Louisiana Tech signs 29 in 2004:
Louisiana Tech focused on defense with the 2004 recruiting class, but the offense added punch too. Highlighting Louisiana Tech's signing class is G.W. Carver High School running back Freddie Franklin, who chose Tech over Nebraska. Franklin lettered for four years at Carver and as an all-state athlete as a senior rushed for over 900 yards and recorded over 900 yards receiving as well. Franklin was also a member of last year’s Louisiana Class 4A state championship basketball team.
The list of 2004 signees include:
Defensive Line:
Oren Lewis (6-1, 285, DT, Pearl River CC, Hancock HS, Waveland, Miss.). Led team to 2003 Mississippi JuCo state championship and a No. 3 national ranking… Led the team with eight sacks … As a senior in high school recorded seven blocked punts, three blocked field goals and scored three defensive TDs.
Michael Bennett (6-4, 235, DE, Alief Taylor HS, Houston, Texas). All-district and all-Greater Houston Area… Recorded 99 tackles, 12 sacks and 10 pass break ups in 2003 … Played outfield for the baseball team and threw the discus for the track team.
Sammie Collins (6-3, 230, DE, Mississippi Delta CC, South Delta HS, Anguilla, Miss.). Mississippi JuCo All-Star… Played both ways as a DE and TE.
Wes Day (6-4, 245, DE, Captain Shreve HS, Shreveport, La.). Recorded 52 unassisted tackles, three sacks and three fumble recoveries as a senior … All-district honors.
Eddie White (6-3, 260, DL, Itawamba CC, Houston HS, Woodlands, Miss.). Preseason All-American and second team all-state honors… All-state in high school and played DL & OL for four years… Mississippi All-Star.
Linebacker:
Barry Robertson (6-3, 240, LB, Pearl River CC, North Forest HS, Hattiesburg, Miss.). Helped lead Pearl River to the Mississippi Junior College State Championship in 2003… All-region honors and Mississippi JuCo All-Star… Played LB, RB, QB, and WR for four years in high school… All-state honors… Totaled over 700 tackles and 30 sacks, while rushing for over 3,000 yards during three years as a running back and quarterback… Also played basketball and ran the 200-meters, 800-meter relay and 1,600-meter relay for the track and field team.
Quincy Hicks (6-2, 205, LB, Pearl River CC, Moss Point HS, Moss Point, Miss). Another key member of Pearl River’s 2003 Mississippi JuCo state championship team… Played QB,RB, and LB in high school winning the MS Class 5A state championship as a junior.
Tim Reddick (6-3, 225, LB, Belle Chase HS, New Orleans, La.). One of Louisiana’s bluechip linebackers, but missed senior year due to injury. As a junior led his team to the state runners-up title… Recorded 94 solo tackles and 60 assisted tackles as a junior … All-metro as a sophomore and junior, all-district as a junior and all-state as a junior.
Defensive Back:
Quin Harris (6-3, 220, FS, Redwood HS, Visalia, Calif.). West Yosemite League all-conference honors two years and all-area defensive player of the year … Fresno Bee first team all-valley selection and the Visalia Quarterback Club Defensive Player of the Year … A Scholar Athlete recipient four straight years … 78 tackles, six interceptions and two sacks as a senior … Ran track in the 100-, 200- and 400-meters as well as the 400- and 1600-meter relay teams and the 300-meter hurdles
Matt Butler (6-3, 215, S/P, Friendswood HS, Friendswood, Texas). Recorded 115 tackles as a senior and also maintained a 40.5 yard per punt average as a senior and 43.2 as a junior … Senior season district defensive Co-MVP and first team all-state (punter), first team all-county (punter/linebacker).
Tavoris “Bo” Cox (6-2, 200, DB, Mississippi Delta CC, Cleveland HS, Renova, Miss.) Recorded four INTs as a sophomore … Second team all-state honors his second year and honorable mention all-state honors his first season … Lettered two years at Cleveland High School (4A) in Mississippi as QB, RB, & S… Bolibar County Player of the Year as a safety.
Brett Naquin (6-3, 205, S, Hahnville HS, Paradis, La.). Led the Tigers to an undefeated season and the Louisiana Class 5A state championship title … District defensive MVP … All-state and all-metro honors … Recorded five INTs.
Tracy Russell (6-1, 210, FS, Airline HS, Bossier City, La.). All-parish honors four years … All-city (Shreveport Times) as a junior and senior … All-state as a senior … Recorded over 100 tackles and seven INTs as a senior, returning five for touchdowns … Rushed for 400 yards and four TDs in final year … 200-meters, 400-meter relay and 800-meter relay in track … 400-meter relay all-state team as a junior, a team that won the district title, recorded the second fastest time in the state, and broke the Bossier Parish all-time record.
Jerrylee Scott (6-1, 180, DB, Livonia HS, Maringouin, La.). Played both ways QB & DB … As a senior passed for 1,291 yards and 15 TDs and rushed for 988 yards and 13 TDs while also recording 43 tackles and six INTs … Named the district’s best athlete and district offensive MVP award … Also an excellent shortstop in baseball.
Mark Dillard (5-11, 190, SS/RB, Glen Oaks HS, Baton Rouge, La.). Strong safety and running back … Rushed for over 1,300 yards and 21 TDs while also recording 120-plus tackles … Track events included the 200-meters, 400-meters, 800-meter relay and 1,600-meter relay.
Torrance Hampton (5-9, 165, DB, Hinds JC, Starkville HS, Starkville, Miss.). Helped lead Hinds to the South State Championship and the Mississippi JuCo championship game … Preseason All-American, all-state and all-region accolades … In High School led team to state championship during his senior season … Ran the 100-meters, 200-meters, 400-meter relay and 800-meter relay winning the 2001 and 2002 400- and 800-meter relay regional championships and Class 5A state championships.
Offensive Line:
David Accardo (6-5, 305, OL, Mayde Creek HS). 5A all-star in Dave Campbell’s 2003 Texas Football Report … Team offensive lineman MVP … Was an offensive lineman on the Global Junior Championship Team USA … Was a member of the Mayde Creek wrestling team … Cousin of former Bulldog football greats Tom, Pat and Joe Hinton.
Ben Harris (6-4, 270, OL, University Lab, Baton Rouge, La.). Named to the Baton Rouge Advocate’s Super Dozen honorable mention team … Also played in the Capital City vs. Great Eight all-star game … Named team’s best offensive lineman his last two seasons … Threw the shot put and discus, district runner up in the shot put.
Glen Mason (6-4, 305, OL, Holmes CC, Ackerman HS, Ackerman, Miss.). Helped lead team to 2002 Mississippi JuCo championship his first year … Mississippi JuCo All-Star … Led Ackerman HS to the 2001 2A state championship title and the 2000 state championship runner up title … Mississippi 2A state offensive player of the year as senior … all-district and all-state honors … Was the state champion in the discus as a sophomore and the state champion in the shot put as a senior.
Jacob Peeler (6-3, 285, OL, Holmes CC, Kosciusko HS, Kosciusko, Miss.). Never missed an offensive snap during his two years … Mississippi Junior College State Championship as a freshman … First team all-state and a JC Gridwire first team academic All-American and a second team All-American as a sophomore … Named most valuable offensive lineman at Holmes … Won the Academic Award with a perfect 4.0 grade point average … Named the 20th best junior college player by the Clarion Ledger.
Ryan Snell (6-5, 280, OL, Alief Taylor HS, Houston, Texas). First team all-district honors as a senior … threw the shot put and discus.
Bill Jones (6-6, 285, OL, Alief Taylor HS, Houston, Texas). All-district honors … threw the shot put and discus.
Quarterback:
Andre Daniel (6-4, 207, QB, Northeast Oklahoma JC, Carl Alberts HS, Midwest City, Okla.). Led team to back to back conference titles and a national runner up finish, named bowl MVP … SuperPrep Magazine’s 82nd best junior college player … Passed for 1,423 yards and nine TDs while rushing for 215 yards and seven TDs … In high school QB’ed his team to three straight Oklahoma 5A state championship titles … All-state as a senior … all-state in basketball his senior year … His track team won the state champion in the 400-meter relay as a junior and senior.
Running Back:
Freddie Franklin (6-0, 190, RB, Carver HS, New Orleans, La.). All-district honors three years and all-metro twice … All-state selection at running back as a senior … Rushed for 923 yards and caught 46 passes for 941 yards as a senior … Member of the Carver High School 2003 Class 4A state championship basketball team.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends:
Tate Stewart (6-3, 265, TE/DL, Katy HS, Katy, Texas). Helped lead Katy to the 2003 Class 5A state championship title … Earned second team all-district honors as a senior as well as academic all-district accolades.
Seneca Chambers (6-2, 185, WR, Hinds JC, Port St. Joe HS, Port St. Joe, Fla.). Preseason All-American with blazing speed … At Port St. Joe High School was Florida first team all-state, all-region and all-district … Lettered four years in basketball earning MVP honors at the Gulf County Classic as a senior … Participated in the 200-meters, 400-meters, 400-meter relay and 1,600-meter relay on the track team winning the 1,600-meter relay state championship as a senior … Also earned all-state honors in the 200-meters.
Thomas Augusta (5-11, 165, WR, West St. John HS, Edgard, La.). All-state as a senior … Caught 30-plus passes for 700-plus yards his senior year … also played basketball for three years for West St. John.
Shane Womack (6-2, 205, WR, St. Helena Central HS, Greensburg, La.). Played QB, WR, and DB … Helped lead the Hawks to three straight district titles his freshman through junior years and the state playoffs all four years … Earned first team all-district (WR) as a senior and second team all-district (DB) … Also named all-state (WR) … As a senior recorded 31 receptions for 937 yards and 12 TDs while registering 10 INTs and 52 tackles … Also played basketball for three years … Participated in the long jump and high jump on the track team.
Kicker/Punter:
Danny Horwedel (6-2, 185, K/P, Oak Ridge HS, Oak Ridge, Tenn.). Named Tennessee Sports Writers Association first team all-state … Knoxville Sentinel’s Prep Extra All-Metro team … First team All-Region 2-5A kicker … Attended former Louisiana Tech and NFL kicker Chris Boniol’s kicking camp where he hit 7 of 9 field goals, including a 45-yarder as a senior … Also played soccer and ran the 800-meters and the 110-meter hurdles for the track and field team.
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