Football welcomes 14

Pat Hill and his staff sign 14 new players, including eight linemen

By Eddie Hughes

If Fresno State had a shortage of young linemen, that’s not the case anymore.

On Wednesday, national signing day in college football, the Bulldogs received letters of intent from 14 high school players, including eight linemen. Four players are from the San Joaquin Valley, Bulldogs coach Pat Hill’s primary recruiting area.

Bulldogs coach Pat Hill said the 2004 recruiting class fills needs the team will have in 2006-07.

“ We’ve never had a top class,” Hill said, “nor are we interested in that. I think when they’re seen on the field this is gonna be a very good class.”

The most celebrated Bulldogs signee is quarterback Sean Norton from Hart High in Newhall, Calif.

“ I used [former Bulldogs coach Jim] Sweeney in here to look at quarterbacks,” Hill said. “I gave him four different quarterbacks to look at and when he left the room there was no question about which one he thought was the best quarterback, by far.”

Norton’s 4,067 passing yards rank 25th-best in U.S. high school history. The one criticism of the Cal-Hi Sports California player of the year and Parade All-American seems to be his size. Norton is 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, small for a Division I-A quarterback.

“ If he walked in that door,” said Hill, looking toward the large double doors in the Duncan Building, “you’d think he was on the soccer team.”

Norton will have a familiar target to throw to. Fellow Hart High product Kevin Ciccone, a 5-11, 175-pound wide receiver, also joins the Bulldogs. Ciccone caught 80 passes for 1,380 yards and 17 touchdowns this season.

The Bulldogs other recruit at quarterback is the anti-thesis of Norton. Bear Pascoe, a 6-5, 252-pounder from Granite Hills High in Porterville, also signed with Fresno State. Hill said he agreed to work Pascoe, who also played defensive line in high school, at quarterback for one year to see how he performs.

“ When you talk about arm strength—I haven’t been around too many guys that can throw the ball as deep and as long as he can,” Hill said.

Also at receiver will be Fallbrook (Calif.) Union High’s Jake Jorde. Jorde, who also played defensive back in high school, was the fastest player in Fresno State’s combine with a 4.52-second 40-yard dash, Hill said. Jorde’s father, Steve Jorde played at Fresno High and Fresno City College.

Hill said he felt the team needed some good, young receivers. The Bulldogs also offered a scholarship to Edison High’s Brandon Breazell, who opted to sign with UCLA. The Bulldogs beat UCLA 17-9 in December’s Silicon Valley Football Classic.

“ It’s very, very difficult to beat the Pac-10 head-to-head in recruiting,” Hill said. “But obviously we’ve found ways to beat them head-to-head on the field. And that’s the bottom line.”

One more pass-catcher jumped aboard for the Bulldogs in tight end Drew Lubinsky of Oakmont High. The 6-6, 230-pound Lubinsky played just one season at tight end, averaging 13 yards per catch and scoring three touchdowns.

The only other non-lineman in the class is linebacker Ryan McKinley from Reno (Nev.) High. McKinley is one of three recruits from the state of Nevada. He tallied 390 tackles in three seasons.

“ This is a new area for us—the state of Nevada,” Hill said. “So we’re gonna work in Nevada a little bit more.”

Defensive line teammates Mike Roland (6-5, 235) and Jon Monga (6-2, 280) of Foothill High in Las Vegas, rounded out the Bulldogs’ Nevada contingent.

Rounding out the group of defensive linemen is 6-3, 260-pound Kenny Avon of Mojave High. Avon didn’t face the highest competition at the high school level, but dominated on the field, Hill said.

“ I think this guy has a chance to really grow and be a special player,” Hill said.

The Bulldogs originally had a commitment from Central High defensive end Jason Roberts, but he decided to instead sign with Washington State.

“ I hate to see him leave, but that’s the way it goes,” Hill said.

At offensive line, the Bulldogs added Valley product John Guevara (6-2, 270) from West High in Bakersfield.

But the lineman with the most potential might be Ryan Wendell, a 6-2, 259-pound prospect from Diamond Bar (Calif.) High. Wendell had his jersey retired by Diamond Bar, the same high school former Bulldogs lineman Joe Schey came from. Wendell was the most valuable lineman of USC’s combine, Hill said.

Another set of teammates to sign with the Bulldogs were offensive linemen Cameron Harris (6-3, 239) and Adam McDowell (6-4, 226) of Norco (Calif.) High.

A combo linemen that could play on either side of the ball is 6-4, 230-pounder Pierce Masse.

Hill said last season’s academic non-qualifiers, linebacker Ahijah Lane and defensive backs Clifton Smith, Damon Jenkins and Marques Floyd are on track to be eligible in the 2004 season.