CMU Announces 2009 Football Recruiting Class

MOUNT PLEASANT - Central Michigan University head football coach Butch Jones has announced the signing of 30 high school student-athletes to a National Letter of Intent.

“We are very excited to welcome 34 new members into our family,” Butch Jones said. “This is obviously a very exciting day for the CMU football program, and it is the culmination of a long and tedious, but enjoyable, process. We look forward to these individuals continuing and embracing the great traditions and expectations that surround the CMU football program.

“Our coaches worked extremely hard to assemble a class based on character, personality types, competitiveness, a passion for academics, a passion for the game of football and great family backgrounds. We are looking forward to their arrival on campus and to being a part of their lives.”

Three of the signees—offensive lineman Jeff Fantuzzi and defensive backs Jason Johnson and D.J. Scott—enrolled at CMU for the Spring 2009 semester and will participate in spring practice beginning next month.

The Chippewas’ signing class includes student-athletes hailing from eight different states, including 13 from the state of Michigan. Other states represented in the class are Maryland (four signees), Florida (three), Indiana (three), Ohio (two), Kentucky (two), Illinois (two) and Pennsylvania (one).

Sixteen of the signees are slated for duty on the defensive side of the ball, while 14 will line up on offense. Broken down by position, the class includes five offensive linemen, five linebackers, four defensive ends, four defensive backs, four running backs, three wide receivers, three defensive linemen, one quarterback and one tight end.

All 13 signees from Michigan were ranked among the top 50 players in the state in the Detroit Free Press Fab 50. Nineteen members of the class helped lead their high school teams to conference championships, state championships or postseason appearances, and 23 served as captains of their high school teams.

Jones also announced the addition of four preferred walk-ons who will join the Chippewas for the 2009 season: kicker Connor Gagnon, tight end Charlie Hoch and receivers Jordan McConnell and Connor Odykirk.



CMU Football 2009 Signing Class

Name Position Height Weight Hometown/High School High School Coach

Justice Akuezue DE 6-3 205 Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron Joel Przygodski

Deja Alexander WR 6-1 190 Jacksonville, Fla./First Coast Marty Lee

Shamari Benton LB 6-0 180 Detroit, Mich./Brother Rice Al Fracassa

Galen Clemons DE 6-2 255 Danielsville, Pa./Northampton Bob Steckel

Jon Czerwienski OL 6-3 260 Roseville, Mich./Fraser Joe Kaczanowski

Leron Eaddy DB 5-10 190 Clarksville, Md./River Hill Brian Van Deusen

Jeff Fantuzzi OL 6-4 280 Macomb, Mich./Dakota Mike Giannone

Adam Fenton LB 6-2 215 Birmingham, Mich./Seaholm Chris Fahr

Eric Fisher OL 6-7 243 Rochester, Mich./Stoney Creek Calvin Gross

Jarrett Fleming DE 6-6 215 South Bend, Ind./Washington Antwon Jones

Bobby James TE 6-3 227 Hobart, Ind./Hobart Wally McCormack

Jason Johnson DB 6-0 177 Durand, Mich./Durand Bryan Carpenter

Aaron Kaczmarski DL 6-5 255 Merrillville, Ind./Merrillville Zac Wells

Ronnie Kennedy WR 5-8 150 Fort Lauderdale, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas George Smith

Dominic Mainello OL 6-4 250 Fort Mitchell, Ky./Beechwood Noel Rash

Aaron McCord DL 6-3 265 Warren, Mich./Crockett Rod Oden

Davon Muse RB 5-9 160 Baltimore, Md./Dunbar Lawrence Smith

Cody Pettit DL 6-3 232 Deshler, Ohio/Patrick Henry Bill Inselmann

Tim Phillips RB 5-5 165 Louisville, Ky./Trinity Bob Beatty

Evan Ray DB 6-1 185 Detroit, Mich./Finney Tony Elliott

Malek Redd RB 5-5 150 Columbia, Md./River Hill Brian Van Deusen

Caesar Rodriguez DE 6-2 215 Miami, Fla./Christopher Columbus Chris Merrit

Adam Schneid OL 6-5 255 Avon Lake, Ohio/Avon Lake Dave Dlugosz

Will Schwarz LB 6-5 215 Troy, Mich./Troy Garry Griffith

D.J. Scott DB 5-9 165 Frederick, Md./Thomas Johnson Ben Wright

Alex Smith LB 6-3 220 Barrington, Ill./Barrington Joe Sanchez

Zurlon Tipton RB 6-1 195 Detroit, Mich./Parkway Christian Jason Hann

A.J. Westendorp QB 6-1 210 Holland, Mich./Holland Christian Willie Snead

Cody Wilson WR 5-10 175 Rochester Hills, Mich./Rochester Adams Tony Patritto

Kyle Zelinsky LB 6-1 225 Bartlett, Ill./Bartlett Thomas Meaney



CMU Football 2009 Preferred Walk-Ons

Name Position Height Weight Hometown/High School High School Coach

Connor Gagnon K 6-1 175 Midland, Mich./Midland Eric Methner

Charlie Hoch TE 6-4 205 Kewadin, Mich./Elk Rapids Ed Schindler

Jordan McConnell WR 5-10 175 Clare, Mich./Clare Doug Haggart

Connor Odykirk WR 6-3 195 Mount Pleasant, Mich./Mount Pleasant Jason McIntyre