JACKSONVILLE - Head football Coach Jack Crowe calls the 2010 Jacksonville State University signees the best he has ever signed, and it's hard to argue with that when you look at the credentials of the class.

“We're very excited about the class that we've signed,” Crowe said on Wednesday. “We feel like we've met all our needs for next season and the years to follow with this talented group of recruits.”

The class is highlighted by the first-ever Mr. Football from the State of Alabama signing with the Gamecocks in Coty Blanchard of Cherokee County.

Blanchard led the Warriors to a perfect 15-0 record and the Class 4A State Championship after passing for more than 2,900 yards with 35 touchdowns and rushing for more than 1,160 yards for 20 more touchdowns as a senior. The three-sport standout is also expected to play baseball for the Gamecocks.

Crowe said a priority this year was lineman and the 11th year head coach is pleased with the incoming freshman that will play up front.

“We had to have some help on the offensive line and we feel like we have some players that can make an immediate impact,” said Crowe of the signing class. “We lost a couple of All-OVC selections up front, but we feel like our newcomers can step right in and help this team contend for the OVC Championship.”

The Gamecocks signed five offensive lineman, including Max Holcombe (Tuscaloosa), Tarik Milner (Powder Springs, Ga.) Tristan Hardin (Birmingham), Clay Squires (Satsuma) and Johnny Ubi (Hazel Green). Hardin, who prepped at Erwin High School, is considered one of the top lineman in the state by several recruiting analysts.

Crowe says that several players from this signing class should get an opportunity to see valuable playing time during the 2010 season.

“We signed three junior college players on defense for impact,” said Crowe. “All three were direct attempts to make up for what we lost on defense and we feel like we accomplished that.”

The Gamecocks inked three junior college players that will help fill a void on the defensive side of the ball. Brannan Byrd and Aaron Nelson played at Gulf Coast Community College, while Marquis George played at Dodge City Community College.

Jacksonville State, which finished with the best record in the Ohio Valley Conference with an 8-3 mark and a final national ranking of 16th, is scheduled to begin spring practice on March 3 and will play its annual spring game on April 10.


Name (HT, WT, POS, Hometown/ Previous School)
Coty Blanchard (6-0, 180, QB, Leesburg, Ala./Cherokee County HS)
Brannon Byrd (6-2, 243, LB, Lucedale, Miss./Gulf Coast CC)
Gabriel Chambers (5-10, 157, WR, Centre, Ala./Cherokee County HS)
Steven Coates (6-2, 190, QB, Decatur, Ga./Southwest Dekalb HS)
Marquis George (6-4, 242, DE, Elsner, Del./Dodge City CC)
Chad Hampton (6-5, 252, OL, Hartselle, Ala./Hartselle HS)
Tristan Hardin (6-6, 291, OL, Birmingham, Ala./Erwin HS)
Preston Hatcher (6-3, 285, OL, Dothan, Ala./Northview HS)
Max Holcombe (6-3, 271, C, Tuscaloosa, Ala./Hillcrest HS)
Michael Lewis (6-4, 237, DL, Ocoee, Fla./Ocoee HS)
Tarik Milner (6-3, 240, OL, Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern HS)
Aaron Nelson (6-1, 285, NG, Ocian Springs, Miss./Gulf Coast CC)
Jeremy Nicholson (5-10, 172, WR, Brewton, Ala./WS Neal HS)
Joel Smith (5-11, 179, PK, Carrollton, Ga./Carrollton HS)
Clay Squires (6-2, 280, C, Satsuma, Ala./Satsuma HS)
Johnny Ubi, Jr. (6-6, 302, OL, Meridianville, Ala./Hazel Green HS)
Pierre Warren (6-1, 178, WR, Prattville, Ala./Marbury HS)
Armani Williams (6-2, 277, NG, Navarre, Fla./Navarre HS)
Chase Williams (6-0, 212, LB, Boaz, Ala./Boaz HS)

2010 GAMECOCK SIGNEE BIOS
Coty Blanchard (6-0, 180, QB , Leesburg, Ala./Cherokee County HS)
Played at Cherokee County High School for Tripp Curry…led the Warriors to the Class 4A State Championship and a perfect 15-0 record…was named Alabama Mr. Football by the Alabama Sports Writers Association…was named the Class 4A Back of the Year as a senior and was a two-time first-team All-State selection by the Alabama Sports Writers Association…pass for more than 2,900 yards with 35 touchdowns and rushed for 1,160 yards with 20 touchdowns as a senior…was named to The Birmingham News Super 12, the Anniston Star Dandy Dozen, The Gadsden Times Dirty Dozen and the ABC 33/40 Friday Night Blitz Quarterback of the Year…helped team post a 14-1 record his junior year…played in the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic…also lettered in baseball and basketball…was an all-area selection for basketball, where he has scored more than 1,000 points…was a three-time team Most Valuable Player in baseball, and also played in the Lions Club North-South game…is also expected to play baseball for the Gamecocks.

Brannon Byrd (6-2, 243, LB, Lucedale, Miss./Gulf Coast CC)
Played at Gulf Coast Community College for Steve Campbell…was a second-team All-State selection after recording 120 tackles and five sacks in 2009…helped the Bulldogs to a 9-3 record and the South Division Championship…named team defensive captain in 2009…also recruited by Houston.

Gabriel Chambers (5-10, 157, WR, Centre, Ala./Cherokee County HS)
Played for Tripp Curry at Cherokee County High School…helped the Warriors to the Class 4A State Championship as a senior…had 1,181 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns, while also rushing 11 times for 191 yards as a senior to earn first-team All-State honors by the Alabama Sports Writers Association…was first-team All-Region both his junior and senior years…was named to The Gadsden Times Dirty Dozen in 2009…also lettered in basketball and track, and was a first-team All-Area track performer…finished second in the 100m dash in Class 4A State Championship…is the cousin of former Gamecock All-Conference wide receiver Maurice Dupree…also recruited by Arkansas State, Middle Tennessee and UAB.

Steven Coates (6-2, 190, QB, Decatur, Ga./Southwest Dekalb HS)
Played at Southwest Dekalb High School for Buck Godfrey…helped the Panthers to a 10-2 record as a senior and the Region Championship…was 38-for-66 for 352 yards and nine touchdowns and added four rushing touchdowns…had his best game after going 10f-ro14 for 151 yards and three touchdowns in a 26-0 win over Tucker…also recruited by Samford and Virginia.

Marquis George (6-4, 242, DE, Elsner, Del./Dodge City CC)
Played at Dodge City Community College…was a teammate of current Gamecock Kevin Dix…played in all nine games as sophomore, recording 48 tackles and led the team with 6.5 sacks for 46 yards…also recruited by Murray State, North Texas, Temple and Toledo.

Chad Hampton (6-5, 252, OL, Hartselle, Ala./Hartselle HS)
Played at Hartselle High School for Bob Godsey…was a two-year starter on the offensive line and was an honorable mention All-State selection in 2009… anchored an offensive line that set school records for points scored and passing yardage in a season…in his two years as a starter, he blocked for two different 1,000-yard rushers…the Tigers advanced to the quarterfinals of the state playoffs his junior and senior season, finishing with a perfect 10-0 regular season both years…his father, Mark, played for the Gamecocks from 1979-83.

Tristan Hardin (6-6, 291, OL, Birmingham, Ala./Erwin HS)
Played at Erwin High School for Willie Miller… considered one of the top offensive lineman in Alabama…was a four-year lettermen…was named All-State by the Alabama Sports Writers Association…helped the Eagles to a 6-4 record his senior year…also recruited by Auburn, Southern Miss, Tennessee, Alabama State and Grambling.

Preston Hatcher (6-4, 290, OL, Dothan, Ala./Northview HS)
Played at Northview High School for Wayne White…was a three-year starter for the Cougars…was named the team offensive lineman of the year in 2008 and 2009…was team captain in 2009…had his best game of the year against Wetumpka…is an honor student…also recruited by Troy, UAB and The Citadel.

Max Holcombe (6-3, 271, C , Tuscaloosa, Ala./Hillcrest HS)
Played at Hillcrest High School for Johnny Wright…was team captain as a senior after helping team to a 7-4 record…was a three-year lettermen, posting a career 21-9 record…was named to the Tuscaloosa News All-Star team…an honor student…named Who's Who Among American High School Students…Ambassador for school…member of the BETA club.

Michael Lewis (6-4, 237, Ocoee, Fla./Ocoee HS)
Played at Ocoee High School for Clint Moles…was a three-year lettermen…helped the Knights to a 7-4 record as a senior after finishing with 54 tackles, eight sacks and one interception…was an All-Metro selection…selected to play in the Orange County Senior Bowl…is an honor student…member of the Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society.

Tarik Milner (6-3, 240, OL, Powder Springs, Ga./McEachern HS)
Played at McEachern High School for Jim Dorsey and Kyle Hochman…was named team Offensive Lineman of the Year as a senior after helping the Indians to a 10-1 record…was a first-team All-County selection…also lettered in track…his father, played football at the University Cincinnatti…also recruited by Troy, Samford, Chattanooga and Fordham.

Aaron Nelson (6-1, 285, NG, Ocian Springs, Miss./Gulf Coast CC)
Played at Gulf Coast Community College for Steve Campbell…helped team to a 10-3 record as a freshman and the State Championship and won the Mississippi Bowl…team went 9-3 his sophomore year and the South Division Championship…finished with 61 tackles and eight sacks and won the Harold White War Daddy Award.

Jeremy Nicholson (5-10, 172, WR, Brewton, Ala./WS Neal HS)
Played at WS Neal High School for Blaine Hathcock and Kevin Jordan…was an honorable mention All-State selection by the Alabama Sports Writers Association…had 75 rushes for 752 yards with 11 touchdowns…had his best game of the year against Monroeville, he had 362 all-purpose yards and three touchdown…also lettered in track and basketball…also recruited by Southern Miss, Troy, Louisiana Tech and Arkansas State.

Joel Smith (5-11, 179, PK, Carrollton, Ga./Carrollton HS)
Played at Carrollton High School for Rayvan Teague…was a four-year letterman…scored 74 points by kicking as a senior, including eight field goals and was 48-of-51 on extra points…was a first-team All-Region selection in both 2008 and 2009…won Special Teams Most Valuable Player in 2008…kicked at least one or more touchbacks in every high school game as a junior and senior…kicked two field goals against Central High School and also against Cartersville as a senior…won team Trojan Award for three straight years…was the champion of the fifth annual Southern kicking Combine…was the kickoff champion and punting champion for Class of 2010…also lettered in soccer, where he helped team to three straight region championships…honor student…also recruited by Furman, Georgia Southern and Western Carolina.

Clay Squires (6-2, 280, C, Satsuma, Ala./Satsuma HS)
Played at Satsuma High School for Lonnie Rawlins…was a four-year lettermen…voted team's top offensive lineman as a senior…was an honorable mention All-State selection.

Johnny Ubi, Jr. (6-6, 302, OL, Meridianville, Ala./Hazel Green HS)
Played at Hazel Green High School for Alvin Palmer…was a three-year starter on the offensive line…graded out better than 90 percent on the season…voted top offensive lineman on the team…also recruited by North Alabama, Mississippi State and Tennessee.

Pierre Warren (6-1, 178, WR, Prattville, Ala./Marbury HS)
Played at Marbury High School for Kyle Glover…was a two-time All-Metro selection and was an All-County selection as a senior…was a four-year letterman and a three-year starter…helped the Bulldogs advance to the state playoffs…also lettered in basketball, where he was named team's Most Valuable Player and was an all-area selection.

Armani Williams (6-2, 277, NG, Navarre, Fla./Navarre HS)
Played at Navarre High School for Chad Lashley…finished his senior year with 55 tackles, four tackles for loss, four caused fumbles, three blocked kicks and was named to the Northwest Florida Daily News first-team defense…was selected to the Pensacola Sports Association All-Star game, where he won the game's Most Valuable Defensive Player Award…was a three-year lettermen…also recruited by Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Chase Williams (6-0, 212, LB, Boaz, Ala./Boaz HS)
Played at Boaz High School for Drew Noles…helped the Pirates to four-striaght playoff appearances…named region Most Valuable Player as a senior after recording 128 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, nine sacks and 10 hurries as a senior to earn honorable-mention All-State honors…was named county Most Valuable Player.