By Mike Foster, Sports Editor & Daniel Miller, Staff Writer
Head coach Brian Bohannon, Director of Athletics Vaughn Williams and the rest of KSU’s football coaching staff convened around the fax machine bright and early on Wednesday morning. The time had come. At 7:01 a.m., Bohannon eagerly pulled the first document to transmit to the football offices.
“First signee, Chandler Burks,” Bohannon said. Bohannon’s announcement was followed by a roar of cheers and
high fives. KSU had signed its first-ever football player. By the end of the day, KSU would receive letters of intent from 28 other high school seniors prepared to play football at KSU.
“This is a monumental day for Kennesaw State University,” Bohannon said. “This is another huge step in the process of building the football program and brings us one step closer to getting out onto the field and preparing for that first game in 2015.”
For Williams, who has been instrumental in making football a reality at KSU in the past few years, the day couldn’t have been more overwhelming.
“I’m excited. I’m a little emotional,” Williams said. “I’m counting down the days to the first game. I can’t wait to get these young men on campus. I can’t wait for them to integrate with the student body. I can’t wait to see them practice for the first time in Owl uniforms and shoulder pads and all of those good things. It is an exciting day and I’m just fired up.”
Three marquee quarterback signings highlighted KSU’s inaugural class. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s All- Classification Player of the Year, Jaquez Parks, surprised the state when he committed to KSU on Jan. 30. Parks, who passed for 3,640 yards, rushed for 1,329 and scored 45 total touchdowns, played For Bohannon’s alma mater Griffin High School. Parks led the Bears to a 56-35 win over Carrollton in the GHSA AAAA state championship game this past season, where he accounted for 554 total yards.
Joining Parks under center will be two other of Bohannon’s most prized recruits—Burks, who amassed 3,944 yards and 42 touchdowns in his first year as a starting quarterback for South Paulding, and Monroeville, Ala. native Jake McKenzie.
“The three (quarterbacks) we got are outstanding, and we could not have done any better,” Bohannon said. “These guys bring the intangibles and leadership and it should be a great competition.”
McKenzie is one of three signees who come from outside Georgia’s state lines, along with Braylon Young from Alcoa, Tenn., and Devin Pughsley of Hoover, Ala.
Aside from skill position players, KSU signed 13 offensive and defensive lineman. For Recruiting Coordinator and Defensive Line coach Liam Klein, it couldn’t have been a better day.
“These will be guys that lay the foundation for the rest of the team,” Klein said. “We have to establish a tough, physical presence. Every one of them wanted to come here and compete, they aren’t selfish, and they’re up to the challenge.”
KSU signed two interior lineman in Auzoyah Alufohai (Alpharetta HS) and Joseph Alexander (Tri Cities HS) that register at least 300 pounds. The two will help add considerable size in the trenches for Defensive Coordinator Brian Newberry’s 4-2-5 hybrid defense.
Two Cobb County products decided to stay home, with long-time commit Taylor Henkle (Kell HS) and McEachern defensive end McKenzie Billingslea signing on Wednesday.
The rest of the team’s 2015 roster will be supplemented by walk-ons from team tryouts, which will be held in March of this
year, and next year’s signing class. This year’s signees will practice against eachother in the fall and redshirt by default.
Bohannon also added five coaches to complete his staff on Thursday, including Cody Worley (Quarterbacks), Stewart Cook (Tight Ends and Tackles), Mike Daniels (Receivers), Kevin Downing (Defensive Ends) and Chris Bland (Cornerbacks).
KSU added two more games to its inaugural schedule during the week with the addition of NAIA members Edwards Waters College and Point University, who will visit Fifth Third Bank Stadium on Sept. 12 and Oct. 10, respectively. The Owls’ schedule is now up to ten games, including six Big South Conference contests and the program’s first-ever game, which will be played against East Tennessee State on Sept. 3, 2015 in Johnson City, Tenn.
