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Football Announces 2005 Recruiting Class
Feb. 2, 2005 Columbia, Mo. -
Twenty-three standout student-athletes have signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to attend the University of Missouri and play football for Head Coach Gary Pinkel, as announced today by Mizzou's head coach. The recruiting class - Pinkel's fifth at MU - was ranked as the nation's 33rd-best by Rivals.com this morning, in terms of average rank per athlete. The class ranks 39th overall according to Rivals, when considering the total points system.
Nine of Mizzou's 2004 class hail from the state of Missouri, including seven of the state's top 12 players, according to Rivals. Once again, the state of Texas was a big focal point for MU's recruiting efforts, and those efforts paid off with a group of seven players from the Lone Star State. Mizzou also signed three student-athletes from the state of California, and one each from the states of Florida, Georgia, Mississippi and Oklahoma .
Mizzou's defensive back class rated 14th-best in the country, according to Rivals.com, and MU also fared well in the categories of kicker (10th-best class in the nation).
"We're very pleased with to sign such a quality group," said MU Head Coach Gary Pinkel. "This is a solid class from top to bottom, one that has a lot of depth that we expect will provide a strong foundation for the future of this program," he said.
Missouri's 2005 class holds up quite well when compared to other nationally-recognized programs. According to the Rivals.com rankings, Mizzou's 2005 recruiting class rates ahead of 30 other schools that participated in bowl games during the 2004 season. Just a handful of the other bowl teams from last year that Missouri bettered include: Colorado, Oklahoma State, Utah, Iowa State, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, Minnesota, Boston College, Louisville, Southern Mississippi, Oregon State, and Pittsburgh, among many others.
Following is a roster and biographical sketches for each of MU's 23 signees...
2005 MIZZOU FOOTBALL RECRUITING CLASS
BREAKDOWN BY STATE
•JARON BASTON•
A versatile and talented prep defensive lineman who has the potential to play numerous positions at the collegiate level ... Ranked as the nation's No. 48 strongside defensive end prospect and the No. 11 overall prospect in the state of Missouri by Rivals.com ... PrepStar has him as the No. 53 overall prospect in the Midland region ... Was a 1st-Team all-state selection as both a junior and senior, and added 2nd-Team all-state mention as a sophomore in 2002 ... Also earned Kansas City all-metro honors in 2004 ... Had 77 tackles as a senior, including 5 QB sacks, and also broke up 10 passes and scored 2 defensive TDs ... Teamed with fellow 2005 MU signee James Stigall to help lead Blue Springs to Class 6 state championship as a junior in 2003, and consecutive conference and district championships in 2003 and 2004 ... Had 2 tackles, including a QB sack, in the state title game in which Blue Springs defeated Hazelwood Central by a 53-0 count to cap off a perfect 13-0 season ... Had 88 tackles as a junior, including 10 QB sacks and 2 forced fumbles ... Added 63 tackles and 6 QB sacks in 2002 ... An excellent all-around athlete who took 3rd in the 2004 state wrestling championships and also earned all-state honors in track and field ... High school coach - Kelly Donohoe ... Son of Vernon Baston & Angela Childs ... Full name - Jaron Londale Baston ... Birthdate - April 10, 1987 ... Chose MU over Kansas, among other schools ... Enjoys drawing and playing video games in his spare time ... Academic interest lies in broadcasting, and MU's prestigious School of Journalism was a big draw in his choosing to be a Tiger.
•MATT CASADAY•
One of the top combo kickers in the nation who can contribute either as a placekicker or punter ... Ranked as the No. 12 kicker in the nation, according to Rivals.com ... Earned 1st-Team all-district recognition as a senior at both punter and place kicker, after connecting on 12-of-18 field goals and punting for a 42-yard average on the 2004 season ... Made 7-of-10 field goals as a junior in 2003, and earned 2nd-Team all-district mention for his efforts ... Made good on 6-of-9 field goal tries as a sophomore in 2002 season ... High school coach - Mike Hughes ... Son of Mike & Cheryl Casaday ... Full name - Matthew Reed Casaday ... Birthdate - Aug. 14, 1982 ... Chose MU over Utah, Arizona State, TCU and West Virginia, among others ... Lists hobbies as hunting and fishing ... Interested in pursuing a business degree at Mizzou.
•BROCK CHRISTOPHER•
An accomplished three-sport star at Kearney High School who was a standout linebacker and tailback ... Touted as being quick and physical with great lateral movement ... Is rated as the No. 31 inside linebacker prospect in the nation according to Rivals.com, and the same group ranks him as the No. 7 overall prospect in the state of Missouri ... SuperPrep has him as the No. 55 prospect at any position in the Midlands region ... Led his team in tackles all four years, as he registered career totals of 467 tackles, 51 tackles for loss and 3 interceptions ... Helped lead Kearney to back-to-back Class 4 state football championships, in 2002 and 2003 ... Was a 1st-Team all-state pick at LB in 2004, in addition to earning the same honors in 2002 and 2003 ... Was also a three-time 1st-Team all-district and all-conference honoree, as well as a two-time 1st-Team selection at all-metro ... Had 84 tackles as a senior, including 11 tackles for loss and 3 interceptions ... As a junior in 2003, had 127 stops, including 14 TFLs in a year in which Kearney won every game by at least 35 points ... Team had a perfect 13-0 record and claimed Class 4 state football title in 2003, as Kearney shutout Ladue, 43-0 in the title game ... Ran 3 times for 50 yards in the title game, and added a game-high 10 tackles (including 1 for loss) on the day ... Had 128 tackles as a sophomore, including 15 TFLs as Kearney was 13-1 in 2002 and won title game over Eureka, 36-22 ... Scored a TD on a 14-yard reception in the 3rd quarter of that game to give his team some breathing room ... Led his team with 13 tackles on the day, including 1 tackle for loss and 1 forced fumble ... Also led Kearney as a freshman with 128 tackles, including 11 for loss in 2001 ... Also starred in basketball and baseball for Kearney ... Earned all-conference honors in basketball, and 1st-Team all-state honors in baseball ... Was a starter on Kearney hoops squad that reached Class 4 championship game in 2004 ... Had 5 points, 6 rebounds and 3 steals in the title game played at Mizzou's Hearnes Center ... Had 13 points and 9 rebounds in Kearney's semi-final win over Ozark ... High school coach - Mark Thomas ... Son of Robert & Maureen Christopher ... Full name - Brock Michael Christopher ... Birthdate - Sept. 11, 1986 ... Chose MU over Iowa, Kansas State and Ohio State.
•CHASE COFFMAN•
One of the most heralded signees in the 2005 class ... A star receiver for Ray-Pec High School who many project to play tight end eventually at the college level due to his size ... Has great hands and route-running abilities and is known to catch anything that is in his area ... Ranked as the No. 4 tight end prospect in the country by SuperPrep, and as the No. 19 tight end prospect in the nation by Rivals.com ... Ranked No. 3 overall recruit in the state of Missouri by Rivals.com and No. 7 by SuperPrep ... Was the winner of the 2004 Simone Award, which is given annually to the top player in the Kansas City metro area ... Teamed with QB and younger brother, Carson, to set numerous state receiving records, and helped lead Ray-Pec to a Class 5 state championship during an undefeated 2004 season (13-0 record) ... Had 3 catches for 56 yards and 1 TD in the title game, including a 14-yarder in the 3rd quarter that effectively put the game out of reach as Ray-Pec went on to a 37-18 win over McCluer North ... Earned 1st-Team all-state honors for three straight seasons, and was a two-time 1st-Team all-district and all-conference pick, as well ... Was named conference player of the year after catching 41 passes for 886 yards and 16 TDs as a senior in 2004 ... Preceded that with a stellar junior season of 50 receptions for 817 yards and 13 scores ... Burst onto the scene with a sophomore campaign that included 39 catches for 611 yards and 11 TDs ... An excellent athlete who lettered three years in basketball, and earned 1st-Team all-conference honors in hoops in 2003-04 ... High school coach - Tom Kruse ... Son of Paul & Amy Coffman ... Father was a standout tight end for Kansas State collegiately as well as the Green Bay Packers (1978-85) and the Kansas City Chiefs (1986-87) in the professional ranks ... Is the oldest of four children, all with first names starting with the letter 'C' - brothers Carson (16) and Cameron (12) and sister Camille (14) ... Full name - Chase Allen Coffman ... Birthdate - Nov. 10, 1986 ... Chose MU over Kansas State, Iowa, Nebraska, Florida, Michigan State, UCLA and Kansas, among others ... Lists hobbies as sports, movies and an occasional video game ... Academic interest lies in business.
•TARELL CORBY•
One of the most athletic players in MU's class who terrorized opposing offenses as a defensive end ... Is ranked as the No. 4 overall prospect in the state of Missouri in 2005, and also as the No. 21 weakside defensive end in the nation, according to Rivals.com ... SuperPrep rates him as the No. 46 defensive end prospect in the nation ... Earned 1st-Team all-state, all-metro, all-conference and all-district honors after a monster senior season that saw him record 116 tackles and 10 QB sacks ... Also forced 3 fumbles on the season and recovered 1 fumble while being named the MVP of his defense ... Had 87 tackles as a junior, including 8 QB sacks and also created 2 fumbles ... Was his team's defensive MVP that year, as well, and was named 1st-Team all-district and honorable mention all-conference ... Credited by his coach with having a stellar work ethic and a motor that never quits ... Also runs track for his school in the spring, running on the 4x100 and 4x200 teams, as well as the 100 meters ... High school coach - Chad Valadez ... Son of William Bedell & Beatrice Todd ... Full name - Tarell Lee Corby ... Birthdate - May 28, 1986 ... Chose MU over Iowa, Kansas, Kansas State and Tulsa, among others ... Lists hobbies as lifting weights and eating ... Academic interest lies in business management.
•CHASE DANIEL•
One of the most highly accomplished high school athletes to ever accept a scholarship to Mizzou, who comes to MU after being named the 2004 EA Sports National High School Player of the Year on the strength of impressive team and individual accomplishments ... Proved to be one of the best dual-threat QBs in the country over the last two years, as he led a record-setting offensive attack that was deadly both in the air and on the ground ... Ranked as the No. 3 quarterback prospect nationally, according to analyst Max Emfinger ... Led his Southlake Carroll team to a perfect 16-0 record in 2004 and a Class 5A state championship, in addition to a No. 1 national ranking and mythical national championship by numerous publications, including USA Today and Student Sports Magazine ... Is described by his coach as a winner, and the facts back that up, as he played QB for his final two years, and all he did was lead his team to 31 wins in 32 games, one state title and one state runner-up showing ... Played wideout as a sophomore and was part of another state championship squad that went 16-0, and was QB on the freshman team in 2001 that went 9-1 for a four-year record at Southlake of 56-2, including 47-1 on the varsity ... Two-year varsity QB stats included 11,252 total yards and 127 TDs, as he completed 529-of-811 passes for 8,298 yards and 91 TDs and added 2,954 rushing yards and 39 TDs ... Was a two-time state Class 5A player of the year, winning the award in each of his last two years ... Senior season statistics included 6,042 yards of total offense and 70 total TDs ... As a senior, completed 298-of-461 passes for 4,617 yards and 49 TDs with only 14 interceptions, while he also ran 248 times for 1,425 yards and 21 more TDs ... Drove his team 49 yards in the state championship game to set up a game-winning field goal as time expired to keep the perfect season alive ... Ended the title game with 295 yards passing and 1 TD and 84 yards rushing ... Was outstanding on a rare national television appearance for the high school ranks, when he led his team to a 52-27 win in October over rival Denton Ryan that was shown on ESPN2 ... Threw for 3 TDs in the game and ran for 2 more as he had 351 yards passing and 98 running on the night ... As a junior, threw for 3,681 yards and 42 TDs while rushing for 1,529 yards and 18 TDs in leading Carroll to a 15-1 record and 5A runner-up showing ... More honors include: EA Sports 1st-Team All-American (multipurpose) in 2004; Parade All-American in 2004; 1st-Team all-state in 2003 and 2004; 1st-Team all-district and all-area in 2003 and 2004, among many others ... Won 2nd-Team all-district honors as a wide receiver in 2002, as he caught 53 passes for 675 yards ... An outstanding all-around athlete who is also a 1st-Team all-district pitcher/outfielder in baseball, and a member of his school's sprint relay team in track ... High school coach - Todd Dodge, who was a standout college QB with the University of Texas ... Son of Bill & Vickie Daniel ... Full name - William Chase Daniel ... Birthdate - Oct. 7, 1986 ... Chose MU over Texas A&M, Oklahoma State, Maryland, Stanford and many others ... Likes to relax in his down time by playing video games ... An outstanding student who was a member of National Honor Society and a member of his school's student council for multiple years ... Academic interest lies in business finance.
•CONNELL DAVIS•
An exciting tailback prospect who possesses a great combination of size and strength but who also has the speed to be an impact player ... Rated as the No. 38 tailback prospect in the country, and the No. 78 prospect at any position out of the state of Texas by Rivals.com ... Ran for over 4,000 yards in his high school career, while playing for Gregory-Portland High School ... Helped lead his team to an undefeated regular season in 2004, and a state quarterfinal showing in Class 4A ... Rushed for 2,029 yards and scored 28 TDs, in being named a 1st-Team all-state running back by the Texas Sports Writers Association and also earned team offensive MVP honors ... Was a two-year team captain ... Was a 2nd-team all-district running back as a junior, when he rushed for 1,156 yards and scored 17 TDs in helping lead his school to the 2nd of 3 straight district titles ... Earned All-Metro newcomer of the year honors as a sophomore after rushing for 1,246 yards and 16 TDs in helping lead his team to the state semifinals ... Has also been a standout on the track, as he held the 2nd-fastest times in South Texas in the 100 and 200 meters with times of 10.76 and 21.59, respectively ... Also won the Texas Relays long jump competition with a leap of 22-09.25 ... High school coach - George Harris ... Son of John & Shannon Boesen ... Was born in Philadelphia, Pa. and grew up a Penn State fan, as his mother attending PSU ... Full name - Connell Edward Davis ... Birthdate - May 20, 1987 ... Chose MU over Colorado, TCU, Baylor, Penn State and UTEP, among others ... Lists hobbies as fishing, hunting and surfing.
•JON GISSINGER•
An accomplished tight end and long snapper prospect from Poway High School in San Diego, Calif. ... Is known as a physical player with excellent hands who works effectively in open space ... Was an all-conference selection at tight end as a senior, catching 43 passes for 563 yards and 7 TDs ... Also carried 8 times on the year for 68 yards ... Was a team captain and earned team's most inspirational team award ... As a junior in 2003, caught 8 passes for 1 TD and was named the league's special teams player of the year ... Learned to long snap from his father, who was a standout offensive lineman at Syracuse University and a 5-year NFL veteran for the San Diego Chargers ... Is also considered one of the top lacrosse players on the West Coast, who was recruited by virtually all high-profile lacrosse programs around the country ... Had scholarship offer from defending national champion Syracuse for lacrosse, among many other schools ... Was an all-state selection in lacrosse who was his league's defensive player of the year ... High school coach - Damian Gonzalez ... Son of Andrew III & Melissa Gissinger and Gloria Truitte ... Father played offensive line for Syracuse collegiately, and later played professionally from 1982-86 for the NFL's San Diego Chargers ... Full name - Jonathan Andrew Gissinger ... Birthdate - April 19, 1987 ... Chose MU over LSU, Arizona State, Maryland, Kansas, Hawaii and South Florida, among others ... Plans to study marketing, and MU's brand new School of Business was a factor in his decision to attend Mizzou.
•KURTIS GREGORY•
A standout two-way lineman for Class 2 school Santa Fe, who could play collegiately on either side of the ball ... Offensively, could play either tackle or guard, as he has the size, quickness and skills to play most anywhere ... Ranked as the No. 41 defensive tackle prospect in the nation, according to Rivals.com, and as the No. 9 overall prospect in the state of Missouri for 2005 ... Has strong footwork skills on the offensive line, and helped lead his school to a runner-up finish in Class 2 in both 2003 and 2004 ... Santa Fe won conference championships every year but his sophomore season in 2002 ... Displayed his athleticism by playing on Santa Fe's kickoff teams ... Earned all-state honors three times offensively, and twice defensively ... Was also a 1st-Team all-conference selection on offense three times, and defensively two times ... Defensively, had 88 tackles as a senior, including 33 tackles for loss and 12 QB sacks ... Had 71 stops as a junior, adding 12 QB sacks, as well ... Named the KMZU Dream Team Defensive Player of the Year in both 2003 and 2004 ... Is the first Division I player to come from Santa Fe High School ... Is also a standout on the track for his school, as he has finished 5th in the state in the shot put (2004), and 7th and 8th in the discus (2003 and 2004, respectively) ... Amazingly, despite his size, also run on his team's 4x100 relay team that won district and qualified for the state championships in 2004 ... High school coach - Bill Fox & Jarrod Borland ... Son of Roger & Ruth Gregory ... Full name - Kurtis Nathaniel Gregory ... Birthdate - Aug. 7, 1986 ... Chose MU over Kansas, Kansas State and Nebraska, among others ... Lists hobbies as hunting, fishing, farm work and trap shooting ... Plans to study agricultural economics or management at Mizzou.
•EVANDER HOOD•
Highly-regarded athlete who excelled on defense and also played tight end for Palo Duro High School in Amarillo, Texas ... Ranked as the No. 35 weakside defensive end in the nation, according to the experts at Rivals.com ... Was named district 3-4A defensive player of the year as a senior, when he registered 93 tackles and 13 QB sacks ... Also scored 3 defensive TDs on the year and recovered 3 fumbles ... Earned all-district honors each of his last two years ... Had 76 stops as a junior, including 5 QB sacks and also returned 1 interception for a TD ... Threw the shot and discus for his school's track team ... High school coach - Steve Parr ... Son of Charles Hood & Mary Payne ... Full name - Evander Ja-mel Hood ... Birthdate - Feb. 16, 1987 ... Chose MU over Arizona State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas-El Paso and Baylor, among others ... Lists hobbies as fishing, video games and lifting weights ... Solid student who was a member of national honor society ... Academic interest lies in biology.
•CHRIS HUDGINS•
Athletic three-sport standout for Van Vleck High School was a two-way star at tight end and defensive end ... Helped lead school to a district championship as a senior in 2004 and to the 3rd round of the state playoffs, playing both sides of the ball in every game ... Named 1st-Team all-state by the Texas Sports Writers Association as a senior, and was a three-time all-area and all-district 1st-Team pick on both sides of the ball ... Also earned 1st-Team Class 2A All-Houston honors in 2004, and 2nd-Team All-Houston (all classes) recognition ... Was a 1st-Team all-district performer in basketball in 2002, 2003 and 2004 ... Also took 3rd place in state track championships in the discus with a toss of 163'3" in 2004 ... Was the regional champion in the discus, as well ... High school coach - David Patterson ... Son of Anthony & Patricia Hudgins ... Full name - Christopher D'Wayne Hudgins ... Birthdate - Sept. 10, 1986 ... Chose MU over Arkansas, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Iowa State and TCU, among others ... Lists hobbies as fishing, hunting, music and video games.
•HERMAN KING•
Athletic defensive end with a big upside to his future ... Is coming to Mizzou along with close friend, high school teammate and fellow 2005 Mizzou signee Chad Washington ... Has excellent speed and showed the explosiveness to make plays from the backside ... Was a two-time 1st-Team all-district pick as an outside rush end for Lancaster High School ... Led team in sacks and tackles for loss as a senior during the 2004 season ... Also played basketball for Lancaster HS ... High school coach - Andrew Jackson ... Son of Herman & Carla King ... Full name - Herman King Jr. ... Birthdate - April 5, 1987 ... Chose MU over Kansas State, Iowa, Iowa State, Texas-El Paso, Washington State, SMU and Baylor, among others ... Lists playing basketball as one of his hobbies outside of football ... Academic interest lies in business.
•CHAD MARSHALL•
An outstanding late commit for Mizzou who has a chance to make immediate contributions on the Tiger defensive line in 2005 ... Will join fellow Mississippi Delta Community College teammate DeMarcus Scott as part of MU's 2005 recruiting class ... Plans to graduate in May and join the squad for summer conditioning ... Junior college coach credits him with being an excellent player in space, who is a sure tackler and is very coachable ... As a sophomore at Mississippi Delta, was a MACJC 1st-Team all-state selection and was a participant in the Mississippi Junior College All-Star game ... Led the team in sacks in 2004 ... Junior college coach - Jay Miller ... High school coach - Eli Dupree ... Son of Beverly Marshall ... Full name - Chad Everette Alexander Marshall ... Birthdate - July 18, 1983 ... Chose MU over Texas A&M, Alabama, Mississippi, Mississippi State, Memphis, Louisiana Tech and Houston, among others ... Lists hobbies as fishing and hunting ... Academic interest lies in the health industry.
•LOUIS PINTOLA•
A 3rd-Team junior college All-American offensive lineman by JCGridwire.com who played for two years at Pasadena City College, regarded as one of the top junior college programs in the country ... Also earned 1st-Team all-conference honors as a sophomore for Pasadena City College ... Is a mid-year transfer who is already on campus and enrolled in classes at Mizzou ... Was a 1st-Team all-conference pick as a sophomore, and also was chosen as his team's offensive player of the year as well as offensive lineman of the year ... Chosen 1st-Team all-area as a freshman at Pasadena City College ... Played on both offensive and defensive lines at Santa Fe High School, where he was also an all-conference performer in track and field ... Junior College Coach - Tom Maher ... Son of Louis & Anita Pintola ... Full name - Louis Michael Pintola ... Birthdate - Jan. 31, 1984 ... Chose MU over Oregon, Kansas State, Boise State, Arizona State, UCLA and Washington, among others ... Lists hobbies as working out, drawing, working on cars and music ... Wants to pursue a degree in education at Mizzou.
•HARDY RICKS•
A standout two-way player for Brentwood High School who made his mark mostly as a hard-hitting, playmaking defensive back ... Rated as the No. 58 cornerback in the nation, and the No. 12 overall prospect in the state of Missouri, according to Rivals.com ... In his last 3 years, had 3,633 yards of total offense and 27 offensive TDs, while adding 395 tackles, 5 defensive TDs and 15 interceptions on the defensive side of the ball ... Has the size, speed and quickness to play several different spots in the defensive backfield ... Ranked as the No. 12 overall prospect in the state of Missouri and the No. 58 defensive back in the nation by Rivals.com ... Starred on both sides of the ball, as he was a 1st-Team all-state selection as a defensive back in 2004, while earning the same honor at running back as a junior in 2003 ... Had 142 tackles as a senior and grabbed 4 interceptions and scored 2 defensive TDs ... On offense, amassed 1,312 total yards and scored 12 TDs ... Included in the offensive total was 1,168 rushing yards (6.9 yards per carry) ... Had 1,736 total yards in offense as a junior in 2003, with 13 TDs scored ... Rushed for 1,492 yards that season, while racking up 157 total tackles playing both ways ... Nabbed 5 interceptions as a junior, scored 2 defensive TDs and had 1 fumble recovery in addition to 2 QB sacks ... Rushed for 348 yards (8.8 yards per carry) and had 247 more receiving as a sophomore in 2002 (16.5 yards per catch, while scoring 2 offensive TDs on the year ... Had 96 total tackles that season, as well, with 6 interceptions and 1 defensive TD ... Solid all-around athlete who lettered in wrestling, track and basketball, in addition to his football exploits ... Was a state qualifier in wrestling ... High school coach - Roy Hughes ... Son of Hardy Ricks Jr. & Dorothy Wise ... Full name - Hardy Lee Ricks III ... Birthdate - March 13, 1987 ... Drew interest from programs such as Kansas State, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa State and Illinois, before picking to be a Tiger ... Plans to focus his studies at Mizzou in the area of finance, accounting or banking ... Mizzou's new School of Business played a major factor in his choosing to be a Tiger ... Served as vice president of his class at Brentwood High School.
•MATT RUSSELL•
Junior college offensive lineman who has the opportunity to provide an immediate impact in 2005 ... Named one of the top-100 JUCO players at any position in the nation, by SuperPrep ... Enrolled at MU for the 2005 winter semester, and will participate in spring drills ... Helped lead his Solano College team to post-season bowl games each of his two years there, and was named his team's Most Valuable Player as a sophomore in 2004 ... Lettered three years at St. Patricks High School and was an All-State performer on the line and helped lead his team to a league championship as a senior in 2002 ... Was named his team's Most Valuable Player, and also earned his league's lineman of the year award, as well as being named to the Bay Area All-Star Prep Team by the San Francisco Chronicle ... Junior college coach - Floyd Burnsed ... High school coach - Marlon Blanton ... Son of Tim & Rhonda Russell ... Full name - Matthew Glenn Russell ... Birthdate - Nov. 29, 1983 ... Chose MU over Arizona, Arizona State, California, Oregon, Oregon State and Toledo, among others ... Lists hobbies as hunting, boating and other outdoor activities.
•DEMARCUS SCOTT•
Talented junior college defensive lineman who has the size, speed and strength to play a number of positions on the line, and hopes to provide an immediate impact there in 2005 ... Is a mid-year transfer who is already on campus and enrolled in classes at Mizzou ... Played a major role in convincing Mississippi Delta teammate Chad Marshall to become a Tiger, as well ... Ranked as the No. 40 junior college prospect in the nation, regardless of position, by SuperPrep ... Was an all-state selection at Mississippi Delta Community College, as he had 58 tackles and 3 sacks as a sophomore in 2004 ... Had 40 stops, 1 sack and 1 interception as a freshman there in 2003 ... Was a star linebacker in high school who originally committed to LSU, before moving to defensive line in junior college ... Was ranked as the nation's No. 33 linebacker prospect coming out of high school ... Had 108 tackles, 4 sacks, 6 forced fumbles and 4 fumble recoveries as a senior in 2002, a year after registering 130 tackles, 8 sacks and 2 fumble recoveries as a junior ... Junior college coach - Jay Miller ... High school coach - Phil Short ... Son of Victor & Pamela Scott ... Full name - DeMarcus Dupree Scott ... Birthdate - Jan. 19, 1985 ... Chose MU over Mississippi, Iowa State, UAB, Cincinnati and Bowling Green, among others ... Academic interest lies in MU's School of Nursing.
•JAMAR SMITH•
A highly-regarded junior college defensive lineman who hopes to come in and provide an immediate impact for a position where MU lost 3 starters from last season ... Ranked as one of the top-100 junior college prospects in the nation at any position, according to SuperPrep ... Could be a versatile weapon on the line for Mizzou, as he has the size and strength to play inside, but the athletic ability and quickness to play outside, as well ... Was an all-conference performer as a sophomore for NEO, as he racked up 89 tacks and 9 QB sacks on the season ... Also played in 2003, accumulating 31 tackles and 2 QB sacks ... Is graduating from junior college in May, and plans to join the squad for summer conditioning ... Lettered in football and track as a prepster at Southridge High School in his native Miami, Fla. ... Had interest from Florida State, Florida, Ohio State and North Carolina State, to name a few schools, coming out of high school before he went the junior college route ... Junior College Coach - Steve Patterson ... High school coach - Stu Rogers ... Son of Anthony Adams and Patrice Smith ... Full name - Jamar Rashad Smith ... Birthdate - June 27, 1985 ... Chose MU over Oklahoma State and Louisiana Tech, among others ... Academic interest lies in criminal justice.
•JAMES STIGALL•
Widely regarded as the top offensive lineman in the state of Missouri, who was a two-way star on the line of scrimmage for the powerhouse Blue Springs High School program ... Ranked as the No. 15 offensive guard in the nation by Tom Lemming of ESPN.com ... Ranked by SuperPrep as the No. 25 overall prospect in the Midland region, and as the No. 33 offensive lineman in the nation ... Weighs in as the No. 39 offensive guard prospect in the country, according to Rivals.com ... Rivals also had him as the No. 6 overall prospect in the state of Missouri, regardless of position ... Was a 1st-Team all-state selection as a junior and senior, and also added 1st-Team KC all-metro, all-conference, all-area and all-district honors for both years, as well ... Was also his team's offensive lineman MVP each of his last two years ... Teamed with fellow 2005 MU signee Jaron Baston to help lead Blue Springs to Class 6A state championship as a junior in 2003, and consecutive conference and district championships in 2003 and 2004 ... Teamed with fellow 2005 MU signee Jaron Baston to help lead Blue Springs to Class 6 state championship as a junior in 2003, and consecutive conference and district championships in 2003 and 2004 ... Helped offense accumulate nearly 400 yards in the state title game in which Blue Springs defeated Hazelwood Central by a 53-0 count to cap off a perfect 13-0 season ... An excellent all-around athlete who also lettered in track for three years and basketball for two years ... High school coach - Kelly Donohoe ... Son of Jeff & Sandy Stigall, with both parents being Mizzou alums ... Full name - James Franklin Stigall ... Birthdate - Nov. 17, 1986 ... Chose MU over Wisconsin, Kansas State, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kansas and Northwestern, among others ... Lists hobbies as sports, video games and working out ... Was an honor roll student at Blue Springs with a grade point average of just under 4.0 ... Academic interest lies in either political science or business.
•DARNELL TERRELL•
One of the top junior college defensive backs in the nation who is coming to Mizzou after originally signing with the Tigers out of high school, as part of MU's 2003 recruiting class ... Ranked as the No. 41 junior college player in the nation, by SuperPrep ... Earned NJCAA Honorable Mention All-American honors and 1st-Team all-conference honors at free safety in 2004 for Coffeyville after racking up 46 tackles, and adding 4 pass break ups, 1 interception and 1 blocked kick ... Also recovered a fumble and forced 2 more on the season ... Helped lead his team to a 10-2 record in 2004 and a final No. 3 ranking in the NJCAA national polls ... Even dabbled a bit at wide receiver, catching 3 passes for 62 yards, including one that went 46 yards for a TD ... Returned 2 kickoffs for an average of 31.0 yards ... Redshirted as a true freshman at Coffeyville, giving him 3 years of eligibility at Mizzou ... Was regarded by many analysts to be the top high school prospect in the state of Missouri in 2003 ... Was a 1st-Team all-state defensive back for Eureka High School, who also throughout his career earned all-conference and all-metro honors at wide receiver, running back and all-purpose back ... Had 1,153 yards rushing and more than 400 yards receiving as a senior ... Was limited to 24 tackles as a senior, as opposing offenses rarely came his way ... Showed his explosiveness in the 4A championship game when he scored on a 59-yard run on the first play from scrimmage to put Eureka up 7-0 over Kearney, before Kearney rallied for a 36-22 win ... Junior season saw him rush for 960 yards and get over 200 yards receiving ... Played on Eureka teams that went 25-3 from 2000-02 ... Team won district titles in 2000 and 2002, conference championships in 2001 and 2002, and went 12-2 and was a Show-Me Bowl runner-up in 2002 ... Four-year letterman in track who placed 5th at the state championships in 2002 at 200 meters (21.8) and ran on a 400-meter relay team which broke a school record (42.19) ... Junior College Coach - Jeff Leiker ... High school coach - Farrell Shelton ... Son of Cletus Terrell ... Full name - Darnell Antwone Terrell ... Birthdate - May 30, 1984 ... Chose MU over Kansas State, Iowa, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Illinois, among others ... Lists drawing as a primary hobby... Academic interest lies in business.
•JASON TOWNSON•
Widely regarded as the No. 1 defensive line prospect out of the St. Louis area ... Is known for his strength, balance, agility and quickness ... Ranked as the No. 16 overall prospect coming out of the state of Missouri in 2005, according to Rivals.com ... Had 91 tackles and 6 QB sacks as a senior in 2004 and was named 1st-Team all-state, all-metro and all-conference as a defensive lineman ... Was also an all-conference performer on the offensive line for Hazelwood East ... Had around 90 tackles and 3 QB sacks as a junior in 2003 and earned all-conference honors defensively while pulling in honorable mention all-conference honors as an offensive lineman ... High school coach - Cory Johnson ... Son of Victor & Denise Townson ... Full name - Jason LaRey Townson ... Birthdate - Dec. 30, 1986 ... Chose MU over Nebraska, Kansas State, Michigan State and Illinois, among others ... Academic interest lies in business management.
•CHAD WASHINGTON•
An excellent athlete out of the state of Texas who is the younger brother of current Tiger senior DB Calvin Washington ... Was a two-time all-district selection ... Ranked as the No. 55 cornerback prospect in the nation, according to Rivals.com, and the same outlet ranks him among the top 100 players in the state of Texas ... Has great speed, strength and size and could play a number of different positions should he wind up in the Tiger secondary ... Played linebacker, defensive back and some running back for Lancaster High School ... Returned an interception 90 yards for a TD as a senior in 2004 ... Also played baseball and ran track for Lancaster ... High school coach - Andrew Jackson ... Son of Calvin Sr. & Sheila Washington ... Older brother, Calvin, is a senior DB on the Tiger squad ... Full name - Chad A. Washington ... Birthdate - June 26, 1987 ... Chose MU over Colorado, Texas A&M, Washington State, Kansas and TCU, among others ... Lists hobbies as music, working out and shopping.
•DAIN WISE•
One of the top prospects out of the Sooner state who was a first-team all-stater for Carl Albert High School in Midwest City, Okla. ... Known as a tough, hard-nosed player with a great work ethic and coachable nature ... Team captain who was noted by his coach for his leadership on and off the field ... Rated as the No. 31 offensive guard in the nation by Rivals.com and the No. 6 overall prospect out of the state of Oklahoma ... Helped lead his team to an Oklahoma Class 5A state championship in 2004, and his team was ranked No. 1 for most of the season ... Registered 34 ½ pancake blocks as a senior ... An excellent all-around athlete who took 5th place in the state track championships in the discus as a junior, with a best toss of 147 ½ feet ... High school coach - Gary Rose ... Son of Craig & Patty Wise ... Father is a teacher who taught current Tiger senior offensive lineman Tony Palmer in his high school English class one year ... Full name - Dain Patrick Wise ... Birthdate - Nov. 9, 1986 ... Chose MU over Oklahoma State, New Mexico, Iowa State, TCU, SMU, Kansas, Air Force, Harvard and Tulsa, among others ... Lists hobbies as fishing and video games.
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