By TOMMY REZAC and GOGRIFFONS.COM
St. Joseph Post
Missouri Western head football coach Matt Williamson unveiled his 2021 recruiting class on Wednesday.
The Griffons added 29 total student-athletes, including 26 high school seniors. They also added three four-year transfers and signed players from 14 different states, including seven from Missouri.
"2021 will be a special recruiting class," Coach Williamson said in a release. "All of the hurdles and restrictions we had to overcome to land this class was amazing. I am so proud of my staff to tirelessly put this talented group of young men together. It's complete all the way through; offensively, defensively and special teams.
"We can't wait to get these phenomenal student-athletes on campus and start working with them. We focused on length and speed this year and we hit a home run. This 2021 Griffon Football class will be felt in the MIAA soon."
It's no secret that COVID-19 created recruiting complications with in-person meetings and visits being put on hold for practically all of 2020.
Williamson credits his coaching staff for their leg work and ability to adapt to new challenges and still land strong talent.
"We landed a lot of really talented players," he said at a Wednesday press conference. "We just continue to grow and build the foundation and solidify it even stronger for the future of Missouri Western football."
Most Division II schools didn't even get a season in the fall of 2020, but some schools got 1-2 games.
Missouri Western faced No. 11 Central Arkansas of the FCS ranks (L 52-10) and MIAA foe Pittsburg State (L 20-7) this past fall. Williamson believes those games provided a blueprint for the Griffons' winter and spring sports to safely play their seasons.
"Depending on weather, March 1st when we're starting our spring ball," Williamson said. "Right now to us, it's normal. The spring sports that are going on right now, they're kind of feeling it out and making that transition like we did in the fall."
Recruiting class breakdown
HIGH SCHOOLERS (26)
Zak Acuff QB 5-11 180 The King's Academy Seymour, TN
Brad Adamcik TE 6-5 230 Keller HS Keller, TX
Gregory Anderson DB 6-0 175 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Early College Denver, CO
Logan Boenker DE 6-4 190 Lee's Summit West HS Lee's Summit, MO
Kevondrick Carr CB 5-11 160 Coronado HS Lubbock, TX
Anthony Cirrincione TE 6-5 215 South Elgin HS South Elgin, IL
Wyatt Collingham LB 5-10 181 York HS York, NE
T'Andre Forbush DE 6-3 230 Blue Springs HS Blue Springs, MO
Ma'rrell Fountain RB 5-9 190 Olathe East HS Olathe, KS
Desmond Green DB 6-0 160 Millwood HS Oklahoma City, OK
Manny Hayes DE 6-2 225 Cartersville HS Cartersville, GA
Cody Hix OL 6-2 265 Fayetteville HS Fayetteville, AR
Drayton Huchteman OL 6-4 250 Bolivar HS Bolivar, MO
Elijah Larson LB 6-0 210 St. Paul Public HS St. Paul, NE
Brecken Manus LB 5-11 194 Ankeny HS Ankeny, IA
Will McClintock TE 6-5 240 Riesel HS Riesel, TX
Noah McGowan DE 6-5 220 Crittenden County HS Marion, KY
Javerius McGuinn CB 5-9 155 Wauconda HS Wauconda, IL
Seth Mounts LB 6-2 200 Belfry HS Belfry, KY
Trey Nesbitt DE 6-3 235 Farragut HS Knoxville, TN
Sean O'Hara OL 6-1 314 Nazareth Academy LaGrange Park, IL
Ison Robinson DT 6-0 265 Snider HS Fort Wayne, IN
Zeke Waisner DE 6-5 215 Smithville HS Smithville, MO
Gaige Warren WR 5-9 160 Park Hill South HS Riverside, MO
Joe Washington WR 6-0 227 Heritage Hall School Oklahoma City, OK
Jayden Williams RB 5-10 220 Heritage Hall School Oklahoma City, OK
TRANSFERS (3)
Ty Baker QB 6-2 206 Missouri State (4 years left) Independence, MO
P.J. Braun OL 6-5 300 Stephen F. Austin (2 years left) Reno, NV
Nathan Midkiff TE 6-2 215 Wayne State College (4 years left) Catawissa, MO
BY POSITION
QB (2) - Zak Acuff, Ty Baker
RB (2) - Ma'rrell Fountain, Jayden Williams
WR (2) - Gaige Warren, Joe Washington
TE (4) - Brad Adamcik, Anthony Cirrincione, Nathan Midkiff, Will McClintock
"We felt that we had 2-3 really good tight ends right now," Williamson said. "But behind that, we're really thin. I said, 'I'm not going to give you a number count on tight ends this year. I want to get as many as we possibly we can that fit what we do,' and we got some really talented ones."
OL (4) - P.J. Braun, Cody Hix, Drayton Huchteman, Sean O'Hara
DT (1) - Ison Robinson
DE (6) - Logan Boenker, T'Andre Forbush, Manny Hayes, Noah McGowan, Trey Nesbitt, Zeke Waisner
Besides tight end, Coach Williamson said defensive end was another position in which the Griffons needed to get "deep" on the roster.
LB (4) - Wyatt Collingham, Elijah Larson, Brecken Manus, Seth Mounts
DB (4) - Gregory Anderson, Kevondrick Carr, Desmond Green, Javerius McGuinn
BY STATE (14)
Missouri (7) - Ty Baker, Logan Boenker, T'Andre Forbush, Drayton Huchteman, Zeke Waisner, Gaige Warren, Nathan Midkiff
Illinois (3) - Anthony Cirrincione, Javerius McGuinn, Sean O'Hara
Oklahoma (3) - Desmond Green, Joe Washington, Jayden Williams
Texas (3) - Brad Adamcik, Kevondrick Carr, Will McClintock
Kentucky (2) - Noah McGowan, Seth Mounts
Nebraska (2) - Wyatt Collingham, Elijah Larson
Tennessee (2) - Zak Acuff, Trey Nesbitt
Arkansas (1) - Cody Hix
Colorado (1) - Gregory Anderson
Georgia (1) - Manny Hayes
Indiana (1) - Ison Robinson
Iowa (1) - Brecken Manus
Kansas (1) - Ma'rrell Fountain
Nevada (1) - P.J. Braun
Coach Williamson estimates about 50-60 percent of his 2021 class had at least partial senior football seasons in 2020. Some states, like Colorado and Illinois, suspended fall sports. While that presents challenges, Williamson said the coaches mainly look at junior year film while recruiting anyway.
Williamson added that already established relationships with high school coaches across the country also helped with the recruiting process in this unusual year.
BIOS
Zak Acuff
QB | 5-11 | 180
Seymour, TN (The King's Academy)
Four-Year Letterman ... Two-time Team Captain ... 2020 1st Team All-State, All-Region and All-County ... Holds school records for Passing Yards in a Game, Passing Yards in a Season, Passing TDs in a Game, Passing TDs in a Season ... Selected to the Tennessee vs. Kentucky Future Stars Game.
Brad Adamcik
TE | 6-5 | 230
Keller, TX (Keller HS)
Two-Year varsity starter on both sides of the ball at TE and DE ... All-District at TE and DE as a Junior and Senior
Gregory Anderson
DB | 6-0 | 175
Denver, CO (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Early College)
Excelled on the track as he was a state qualifier as a freshman in 110M hurdles and 300M hurdles ... 2021 VA Showcase qualifier and placed 8th in the nation in the 55M hurdles.
Ty Baker
QB | 6-2 | 206
Independence, MO (Missouri State / Fort Osage HS)
Redshirted in 2019 at Missouri State ... graduated from Fort Osage High School
Logan Boenker
DE | 6-4 | 190
Lee's Summit, MO (Lee's Summit West HS)
Honorable Mention All-Conference ... led team in tackles for loss
P.J. Braun
OL | 6-5 | 300
Reno, NV (Stephen F. Austin / Butte College / North Valley HS)
Transfer from Stephen F Austin with 2 years of eligibility left ... Played at Butte College prior to SFA
Kevondrick Carr
CB | 5-11 | 160
Lubbock, TX (Coronado HS)
2020 Honorable Mention All-Conference WR/DB ... Two-time District Champion in 2018 and 2020 ... Three-time Bi-District Champion and Three-time Area Champion in 2018, 2019 and 2020
Anthony Cirrincione
TE | 6-5 | 215
South Elgin, IL (South Elgin HS)
Three-year varsity starter on both sides of the ball at TE and DE ... Offensive MVP as a Junior ... Played for the USA National Team twice ... Played in the O/D All-American Bowl 2020 ... Will play his senior football season in spring of 2021
Wyatt Collingham
LB | 5-10 | 181
York, NE (York HS)
Honorable Mention All-State ... Two-time Honorable Mention All-District ... State Runner-up ... State Quarterfinalist ... Two-time District champion ... Four-year letter winner ... 2020 team Hitman Award ... 1000 lb. club member ... Track state medalist in the pole vault ... Two-time state qualifier ... Four-year letter winner
T'Andre Forbush
DE | 6-3 | 230
Blue Springs, MO (Blue Springs HS)
2020 Blue Springs Defensive Lineman of the Year
Ma'rrell Fountain
RB | 5-9 | 190
Olathe, KS (Olathe East HS)
First-team All-State ... First Team All-Sunflower League ... Team Captain ... All-time Rushing TD leader at Olathe East
Desmond Green
DB | 6-0 | 160
Oklahoma City, OK (Millwood HS)
State champion in football ... Two-time state qualifier on the track in 110 and 300 Hurdles ... Class president ... National Technical Honor Society ... OSSAA Student Advisory Panel
Manny Hayes
DE | 6-2 | 225
Cartersville, GA (Cartersville HS)
Honorable Mention All-State ... First Team All-Region ... Team captain ... State semifinalist
Cody Hix
OL | 6-2 | 265
Fayetteville, AR (Fayetteville HS)
All-State as a senior ... Honorable Mention All-Conference as a junior ... Three-time Player of the Week
Drayton Huchteman
OL | 6-4 | 250
Bolivar, MO (Bolivar HS)
Three-year varsity starter ... 2020 Second Team All-State ... 2020 First Team All-Area Defense ... 2020 First Team All-District offense and defense ... 2020 First Team All-SWMFBCA ... 2019 Second Team All-SWMFBCA ... 2018 & 2019 First Team Ozark Independent All-Conference ... Two-time state wrestling runner-up at 220 lb.
Elijah Larson
LB | 6-0 | 210
St. Paul, NE (St. Paul Public HS)
Nebraska Mr. Football Runner-up ... Three-time Class C1 All-State RB ... 5,700 career yard and 87 TDs ... Nebraska State Class C record for most career TDs (100) and most points scored in a career (604) ... All-Class Offensive Captain. All-Huskerland LB ... Class C1 Honorary Captain ... First Team All-Class Super State ... Four-year starter on both sides of the ball ... Two-time state track qualifier
Brecken Manus
LB | 5-11 | 194
Ankeny, IA (Ankeny HS)
2020 First Team All-State, First Team All-District, Elite All-State team ... State champion ... 77.5 tackles, 8.5 TFL and 1 interception in 2020 ... 2019 Third Team All-State, First Team All-District ... 2018 First Team All-District
Will McClintock
TE | 6-5 | 240
Riesel, TX (Riesel HS)
Four-year varsity starter on both sides of the ball ... 2020 First Team All-District TE, Second Team All-District LB ... 2019 First Team All-District QB ... First Team Academic All-State
Noah McGowan
DE | 6-5 | 220
Marion, KY (Crittenden County HS)
2020 First Team All-Western Kentucky Conference
Javerius McGuinn
CB | 5-9 | 155
Wauconda, IL (Wauconda HS)
2019 Football Captain's Award, Honorable Mention All-Area, All-Conference ... 2018 All-Conference ... 2019 NLCC 100-meter dash champion ... Three-time All-Conference Track
Nathan Midkiff
TE | 6-2 | 215
Catawissa, MO (Wayne State / Pacific HS)
Redshirted his only season at Wayne State ... Graduated from Pacific HS ... Team captain and MVP as a senior.
Seth Mounts
LB | 6-2 | 200
Belfry, KY (Belfry HS)
2020 Third Team All-State, First Team All-District ... 2019 Honorable Mention All-State ... 2019 AAA state champion
Trey Nesbitt
DE | 6-3 | 235
Knoxville, TN (Farragut HS)
2020 First Team All-Region ... Named top 10 defensive lineman in Knoxville
Sean O'Hara
OL | 6-1 | 314
LaGrange Park, IL (Nazareth Academy)
2020 First Team All-Area and All-Conference ... Best of the Best Boom Showcase MVP ... 1500 lbs. club ... Prep Redzone top 15 offensive lineman
Ison Robinson
DT | 6-0 | 265
Fort Wayne, IN (Snider HS)
2020 First Team All-Conference and All-Area ... Defensive team MVP ... Led team in TFLs
Zeke Waisner
DE | 6-5 | 215
Smithville, MO (Smithville HS)
2020 First Team All-District, Second Team All-Conference
Gaige Warren
WR | 5-9 | 160
Riverside, MO (Park Hill South HS)
2020 First Team All-District, Second Team All-Conference, Third team All-State
Joe Washington
WR | 6-0 | 227
Oklahoma City, OK (Heritage Hall School)
Three-year varsity starter ... Four-time district champion ... Two-time state champion ... 50-3 in high school career ... Two-year starter in basketball and state runner-up
Jayden Williams
RB | 5-10 | 220
Oklahoma City, OK (Heritage Hall School)
2020 Top 10 RB in Oklahoma ... 2020 All-District ... Four-year letterwinner ... Team captain ... Four-time district champion ... Two-time state champion ... 50-3 in high school career
