INDIANA, Pa. - IUP head coach
Paul Tortorella announced that 18 student-athletes have signed national letters of intent to play football for the third-ranked Crimson Hawks beginning in the fall of 2019.
Here are some signing day notes:
- 15 of IUP's 18 signees hail from the state of Pennsylvania
- Others hail from Georgia, Maryland and Washington, D.C.
- Three IUP signees earned all-state honors, nine landed on all-section/county teams and 13 earned all-conference nods
- The class includes eight offensive players, eight on the defensive side, one specialist and one versatile "athlete"
- The offensive signees include: one quarterback, one running back, three receivers and three offensive linemen
- Defensive signees include three defensive linemen, two linebackers and three defensive backs
- Additional transfer student-athletes who are already on campus are expected to be announced soon
The full class along with bios and links to highlights can be found below.
The Crimson Hawks look to return 14 starters - eight offense, six defense - from last year's 8-3 team that just missed out on its fourth straight NCAA playoff berth. Since 2015, IUP has the most wins (40), conference victories (24) and playoff appearances (three) than any other team in the conference.
Coach Tortorella Statement
"I would like to take this time to thank everyone for their effort in this recruiting process, especially our recruiting coordinator
Luke Barker and our operations assistant
Erik Templeton. Also, thank you to our entire football staff, our faculty on campus, our admissions office, President Driscoll and our athletic administration who have done a tremendous job in this process.
"We feel this class will make the IUP Nation proud, both on and off the field. Academically, the class has 13 students over a 3.0 GPA and 12 over 1000 on the SAT. Athletically, this class will take on the responsibility of continuing our success both in conference and nationally. Our graduating senior class (2015 recruiting class) has set the bar high with a 40-9 record over the last four years. Hopefully, this class will "Embrace The Challenge!" ALL IN! 19!"
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For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP football on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUPfootball.
Elijah Boyd | OL | 6-4, 270 | Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny | Highlights
First team Big 56 Conference … Helped North Allegheny to Quad County Conference title
Nate Clair | P/K | 6-0, 195 | Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe | Highlights
First team All-Section Punter … Second team All-State Punter … Top 5 Specialist in Pittsburgh Tribune Preseason Rankings … Most field goals as under classman in WPIAL … Big 33 Specialist Finalist
Zayaan Cobb | DB | 6-0, 170 | Washington, D.C./Woodrow Wilson | Highlights
First team DCIAA All-Start … Tied for DCIAA-lead with five interceptions … Helped Woodrow Wilson to 8-2 record as a senior
Drew DiNunzio-Biss | LB | 6-0, 220 | Vandergrift, Pa./The Kiski School | Highlights
Two-time first team all-conference linebacker … Two-year captain … School record holder for career solo tackles … Second all-time total tackles in school history … Totaled 200 tackles with 10 sacks, three forced fumbles and an interception during junior and senior seasons
David Filippello | DL | 6-4, 245 | Reading, Pa./Exeter Township | Highlights
Two-time All-Berks County honorable mention … Two-time All-Berks County Academic Team … 69 total tackles, 15 tackles-for-loss, three sacks … Three-year starter on the offensive and defensive lines
Luke Hardy | WR | 6-3, 170 | Wyndmoor, Pa./La Salle | Highlights
Had 23 receptions, 308 yards and two touchdowns as a senior … Also ran track, ranked 20th in Pennsylvania in the 300 meter hurdles … First team all-conference in 110 meter hurdles
Javonte Haynes | DB | 6-1, 170 | Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty | Highlights
Two-year starter at Liberty High School … Played both wide receiver and defensive back … Posted two year totals of 98 tackles, FIVE interceptions, 23 receptions for 334 yards and two touchdowns. Placed fifth in the state as a junior with a long jump of over 22 feet
Logan Horn | QB | 6-0, 180 | Lebanon, Pa./Cedar Crest | Highlights
Honorable mention All-State … Lancaster Lebanon League Section 1 Player of the Year … Also won Section 1 Offensive Back of the Year and first team quarterback … Lebanon County first team … Went 99-185 (53.5 percent) for 1,439 yards and 10 touchdowns … Rushed for 550 yards and seven touchdowns on 89 carries … Team captain as a senior … 2017 Lancaster Lebanon League Section 2 second team … As a junior, completed 60 percent of his passes for 1,521 yards and 14 touchdowns … For career, totaled 4,920 yards and 43 touchdowns passing, 1,472 yards and 21 touchdowns rushing … Four-year starter
Adam Houser | RB | 5-10, 180 | Shippensburg, Pa./Shippensburg | Highlights
5A All-State first team running back … First team all-conference … All-Sentinel Player of the Year … First team All-Eastern PA … Mr. PA Football Nominee … Set single season school record with 1,983 yards as a senior … Averaged 7.7 yards per carry with 26 rushing touchdowns in 2018 … Three 200-yard rushing games … Broke school career mark with 3,918 rushing yards … Intercepted five passes from safety position … Totaled more than 5,000 all-purpose yards with 55 total touchdowns in career … Accepted to IUP's Robert E. Cooks Honors College
Mekhi Lang | DB | 6-0, 175 | Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan | Highlights
First team All-Catholic League … Second team All-City … Third Team All Southeastern PA … Had 18 pass breakups … Also had five interceptions, two touchdowns and one forced fumble
Darrius Lloyd | LB | 6-0, 215 | Bel Air, Md./John Carroll | Highlights
First team All-Harford County … First team All-MIAA … Had 120 total tackles in nine games … Averaged more than 13 tackles per game … Broke up three passes and had two interceptions as a senior … Also had three forced fumbles and two sacks … Baltimore Touchdown Club All-Star … Ravens Nest Scholarship Recipient … Younger brother to IUP All-American linebacker
Damon Lloyd
Jaron Macon | WR | 6-3, 170 | Philadelphia, Pa./Neumann Goretti | Highlights
First team All-Catholic as a receiver in 2017 … Helped Neumann Goretti to Philadelphia Catholic League title … Nominated for Mr. PA Football
Tyler Mangone | DL | 6-3, 250 | Wexford, Pa./North Allegheny | Highlights
Posted 16 tackles, including nine tackles-for-loss as a senior … Had 5.5 sacks … Part of deep defensive line that helped North Allegheny to Class 6A regular season conference championship
Marcus Might | OL | 6-6, 285 | Harmony, Pa./Seneca Valley | Highlights
Honorable Mention Class 6-A All-Section … Helped Seneca Valley to WPIAL Class 6A title game
Hilton Ridley | WR | 6-2, 195 | Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township | Highlights
Lancaster Lebanon League Section 1 second team … Caught 35 passes for 540 yards and two touchdowns as a senior … Totaled 19 tackles at linebacker
Leonard Robinson | ATH | 6-2, 180 | Clairton, Pa./Clairton | Highlights
First team all-conference at linebacker … Rivals Camp Linebacker MVP … IUP Spring Prospect Camp MVP … All-conference linebacker as a junior … PIAA State Championship runner-up at Clairton … Two-time WPIAL Champion … Three-year starter at linebacker, tight end and receiver
Jordan Schons | DL | 6-3, 225 | Montour, Pa./Montour | Highlights
Second team All-Section in the 4A Northwest Eight
Stone Shugarts | OL | 6-2, 282 | Evans, Ga./Greenbrier | Highlights
Two-time Georgia 6A All-Region 3 … Two-time All-Greater CSRA … 30 career starts at center … Senior team captain … 2019 Georgia /South Carolina Border Bowl Pre-Season selection … On defense, totaled 26 tackles, two tackles-for-loss, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery … Two-time Georgia Futures All-Star … Team USA National Development Games … All-Region and All-County player as a junior … Three-year wrestling letterman … Third place Georgia 6A Region 3 … Two-year letterman in lacrosse … Greenbrier High School Hall of Fame for Academic and Athletic Achievements … Father (Bret) was 1983 IUP Defensive Player of the Year and free agent signee of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1984
