MIAMI FOOTBALL

RedHawk football signs 21 on Early NLI Day

Martin cites class with athleticism and speed

By MIKE SMITH
Josh Ringer was named Indiana Mr. Football. Brach Rice was a First Team All-Kentucky linebacker who registered 28 tackles in a single contest and 184 on the season. Jacob Schorsch was Greater Cincinnati League Offensive Lineman of the Year and a First Team All-Ohio selection. 

Those are just three relatively local products among 21 prep players who today signed National Letters of Intent to play football for the Miami RedHawks. 

Speaking to the press just after noon, Miami Head Coach Chuck Martin said he was pleased with the quality of this year's class. 

"We really like the group," he said. "We think it has the most size and athleticism (of) any group we've had in 10 years here."

Ironically, perhaps, Martin sees . . .

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. . . the transfer portal as helping Group of Five schools like Miami recruit high school talent. 

"If the Power Five schools are taking (more transfers and) less high school kids, there are kids we can get that we used to not be able to get," he said. "There are a number of kids in this class that five years ago had the height, had the length, had the size, had the speed (to) end up in the Big Ten. But (now), the Big Ten (and other Power Five schools) are taking less high school players."

"I just think there are more Power Five bodies available than ever before," Martin continued You've got to be able to take advantage of that," he continued. "We've done very good with transfers. We got a lot of transfers that helped us have a great year this year, but 80 percent of our roster is high school players (who live) within five hours of here." 

2023 MIAMI SIGNEES

Many athletes end up playing different positions in college, but coming out of high school, Miami picked up 11 on defense and 10 on offense:
-- 3 defensive linemen
-- 5 defensive backs
-- 3 linebackers

-- 3 running backs
-- 1 quarterback
-- 3 offensive linemen
-- 2 tight ends
-- 1 wide receiver

PLAYER PROFILES

Oyeka Alexander, DL, 6-2, 290, Scarborough, Ontario (Providence Christian Acad.)
High School:
• Currently attends Providence Christian Academy
• Coached by John Russ
• Recorded 25 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks and four forced fumbles his senior season
• Named Region-8 Defensive Lineman of the Year
• Earned All-County Honorable Mention
• Had 40 tackles and 9.0 tackles for loss as a junior

Devin Bell, DL, 6-1, 230, Akron, Ohio (Archbishop Hoban)
High School:
• Currently attends Archbishop Hoban High School
• Coached by Tim Tyrell
• Two-time team captain
• Earned All-Ohio as a junior after recording 20 sacks

Toney Coleman Jr., DB, 6-2, 185, Eufaula, Ala. (Eufaula)
High School:
• Currently attends Eufaula High School
• Coached by Jerrel Jerniagan
• Team captain
• Recorded 39 tackles and three interceptions as a senior

Leo Colombi, DB, 6-3, 210, Chardon, Ohio (Chardon)
High School:
• Currently attends Chardon High School
• Coached by Mitch Hewitt
• Team captain
• Earned first-team All-Ohio as a senior
• Recorded 83 tackles, 15 pass break-ups, 7.5 tackles for loss and an interception in 2023
• Named second-team All-Ohio as a junior with 56 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, nine pass break-ups and two interceptions
• team won a state championship his sophomore season
• also lettered in baseball, where his team won a state championship as a sophomore

Jayden Fuller, LB, 6-0, 225, Aiken, SC (Silver Bluff)
High School:
• Currently attends Silver Bluff High School
• Coached by Deangelo Bryant
• Three-time team captain
• Earned all-state honors as a junior and senior
• Recorded 140 tackles, 25.0 tackles for loss, seven sacks and three forced fumbles as a senior
• Added 85 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss and a forced fumble his junior campaign
• owns school record with 371 career tackles and seven defensive touchdowns scored

Tito Glass Jr., RB, 6-2, 225, Columbus, Ohio (Marion Franklin)
High School:
• Currently attends Marion Franklin High School
• Coached by Charles Gibson
• Two-time team captain
• Earned all-state as a senior
• Rushed for 1,500 yards as a junior, earning first-team all-city accolades

William Goodvine III, DL, 6-1, 260, Westfield, Ind. (Westfield)
High School:
• Currently attends Westfield High School
• Coached by Jake Gilbert
• Team captain
• Named Indiana's Mr. Football Defensive Lineman of the Year in 2023 and was a Top-50 all-state honoree
• Recorded 32 tackles, 13.0 tackles for loss and four sacks as a senior
• Earned all-state honors as a junior after recording 48 tackles, 7.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks

Thomas Gotkowski, QB, 6-1, 190, Indianapolis, Ind. (Ben Davis)
High School:
• Graduated from Ben Davis High School
• Coached by Russ Mann
• Two-time team captain
• Threw for 2,740 yards and 33 touchdowns as a senior. He added six rushing scores as well
• Earned first-team all-state and was named the Marion County Player of the Year
• Helped lead his team to a state championship as a senior
• Threw for 2,431 yards and 24 touchdowns as a junior

Carter Herriman, LB, 6-1, 210, Davison, Mich. (Davison)
High School:
• Graduated from Davison High School
• Coached by Jake Weingartz
• Two-time team captain
• Earned first-team all-state after recording 131 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and eight touchdowns as a senior
• Named to the Detroit Free Press 2023 Dream Team
• Earned first-team all-state as a junior after recording 120 tackles, 16.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and four touchdowns
• Named Flint Area First-Team All-Dream Team and his conference's player of the year as a junior
• Owns the school record for career tackles and in the 60-meter dash

Aiden Howard, OL, 6-5, 280, Richmond, Ky. (Madison Central)
High School:
• Currently attends Madison Central High School
• Coached by William Blair
• Two-time team captain
• Named first-team all-state as a senior
• Team's offensive MVP in 2023
• Earned second-team all-state as a junior and was named team's offensive MVP

Braylon Isom, WR, 6-3, 195, Saginaw, Mich. (Heritage)
High School:
• Currently attends Heritage High School
• Coached by Justin Thelen
• Two-time team captain
• Earned all-state as a senior after recording 82 catches for 1,611 and 26 touchdowns
• Named Detroit Free Press All-State Dream Team in 2023
• Recorded 1,447 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns as a junior, earning all-state honors
• Owns school record for career receptions (191), receiving yards (3,830) and receiving touchdowns (52)

D'Shawntae Jones, RB, 5-10, 230, Cleveland, Ohio (Glenville High School)
High School:
• Currently attends Glenville High School
• Coached by Ted Ginn Sr.
• Team captain
• Earned first-team All-Ohio as a junior and senior
• Team won a state title in 2022

Braylon Littlejohn, DB, 6-2, 175, Butler, Pa. (Butler Senior)
High School:
• Currently attends Butler Senior High School
• Coached by Eric Christy
• Team captain
• Rushed for 500 yards and added 200 yards receiving as a senior
• Had 550 combined yards as a junior

Kris Manu, OL, 6-3, 250, Dublin, Ohio (Dublin Coffman)
High School:
• Currently attends Dublin Coffman High School
• Coached by Geron Stokes
• Two-time team captain
• Earned first-team all-state as a senior
• Named second-team all-conference as a junior

Personal:
• Son of Natasha and Nana Manu

Kaleb Martin, DB, 6-2, 170, Cleveland, Tenn. (Bradley Central)
High School:
• Currently attends Bradley Central High School
• Coached by Damon Floyd
• Two-time team captain
• Threw for 2,629 yards and 31 touchdowns as a senior
• Added 958 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns in 2023
• Named Offensive Player of the Year for his conference
• Owns school record for career passing touchdowns and rushing touchdowns

Zach Meeks, TE, 6-6, 235, Indianapolis, Ind. (Cathedral)
High School:
• Currently attends Cathedral High School
• Coached by Bill Pebbles
• Team captain
• Recorded 40 catches for 400 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior
• Named to the Indiana Top-50 Team in 2023
• As a junior earned all-state honors after recording 30 catches for 400 yards and three touchdowns

Jackson Pons, DB, 6-2, 185, North Huntington, Pa. (Norwin)
High School:
• Graduated from Norwin High School
• Coached by Mike Brown
• Two-time team captain
• Named first-team All-Pennsylvania in 2023
• Earned first-team all-conference as a senior after recording 84 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, seven pass break-ups and two interceptions
• Also saw time on offense, finishing season with 619 receiving yards and 12 scores
• Named a Post Gazette Fab-22 Selection in 2023
• As a junior he earned first-team all-conference recording 57 tackles, eight pass break-ups, four interceptions and blocked four field goals

Brach Rice, LB, 6-3, 230, Covington, Ky. (Dixie Heights)
High School:
• Currently attends Dixie Heights High School
• Coached by Patrick Burke
• Team captain
• Earned  first-team all-state and first-team all-tri state as a senior
• Owns school record with 28 tackles in a single contest and 184 tackles in a season
• Named all-state honorable mention as a junior
 
Josh Ringer, RB, 6-1, 195, Lawrenceburg, Ind. (East Central)
High School:
• Graduated from East Central High School
• Coached by Jake Meiners
• Two-time team captain
• Rushed for 2,880 yards and 55 touchdowns as a senior
• Added 278 yards receiving and five scores in 2023
• Named Mr. Football in the state of Indiana
• Ran for 2,368 yards and 39 touchdowns as a junior
• Named First-Team All-State his junior season
• Owns school records in career rushing yards and touchdowns scored

Jacob Schorsch, OL, 6-6, 295, Cincinnati, Ohio (Elder)
High School:
• Currently attends Elder High School
• Coached by Doug Ramsey
• Team captain
• Earned first-team all-conference as a senior and was named his conference's offensive lineman of the year
• Named first-team All-Ohio, All-Southwest Ohio and all-city as a senior
• Earned second-team all-conference as a junior

Hunter Teal, TE, 6-1, 225, Marietta, Ga. (Walton)
High School: 
• Graduated from Walton High School
• Coached by Daniel Brunner
• Recorded 700 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns his senior season
• Added 970 receiving yards his junior campaign
• Owns school record for career receiving yards