Paul Petrino is looking at the 2014 schedule and seeing wins — his 2014 signing class is proof of it. As many as 17 junior college players will be joining the fray for the Vandals in 2014, balancing out what Petrino called a thin soon-to-be junior class.
Jake Luton | Courtesy
Idaho quarterback commit Jake Luton poses after signing his letter of intent with the Vandals Wednesday. Luton, from Marysville-Pilchuck High School in Washington is one of two quarterback commits from coach Paul Petrino’s 2014 class.
Areas that were particularly weak on the 2013 team were recruited, such as the defensive secondary and the offensive line.
“I think this was a bigger junior college class than we’ll probably take in the future, but we needed it. One, we needed guys who could have a chance to come in here and play right away and compete,” Petrino said. “There was not many kids left in the sophomore class, so the sophomore class we had to add a good number to.”
Of the 17 players, seven enrolled last month and are already on campus — along with five high school players who “grayshirted,” which is enrolling in January as true freshmen.
It’s the first signing class Petrino was able to put together with a full year and the first class he could sell being in a conference.
“I talked to our team the other day that now you have three goals — win the Sun Belt, win your bowl game and go undefeated at home, and that’s definitely where our three goals are going to be every year from here on out,” Petrino said. “It helps, going into that home and being in a conference, so that upped the ante of who we were trying to get.”
Petrino couldn’t talk about his top recruit when he met with the media Wednesday afternoon, because his top recruit hadn’t sent in his National Letter of Intent yet. Hinting at it, Petrino said he’d hope to get it within the next hour and he did.
Alfonso Hampton became the last player announced to Idaho’s signing class yesterday and it was a huge one. Hampton is rated as a 4-star prospect by ESPN and a top ten junior college prospect in the country. Hampton did not start playing football until he arrived at Southwestern Community College. At 24 years old, he would be slated to be an immediate starter in the middle of Idaho’s defensive line as a junior.
Petrino enamored with speedy receivers
Ever the family man, Petrino broke out a quote from his father, Bob Petrino, on his philosophy of speed.
“My dad told me a long time ago, if you want to get fast, then recruit fast. If you want to get big, then recruit big. So, we definitely tried to get bigger in the defensive front and get faster as a whole team. That’s something we worked hard on and I think we did a good job,” Petrino said.
That’s what Idaho’s three newest receivers represent, Petrino said. Jermaine Johnson is a 6-foot-4 receiver who has run a 4.4 second 40-yard dash. Kenny Torrence and Pullman product David Ungerer are under 6-foot receivers who blaze the field and make plays.
Defensive back help
If Idaho has any place it needs to improve, it’s the secondary that conceded 3,700 passing yards, 8.4 yards per passing attempt and 40 passing touchdowns last season.
So five defensive backs were added, including players of size. Of the five defensive backs added, four are 6 feet or taller. Four of the five are junior college players. He’s most excited about junior college transfer Dennis Rufus, a junior college All-American.
“He’s 6 ‘2”, I like to say that, if it (height) starts with a six and they play corner that’s exciting to me,” Petrino said.
Signed on Wednesday
Quarterback
Jake Luton — Marysville-Pilchuck (Wash.) High School
Gunnar Amos — Coeur d’Alene High School
Running back
Elijhaa Penny — Cerritos College (Calif.)
Aaron Duckworth — Oakleaf High School (Fla.)
Wide receiver
David Ungerer III — Pullman High School
Kenny Torrence — Riverside City College (Calif.)
Jermaine Johnson — New Mexico Military (JC)
Michael Garner — Madison High School (Calif.)
Offensive line
Jerett Olson — College of the Siskiyous (Calif.)
Jordan Rose — Freeman High School (Wash.)
Defensive line
Alfonso Hampton — Southwestern (JC)
Kaylyn Ayers — West Los Angeles (JC)
Linebacker
Ron Perry — Mesa College (Calif.)
Defensive Back
Dorian Clark — Baldwin High School (Fla.)
Chris Edwards — Butte College (Calif.)
Dennis Rufus — Mt. San Antonio College (Calif.)
Athlete
Kaden Elliss — Judge Memorial Catholic (Utah)
Sean Kramer can be reached at [email protected]