Led by coach Moore and newly appointed recruiting coordinator Scot Sloan, the Appalachian State coaching staff came through in a difficult time of heavy coaching transition with a group of recruits that has the potential to be the most impressive class the Mountaineers have landed in recent years. Appalachian will welcome a 19-man class onto campus in 2012 with 10 signees on the defensive side and 9 offensive commitments.
Entering the offseason, there were three key areas of need for ASU: running back, offensive line and defensive tackle. All three areas were addressed thoroughly and below, I will give a brief overview of all the new Mountaineers along with all the highlights I can find:
Tysean Holloway (RB: 6-1, 190 - Asheville, NC) - Highlights Hailing from nearby Asheville High School, Tysean (pictured above) was a 2011 Shrine Bowl participant and the 2011 Mountain Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year. In his 3 year career, he racked up 4,844 rushing yards and 77 touchdowns, earning him a 3-star rating from ESPN and a 2-star rating from Rivals along with scholarship offers from Duke, North Carolina, Georgia Tech and Western Carolina. Holloway has shown good speed, the ability to run between the tackles and should compete immediately for playing time in the backfield along with Rod Chisholm and his fellow 2012 classmate Quartterrio Morgan.
Quartterrio Morgan (RB: 5-10, 180 - Jonesboro, GA) - Highlights (Membership Req'd) Quartterrio is a rare FBS transfer that comes in with all four years of eligibility, as he took a redshirt in his only season at Western Kentucky. Appalachian offered Morgan and recruited him heavily out of high school and although they lost the battle to WKU, the coaching staff is thrilled to have won the war. He was a football and track star at Mt. Zion high school in Georgia, where he played in a spread offense similar to the one installed in Boone. His 4,200 yard, 50 touchdown prep career earned him a 3-star rating from ESPN and Rivals, along with a handful of FBS offers. He has shown explosive speed and cutting ability and at this point, could be a front-runner for the top spot on the depth chart at running back.
Jamie Collmar (OL: 6-2, 280 - Gastonia, NC) - Highlights 2 Another in-state commitment, Collmar was firmly committed to Florida International before taking a visit to Boone as signing day approached. In what was expected to be a formality and no more than due diligence, he fell in love with the campus and decided to stay close to home. He was an all-state selection in 2011 for Forestview High School in Gastonia and was rated a 3-star prospect by ESPN and a 2-star prospect by Rivals. He played both offensive tackle and defensive tackle in his prep career but projects as a guard or center at the collegiate level. For a unit that was depleted by injuries and graduation, he is a welcome addition to the offensive line and could crack the 2-deep early in his ASU career.
Dante Blackmon (DB: 5-11, 185 - Covington, GA) - Highlights An excellent athlete with 4.4 speed, Dante played both WR and CB in high school and was rated a 3-star prospect by both Rivals and ESPN. He is expected to play in the defensive secondary at ASU and although it is already an area of great depth, he has the playmaking ability to see the field early. Blackmon remained committed to ASU despite a late push by Wake Forest along with offers from Indiana, Buffalo and Western Kentucky. He will have to fight his way past some very talented incumbent defensive backs but I fully expect Dante to be a star in the black and gold.
Darian Small (DT: 6-2, 285 - Hampton, GA) - Highlights 2 With the graduation of seniors Dan Wylie, Chris Aiken and Gordy Witte, defensive tackle is a position that was left dangerously thin after 2011. Darian is a talented DT that Appalachian was able to pry away from Georgia Southern late in the recruiting process. Small was second team all-state his senior year and led Dutchtown High School in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks. Rated a 3-star prospect by ESPN, Small will certainly be on the short list of candidates to crack the starting line-up as a true freshman. He has shown the ability to stay low, fight off blockers and has the prototypical frame for a nose tackle in the 3-4 defense. Along with Georgia Southern, Darian was recruited by Chattanooga and Marshall.
Malachi Jones (WR: 6-1, 180 - Roswell, GA) - Highlights Jones comes from a family of athletes as his father won a National Championship as a linebacker at Notre Dame and his brother T.J. is currently a starting wide receiver for the Irish. Malachi was a 2nd team all-state selection as a senior and was rated a 2-star prospect by Rivals. For a young player, he runs very crisp routes and has a great combination of hands and speed. Depending on the development of redshirt freshman Sean Price, Jones could see the field very early as the Mountaineers look for a deep-threat receiver to replace the void left by Brian Quick.
Krah is a 2011 Shrine Bowl participant, the 2011 PAC-6 Defensive Back of the Year and a key component of Hillside High School's 2010 4-A State Championship. Along with excelling on the defensive side of the ball, he was a return specialist who boasts sub-4.5 speed and a 2-star Rivals rating. Impressive ball skills and will push for playing time in an already crowded secondary.
John Law (LB: 6-0, 225 - Atlanta, GA) - Highlights Law is a welcome addition to a linebacking unit that will be one of, if not the best in all of the FCS in 2012. Playing time will be hard to come by but with coach Moore already comparing Law to former Mountaineers D.J. Smith and Dexter Coakley, he is likely to see the field in some capacity as a freshman. With rising senior All-American Jeremy Kimbrough to learn from, he seems positioned as the heir apparent in a long line of dominant Appalachian State middle linebackers. Law was firmly committed to Cincinnati until a request to redshirt as a freshman opened up his recruitment. With an opportunity to see the field as a freshman, a BCS commitment landed in Boone and is likely to make his stay a memorable one. Rated a 2-star prospect by ESPN and Rivals, Law's highlights show amazing instinct in reading an offense and a hard-hitting aggression that has coaches and fans alike excited about his future.
Paul Magloire (QB/S: 6-2, 210 - Lynbrook, NY) - Highlights Magloire played on both sides of the ball in high school but his collegiate position has yet to be determined. Paul was one of ASU's earlier commits and has stated that he is willing to play wherever the coaches place him. After his career at Lynbrook High School, he played one season at the Milford Academy on a team full of D1 prospects which will only help him as he faces college competition. Unfortunately for him, both safety and quarterback are positions of depth at ASU and I would not be surprised to see him take a redshirt. However, he is too good an athlete to keep off the 2-deep for long.
Barrett Burns (TE: 6-4, 220 - Woodstock, GA) - Highlights Despite having great speed and athletic ability for his size, Burns remained relatively under the radar during his prep career while playing for a run-oriented option offense that prevented him from putting up big numbers in the passing game. He was a two-sport athlete, lettering in track and football. Trevor Sawyer appears to be the odds-on favorite to start at tight end but Burns could certainly be in the mix as a back-up that could play special teams and get on the field as a freshman in two tight end sets. The coaching staff will likely have to decide whether they want him to play early or redshirt to maximize his playing time if they view him as the successor to Sawyer. Rated a 2-star prospect by ESPN.
Olawale Dada (LB: 6-0, 210 - Columbus, GA) - Highlights Dada is a somewhat raw prospect that did not begin playing football until he was a sophomore in high school. Olawale (goes by Wale) was born in Nigeria and actually took up football as a way to relate to his peers in school. Needless to say, he excelled on the field and due to his athletic ability, has great upside potential. He is also an exceptional student and was a semifinalist for the 2011 Rudy Award. He was recruited by SoCon rivals Furman and Wofford, as well as Jacksonville State.
Chris Starks (WR: 6-1, 170 - Lithonia, GA) - Highlights Starks eluded many of the big schools because he did not play in an offense that allowed him to post big numbers but in my opinion, Chris could be one of the steals in this class. He is 6-1 with a frame that could allow for a few more pounds of muscle and has been clocked at a 4.38 40-yard dash. Played both sides of the ball in high school but projects as a wide receiver at the collegiate level. However, his best chance for early playing time is on special teams as he was a dynamic return man during his prep career and the graduation of Travaris Cadet will create an open competition for returning duties. Along with his speed, he has great leaping ability and ball skills. The coaching staff's comfort level with his route running and blocking will determine if he has a substantial offensive role early, but his potential is enormous.
Tyson Fernandez (OL: 6-2, 315 - Fuquay-Varina, NC) - Highlights Fernandez was another early commitment who played on both sides in high school but was recruited the play in the trenches on offense. A very aggressive blockers who plays to the whistle. At 315 pounds, has the width and lower body strength to develop into a great guard on the offensive line. The coaching staff has made a concerted effort to beef up on the front line without sacrificing speed. Tyson is a perfect example, as his foot speed is very impressive for a young man his size. May not be ready to contribute immediately but has the frame to develop into a starter.
Greg Hall (LB: 6-3, 235 - Bogart, GA) - Highlights Hall was a first team all-state selection in Georgia and a DE/LB hybrid that is almost a necessity in the 3-4 scheme. He is the nephew of NFL veteran and former Carolina Panther Will Witherspoon. Although he is not small by any means, he could stand to add a bit more muscle to his lean frame and will likely do so after being introduced to a college training regimen. Due to the depth at both DE and LB, he may redshirt or be solely a special teams contributor early but like many prospects, there is serious potential for growth.
Greg Milhouse (DL: 6-3, 275 - Garner, NC) - Highlights
An offensive and defensive lineman in high school, Milhouse projects as a defensive end in 3-4 sets or a tackle in the 4-3 setup at ASU. After some flirtation with Wake Forest and an official visit to UCLA, Greg's decision ultimately came down to App State or Elon and the Mountaineers coaching staff has to be thrilled about landing him in Boone. A very strong young man who plays with a nasty streak, he could find his way in the rotation early.
Alex Gray (DB: 6-3, 210 - Suwanee, GA) - Highlights
While Gray will be competing among a very talented group of defensive backs, he projects as a safety and with an ideal frame and great athleticism, Alex may end up following Troy Sanders at the strong safety spot. Alex earned all-county recognition as a senior and runs a 4.44 40-yard dash.
Kevin Walton (DB: 6-1, 190 - Greensboro, NC) - Highlights
Walton committed to ASU about a week prior to signing day with little else known about his recruitment. He will likely be a cornerback at Appalachian but with the return of Demetrius McCray, Rodger Walker and Doug Middleton, defensive playing time may be scarce early on, making special teams his best option to contribute as an underclassman.
Tashion Singleton (DE/LB: 6-3, 245 - Charlotte, NC) - Highlights
Coach Moore and staff began recruiting Singleton very early on and after weighing his options with Charlotte and South Carolina State, Tashion gave his commitment to ASU which was solidified after to visit for Black Saturday 2011 against Georgia Southern. After watching an impressive performance against the Eagles, Singleton eventually decided he wanted to be a part of Dale Jones' defense, where he will likely play a hybrid defensive end and linebacker role. John Rizor will likely hold down that starting spot in 2012 but Singleton has the size and strength to play at this level immediately and could find his way into the rotation very early.
Matthew Privette (OL: 6-4, 280 - Marshville, NC) - Highlights
Privette was recruited as an offensive tackle and has college-ready size but with the return of Kendall Lamm and Regan Dufort, both tackle spots are likely going to be spoken for. He chose ASU over conference foe Elon and should provide depth for a unit that has clearly become a focal point in recruiting for the Mountaineers.
