INDIANA, Pa. – IUP head coach
Paul Tortorella and the Crimson Hawks coaching staff announced the program's 2023 recruiting class as part of National Signing Day on Wednesday, February 1. The signing class consisted of 22 student-athletes, which include 21 incoming freshman from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Paul Tortorella Statement on 2023 Signing Class
"We are very excited to announce the 2023 recruiting class for the IUP football program. Our coaching staff did an outstanding job in finding high quality student-athletes with character and talent on the football field. We believe this is a group that can help carry on the winning tradition within our program. I would like to thank all the coaches and staff within our organization, who put in a lot of time and effort to bring in this impactful group of student-athletes. ALL IN!"
Hawk Talk Special Edition – February 2
Join Coach Tortorella as he sits down with the Voice of IUP Sports, Jack Benedict to discuss the signing class on Thursday night at the Hilton Garden Inn's CH Fields Craft Kitchen. The special edition of Hawk Talk starts at 6:00 p.m. and can be watched online on
Renda Digital TV's YouTube page.
Follow
For coverage of the IUP football program, follow the Crimson Hawks on Twitter and Instagram @IUPfootball and online at IUPAthletics.com.
Signees include student-athletes who sign an NLI to play at IUP on National Signing Day; list is in order that NLIs were received and verified.
Zachary Boyd
WR | 6-1, 180 | Elizabeth, Pa. / Elizabeth Forward
>> 4x First Team All-Conference
>> Led 3A in receiving yards
>> 2x team captain
>> 4x all-conference baseball player
>> 3x baseball team captain
>>
Highlights
Dinari Clacks
DB | 6-1, 190 | Bethel Park, Pa. / Bethel Park
>> All-Conference safety
>> 2x honorable mention wide receiver
>> Also participated in indoor/outdoor track and field
>>
Highlights
Zayd Etheridge
QB | 6-2, 180 | Bridgeport, Pa. / Upper Merion
>> 120-215 for 2,461 yards, 13 touchdowns
>> 40 rushes for 47 yards; three rushing touchdowns
>> 3,603 passing yards; 25 total touchdowns
>>
Highlights
Jason McBride
DL | 6-3, 300 | Aliquippa, Pa. / Aliquippa
>> 105 tackles, seven sacks
>> Three-year all-conference defensive lineman and offensive lineman
>> 2x All State defensive lineman, 1x All State offensive lineman
>>
Highlights
Donavan McCargo
WR | 6-0, 200 | Allentown, Pa. / Emmaus
>> 27 catches, 518 yards, 16.7 yards per catch
>>
Highlights
Khadir Rowe
LB | 6-2, 225 | Philadelphia, Pa. / Northeast HS
>> 51 tackles; 20 solo tackles, 31 assisted tackles, six sacks, 10 tackles for loss
>> First team All Public League
>>
Highlights
Ezeekai Thomas
DB | 5-11, 180 | Carlisle, Pa. / Carlisle
>> 111 Tackles; 83 Solo, 10 tackles for loss, five FF, two FR, four sacks, two INT, eight PBU
>> Team captain
>> Mid Penn All-Conference 1st Team DB, 2nd Team Athlete
>> Team defensive MVP, Team MVP, All-State defensive back
>>
Highlights
Jackson Tonya
DL | 6-2, 230 | Monaca, Pa. / Central Valley
>> Career 334 tackles, 30 sacks, one INT, one TD, six FF
>> PIAA state champion in 2020 and 2021
>> WPIAL champion in 2019, 2020 and 2021
>>
Highlights
Noah Vogel
DL | 6-3, 230 | North Huntingdon, Pa. / Norwin
>> 37 tackles, 12 TFL, six sacks
>> First team All-Conference defensive end
>> Also participated in basketball
>>
Highlights
Jamar Brison
DL | 6-1, 280 | Philadelphia, Pa. / Northeast HS
>> 16 tackles for loss
>> Seven sacks, one interception, two forced fumbles
>>
Highlights
Daric Cotman
OL | 6-2, 292 | Ashland, Va. / Benedictine HS / UVA Wise
>> Transfer offensive lineman from UVA Wise
>> Played in 27 games
>> Two-time All-State Honorable Mention in high school
Connor Shamany
WR | 6-4, 200 | Hazleton, Pa. / Hazleton Area
>> All State WR
>> 2x First team All-Conference, First team All Area
>> 40 Receiving, 782 yards, six touchdowns, 19.6 yards per catch
>> One interception, nine PBUs on defense
>> Team captain
>> Selected to Unico All Star game
>>
Highlights
Ethan Shaw
OL | 6-4, 230 | Jeannette, Pa. / Hempfield Area
>> Three-year starter offensive and defensive lineman
>> Team captain
>> Also participated in wresting, lacrosse, and basketball
>>
Highlights
Graham Hancox
QB | 6-4, 225 | Zelienople, Pa. / Seneca Valley
>> 6A Second Team all-conference
>> 1,985 passing yards, 20 TD
>> Team captain
>> 6A Player of the Year Honorable Mention
>>
Highlights
Tyjeir Williams
WR | 6-1, 180 | McKeesport, Pa. / West Mifflin
>> 38 tackles as a defensive abck
>> 37 catches, 870 yards, nine TDs at wideout
>> All-Conference defensive back and wide receiver
>> Three-year letterman, Honor Society
>>
Highlights
Ian Amegatcher
DB | 5-11, 170 | Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East
>> Second team Mid-Penn All-Conference
>> 45 tackles, two TFLs, one INT, 12 PBUs
>> Highlights
Roderick Jeter
LB | 6-0, 198 | Pittsburgh, Pa. / George Westinghouse
>> 2nd Team All State
>> 3x All-Conference
>> 62 tackles, 13 TFLs, eight sacks, two FFs, two INTs, two PBUs, one touchdown
>> Highlights
Ross Gampe
TE | 6-4, 230 |Tyrone, Pa. / Tyrone Area High School
>> 550 receiving yards, eight touchdowns
>> 3A All-State TE
>> 2x All-Conference wide receiver and defensive end
>> Also participated in baseball, 3A state champion, second team All-Conference first baseman
>> Highlights
Rylan Jeter
DB | 6-0, 175 | Aliquippa, Pa. / Central Valley School
>> State Champion, WPIAL Champion
>> All-Conference defensive back
>> Honor Roll
>> 142 tackles, eight INTs, 58 PBUs, 12 TFLs
>> Highlights
Keyshawn McCaskill
DB | 6-3, 180 | Pittsburgh, Pa. / Bishop Canevin
>> 71 tackles, six TFLs, 11 PBUs, one FR
>> One interception, one defensive touchdown
>> 145 rushing yards, two touchdowns, 6.3 yards per carry
>> Highlights
Austin Caye
RB | 5-10, 180 | Pittsburgh, Pa. / Bethel Park High School
>> 2x First team All-Conference defensive back & wide receiver
>> KDKA Player of the Game vs. Upper St. Clair
>> American Rivalry MVP vs. Mt. Lebanon
>> Highlights
Mid-Year Transfers
Ethan Hiester
LB | 5-11, 200 | Pittsburgh, Pa. / Upper Saint Clair (West Virginia)
>> Committed as a preferred walk-on to WVU
>> Played high school football at Upper Saint Clair
Tanner Krevokuch
TE | 6-5, 230 | North Huntingdon, Pa. / Norwin (Fairmont State)
>> Made five appearances in two seasons at Fairmont State
>> Three-sport athlete at Norwin
>> First-Team 6A TE as a senior
Blayne Romano
QB | 6-0, 170 | Mt. Dora, Fla / Eustis (Mars Hill)
>> Dual threat QB from Mars Hill
>> Did not appear in a game in 2022
Qadir White
OL | 6-7, 340 | Bronx, N.Y. / Cardinal Hayes (Syracuse)
>> Did not appear in any games over three seasons at Syracuse
>> Redshirted in 2018, missed 2020 season due to injury
>> Listed among top offensive tackles in class of 2018 by 247Sports.com (No. 16), ESPN (No. 44) and Rivals.com (No. 59)
>> Led the Cardinal Hayes to its first Catholic High School Football League (CHSFL) Class AAA championship as a junior
* Last Update -- February 2 at 10:40 AM
Updates since February 2 signees
Karst Hunter
QB | 6-4, 220 | Miller, S.D. / Miller (Colorado Mesa)
>> RMAC Offensive Freshman of the Year at Colorado Mesa
>> All-RMAC Honorable Mention
>> Set single season passing records in yards (2,481), completions (190) and completion percentage (62.5) at Colorado Mesa
>> Threw for 15 touchdowns at Colorado Mesa in 2021
>> Originally committed to South Dakota for football
>> Three-sport athlete at Miller HS; all-state in football and basketball
>> 81 combined touchdowns at Miller HS
>> High School: 3,900 passing yards, 3,300 rushing yards
Mysir Mayo
DL | 6-1, 240 | Philadelpha, Pa. / Imhotep Charter
>> Played at Imhotep Charter in Philadelphia
>>
Highlights
Michael "Quinn" Zinobile
WR | 6-2, 210 | Alexandria, Pa. / Juniata Valley (Albany)
>> Transfer wide receiver from UAlbany
>> Tallied 18 catches for 292 yards and a touchdown at Albany
>> Also played at Clarion as the team's leading wideout prior to Albany
>> Collected 80 catches for 1,2000 yards and 13 touchdowns at Clarion
>> Father, Michael, played at IUP for legendary head coach Frank Cignetti in the early 1990s
>> Four-year letterwinner in football, basketball and baseball in high school at Juniata Valley
>> Won a D6 Championship in all three sports during high school career
Sebastian Campbell
WR | 5-10, 180 | Grand Junction, Colo. / Palisade (Colorado Mesa)
>> Transfer wide receiver from Coorado Mesa
>> Played with transfer QB
Karst Hunter
>> Tallied 10 receptions for 52 yards at Colorado Mesa
>> Played for the Bulldogs of Palisade High School and coach Joe Ramunno
>> Brother, Quincy, played football at Western Colorado
Kelechi Okoro
OL | 6-3, 290 | Irving, N.J. / Immaculate Conception (Concord)
>> Transfer offensive lineman from Concord
>> Part of 9-2 season at Concord in 2022
>> Played first two collegiate seasons at Pace University
>> Two-time all-conference selection at Immaculate Conception in New Jersey
>> Team captain in high school
Chance Battle
OL | 6-6, 370 | Pittsburgh, Pa. / Westinghouse Academy (Lackawana CC)
>> Played two seasons at Lackawana
