Carrollton, GA – February 2, 2005 – On signing day, everyone’s recruiting class looks like a winner. Often, teams don’t learn the true value of a signing class for two-to-three seasons. The West Georgia Braves, however, are looking for immediate results from their incoming group of 2005 recruits.
“This has the makings of an excellent signing class,” said coach Mike Ledford Wednesday as he announced the signing of 17 players for his Braves program. “The majority of this class should help us immediately and enhance a program that we think is on the verge of doing some good things.”
West Georgia’s recruiting class includes six high school players, a pair of Division I transfers, and nine players from the junior college ranks. Seven of UWG’s juco recruits are already enrolled in school and are taking part in the Braves’ off season program.
UWG’s prep newcomers include a pair of defensive backs from the ultra successful program at LaGrange High School. Safeties Rico Cameron (6-0, 175) and Kelly Reed (6-0, 197) helped power the Grangers to a 15-0 season in 2004, and their second straight state title.
West Georgia’s added defensive line help with 6-2, 245-pound Ryan Garza of Camden County High in Kingsland. Wide receiver Beau Whitmire (5-9, 170) joins the Braves from Gainesville’s North Hall High. Also, the Braves inked a pair of linebacker prospects in Michael Shaw (6-1, 190) of Macon County High in Montezuma, and Stewart Cook (6-0, 205), a hometown product from Central High in Carrollton.
Cook’s signing continues an emphasis of Ledford in keeping local talent at home. “I’m very pleased to have more good local players in the program that West Georgia has had in a number of years,” says the coach. “We’re very excited to have Stewart joining us to be a part of that.”
West Georgia’s Division I transfers are a pair of former Clemson Tiger linebackers. Kelvin Morris (6-4, 200) is a native of Timmonsville, S.C., and Brandon Jamison (6-2, 220) is from Hopkins, S.C. Both are expected to have a quick impact for the Braves in 2005.
West Georgia’s two newest juco additions offer help on each side of the ball. Wide receiver Channing Price (5-9, 180) is a native of Baldwyn, Miss., and comes to UWG from Northeast Community College. The other is defensive tackle Damian Green (6-1, 280) of Kingsland. He prepped at Camden County and attended Holmes (Miss.) Community College.Joining Price and Green from the junior college ranks are the seven players added last month. This group includes two quarterbacks: Keats Baldwin (Flowood, Miss./Hinds CC) and Jeff Krieger (Webster, N.Y./Santa Monica College). Three were defensive backs, including Gary Hodges (Columbus, Miss./Northeast CC), Larico Stevenson (Olive Branch, Miss./Northeast CC), and Jonah Katende (Riverside, Calif./Orange Coast Coll.). The others were tailback Abe Felix (Germantown, Tenn./Northeast CC) and defensive end Inoke Tukia (Huntington Beach, Calif./Golden West Coll.).
Beyond the 17 newcomers announced today, West Georgia’s signing class is expected to grow before the signing period ends. Ledford is expecting several more prospects to sign Wednesday evening. Also, additional recruits are set to visit the West Georgia campus before the week is over.
West Georgia Braves
2005 Football Signees
Name Pos Ht. Wt. Hometown/Former School Keats Baldwin QB 6-1 198 Flowood, MS/Hinds (MS) C.C. Rico Cameron S 6-0 175 LaGrange, Ga./High Abe Felix TB 5-8 195 Germantown, TN/Northeast (MS) CC Ryan Garza DL 6-2 245 Kingsland, Ga./Camden County HS Gary Hodges DB 5-11 190 Columbus, MS/Northeast (MS) CC Brandon Jamison LB 6-2 220 Hopkins, SC/Clemson Jonah Katende DB 5-11 180 Riverside, CA/Orange Coast Coll. Jeff Krieger QB 6-0 215 Webster, NY/Santa Monica (CA) Coll. Channing Price WR 5-9 180 Baldwyn, MS/Northeast (MS) CC Kelly Reed S 6-0 197 LaGrange, Ga./High Larico Stevenson DB 6-1 180 Olive Branch, MS/Northeast CC Michael Shaw OLB 6-1 190 Montezuma, Ga./Macon County Inoke Tukia DE 6-1 250 Huntington Beach, CA/Golden West Beau Whitmire WR 5-9 170 Gainesville, Ga./North Hall HS Kelvin Morris LB 6-4 220 Timmonsville, SC/Clemson Damian Green DL 6-1 280 Kingsland, GA/Holmes CC Stewart Cook LB 6-0 205 Carrollton/Central HS Marc Guillermo DL 6-1 265 Baldwin Park, CA/Citrus College