Central Michigan University Athletics
Football Recruiting Class Grows to 16
2/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Watch Signing Day Press Conference Live
MOUNT PLEASANT - As of 1:50 p.m., the Central Michigan University football program has received National Letters of Intent from 16 student-athletes. Continue to check back to cmuchippewas.com throughout the day for additional signings. Head coach Butch Jones will introduce the entire signing class at a press conference at 3 p.m. today at the Indoor Athletic Complex.
Josh Allison • Defensive Tackle • 6-2 • 245 • Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion Community High School
At Lake Orion Community High School: Three-year starter ... team captain as a senior ... selected to Detroit Free Press All-State Dream Team ... ranked 18th on Detroit Free Press Fab 50 ... No. 32 on Detroit News Blue Chip list ... holds school record with 49 career sacks ... tallied a school-record 107 tackles in 2006, including 33 tackles for loss and 17 sacks ... set a state record with 26 sacks as a junior ... helped lead Lake Orion to a 10-1 record and regional final appearance in 2006. Personal: Parents are Harvey and Gina Allison ... born 6/30/89 ... prep coach was Chris Bell ... chose CMU over Michigan State, Minnesota, Eastern Michigan and Miami.
Lance Beers • Defensive End • 6-3 • 233 • Dearborn Heights, Mich./Crestwood High School
At Crestwood High School: Four-year starter at defensive end ... tallied 220 career tackles and 22 sacks ... posted 93 tackles and six sacks as a senior ... No. 50 on Detroit News Blue Chip list ... earned all-conference and all-city honors as a senior ... also earned three varsity letters in baseball. Personal: Parents are Dan and Morene Beers and Cindy Beers ... born 11/21/88 ... chose CMU over Purdue, Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan and Illinois ... prep coach was Todd Pennycuff.
Nick Bellore • Linebacker • 6-2 • 240 • Whitefish Bay, Wis./Whitefish Bay High School
Enrolled at CMU for spring semester ... will have freshman eligibility during the 2007 season. At Whitefish Bay High School: Three-year letterman ... also earned three varsity letters in track and field and one in hockey ... tallied 148 tackles, 20 tackles for loss and six sacks as a senior ... posted 311 career tackles ... team captain for two seasons ... North Shore Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a senior ... earned first team all-state honors ... also collected all-area and all-suburban accolades ... earned first team all-conference and honorable mention all-state recognition as a junior ... was also a first team all-conference offensive lineman as a junior. Personal: Parents are Jim and Mary Bellore ... born 5/12/89 ... prep coach was Jim Tietjen ... also considered Western Michigan, Northern Illinois, Wisconsin and Kansas State.
Zach Benke • Linebacker • 6-0 • 200 • Stevensville, Mich./Lakeshore High School
At Lakeshore High School: Two-year starter ... also earned four varsity letters in track and field ... primarily played cornerback and was matched against opponent’s top receiver ... ranked 46th on Detroit Free Press Fab 50 list ... helped lead Lakeshore to a 9-3 record and district championship in 2006 ... finished career with four interceptions and 18 pass breakups ... twice earned second team all-conference honors ... graduated with a 3.87 grade-point average ... earned academic all-state recognition. Personal: Parents are Dave and Lynn Benke ... younger brother of current CMU offensive lineman Adam Benke ... born 7/10/89 ... prep coach was Denny Dock.
Jason Bertoni • Long Snapper • 6-1 • 265 • West Los Angeles, Calif./Santa Monica JC
Will have two years of eligibility remaining at CMU. At Santa Monica Junior College: Played two years at Santa Monica JC ... rated the No. 2 long snapper in the country by Chris Sailer Kicking. Personal: Parents are Joe and Carol Bertoni ... born 2/21/87.
Dannie Bolden • Defensive Back • 6-0 • 170 • Lansing, Mich./Grand Ledge High School
Originally signed with CMU in 2006 ... delayed enrollment until the current academic semester ... will have freshman eligibility during the 2007 season. At Grand Ledge High School: Earned three varsity letters in football and basketball and two in track and field ... collected 25 tackles, three interceptions and scored a pair of touchdowns despite missing parts of four games with injuries in 2005 ... tallied 50 tackles and five interceptions as a junior in 2004 ... garnered all-conference honorable mention honors as a senior and first team accolades as a junior ... honorable mention all-state pick in basketball as a junior ... two-time all-conference first team selection on the hardwood. Personal: Parents are Daniel and Betty Bolden ... born 9/29/88 ... prep head coach was Pat O’Keefe ... originally chose CMU over Bowling Green and Hawai’i.
Taylor Bradley • Wide Receiver • 6-1 • 189 • Cincinnati, Ohio/Winton Woods High School
At Winton Woods High School: Four-year starter and letterman ... also earned three letters in basketball ... first team all-league selection ... named to All-Cincinnati Area first team by RiseMag.com... helped lead team to Buckeye Division crown in the Fort Ancient Valley Conference ... caught 16 passes for 397 yards (24.8 ypc) and four touchdowns ... carried the ball just four times for 80 yards, but two rushes went for touchdowns ... set school record with 151 receiving yards in a game ... averaged 22.2 yards on nine kickoff returns, including an 80-yard touchdown return. Personal: Parents are Maurice and Kim Bradley ... born 2/16/88 ... chose CMU over Michigan State, Toledo, Bowling Green and Western Kentucky ... prep coach was Troy Everhart.
Johnnie Daniels • Linebacker • 5-11 • 215 • Miami, Fla./Christopher Columbus High School
At Christopher Columbus High School: Spent one season at Christopher Columbus High School after transferring from Gulliver Prep ... played primarily on defense at Columbus after lining up as a running back at Gulliver ... earned All-Dade County honorable mention accolades in 2006 ... tallied a team-leading 90 tackles ... recorded four tackles for loss, one sack and four quarterback hurries ... also averaged 31.9 yards per kickoff return. Personal: Parents are Johnnie and Deborah Daniels ... born 1/27/89 ... prep coach was Chris Merritt ... chose CMU over Western Michigan, Southern Mississippi and Florida Atlantic.
Brandin Friske • Wide Receiver • 6-3 • 207 • Columbiaville, Mich./North Branch High School
At North Branch High School: Three-year starter ... also earned four varsity letters in track and field and one in basketball ... caught 33 passes for 520 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior ... also rushed 60 times for 531 yards and 10 touchdowns ... holds single-season school records for receptions, receiving yards and touchdown receptions and career marks for receiving yards and touchdowns ... three-time first team all-conference selection ... Class B all-state first team in 2006 ... named to Detroit Free Press Division 4 all-state team. Personal: Son of Allen and Darci Friske ... born 12/18/88 ... chose CMU over Western Michigan ... prep coach was Eric Hyde.
E.J. McLaughlin • Defensive Back • 6-0 • 203 • East Grand Rapids, Mich./Cincinnati Harmony Prep School
Originally signed with CMU in 2006 ... spent a prep year at Cincinnati Harmony Prep ... will have freshman eligibility during the 2007 season. At Harmony Prep: Recorded 45 tackles and three interceptions as Harmony Prep completed a 10-0 season. At East Grand Rapids High School: Earned varsity letters in football and basketball ... scored touchdowns four different ways as a senior ... recorded 51 tackles and two interceptions as a safety ... rushed for 313 yards, averaging 6.8 yards per carry, and scored six touchdowns ... also caught a touchdown pass, returned a punt 57 yards for a score and ran a kickoff back 90 yards for a touchdown ... all-state honorable mention selection ... garnered all-conference accolades ... ranked as the No. 19 prospect in Michigan by the Detroit Free Press in 2005 ... No. 42 on the Detroit News Blue Chip List in 2005. Personal: Son of Eric McLaughlin ... born 2/20/88 ... chose CMU over Michigan State, Illinois and Miami ... Harmony Prep head coach was David Pool ... East Grand Rapids High School coach was Peter Stuursma.
Jake Olson • Offensive Line • 6-8 • 240 • Hartford, Wis./Hartford Union High School
At Hartford Union High School: Two year starter at tackle ... named conference lineman of the year as a senior ... ranked 55th on Detroit News Blue Chip list ... earned all-state first team accolades as an offensive and defensive lineman ... helped lead team to a 9-2 record and Little Ten championship ... also earned three varsity letters in track and field, competing in the shot put and high jump. Personal: Parents are David and Brenda Olson ... born 2/19/89 ... chose CMU over Western Michigan and Ball State ... prep coach was Dan Brunner, father of current CMU quarterback Brian Brunner ... was a freshman when Brian Brunner was a senior at Hartford Union.
Mike Petrucci • Linebacker • 6-2 • 208 • Milford, Mich./Milford High School
At Milford High School: Three-year starter ... No. 29 on Detroit News Blue Chip list ... ranked No. 36 on Detroit Free Press Fab 50 list ... named to Detroit Free Press All-State Dream Team ... three-time all-conference selection ... also garnered all-area and all-metro honors ... posted 76 tackles and nine sacks as a senior ... also rushed for 1,200 yards ... tallied over 200 career tackles ... collected more than 1,000 career receiving yards, including more than 700 as a junior ... team captain as a senior ... also earned four varsity letters in basketball and four in track and field ... academic all-conference honoree ... National Honor Society member ... earned National Football Foundation Academic Award. Personal: Son of Steve and Maggie Petrucci ... born 10/25/88 ... prep coach was Pat Fox.
Chris Starkey • Tight End • 6-4 • 246 • DeWitt, Mich./DeWitt High School
At DeWitt High School: Three-year starter ... named to the Detroit Free Press all-state first team and Lansing State Journal All-Area Dream Team ... Associated Press all-state special mention selection ... No. 43 on Detroit News Blue Chip list ... ranked 45th on Detroit Free Press Fab 50 list ... Detroit News Class B all-state first team ... first team all-conference honoree ... helped lead DeWitt to an 11-2 mark and appearance in the state semifinals in 2006 ... finished his career with 94 total tackles, three fumble recoveries, two interceptions and four receiving touchdowns ... earned two varsity letters in track and field and one in basketball. Personal: Son of John and Shellie Starkey ... born 11/20/88 ... chose CMU over Toledo, Miami and Eastern Michigan ... prep coach was Rob Zimmerman.
J.J. Watt • Tight End • 6-5 • 240 • Pewaukee, Wis./Pewaukee High School
At Pewaukee High School: Four-year letterman and two-year starter ... also lettered twice in basketball and baseball ... voted to the All-Woodland Conference first team as both a tight end and defensive end ... also garnered all-state accolades at both positions ... as a senior, caught 26 passes for 400 yards and six touchdowns ... defensively, recorded 10 sacks, a school-record 22.5 tackles for loss, 70 total tackles, five forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries ... Woodland Conference Player of the Year in 2006 ... National Honor Society member and honor roll student. Personal: Parents are John and Connie Watt ... born 3/22/89 ... chose CMU over Cincinnati, Minnesota, Colorado and Northern Illinois ... prep coach was Clay Iverson.
Rocky Weaver • Tight End • 6-6 • 220 • Battle Creek, Mich./Harper Creek High School
At Harper Creek High School: Two-time all-state first team selection ... three-year starter ... ranked 34th on Detroit Free Press Fab 50 list ... No. 40 on Detroit News Blue Chip list ... collected 154 career receptions for 2,877 yards and 26 touchdowns ... career receptions total is fifth-highest in state history and yardage total is third all-time ... caught 62 passes for 1,021 yards as a senior ... posted 54 receptions for 1,025 yards as a junior ... two-time all-city and all-league honoree ... also earned four varsity letters in basketball. Personal: Parents are David and Kim Weaver ... chose CMU over Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan ... prep coach was Ed Greenman ... born 12/6/88.
Jeremy Wilson • Wide Receiver • 6-3 • 180 • Davison, Mich./Davison High School
At Davison High School: Three-year starter who also earned three letters in track and field ... accounted for more than 800 receiving yards and caught nine scoring passes as a senior ... also returned two punts and two interceptions for touchdowns in 2006 ... collected six interceptions ... two-time all-conference selection as both a receiver and cornerback ... garnered all-state accolades as a receiver in 2006 ... No. 41 on Detroit News Blue Chip list ... No. 47 on Detroit Free Press Fab 50 list ... helped lead Davison to a 12-1 record and appearance in the state semifinals. Personal: Son of Melvin and Carol Wilson ... born 4/17/89 ... chose CMU over Michigan State, Cincinnati, Minnesota and Eastern Michigan ... prep coach was Jeff Putnam.
