Lines Emphasis & Seven All-State Honorees

Among 2013 Football Signing Class

            With an emphasis on replenishing the offensive and defensive lines and adding the best available players in other positions, new San Jose State University football coach Ron Caragher and his staff signed 20 student-athletes to his first recruiting class.

            Seven all-state players, four of whom are current high school seniors and three with previous junior college experience, are among the incoming Spartans. Five of them, 2012 all-state defensive end Garrett Guanella (Santa Rosa Junior College); 2011 all-state running back Alvin Jelks (Hartnell College); Jared Leaf, a linebacker hopeful transferring from the University of Hawaii; freshman offensive lineman Jeremiah Kolone (Fallbrook HS, Fallbrook, Calif.) and freshman wide receiver Jourdan Soares (Gilroy HS, Gilroy, Calif.) are enrolled at the University with the opportunity to participate in 2013 spring practice.

            Eight defensive linemen, four offensive linemen, three wide receivers, two all-purpose athletes, a tight end, a linebacker, and running back Jelks comprise the Spartans' 2013 recruits. All but five of the newcomers are joining the Spartan football team as freshmen. There is an even division of nine offensive and nine defensive prospects with two multi-purpose athletes.

            "Our recruiting philosophy, first of all, is we want men of high character, because that quality is essential in building a foundation of success. In doing so, we'll have team members who are trustworthy and accountable on and off the field," says Caragher, who took over the Spartans on December 17, 2012.

 "Secondly, we want players in our program who love the game of football and are passionate about playing the game.  An attitude of wanting to be great, and wanting to compete for a championship program is essential.

"Finally, I believe it is important to find players that have the potential for continued physical development - where they haven't reached their peak from a developmental standpoint but will continue to get bigger, stronger and faster."

            Besides Guanella and Jelks, tight end Ryan Ena (Palomar College) received California Community College all-state honors. Four incoming freshmen were all-state choices as a high school senior. Defensive tackle Nico Aimonetti (Los Gatos HS, Los Gatos), all-purpose player Brandon Monroe (Del Oro HS, Loomis), offensive lineman Keoni Taylor (Garces Memorial HS, Bakersfield, Calif.) and defensive lineman Nate Velichko (The King's Academy, Sunnyvale, Calif.) were 2012 all-state selections. 

            Joining Guanella, Aimonetti and Velichko as defensive line prospects in the fall are Adrian Blake (San Jose City College), Chris Gonzalez (Salesian HS, Los Angeles), Travis Miller (Simi Valley HS, Simi Valley, Calif.), Michael Okoroike (Antelope HS, Antelope, Calif.), and Keenan Sykes (Summit HS, Fontana, Calif.).

            Taylor, Kolone, A.J. Samataua (Del Campo HS, Fair Oaks, Calif.), and Deano Motes (Perry HS, Gilbert, Ariz.) are the four offensive linemen.

            Tyler Winston (Antelope HS, Antelope, Calif.), a league Player of the Year once on offense and once on defense during his high school career, Michael Tate (Federal Way HS, Federal Way, Wash.) and Soares, who competed in five events at the 2011 California High School Track and Field Championships are the new wide receivers.

            Monroe and Thomas Tucker (Poly HS, Long Beach, Calif.) are the two all-purpose backs capable of playing effectively on either side of the ball. Monroe is in Texas as a member of USA Football's Under-18 national team that plays a Canadian national squad on February 6.

"I can look at every one of these incoming student-athletes we have and they fit in this model in many ways. I think we addressed our needs. Overall, it is bringing in the best athletes we can into our program - not necessarily recruiting for the next year, but in an ideal situation, we're recruiting for two years from now so the men can come into the program and get a fall camp and a spring practice under their belt before they need to be called upon," says the Spartans' coach.

"Our staff did a terrific job. Coach Terry Malley, our recruiting coordinator, and all coaches did a great job in this recruiting effort."

            San Jose State opens its 2013 Spring Practice, Tuesday, February 19, with 13 returning starters from its 2012 Military Bowl winning team that finished with an 11-2 win loss record and ranked 21^st in the final Associated Press and USA Today coaches' polls.

* - enrolled at San Jose State for the 2013 spring semester