Wednesday, February 7, 2007
PC Football Signs 21
Student-Athletes
CLINTON, S.C. – New Presbyterian College football coach
Bobby Bentley announced the signing of 21 student-athletes
to National-Letters-of-Intent on Wednesday.
Bentley’s first recruiting class at Presbyterian has a strong in-state feel as 16 of the 21 recruits played their high school football in the Palmetto state.
Out of the 21 student-athletes signed by PC on Wednesday 16 were picked up by Bentley and the new coaching staff.
“We are excited about this class,” remarked Bentley. “All of these players have what we see as impact potential for the future of PC football.”
The first National-Letter-of-Intent received by the coaching staff on Wednesday was Josh Austin’s, who is an offensive lineman out of Camden. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 260 pounds, Austin was a two-sport standout at Camden, winning the 2006 state wrestling championship in the AAA Heavyweight division.
Christian Ayler was an outside linebacker at Darlington for new Blue Hose assistant head coach and linebackers coach Phil Magdic. Ayler (6-foot-2, 195), a two-time all-region selection, was a North/South All-Star at the conclusion of the 2006 season.
Michael Butler (6-4, 240) was named the Touchdown Club Of Gwinnett tight end of the Year and all-county last season. The Dacula, Ga. (Dacula High School) native played tight end and defensive end in high school.
Named the AAAA Offensive Player of the Year by The State, Irmo running back Mario Carter comes to the Blue Hose after a tremendous high school career. The 5-foot-9, 195-pound Carter ended his senior season all-region, all-state and as the High School Sports Report Offensive Player of the Year in South Carolina.
Jeremy Cole (Ridgeview) was named second team all-state in South Carolina in 2006. Cole (6-foot, 175), a wide receiver, was also all-area and the team most valuable player at Ridgeview. Cole hauled in 58 catches last season for 860 yards.
A wide receiver out of North Myrtle Beach, Matthew DeWitt (6-foot-4, 190) was a North/South All-Star at the end of his senior season. DeWitt caught 33 passes last season for 535 yards and four touchdowns.
Torrell Funderburk (6-foot, 180), a wide receiver/defensive back from Central High School, was named to the High School Sports Reports’ and the Coaches all-state first team last season. A two-time all-region choice, Funderburk was a North/South All-Star last season.
A defensive lineman out of Hanahan High School, Steven Grant comes to the Blue Hose football program off a senior season that saw him finish the year all-region. Grant is listed at 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds.
A quarterback from Franklin County, Ga., Kyle Harris (6-foot-1, 190) ended his high school career as Franklin County’s career total offensive leader. Harris threw for 38 touchdowns during his career and rushed for 13 more.
His school’s valedictorian, Harris was an Anderson Independent Mail all-area selection.
Billy Kaylor (Villa Rica, Ga.,/Villa Rica High School) was an all-area selection in high school. An offensive lineman with a big frame, Kaylor is 6-foot-4 and 280 pounds.
A defensive lineman out of Sumter High School, Bryan McDaniel is listed at 6-foot-2 and 275 pounds. Strong academically, McDaniel won the Ethel Burnett Academic Award.
Quarterback Brandon Miley (6-foot-2, 212) was a Shrine Bowl player last year for North Carolina. A native of Hoggard, N.C. (J.T. Hoggard High School), Miley was his region’s player of the year last season.
Miley threw for 29 touchdowns and 2,615 yards last season to conclude his career with over 6,000 yards passing.
A member of three state championship teams at Byrnes, Cam Miller (5-foot-9, 170) joins Bentley at Presbyterian after a stellar high school kicking career. Miller was named all-region last season.
A two-time all-region selection, Isiah Perrin (Timberland High School) will join the PC football program after a good high school career. Perrin (6-foot-3, 275) was named honorable mention All-Lowcountry.
Aaron Provence (6-foot, 271) signs with Presbyterian out of Dutch Fork High School in the Columbia, S.C. area. Provence was all-region at Dutch Fork.
A wide receiver out of Homewood, Ala. (Homewood High School), Tyler Robbins was an honorable mention all-state performer in Alabama. The Monday Morning Quarterback Club Special Teams Player of the Year, Robbins (6-foot-1, 180) was also named to the Birmingham News’ All-Metro team.
Robbins had 88 receptions for 947 yards and seven touchdowns last season.
Daniel Simpson was a North/South All-Star in 2006. A defensive lineman, Simpson (6-foot-1, 250) was an Anderson Independent Mail All-Area selection.
Lexington High School product Grayson Sumner (6-foot-3, 280) was a High School Sports Report all-state choice last season. An offensive lineman, Sumner was also an all-region pick last season.
Belton-Honea Path product Jared Tavernier (5-foot-11, 263) will join his brother redshirt freshman Josh Tavierner at PC. The younger Tavernier was a Shrine Bowl player for South Carolina last season and a Mr. Football finalist. He was also the 2006 state strength champion.
J.R. Thomason, a linebacker out of Pendleton High School, was a North/South All-Star last season. A three-time all-region selection, Thomason (5-foot-10, 180) was named the defensive player of the year last season by the Anderson County Touchdown Club.
Brian Wilson (5-foot-9, 165), a defensive back out of Sumter High School, was an all-region performer last season. Wilson was also named the team’s defensive most valuable player.