classmate Chris Watt) in the Midwest … ranked

as 107th-best prospect in the SI/TAKKLE Top 200 … rated 110th

in ESPNU150 and 10th-best offensive tackle according to ESPN … named

to Indiana Football Coaches Association Top 50 All-State team as an offensive

lineman in senior year … selected

first-team all-state in 2008 by Indianapolis Star and Associated Press … also named to Indianapolis

Star’s 2008 Super Team … tallied 114

pancake blocks during senior campaign … first-team all-state selection as

senior and junior … named to Bloomington Herald Times Junior All-State team as sophomore … selected to Bloomington

Herald Times Top 33 team as junior and

senior … selected as Superprep

All-American and 20th-best offensive lineman … Superprep ranks him as 16th-best player in the

Midwest … ranked as second-best prospect in the Rivals.com Indiana postseason

rankings … member of Indiana Class 3A State Championship team as sophomore with

12-3 record … helped lead high

school team to 14-1 record and second consecutive Indiana Class 3A state

championship as junior in 2007 … started both ways as sophomore along offensive

and defensive lines … recorded 73 tackles including five tackles for loss as defensive

tackle during sophomore season in 2006 … father played football at Kentucky

… played for head coach Vince

Lorenzano at Bishop Chatard High School … born Nov. 20, 1990 … full name is

Zachary Edward Martin … son of Pam and Keith Martin.

Motta, Zeke,

LB, 6-2, 207, Vero Beach, FL (Vero Beach) – Participated

in 2009 U.S. Army All-American Game in San Antonio … selected to play in Hawaii

Football Prep Classic, featuring all-star team from the U.S. mainland against

all-star team from Hawaii … Rivals.com ranked him 54th in Rivals100

rankings … rated the eighth-best overall prospect in Florida according to

Rivals.com’s postseason prospect rankings by state … rated the 168th overall prospect in SI/TAKKLE

Top 200 … ranked 179th overall player according to Scout.com …

member of Florida Varsity Top 100 … named Class 6A first-team all-state in

Florida in 2007 and first-team academic all-state in 2008 for Florida Class 6A

football … named District 17 Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008 … named Superprep All-American as 25th-best linebacker

nationally … ranked 13th among Florida’s best players according to Superprep’s Florida 110 … selected to the Jacksonville

Times-Union’s Florida Super 75 squad …

tabbed the second-best outside linebacker in Florida by the Times-Union … named first-team Class 6A all-state as a senior …

tallied 137 tackles including eight tackles for a loss and three sacks during

senior campaign at Vero Beach High School… one of three early enrollees at

Notre Dame, joining E.J. Banks and Tyler Stockton … played for head coach Gary

Coggin at Vero Beach High School … born May 14, 1990 … full name is Ezekiel

Edward Motta … son of Bill Motta, who was the defensive coordinator at Vero

Beach High School.

Riddick,

Theo, RB, 5-10, 185, Manville, NJ (Immaculata) – Ranked 82nd in Offense-Defense Top 100 … member of

Rivals250, ranking 242nd overall … 241st overall player in country according to

Scout.com … named Superprep All-American, rating him as 23rd-best

running back nationally … Superprep

ranks him as seventh best player in New Jersey 35 … first-team all state

performer senior year at Immaculata High School … selected third-team all-state

running back during junior season by Newark Star-LedgerStar-Ledger named him to first-team non-public school all-state squad after junior

season …named second-team all-state performer as defensive back during

sophomore campaign by Associated Press and Newark Star-Ledger … as junior carried 159 times for 1,192 yards and 13

touchdowns on offense and added 17 tackles on defense … tallied 1,352 yards and

23 TDs on 172 carries during sophomore season … added 13 catches for 157 yards

offensively and five interceptions as safety on defense in 2006 sophomore

season … ran for 217 yards in 2006 state championship game, leading his team to

victory and perfect 12-0 season … added three TDs and an interception in the

end zone with 57 seconds left to preserve victory in state championship …

rushed for 4,042 yards and 52 TDs during high school career … ranked second in

New Jersey preseason top 30 according to Rivals.com and fourth in its

postseason rankings … played for head coach Pierce Frauenheim at Immaculata

High School … born May 4, 1991 … son of Celeste Bell.

Stockton,

Tyler, DL, 6-1, 290, Linwood, NJ (Hun School) – Selected to play in 2009 U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio …

rated third-best defensive tackle in country by ESPN … ranked 17th

in SI/TAKKLE Top 200 …

ranked 32nd in ESPNU150 … rated as 121st overall player by Scout.com …

Rivals.com ranked him 192nd in its Rivals250 … ranked top player in

New Jersey in postseason state rankings according to Rivals.com … named to Superprep All-American team as 22nd-best overall

defensive lineman … rated second among New Jersey’s top 35 players according to

Superprep … named first-team

all-state by the Newark Star-Ledger as a junior at The Hun School … Trenton

Times named him all-area performer during

junior season in 2007 … earned Mid-Atlantic Conference defensive

player-of-the-year honors as junior … helped team to 9-0 record and recorded 68

tackles, 24 tackles for loss and nine sacks during junior campaign … one of three early enrollees at Notre

Dame in 2009, joining E.J. Banks and Zeke Motta … played for head coach Dave

Dudeck at The Hun School … born Feb. 11, 1990 … son of Naomi and Lyndon

Stockton.

Tausch (TOWSH), Nick, K, 6-1, 180, Plano, TX

(Jesuit) – Ranked as ninth-best kicker

nationally according to Rivals.com … connected on nine of 15 field goals during

senior season including made FGs of 51 and 53 yards… 22 of 41 kickoff attempts

resulted in touchbacks as senior … opposing teams averaged 16.0 on kickoff

returns in 2008 … participated in Hawaii Prep Classic, converting only field

goal attempt from 37 yards and averaging 47.2 yards on four punts … named to Dallas

Morning News Top 100 list for area players – the only kicker placed

on the list … also named first-team all-area by the Dallas Morning News … placed on third-team all-state following senior

year by the Texas Sports Writers Association … named to first-team all-district

squad as both punter and placekicker as senior … attended same high school as

former Irish star Omar Jenkins … father, Terry, played offensive line in the

NFL for eight years (Minnesota, 1982-88; San Francisco 1989) and was with the

49ers team that won Super Bowl XXIV … brother, Eric, is a 280-pound offensive

lineman who will sign with TCU on signing day … played for head coach Bob

Wunderlick at Jesuit Prep … full name is Nicholas Andrew Tausch … son of Ela

and Terry Tausch.

Te’o (TAY-ow), Manti (MAN-tie), LB, 6-2, 225, Laie, HI

(Punahou)- Selected to play in 2009 Under

Armour All-American game in Orlando … participated in Hawaii Prep Football

Classic, which featured an all-star team from U.S. mainland against an all-star

team from Hawaii … named 2008 High School Athlete of the Year by Sporting

News … selected as defensive player of the year by USA TODAY … became inaugural high school recipient of the

Butkus Award, given to the best linebacker in the country … two-time recipient

of Hawaii Gatorade Player-of-the-Year award in 2007 and 2008 … Sporting

News rated him the top defensive player in

the nation and second-best player in the country … rated second-best overall

prospect in the ESPNU150 and best linebacker according to ESPN … ranked fifth

nationally in SI/TAKKLE Top 200

for 2008 … rated third in 2009 Athlon Consensus 100 … ranked sixth nationally by Scout.com and its top

linebacker prospect … Rivals.com ranked him as 12th-best overall

player nationally and second-best inside linebacker … rated as the best player

in Hawaii according to Rivals.com’s postseason state rankings … listed seventh

nationally in Chicago Sun-Times

rating of top 100 players … Tom Lemming of CBS College Sports rated him as 12th-best

all around player in his Top 100 … named to Superprep Elite 50 squad as 12th-best overall

player and made Superprep

All-America team as second-best linebacker in the county … also named Superprep Farwest Defensive Player of the Year … named top

overall prospect in the Offense-Defense 100 … top vote-getter among defensive

players in Long Beach Press-Telegram’s 2009 Best in the West team … selected to Western 100 in 2008 by Tacoma

News Tribune … named to 2008 MaxPreps All-America first-team defense as a senior … named

2007 defensive player of the year and first-team all-state linebacker by Honolulu

Star-Bulletin … received first-team all-state and conference defensive player

of the year honors as junior and senior by Honolulu Advertiser … as sophomore named 2006 second-team all-state

linebacker by both Honolulu Advertiser and Honolulu Star-Bulletin as

well as first-team all-conferenceregistered

129 tackles, 11 sacks, three forced fumbles, three interceptions, one which he

returned for a touchdown and a blocked punt that he scored a touchdown on during

his senior campaign … helped Punahou High School team capture its first ever

state championship by racking up eight tackles, two sacks, three tackles for

loss, and a forced fumble in title game en route to 38-7 victory … recorded 90

tackles and five sacks as junior in 2007 … named an Eagle Scout in 2008 and

volunteers his time at Hawaii Special Olympics and Head Start Preschool program

… attends President Barack Obama’s alma mater … played for head coach Kale Ane

at Punahou School … born Jan. 26, 1991 … full name is Manti Malietau Louis Te’o

… son of Ottilia and Brian Te’o.

Turk, Ben, P,

6-0, 190, Davie, FL (St. Thomas Aquinas) – Scout.com

ranks him as the third-best punter nationally … rated the sixth-best kicker in

the country by Rivals.com … named first-team all-state for Class 5A following

senior year … selected to Florida Super 75 squad by Jacksonville Times-Union

and also tabbed the state’s top kicker by the Times-Union … named first-team all-Broward County following

senior season … averaged 41 yards per punt as a junior and 39 yards per punt

during his senior campaign at St. Thomas Aquinas … landed 14 of his 28 punts

inside the 20-yard line as a senior in 2008 … high school teammate of fellow

Irish signee Jordan Cowart … attends same high school as current Irish

offensive linemen Sam Young and Dan Wenger … nephew of current Houston Texans

punter Matt Turk … helped his high school to a 29-1 record as a junior and

senior and was a member of 2007 and 2008 Florida Class 5A state champions … the

Raiders finished the 2008 season ranked first nationally by USA Today

and ESPN Rise … played for head coach George Smith at St. Thomas

Aquinas High School … born June 5, 1990 … son of Kelly and Tony Turk.

Watt, Chris,

OL, 6-3, 280, Glen Ellyn, IL (Glenbard West) – Participated in 2009 U.S. Army All-American game in San Antonio … named

to USA Today All-American team … placed on Parade All-America team following senior year … honored as

the top high school recruit in the Midwest in the Detroit Free Press’ Best in the Midwest rankings … named to Tom

Lemming’s 26-man All-America team … ranked 31st-best overall player

and top overall offensive guard according to Scout.com … considered 35th-best

player nationally and the fifth-best offensive lineman by Sporting

News … rated as 68th-best

overall prospect in the SI/TAKKLE

Top 200 … ranked as 67th-best overall prospect in country according

to Tom Lemming of CBS College Sports … Rivals.com ranks him as 77th-best

overall player and second-best offensive guard … selected first-team

All-American by MaxPreps in 2008

… ranked second in Illinois postseason Top 30 according to Rivals.com … named

to Superprep All-American team as

the third-best overall offensive lineman in the country … selected as an Elite

50 player, 40th overall, by Superprep … selected first-team all-state as senior by

Illinois High School Football Coaches Association, Chicago Tribune and Champaign News-Gazette … named

2008-09 Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year … selected to Chicago

Sun-Times’ all-area team as a senior …

named special mention all-state as junior by Chicago Tribune and Champaign News-GazetteArlington Heights Daily Herald named Watt captain of 2008 all-area football team for DuPage County …

named West Suburban Silver Conference Most Valuable Player in 2008 … recorded

118 pancake blocks as a junior and 107 as a senior despite missing two games

due to an ankle sprain in 2008 … led Glenbard West High School to 12-1 record

in 2008 … played three different positions along offensive line and never surrendered

a sack … brother Kevin just completed his second season as a defensive end at

Northwestern … played for head coach Chad Hetlet at Glenbard West High School …

born Aug. 17, 1990 … son of Mary Pat and Rich Watt.

Wood, Cierre (See-AIR), RB, 6-0, 192, Oxnard, CA

(Santa Clara) – Selected to play in 2009

U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio … named to USA Today

All-American team … rated 10th-best overall player nationally and

second-best running back by Sporting News

ranked 12th-best overall prospect and second-best running back in SI/TAKKLE Top 200 … rated 15th-best overall

player and third-best running back in Tom Lemming’s Top 100 football prospects

rankings … rated 17th-best player nationally by Chicago

Sun-Times … ranked 76th in

Rivals100 by Rivals.com and rated as the 8th-best running back

prospect in the country … rated as eighth-best overall prospect in California

according to Rivals.com’s postseason state rankings … ESPN ranks him as 25th-best

overall player in ESPNU150 … rated as 54th-best overall player

according to Scout.com … ranked 17th overall in the 2009 Athlon

Consensus 100 … was the only running back selected to 2009 Long Beach

Press-Telegram’s Best in the West first

team … named to Western 100 by Tacoma News Tribune in 2008 … named first-team all-state by

CalHiSports.com as a multi-purpose player following senior season … selected to

2008 all-Ventura County small schools football team … tabbed 2008 defensive

back of the year … co-offensive player of the year in Tri-Valley League as

senior … lauded as the top running

back and 12th-best player in California by Contra Costa

Times in 2009 class … named first-team

all-Ventura County as junior … named Division IV state player of the year by

Maxpreps.com … rated fourth in Offense-Defense Top 100 … selected Superprep All-American as the 14th-rated running

back … named to the Superprep Far

West 150 as 15th overall player and top pure running back in the

area … rushed for 1,632 yards and 20 touchdowns and caught eight passes for 182

yards and four TDs as senior following 2,612 yards rushing with 34 TDs during

junior year … posted 33 tackles,

two interceptions and two fumble recoveries in 2008 … led high school team to

first division title in 42 years as junior … also handled punting duties and

played cornerback, recording 63 tackles and two interceptions in 2007 … tallied

1,407 rushing yards with 17 TDs rushes as a sophomore, to go along with 585

receiving yards on 16 catches with seven additional scores … also returned four

kickoffs for TDs during high school career … named first-team all-area as

sophomore by Ventura County Star

… CalHiSports.com named him sophomore player of the year in 2006 … recorded 64

tackles on defense as sophomore … named second-team all state as junior in 2007

by CalHiSports.com … named offensive player of the year for CIF Southern

Section Mid-Valley division after junior season … as special teams player in

2007 he returned seven punts for 373 yards, had seven kickoff returns for 307

yards and also kicked off five times resulting in three touchbacks … tallied

2,480 all-purpose yards as sophomore and named receiver of the year in Frontier

League after averaging 37.2 yards per catch … played for head coach Fran

Fredette at Santa Clara High School … born Feb. 21, 1991 … full name is Cierre

Marcelle Wood … son of Valerie and Martine Robertson.

The Latest
Despite getting into foul trouble, which limited him to just six minutes in the second half, Shannon finished with 29 points, five rebounds and two assists.
Cowboy hats, bell-bottoms and boots were on full display Thursday night as fans lined up for the first of his three sold-out shows.
The incident occurred about 3:40 p.m. near Minooka. The horse was successfully placed back into the trailer, and the highway reopened about 40 minutes later. No injuries were reported.
The Hawks conceded the game’s only two goals within the first seven minutes and were shut out for the 12th time this season in a 2-0 defeat Thursday.