2008 Signing Class: The Offense

The University of Toledo announced their 2008 football recruiting class today. A total of 23 players were signed to the class, with 10 of them on offense. This is the first in a two part segment looking at each player in the class. Up first is the offense.

The University of Toledo signed 23 players in their 2008 football recruiting class earlier today. In this first segment we are going to look at the 10 recruits that are slated to play on the offensive side of the ball at Toledo.


Quarterbacks

Alex Pettee (Santa Clarita, CA-Hart /Pierce (CA) CC)
Alex Pettee is a 6-2 and 200 pound quarterback. As a freshman at Pierce Community College, Pettee completed 200-of-366 passes for 2,196 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also rushed for 405 yards. He was the leading passer in the Western State Conference and was named the conference’s offensive player of the year. He also earned honorable mention JC All-America honors and was a first-team JC Academic All-American.

Pettee is an excellent student, graduating from high school with a 4.2 grade point average. Both of his parents are UT graduates. Pettee will have three years of eligibility at UT. He signed his LOI with Toledo back in December during the early signing period for eligible JUCO and Prep players and enrolled in classes in January. He will participate in spring practices at Toledo.

"Alex has all the ability in the world," said Pierce CC football coach Efrain Martinez. He added, "he came in to our program and we had the best season in the past 16 years. Alex played a huge role in that turn around."

Doug Downing and John Shannon recruited Alex.


David Pasquale (Cape Coral, FL-Cape Coral)
David is a 6-2 and 215 pound quarterback. Pasquale made second-team Class 5A all-state as a “utility player.” He was also first-team all-area as a quarterback and was named Southwest Florida “Player of the Year” by the News-Press.

Pasquale completed 159-of-290 passes for 1,847 yards and 14 TDs as a senior in 2007. He also rushed for 629 yards on 155 carries, scoring 14 times. On defense, he had 66 tackles and three interceptions. He also plays basketball, is a sprinter on the track team and a state finalist in the shot put.

David was recruited by Tom Amstutz and Doug Downing. He holds a 3.4 GPA.

"I've been coaching for 30 years and he is one of the top quality kids I have coached," said Coral Gable football coach Mike Goebbel. He added, "he is a better person than player, and he is a pretty good football player."


Running Back

Darius Reeves (Columbus, OH-Gahanna Lincoln)
Darius Reeves is a 6-1 and 180 pound running back. He rushed for nearly 4,000 yards and 55 touchdowns in three seasons at Gahanna Lincoln. As a senior, he rushed for more than 1,500 yards and had 30 TDs, earning first-team all-conference and first-team all-district honors.

As a junior, he ran for 1,672 yards and 16 scores, earning first-team all-conference, first-team all-district and honorable mention all-state honors. As a sophomore, he was an honorable mention all-district selection, rushing for 800 yards and nine touchdowns.

Darius is rated the #46 player in the state of Ohio by Ohio High magazine.


Wide Receivers

Kenny Stafford (Columbus, OH-St Francis DeSales)
Kenny Stafford is a 6-4 and 185 pound wide receiver with 4.4 speed. He was an all-league and honorable mention all-district honoree as a senior, hauling in 25 receptions for 444 yards and six touchdowns. As a junior, he made honorable mention all-district, catching 27 passes for 645 yards and eight TDs.

Stafford played in the National All-Star Game in Florida. He is the nephew of former NFL star and Ohio State Buckeye Chris Carter. He chose Toledo over offers from Nebraska, Indiana, Akron, Kent State, Ohio University, and Buffalo. He narrowed his choices to Toledo and Nebraska before signing with Toledo.


Sam Gaymon (Detroit, MI-Renaissance)
Sam Gaymon is a 6-3 and 200 pound wide receiver that is rated three stars by Scout.com. Gaymon made the Detroit News first-team all-city team as a senior, catching 25 passes for 517 yards and eight TDs. Gaymon was ranked No. 49 on the Detroit Free Press’ Fab 50 list and the No. 12 player in Michigan by Scout.com.

As a junior, he made honorable mention all-city with 18 receptions for 310 yards and three scores. He is also the team captain of the basketball team at Renaissance High School.

Gaymon chose Toledo over offers from Boston College, Cincinnati, Central Michigan, and Eastern Michigan.


Leroy Houston (Daytona Beach, FL-Seabreeze)
Leroy Houston is a 5-11 and 180 pound wide receiver that is expected to play the slot position and return kicks at Toledo. He has 4.5 speed.

Houston caught 34 passes for 434 yards and four TDs, rushed for 1,069 yards and 14 TDs in 122 attempts and averaged 17 yards per punt return as a senior. He earned first-team Class 4A all-state honors and was named the Volusia County Offensive Player of the Year.

As a junior, he had 33 receptions for 440 yards and nine TDs, rushed for 820 yards on 159 attempts and returned two punts for touchdowns.

Houston played in the North-South All-Star Game. He was recruited by Chris Hedden. He chose Toledo over offers from Middle Tennesse, Temple, and Georgia Southern.

"He is very versatile," said Seabreeze football coach Mark Beach. "When our QB was out he put us on his back for four games and led us to an undefeated season," he added.


Offensive Lineman

John Morookian (New Berlin, NY-Milford Academy)
John Morookian is a 6-6 and 325 pound offensive lineman that signed with Toledo during the early signing period for eligible JUCO and Prep players. He enrolled in January and will particpate in spring practices.

Morookian was a first-team all-state selection as a senior in high school and made all-conference as a junior. He played in the Rhode Island/Connecticut All-Star Game as a senior.


Fadi Farha (Ypsilanti, MI-Pioneer)
Fadi Farha is a 6-4 and 290 pound offensive lineman. He is rated the #156 offensive tackle in the country by Scout.com. Farha started all 20 games at left tackle as a junior and senior at Ann Arbor Pioneer, making first-team all-conference and first-team all-area as a senior, and first-team all-conference at a junior.

He was named honorable mention all-state by the Detroit News, and was No. 27 on their Blue Chip list. He also ranked No. 44 on the Detroit Free Press “Top 50” list.

He chose Toledo over an offer from Eastern Michigan. He was recruited by Joe Gilbert and Doug Downing.


Danny Farr (Evanston, IL-Evanston Township)
Danny Farr is a 6-5 and 285 pound offensive lineman. Farr is rated the #76 defensive tackle in the nation by Scout.com and the #19 player in the Chicago area by the Chicago Tribune.

He was a three-year starter and a two-time team captain. Farr is an all-conference basketball player for an Evanston Township team that is currently 21-2.

Farr chose Toledo over offers from Cincinnati, Illinois, and Minnesota. He was recruited to Toledo by Stan Clayton.


Phillip Manley (Hamilton, OH-Hamilton)
Phillip Manley is a 6-5 and 295 pound offensive lineman. He is rated as the No. 63 player in the state of Ohio by Ohio High Magazine and No. 56 guard in the nation by ESPN.com.

He earned first-team all-league, first-team All-Butler County and honorable mention All-Southwest Ohio.

He is one of three Hamilton High School seniors that signed LOI's with Toledo. The other two are Damien McIntosh and Phillip's cousin Kenny Veal.

Manley chose Toledo over offers from Miami University and Western Michigan.

"Phillip was a 3 year starter for us," said Hamilton High School football coach Jim Place. "He has a great personality," he added.