The Courier-Journal from Louisville, Kentucky • Page 9

THE COURIER-JOURNAL COLLEGETOOTDALL THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1995 An opportunity to play soon is lure for Kentucky's signees Jay Parks of Harrodsburg and running back Tony Woods of St. Xavi-er. Woods is the only Louisville product to sign with UK in the past two years. "That's a concern for us," Curry admitted. According to SuperPrep, six of the state's top seven prospects were from Louisville, including Male quarterback Chris Redman, who signed with Illinois, and Trinity linebacker Shawn Johnson, who signed with Tennessee.

UK also lost the state's Mr. Football Boone County halfback Shaun Alexander, considered the nation's top tailback by SuperPrep to Alabama. UK did sign seven Floridians, including highly regarded wide receiver Kevin Coleman of Niceville. Curry believes he got another top wideout in Felix Louwinski of Decatur, Ga. Curry and his staff have been under fire of late for their record on the field and the recruiting off.

"There's only one response to criticism that counts, and that's to win," he said. "You do that with great players." And do these 23 fit the bill? "We'll let you know in two years," Curry said, "after we see if they can play." NOTES It seems that Curry is finished recruiting players and coaches. "We're continuing to evaluate responsibilities," Curry said, "but there probably will not be any changes on our football coachr ing staff." By MARK COOMES Staff Writer LEXINGTON, of Kentucky football coaches couldn't sell recruits on Ws and L's this year, so they lured them with P.T. Sure, some prospects were scared off by the Wildcats' 1-10 record. But some saw it as an opportunity to get playing time as freshmen and maybe even help turn UK all the way around to 10-1 someday.

"This is a special group of young men to turn down other offers to come here at this time," UK coach Bill Curry said. "Some years are more challenging than others, and his is obviously one of those. But it wasn't as difficult as you might think. Today's players are attracted to the opportunity to play." Twenty-three recruits signed with UK yesterday, the start of the NCAA's national signing period. Another high school player is expected to sign today, which would leave UK with only one more scholarship for 1995.

The Wildcats tried to load up on size last year and speed the year before. They got a little of both yesterday. UK landed eight linemen, including Harold Bell and Eddie Bla-kely, a pair of junior college defensive linemen from Los Angeles, and 15 backs, including Harrodsburg High School speedster Craig Yeast. Unlike classes in recent years, these UK recruits probably won't win a national ranking. Neither Bell, Blakely nor linebacker DeJuan Pringle are ranked among Super-Prep's top 100 junior collegepro-spects.

Of the 20 high school sig one of those classes. The embattled coaching staff needs at least a few rookies to contribute right away. Curry said the three junior college transfers are the most likely to step right in, although Pringle, who won first-team all-conference honors as a freshman at San Bernadino (Calif.) Valley College, is still trying to recuperate from a knee injury suffered early last season. Bell (6 feet 4, 258 pounds) was named Western State Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year at Los Angeles Southwest College, where he had 12 sacks and 104 tackles last season. Blakely (6-4, 245) had 54 tackles and three sacks at the same school.

UK signed six Kentuckians, including Marion County defensive lineman Quincy Bell, running back nees, only three were rated among the best of their region by Super-Prep. Beechwood quarterback Greg Hergott and Cumberland lineman George Massey were rated 75th and 85th, respectively, in Dixie (Kentucky, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Tennessee). Quarterback Jeff Snedegar of Salesville, Ohio, who some scouts project as a linebacker or safety, was ranked 46th in the Midwest (Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin). "There are times when a class becomes a very highly ranked class and really doesn't deserve it," Curry said, "and there are times when a class does not get a high ranking and ends up being a great class." The Cats desperately hope this is Another dangerous Bowden arrives on the recruiting block Eastern, Murray fill holes; 10 jfor Eagles By GEORGE RORRER Staff Writer Wt. 185 295 245 280 215 185 200 270 210 220 185 225 295 260 260 240 290 310 185 190 170 Wt.

250 260 235 210 295 210 275 235 220 275 175 235 185 265 190 230 190 225 260 225 185 180 265 202 190 Indiana Player, hometown (school) Pos. Ht Bryan Bobay. Ft. Wayne (Dwenger) LB 6-2 Yeronimo Ciriaco. Bronx, Y.

(John F. Kennedy) DL 6-3 Jason Czap, Indianapolis (Warren Central) DE 6-3 Brad Gecina, Columbiana, Ohio (Crestview) LB 6-2 Damian Gregory, Lansig, Mich. (Sexton) GNL 6-3 Kenyon Hartfieid, Goshen, Ind. (Goshen) TB 5-11 Jeremy Johnson, Newburgh.lnd. (Castle) DT 6-7 Eugene Jones, Pine Bush, N.Y.

(Pine Bush) RB 6-3 James Lamar, Ypsilanti, Mich. (Ypsilanti) LB 6-2 Chris Mann, Louisville (St. Xavier) 6-2 Damion Matthews, Ft. Lauderdale (Dillard) WR 6-0 Randy Maxwell, Lawrenceburg, Ind. (East Central) TE 6-3 Michael McGrarh.

Downers Grove, III. (South) DB 60 Chad Miller, Lima, Ohio (Lima) DT 6-4 Meenyus Miller, Naples, Fla. (Collier) DB 5-11 Adewale Ogunleve, Staten, N.Y. (Tottenville) DE 6-4 Robert Parrish, Indianapolis (Lawrence North) WR 6-2 Al Phillips, Indianapolis (North Central) LB 6-0 Craig Robeen, Hardin, III. (Calhoun) 6-5 Jabar Robinson, Fort Wayne (Snider) LB 6-2 Jay Rodgers, Austin, Tex.

(Westlake) OB 6-1 Patrick Shaw, Fl. Lauderdale, (Dillard) DB 5-11 Matt Synder, Harland, Wis 6-2 Kywin Supernaw, Skiatook, Okla. (Skiatook) DB 6-2 Brad Weber, Auburn. Ind. (DeKalb) OB 6-1 Kentucky Player, hometown (school) Pos.

Ht. Harold Bell, Los Angeles (Southwest J.C.) DL 6-4 Quincy Bell, Lebanon, Ky (Marion County) DL 6-3 Eddie Blakely, Los Angeles (Southwest J.C.) DL 6-4 Kevin Coleman, Niceville, Fla WR 5-11 Andy Dreisbach, Mishawaka, Ind. (Perm) LB 6-2 Dan Eagle. Lowellville, Ohio TE 6-6 Greg Hergott, Fort Mitchell, Ky. (Beechwood) OB 6-4 Jon Lipscomb, Delaware, Ohio (Hayes) LB 6-1 Felix Louwinski, Decatur, Ga.

(Southwest DeKalb) WR 5-11 George Massey, Lynch, Ky. (Cumberland) DL 6-2 Jay Parks, Hanodsburg, Ky RB 6-0 DeJuan Pringle, Miami (San Bernadino CC.) LB 6-2 Jeff Snedegar, Salesville. Ohio (Buckeye Trail) OB 6-2 Tony Staten, Bonitay, Fla. (Holmes County) RB 6-0 Anwar Stewart, Panama City, Fla. (Bay) RB 6-3 Jason Walker.

Woodville, Fla. (Aucilla Christian) DL 6-5 Anthony Watson, Atlanta (Dunwoody) DL 6-3 Jason Watts, Oviedo, Fla OL 6-3 Lee Wesley, Campbellton, Fla. (Graceville) RB 6-0 Filmore Wester, Tallahassee, Fla. (Fla. High) RB 6-1 Anthony White, Twinsburg, Ohio RB 6-1 Tony Woods, Louisville (St.

Xavier) RB 5-10 Craig Yeast, Harrodsburg, Ky WR 5-9 Purdue Player, hometown (school) Pos. Ht, Adrian Beasley, Atlanta (Douglass) DB 5-11 Mark Bigonger. Yorba Linda, Calif. (Fullerton JC) OL 6-5 Eric Blake, Louisville (Ballard) OL-TE 6-6 David Cohen, Ballwin. Mo.

(Lafayette) DT 6-5 Roosevelt Cotvm, Indianapolis (Broad Ripple) LB 6-3 Chris Daniels. Clearwater, Fla WR 6-3 Willie Fells, Palatka, Fla LB 6-1 Wayne Finchum, Lynchburg, Tenn. (Moore Co.) OL 6-4 Wayne Francis, Palatka, Garden City CC DB 6-1 Mike Hartnagel, Dunkirk, Ind. (Muncie Delta) LB 6-3 Mike Hawthrone, Sarasota, Fla. (Booker) DB-WR 6-3 Noble Jones, Atlanta (Ga.) Douglass LB 6-2 Chad Manning.

Bakersfield, Calif. JC OL 6-5 Dave Meyer, Belleville. III. (Althoff Cath.) OL 6-5 Jim Niedrach, LaGrange. Ga OL-DL 6-3 Chukie Nwokorie, Lafayette.

Ind. (Jefferson) DL 6-3 Fred Rohlman, Indianapolis (Decatur Central) OL 6-3 Nick Sweeney, Salinas, Calif OT 6-6 Robert Tolbert, Memphis, Tenn. (Whilehaven) WR 6-2 Titito Veasey, Rock Island, Hargrave Acad DB 5-11 Derrick Winston, Long Beach, Cerritos JC DB 6-0 Louisville Player, hometown (school) Pos. Ht. Don Bibb, Louisville (Malel DB 6-2 D.J.

Brown. Louisville (Central) DB 6-3 Anthony Byrd, Bedford Heights, Ohio (Bedford) OL 6-5 Jason Caswell, Bedford Heights, Ohio (Bedford) LB-DE 6-3 Courtney Dinkins, Delroit (Chadney) DB-WR 6-1 Otis Floyd, Southfield, Mich. (Southfield) RB 6-2 Mike Gantous, Shaker Heights, Ohio (Shaker His.) DL 6-2 Ibn Green, Louisville (Male) TE 6-2 Mark Gnvna, Brook Park, Ohio (Midpark) OL 6-9 Dwayne Gwinner, Detroit King HS LB 6-3 Geoff McBarnette, Peachtree City, Ga. (Mcintosh) DL 6-5 Frank Moreau, Elizabethtown (Central Hardin) RB-DB 6-2 Andy Peak, Louisville (Valley) LB 6-3 Dar-Shay Purry, Detroit (Northern) WR-DB 5-11 Carl Powell, Detroit (Northern) LB 6-4 Josh Richardson, Fort Wayne, Ind, (Northside) DL 6-3 Jon Suski, Detroit (Divine Child) OL 6-5 David Washington, Mailland, Fla. (Edgewater) DE-LB 6-3 Reggie White.Louisville (Ky.) Trinity HS LB 6-0 Jason Wyatt, Detroit (Benedictine) RB 6-2 Eastern Kentucky Player, hometown (school) Pos.

Ht. Robert Asel, Piano, Texas (Piano) DBWR 6-0 Trellis Burks, LaGrange, Ga. (LaGrange) WR 6-4 Jonathan Butler. Bainbridge, Ga. (Bambndge) FB 5-11 Lem Chesser, Sarasota, Fla.

(Cardinal Mooney) DE 6-6 Toby Coyle, Berea (Madison Southern) COL 6-2 Harold Farmer, Wrens, Ga. (Wrens) FB 6-0 Simon Fuentes, Santa Ana, Ca. (Rancho Santiago JC) OB 5-9 Brent Hampton, Cynthiana (Harnson County) LB 5-11 Tyrone Hopson, Owensboro (Daviess County) OL 6-3 Derrick Jeffcoat, Swansea, C. (Swansea) DE 6-2 Reggie Johnson, Dayton, Ohio (Wayne) OB 6-2 Davey Logan, Lancaster (Garrard County) DL 6-3 Ferns Lowery, Augusta, Ga. (Richmond Academy) TB 5-9 Frank Miscione, Hamilton, Ont.

(Barton) LB 6-0 Dustin Russell, Bellbrook, Ohio (Bellbrook) DL 6-4 Travis Schoenlaub, Louisville (Butler) LB 6-0 Charlie Watkins, Pataskala, Ohio (Watkins) OL 6-2 Wt. 185 200 250 220 185 200 260 215 330 225 255 215 215 180 240 250 290 215 220 215 Wt. 258 260 245 185 215 230 202 225 185 260 205 225 210 200 205 260 205 225 200 210 180 175 160 Wt. 178 193 220 245 242 225 175 192 274 235 215 266 191 225 260 220 240 Others Illinois Chris Redman. 6-3, 195, Louisville (Male) Alabama Shaun Alexander, 6-2, 195, Florence, Ky.

(Boone County) Louisiana Stats Jeremy Witten, 5-9, 155, Louisville (Fern Creek) VanderblH Josh Whicker, OL, 6-4, 260, Evansville, Ind. (Reitt) Tennessee Shawn Johnson, LB, 6-2, 206, Louisville (Trinity) Indians State Mike Bandy, LB, 6-1, 200, Brownsburg, Benji Gougenour, DB, 6-2, 175, French Lick, Ind. (Springs Valley); Doug Hurt, 6-3, 258, Newburgh, Ind. (Castle); Richard Lawrence, OT, 6-6, 315, Brownsburg, Joliet, III. JC.

names and they filled almost all their needs. "They got the best player in Texas, the best linebacker in California, the best quarterback in Mississippi, the best runner in Florida and the best fullback in Louisiana." Was coach Lou Holtz "I don't think I've ever had a year where we have probably answered as many question marks on paper as we did this year," he said. Florida State was a consensus No. 2. Its best-known recruit was Dan Kendra, the nation's top-rated quarterback from Bethlehem, Pa.

Kendra originally said he was going to Penn State, but changed his mind and decided to play for Bowden the elder, who coached Kendra's father at West Virginia. "This guy can play," Bowden said. Penn State, which went undefeated last season, had a banner recruiting year despite the loss of Kendra. The Nittany Lions signed three of the nation's best running backs Aaron Harris of Downingtown, Cordell Mitchell of Syracuse, N.Y., and Chafie Fields of Philadelphia plus blue-chip receiver Corey Jones of Lancaster, Pa. Louisville Male quarterback Chris Redman shoved Illinois into the top 10.

"I think he's the prototype drop-back passer with an over-the-top delivery that is pretty to watch," Illini coach Lou Tepper said. "But he needs strength, and he needs to learn the scheme. I don't want to put any pressure on him." Redman, who set a national record with 57 touchdown passes last season while throwing for 3,762 yards, will be redshirted. SuperPrep's top-ranked running back, Shaun Alexander of Boone County High in Florence, signed with Alabama. No.

1 linebacker Tony Ortiz of Waterbury, is going to Nebraska. Steve Spurrier, unveiled another outstanding class without saying much about what they could mean to the Gators' future. The group of 23 includes four Parade All-Americans, second only to Notre Dame's nine. It also includes 278-pound Cheston Blackshear, considered by many the best offensive lineman in Florida, and four highly regarded linebackers. "This is another outstanding group of incoming Spurrier said.

From AP and Gannett Dispatches On a January day in the midst of college football recruiting madness, Florida State's. Bobby Bowden was sitting in the home of Martavious Houston, one of the state's best prospects, when a rival recruiter knocked on the door. Much to Bowden's surprise, his son, Auburn coach Terry Bowden, arrived to make a different sales pitch. "I'll tell you what," he said to Houston's mother, as he got up to leave. "If you can get rid of this guy in 30 minutes, call me and I'll double back." No such luck.

Houston, rated one of the nation's best defensive backs, commited to Auburn and signed with the Tigers, becoming one of several gems in Terry Bowden's glittering recruiting coup. The younger Bowden's recruiting prowl, which left tracks from small towns like Dublin, to mega-cities like Miami, paid off on national signing day. Auburn signed a class proclaimed by recruiting analysts to approach Notre Dame and Florida State in both quantity and quality. It included a handful of blue-chip players the Seminoles wanted very badly. "I really think the reason we lost some kids to Auburn is they signed with a Bowden and thought it was me," joked Bobby Bowden.

"Well, they signed with the wrong one." Auburn signed 26 players featuring the speed and athleticism Terry Bowden sought. A consensus of three top scouting services had it No. 3 in the country and the best in the No. 1 conference, the Southeastern. "If we're going to be a national title contender like I want us to be," he said, "then we need to go after the very best players in the country.

"Recruiting against my father was unusual, but not hard. It's strange, but not difficult. I love talking, I love sailing. Maybe it's that law school background in me." A 20-1-1 record as a head coach doesn't hurt, either. And he But (surprise) Auburn didn't surpass Notre Dame as the nation's consensus No.

1. The Irish needed a big one after a 6-5-1 season, and they apparently got what they wanted. "Notre Dame was the clear winner," said Allen Wallace, publisher of SuperPrep magazine in Laguna Beach, Calif. "They got more big rfHMslaa.i tpi si Eastern Kentucky football coach Roy Kidd needed a fullback, and yesterday he reloaded his 1994 NCAA Division I-AA quarterfinalist Colonels with two of them, plus 15 other players. Murray State coach Houston Nutt needed help at a lot of positions and hopes he filled four of them with junior college transfers.

Morehead State boss Matt Ballard started what he hopes will be a quick climb back to respectability with 10 signees, including some added beef to the Eagles' lines. And Western Kentucky coach Jack Harbaugh is staying mum and watching his mailbox. Kidd's new fullbacks are 5-foot-11, 220-pound Jonathan Butler of Bainbridge, and 6-0, 225-pound Harold Farmer of Wrens, Ga. "I think both of them could come in and help," Kidd said. Butler seems to be an exceptional a big-time player who slipped "through the Division I-A cracks.

At High, Butler holds or 17 school rushing and records. He was twice Region Offensive Player of the Year, Crushing for 3,864 yards (a 6.1 average) and scoring 36 touchdowns in his three varsity seasons. "The story I got was that Florida originally offered him a grant," "Kidd said, "but he wanted to visit 'Florida State and Georgia before he made up his mind. Florida then "committed to somebody else and the others pulled out." Kidd said he is also particularly pleased with 6-4, 193-pound receiver Trellis Burks of LaGrange, the brother of Eastern receiver Dial-leo Burks. "Trellis is big and fast," said.

"It looked like he was about to go to Auburn, but he decided to come with us." Overall, "We've got most of our team coming back," Kidd said, "and this looks like a good recruiting year. We were right on target at meeting our needs. Fullback, depth at quarterback and solidifying dur offensive and defensive lines were keys, and we feel we've met most of those." Two quarterbacks, Simon Fuentes of Rancho Santiago College and Reggie Johnson of Dayton, Ohio, Wayne High, signed. Fuentes is the only junior-college transfer in group. After two years of generally recruiting the best talent available, re-'gardless of position, Murray tunneled in on specifics in Nutt's third Season.

"We had to get real specialized in what we were doing," he said. "We needed some help at defensive line and at wide receiver. We needed another cover corner. We feel the kids we signed today will help in those areas." The Racers' junior-college haul included free safety Donald Hitson and running back Myron Newton of Georgia Military College, receiver Jesse Jones of Mississippi Delta Community College and defensive lineman Mathias Vavao from Cha-bot, CC. Morehead coach Ballard said he's excited" about the quality of his recruiting class.

"We've made a great start in achieving a in our geographic recruiting area as well as in positions we "needed to fill," Ballard said. Biggest of the Eaglets are 280-pound All-Stater Bradley Centers of Boone County High, 280-pound Brent Cook of Lawrence County, Jeremy Binakonsky of Jeanette, 240-pound Brad Bien Of Cincinnati LaSalle and 230-pound Thomas Ramey of Louisville Trinity. Western Kentucky's Harbaugh said he will not announce the Hill-toppers' signees until the signed are physically present in his office. The names will be released later this week, he said. I "J- 1 I "'i i y- -1 i ni 7a Cooper gets all but a gift Continued from Page 1 didn't happen." The recruits are a blend of players Cooper became familiar with when he was at Eastern Michigan, prospects that were being recruited by Schnellenberger's staff and some who Cooper's assistants knew about.

In the future, Cooper said, he will concentrate his recruiting efforts in Kentucky, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, the Detroit-Flint area and parts of Ohio. Cooper's first priority was linemen. He signed 11, including Mark Grivna of Brook Park, Ohio, who at 6 feet 9 and 330 pounds would be the biggest player ever at UofL. Also in the fold is 6-7, 290-pound Mike Scott from Los Angeles Harbor Junior College and 6-5, 290-pound Jon Suski of Detroit. "After looking at the films from last season, I felt we had some good linemen, but not enough of them, so we wanted to go out and get the big athletic body people with foot-quickness and size," Cooper said.

"You can't have too many of those kinds of guys. The things we're going to be doing take a little more power than finesse, but you also have to be athletic." Another focus was big running backs. Cooper signed three Moreau (6-3, 220); Otis Floyd of South-field, Mich. (6-2, 200); and Jason Wyatt (6-2, 215) of Detroit. Cooper indicated that Wyatt, tight end Ibn Green from Louisville Male, Moreau, linebacker Dwayne Gwinner of Detroit and linebackerdefensive end Jason Caswell and offensive lineman Anthony Byrd, both from Bedford Heights, Ohio, could be the top players in the class.

Conspicuously absent from the group is a quarterback. Once Cooper struck out on Male's Chris Redman, who chose Illinois, he decided to postpone signing a QB. "I didn't want to take a quarterback just to be taking one," he said. "I want to get a great one, and this will give me an opportunity to sign the best one available next year." Twenty-two was the maximum number of players Cooper could sign because he had agreed to give scholarships to three players with previous of ties running back Todrick Bradley and wide receiver Antuan Wordlow, both from Male, Westlake High in Austin, the state's runner-up team. Weber threw for 6,353 career yards.

"Both are good athletes with good arms, good smart kids; coaches' kids, which I like," Mallory said. The Hoosiers took players from 10 states, and eight are homegrown, including defensive tackle Jeremy Johnson of Castle High in New burgh. "I think we got the top kids in the state," Mallory said. Indiana brought in two running backs to supplement freshman standout Alex Smith and Michael Batts, who is expected to return from an early season knee injury. The newcomers are 210-pound Kenyon Hartfieid and 235-pound Eugene Jones.

Hartfieid averaged 6.0 yards 'a carry and gained 1,012 yards for Goshen (Ind.) High, and Jones averaged 7.4 per carry last year and 7.1 for his career at Pine Bush (N.Y.) High. While reluctant to compare recruiting classes, Mallory said his current crop complements the pre: vious two. "We're going to be thin this year with the senior class, like we were last year, but I think the junior class is a good class and last year's class is going to be a good class," Mallory said. "I would put this group right in there." IU piles up linebackers Continued from Page 1 Supernaw is the latest of several Hoosiers, including former Ail-American Vaughn Dunbar, to come out of Northeastern Oklahoma junior college. He was the only junior college player taken and can play free or strong safety.

Other new defensive backs include Meenyus Miller and Patrick Shaw, who were among three Florida products highly regarded by the IU staff. The other is wide receiver Damion Matthews, a teammate of Shaw in Ft. Lauderdale. Mallory said he will revamp the secondary by moving stellar corner-back Eric Smedley to free safety, much as he did with Mike Dumas in 1990. Indiana will be well stocked at quarterback and probably will red-shirt incoming Texan Jay Rodgers and Brad Weber of DeKalb High in Auburn, Ind.

Chris Dittoe has two years remaining, with senior Adam Greenlee and redshirt freshman Jeff Kirn in reserve. Rodgers father, Randy, is on Jon Mackovic's University of Texas staff. Rodgers threw for almost 4,400 yards in his past two seasons for FILE PHOTO Male receiver Ibn Green is one of the reasons new of football coach Ron Cooper is exuberant over his bag of recruits. and defensive end Jermaine Broach of Cincinnati. All were 1994 signees, but Bradley quit the team during two-a-days last year, Wordlow was a walk-on and Broach was academically ineligible.

NCAA rules limit schools to 25 scholarships per year and 85 total. of will have 77 on scholarship. NOTES of will play six home games next season, including a Thursday night game against North Carolina that tentatively is scheduled for ESPN. The Cardinals will open at Kentucky on Sept. 2 and play five of their first seven on the road before finishing with four home games.

The schedule: Sept. 2 at Kentucky; Sept. 9 at Northern Illinois; Sept. 16 Michigan State; Sept. 21 North Carolina; Sept.

30 at Memphis; Oct. 7 at Southern Mississippi; Oct. 14 at Wyoming; Oct. 21 Open; Oct. 28 Maryland; Nov.

4 Tulane; Nov. 1 1 Northeast Louisiana; Nov. 18 North Texas. Cooper will begin his first of spring practice April 5, with the annual Red-White intrasquad game to be played either April 28 or 29..