Feb. 2, 2000

Bowling Green, Ohio -

Bowling Green State University head football coach Gary Blackney and his staff have added 19 players to the Falcon roster for the 2000 season with their signing of a letter of intent.

This year's class includes six players on the defensive side of the ball and 12 on offense. The Falcons also signed one kicker. BG returns 16 of the top 22 players on offense from the depth chart for the final game of the 1999 season and 20 of the top 22 return on the defensive side of the ball.

"As we evaluated our needs, we identified two areas," said head coach Gary Blackney, who will be in his 10th season at the helm in 2000. "One was a kicker, and we were fortunate to get Shaun Suisham as a mid-year player which will certainly better prepare him to kick next fall.

"The other position that was a concern was fullback, and Doug Kingsbury, the only junior college player we took, is also in school now and that should help.

"Defensively, we were looking for some help at the cornerback position and I think we secured some quality players who fit our needs in this area."

On offense, the Falcons added players at just about every position.

Nate Reeves (6-3, 280) is one of three linemen to sign with the Falcons along with Scott Mruczkowski (6-4, 295) and Andrew Hart (6-4, 255). Reeves was one of the top linemen in Virginia at Fork Union Military Academy while Hart earned all-district honors at Mentor High School. Mruczkowski was a three-year football and track letterwinner at Benedictine High School.

Two quarterbacks are also joining the program.

David Azzi (6-2, 195) is the top quarterback in Canada where he threw for over 2,100 yards last season and 23 touchdowns for Hillcrest High School. The other signal-caller to sign a letter of intent was Josh Harris (6-3, 205) from Westerville North High School where he was the conference Player of the Year and an all-district selection. He had over 800 rushing yards and over 500 passing yards last season. He accounted for 19 touchdowns both rushing and passing.

A wide receiver was added to the roster with the signing of Kevin Poindexter (6-3, 175) from Ursuline High School in Youngstown.

Poindexter was slowed his senior season by injuries, but was an all-league and all-district pick as a junior.

Joining Kingsbury at the fullback position will be Todd DiBacco.

Kingsbury (6-4, 250) was a second-team all-conference pick last season at Grand Rapids Community College despite seeing his playing time limited by an injury. He had 290 yards rushing and 12 receptions last season despite the injuries.

DiBacco (6-1, 225) is the career rushing leader at Monaca High School with over 4,000 yards where he was the conference and area Player of the Year last season with over 1,600 yards on the ground and 20 touchdowns.

Four players were added at the running back position with two of those possibly ending up as a defensive back.

Justin Jackson (5-10, 180) had almost 1,000 yards last season and was rated as one of the top seniors in the state of Michigan at Henry Ford High School. He had over 3,000 yards for his career.

Independence High School senior Jason Morton (6-0, 180) could eventually play in the secondary as could Divine Child product Royce McKinney (5-10, 175). Morton had 1,400 yards on the ground and 14 touchdowns. He was an all-league and all-district selection as a senior. McKinney had 563 yards rushing last season and over 500 in receptions along with three interceptions on the defensive side of the ball.

The fourth running back to sign was Eric Jones (5-11, 190) from John Glenn High School in Michigan. The two time first-team all-state selection rushed for 2,200 yards as a senior and 22 touchdowns. He had 4,600 yards and 30 touchdowns in his career.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Falcons signed three linebackers along with two linemen and one defensive back.

Jovon Burkes (6-1, 220) from Detroit Central High School was an all-state selection each of the last two seasons. He was credited with 175 tackles last season and 515 for his career. He also had 45 sacks in his four-year career. Burkes earned a spot on the Detroit News Dream Team following the 1999 season.

Two other linebackers will also be joining the program in the fall.

Marlon Anderson (6-2, 200) from Cass Tech High School in Detroit and Rick Mauer (6-3, 245) from St. Edwards High School in Lakewood also signed with the Falcons. Anderson was a first-team all-state selection last season after earning second-team honors as a junior. He was credited with 85 tackles last season and had 480 in his career. Mauer is another member of the class who is already in school having attended Air Force for a few weeks in 1999 then leaving. He was an all-district selection in 1998 at St. Edwards High School with 12 tackles for a loss.

Also signing a letter of intent was Janssen Patton (6-0, 180), a defensive back from Stone Mountain, Ga., Ron Blue (6-3, 255), a defensive lineman from Upper St. Clair, Pa., and Andy Grubb (6-4, 255), a defensive lineman from Pandora-Gilboa High School.

Patton was credited with 102 tackles and five interceptions as a senior and had 277 stops and 17 interceptions for his career. Blue played in only four games as a senior because of injury, but still was a first-team all-conference selection. He had 95 tackles and 15 sacks in his career.

Grubb, who was a first-team Div. VI all-state pick this season at linebacker, also signed a letter of intent. The Pandora-Gilboa senior was credited with 111 tackles last season, 22 of those for a loss, as he helped them to the conference title and a state playoff berth.

The Falcons also added a place-kicker, Ontario native Shaun Suisham (6-0, 180), to the roster for next season. He is already enrolled and attending BGSU after being rated as the top place-kicker in Canada. He converted all 23 point-after attempts in 1999 and hit all 14 of his field goal attempts, including a 58-yarder.

The Falcons are coming off a 5-6 season in which they won their last three contests. BG was 3-5 in Mid-American Conference action to finish fifth in the East Division.

2000 Bowling Green State University Football Recruiting Class

Marlon Anderson, LB, 6-2, 200, Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech
David Azzi, QB/P, 6-2, 195, Ottawa, Ontario/Hillcrest
Ron Blue, DL/TE, 6-3, 255, Upper St. Clair, Pa.
Jovon Burkes, LB, 6-1, 220, Detroit, Mich./Central
Todd DiBacco, FB, 6-1, 225, Monaca, Pa.
Andy Grubb, LB, 6-4, 255, Leipsic, Ohio/Pandora-Gilboa
Josh Harris, QB, 6-3, 205, Westerville, Ohio/North
Andrew Hart, OL, 6-4, 255, Mentor, Ohio
Justin Jackson, RB/DB, 5-10, 180, Detroit, Mich./Henry Ford
Eric Jones, RB, 5-11, 190, Inkster, Mich./John Glenn
Doug Kingsbury, FB, 6-4, 250, Comstock Park, Mich./Fork Union Military Acad./Grand Rapids C.C.
Rick Mauer, LB, 6-3, 245, Cleveland, Ohio/St. Edwards
Royce McKinney, RB/DB, 5-10, 175, Detroit, Mich./Divine Child
Jason Morton, RB/DB, 6-0, 180, Columbus, Ohio/Independence
Scott Mruczkowski, OL, 6-4, 295, Garfield Heights, Ohio/Benedictine
Janssen Patton, DB, 6-0, 180, Stone Mountain, Ga.
Kevin Poindexter, WR, 6-3, 175, Youngstown, Ohio/Ursuline
Nate Reeves, OL, 6-3, 280, Irmo, S.C./Fork Union Military Acad.
Shaun Suisham, PK, 6-0, 180, Wallaceburg, Ontario