Southeast Missouri’s 2013 Football Signing Class has 25 player, including five mid-year transfers and 20 new commits. This year’s class is the second-largest under head coach Tony Samuel.
“It’s a diverse group and you are going to see that there’s a concentration on the linemen and linebackers,” said Samuel. “This is a larger class with a good combination of guys with different skill sets.”
The Redhawks 2013 class is second to Samuel’s 2007 and 2009 groups which each consisted of 28 members. Southeast also had 22 players as part of its 2011 class, assembled the year after the Redhawks clinched their first-ever Ohio Valley Conference title and NCAA Playoff appearance.
Seventeen spots belong to either linemen (7 defensive; 6 offensive) or linebackers (4).
Here’s a look at SEMO’s 2013 class.
Michael Ford, RB 5-11, 185, Alton, Ill./Marquette Catholic H.S.
Billy Dasher, OL, 6-2, 275, Birmingham, Ala./Oak Mountain H.S.
One of the best linemen to play at Oak Mountain High School…All-State honors…Birmingham News All-Shelby County selection…Earned All-Metro honors and was an honorable mention Alabama Sports Writers Association All-State selection…Also a member of the wrestling team where he was his team’s Junior Wrestler of the Year.
Brendan Stewart, RB, 5-11, 210, Carlinville, Ill./Carlinville H.S.
Three-time Alton Area Telegraph Small School Player of the Year…All-State, All-Area and All-Conference performer…Honorary Captain of Springfield All-Area Team…Three-time Carlinville High School Most Valuable Player…Rushed for 4,425 yards and 72 touchdowns on 440 carries in his career…Averaged 10.1 yards per attempt in his career…Ran for 2,049 yards and 34 touchdowns with 12.5 yards per carry as a senior…Caught 37 passes for 640 yards and six TDs in his four-year stint…As a senior, he rushed for 2,049 yards with 34 touchdowns…Piled up 5,065 total yards and scored a total of 528 points as a prep…Returned 21 kickoffs for 469 yards and 12 punts for 265 yards, as well.
John Popovich, DT, 6-5, 230, Louisville, Ky./Christian Academy
All-District selection at Christian Academy of Louisville…Played in the Jefferson County East/West All-Star Game…Played for former Louisville and Carolina Panther quarterback Stefan Lefors.
Alex Schwab, LB, 6-1, 210, New Berlin, Wis./West Allis Hale H.S.
Made the 2012 NOW Newspapers All-Suburban Team at linebacker…Named his team’s Most Valuable Defensive Player…First-Team Greater Metro Conference honoree…Three-year starter…Collected 58 solo tackles, 23 assisted tackles and 12 tackles for loss at West Allis Hale High School…Added two sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles…Also had two fumble recoveries…All-State honorable mention selection and All-Suburban First-Team pick…West Allis Hale head coach Brandon Ehret was a teammate of Southeast Missouri wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator Joel Beard at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.
Aaron Nix, LB, 6-1, 220, Louisville, Ky./Eastern H.S.
Was an All-District honoree at Eastern High School…Recorded 61 tackles, averaging 5.1 per game as a senior…Played in the Best of Bluegrass All-Star Game.
Cale Svehla, DE, 6-3, 205, Bellevue, Neb./Bellevue West H.S.
Demontre Boyd, LB, 6-1, 190, Louisville, Ky./Central H.S.
Tyler Couch, OL, 6-2, 275, Lebanon, Mo./Lebanon H.S.
Tyler McLemore, S, 6-2, 195, Godfrey, Ill./Alton H.S.
Belleville News Democrat First-Team All-Area performer at Alton High School…First-Team All-Southwestern Conference pick as a senior…Earned Third-Team All-Conference honors as a junior…Was his team’s Offensive Player of the Year…Had 41 catches for 746 yards and 11 touchdowns his senior year… Also collected 55 tackles and one interception on defense…Made 24 receptions for 296 yards and notched 49 tackles as a junior…Played in the Illinois Shrine Game…Three-year letterman in basketball…Was a United States Junior Olympic Gold medalist in Tae Kwon Do.
Fletcher Evans, LB, 6-3, 235, Champaign, Ill./Centennial H.S.
Alex Snyder, OL, 6-4, 275, Humble, Texas/St. Thomas H.S.
Jake McCandless, OL, 6-0, 275, Newburgh, Ind./Castle H.S.
Zack Tamburo, DT, 5-11, 275, Phoenix, Ariz./Desert Vista H.S.
Lawton Kietzman, TE, 6-5, 225, Springfield, Ill./Glenwood H.S.
Marlon Hampton, DT, 6-2, 285, Webster Groves, Mo./Webster Groves H.S.
Gabe Phillips, OL, 6-5, 290, Springfield, Ill./Glenwood H.S.
Mark Cushing, FB, 5-11, 225, Wentzville, Mo./Holt H.S.
Mendaryian “Buck” Wilson, CB, 5-10, 165, Commerce, Texas/Commerce H.S.
Lloyd Laufili-Ti’me, DE, 6-1, 225, Birmingham, Ala./Oak Mountain H.S.
Zach Clouse, DT, 6-1, 255, San Diego, Calif./Volcano Vista H.S./Grossmont College
Ron Davis, S, 6-1, 185, Compton, Calif./Dominguez H.S./Cerritos College
Kyle Finney, OL, 6-3, 285, Huntington Beach, Calif./Edison H.S./Orange Coast College
Lucas Melo, DT, 6-1, 290, Lake Mary, Fla./Lake Mary H.S./Pierce College
Kelvin Wilkins, CB, 6-2, 205, Spartanburg, S.C./Spartanburg H.S./North Dakota State College of Science
Recorded 59 tackles and two interceptions at North Dakota State College of Science in 2012…Added 44 tackles in 2011…Earned All-Area and All-Region honors at Spartanburg High School…Played in the SCADA S.C. North/South All-Star Game…Finished senior season with 101 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, six sacks, nine quarterback hurries, eight knockdowns, six pass breakups and an interception…Turned in 115 tackles during his junior season…Also lettered in basketball and track and field.