Hello fans and welcome to Signing Day 2015. We'll be bringing you live updates through the day on the page below.
Live Updates Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SIU_Football for updates throughout the day and all news Saluki Football in the future. As soon as the NLIs are in and approved, we'll be posting bios on this page throughout the day. At 4 p.m., head coach Dale Lennon will host a press conference to discuss the newest Salukis and show film in Tedrick Auditorium. The public, except potential student-athletes (grades 9-12), is welcome to attend and enjoy a reception following the event. Can't make it? Watch the press conference LIVE at 4 p.m. right here. 11:25 a.m. Recruiting never stops; but for today, the 2015 Saluki Signing Day Class is complete. Remember that head coach Dale Lennon will have a press conference at 4 p.m. that is open to the public (except potential student-athletes grades 9-12) and will be streamed online. Thanks for following along.
10:57 a.m. Three more in and that's a wrap! Daquan Isom (RB, Orlando, Fla./Dr. Phillips), Julius Washington (CB, Lake Mary, Fla./Lake Mary) and Rondarian Bell (OLB, Boynton Beach, Fla./American Heritage) are three more Florida prospects that the coaches are high on, and that rounds out the 2015 recruiting class. Great group of 26 players--22 high school and four mid-year transfers. Can't wait to see what this group does on the field.
10:40 a.m. Everything is in and approved for Parker Buenzli (DL, Casey, Ill./Casey-Westfield), another in-state signee. He was a first-team All-State selection in 2014.
10 a.m. Another one in! ShawnTrez Spates (Decatur, Ill./Douglas MacArthur) is a defensive back from Decatur. He's the fourth DB in the class. Just heard another fax come in, too, so there will be another update shortly.
9:45 a.m. Little break in the action here, but the coaches expect to add a few more to the class before things wrap up. Stay tuned for more updates.
9:15 a.m. Torian Lewis (CB, Lansing, Ill./Thornton Fractional South) is officially a Saluki. He's the fifth in-state prospect to sign with the Salukis. Another in-state signee is a name local people might know--Josh Haynes is a kicker from Herrin, Ill., and holds school records for longest field goal and most field goals in a career.
9 a.m. Make it five offensive linemen with NLIs approved. Michael Zeigler (OL, Springfield, Ill./Sacred Heart Griffin) becomes the 14th high school signee in the class so far, and the fifth offensive lineman. Zeigler is from Sacred Heart Griffin, which was also the high school of program alum John Lantz.
8:45 a.m. Ernest Dye, Jr., (OL, Milton, Ga./Milton) and Jacob Marnin (OL, Altoona, Iowa/Southeast Polk). That's four offensive linemen so far in this class. Dye's father played six seasons in the NFL.
8:35 a.m. Two more are in. Cody Crider (ILB, Mayfield, Ky./Graves County) and Graham Lawrence (OL, Cadiz, Ky./Trigg County) are officially Salukis.
8:30 a.m. Jake Summers (DL, Wildwood, Mo./Eureka) is officially signed up!
7:50 a.m. Two more! The class is starting to take shape. Airan Reed (S, Medina, Tenn./South Gibson County) and Kamahl March (OLB, Detroit, Mich./East English Village Prep).
7:45 a.m. We're also welcoming two more mid-year transfers that hadn't been previously announced. Deondre Barnett (OLB, Cocoa, Fla./UCF) and D'Eddric Williams (LB, Tuscaloosa, Ala./Eastern Arizona JC) are in the fold and will be with the team for spring ball.
7:30 a.m. Two more! Withney Simon (ILB, Orlando, Fla./Jones HS) and Jacob Varble (TE, Jerseyville, Ill./Jersey Community HS) are now #Salukis.
7:15 a.m. Our first three NLIs are in! Welcome to the family Tanner Hearn (QB, Orlando Fla./East River HS), Zack Ingle (OL, Corbin, Ky./Corbin HS) and Chris Perkins (RB, Carmel, Ind./Carmel HS)! Great start to what's expected to be a great class.
7 a.m. National Signing Day is here! Saluki Nation gets stronger today. Excited to welcome a great new group of Salukis into the fold for 2015. We'll start by re-welcoming Andrew McCrea and Aaron Stanton. That pair was announced back in December and will be with the team in spring ball. Speaking of which, spring practices start March 23. Expect to see a full schedule in the near future. Stay tuned for more information throughout the day. You can ask questions by emailing SID John Lock at jtlock2@siu.edu or tweeting at us @SIU_Football. There will also be a lot of action today on our Facebook page at Facebook.com/SalukiFootball
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2015 Signee Information | Signee | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown | High Sch./Junior Co./Last School |
| Deondre Barnett | OLB | 6-2 | 238 | Cocoa, Fla. | Cocoa HS/UCF |
| Rondarian Bell | OLB | 6-3 | 190 | Boynton Beach, Fla. | American Heritage HS |
| Parker Buenzli | DL | 6-4 | 295 | Casey, Ill. | Casey-Westfield HS |
| Cody Crider | ILB | 6-0 | 210 | Mayfield, Ky. | Graves County HS |
| Ernest Dye, Jr. | OL | 6-4 | 275 | Milton, Ga. | Milton HS |
| Josh Haynes | K | 5-11 | 175 | Herrin, Ill. | Herrin HS |
| Tanner Hearn | QB | 6-2 | 180 | Orlando, Fla. | East River HS |
| Zack Ingle | OL | 6-5 | 295 | Corbin, Ky. | Corbin HS |
| Daquon Isom | RB | 5-9 | 170 | Orlando, Fla. | Dr. Phillips HS |
| Graham Lawrence | OL | 6-6 | 280 | Cadiz, Ky. | Trigg County HS |
| Torian Lewis | CB | 5-11 | 175 | Lansing, Ill. | Thornton Fractional South HS |
| Kamahl March | OLB | 6-2 | 190 | Detroit, Mich. | East English Village Prep HS |
| Jacob Marnin | OL | 6-2 | 285 | Altoona, Iowa | Southeast Polk HS |
| Andrew McCrea | CB | 5-11 | 185 | Florence, S.C. | South Florence HS/LA Pierce College |
| Michael Nero | RB | 5-10 | 210 | Louisville, Ky. | DuPont Manual HS |
| Chris Perkins | RB | 5-9 | 195 | Carmel, Ind. | Carmel HS |
| Airan Reed | S | 6-3 | 220 | Medina, Tenn. | South Gibson County HS |
| Withney Simon | ILB | 6-0 | 215 | Orlando, Fla. | Jones HS |
| ShawnTrez Spates | CB | 5-11 | 170 | Decatur, Ill. | Douglas MacArthur HS |
| Aaron Stanton | RB | 5-8 | 190 | Moorpark, Calif. | Moorpark HS/Ventura College |
| Jake Summers | DL | 6-4 | 245 | Wildwood, Mo. | Eureka HS |
| Nate Sylvester | DL | 6-2 | 285 | Belleville, Ill. | Belleville East HS |
| Jake Varble | TE | 6-4 | 220 | Jerseyville, Ill. | Jersey Community HS |
| Julius Washington | CB | 5-10 | 160 | Lake Mary, Fla. | Lake Mary HS |
| D'Eddric Williams | LB | 6-2 | 245 | Tuscaloosa, Ala. | Hillcrest HS/Eastern Arizona JC |
| Michael Zeigler | OL | 6-4 | 245 | Springfield, Ill. | Sacred Heart Griffin HS |
Career Notes: Made five tackles and two sacks as a true freshman on the Fiesta Bowl Championship team...Earned two defensive Scout Team Player of the Week honors in 2013 at UCF...Named to Florida's 4A All-State second team in 2014...Competed in the 2012 Florida Athletic Coaches Association North-South All-star game...Was listed at No. 18 on the Orlando Sentinel's Mideast Florida Super60 team in high school...Also played basketball and ran track in high school...Will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Career Notes: Two-star recruit by Rivals.com...Named one of the top 40 players in south Florida by the Palm Beach Sun-Sentinal...Named one of the top 60 recruits in south Florida by ESPN Radio...2014 first-team All-Area selection by the Palm Beach Post...Posted 11 sacks and 13 tackles for loss as a senior...Also plays basketball.
Career Notes: 2014 IHSA Football Coaches Association 1A first-team All-State selection...2014 first-team All-Conference honoree (Little Illini Conference)...Led team to a 9-2 record as a senior...Blocked for offense that scored 37.8 points per game and played on defense that allowed 15.5 points per game...Also plays basketball.
Career Notes: Two-star recruit by Scout.com and Rivals.com...2014 first-team All-State selection by the Associated Press...Finalist for 2014 Kentucky Mr. Football award...Honorable mention All-State honoree by the Associated Press in 2013...Recorded 95.5 tackles, three interceptions, an interception returned for a touchdown, two fumble recoveries and a fumble recovery for a touchdown as a senior in 2014...Also played running back, where he rushed for 2,699 yards and 32 touchdowns in 2014, which both led the state...Played for the Kentucky 5A state runner-up...Had three sacks in the state championship game...Rushed for 2,085 yards and 26 touchdowns as a junior in 2013.
Career Notes: Two-star prospect by Rivals.com and 247 Sports...Named a North Fulton All-Area offensive lineman by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution...Two-time first-team All-region honoree...Earned the Coaches' Award for leadership and play...Did not give up a sack in his senior season and graded out above 90 percent in all games...Father, Ernest Dye, Sr., played at South Carolina and spent six seasons in the NFL.
Career Notes: Two-time honorable mention All-State honoree (2013, 2014)...Four-time Academic All-State selection...Four-time All-Conference kicker by the Southern Illinoisan...2014 unanimous All-Conference (SICA) honoree at kicker, punter and wide receiver by the Southern Illinoisan...Had 46 touchbacks on 85 kickoffs in 2014...Punted 11 times for a 42.6 yard average in 2014...Also caught 16 passes for 538 yards and four touchdowns in 2014...Hit a pair of 47-yard field goals as a junior in 2013...Holds school records for longest field goal, most field goals in a career, most PATs in a season and most PATs in a career...Also participates in basketball and track and is an All-Conference and team MVP honoree in basketball.
Career Notes: Rated as the No. 25 prospect in central Florida by the Orlando Sentinel...Third-team 7A All-State honoree in 2014 by the Associated Press...Passed for 3,150 yards and scored 34 total touchdowns as a senior...Earned the Orlando Elite 11 Golden Gun Award...Earned Elite 250 quarterback MVP honors...Was the Central Florida All-Star game offensive MVP...Team offensive and quarterback MVP in 2014.
Career Notes: 2014 honorable mention All-State selection by the Louisville Courier-Journal...Selected to play in the Best of Bluegrass All-Star game...Four-time All-Conference (Southeastern Kentucky) selection and SEKC's co-Offensive Lineman of the Year as a senior in 2014...Two-time All-Tri County team selection...Tri-County Offensive Lineman of the Year in 2014...Team posted an 11-2 record his senior year...Also participates in track and field.
Career Notes: Two-star prospect by 247 Sports and Rivals.com...Rated the No. 56 all-purpose player in the nation by 247 Sports...On Central Florida Super 60 list by the Orlando Sentinel...Honorable mention 8A All-State honoree by the Associated Press...School-record 99-yard touchdown run early in his senior year...Rushed for 1,440 yards and 17 touchdowns as a senior...Averaged 7.9 yards per rush as a senior...As a sophomore helped lead Apopka HS to the 8A State Championship...Scored two touchdowns in the state championship game as a sophomore...Cousin of current Saluki Jaylon Graham.
Career Notes: Two-star prospect by Scout.com and Rivals.com...Named one of the top 40 prospects in the state of Kentucky by the Louisville Courier-Journal...2014 first-team All-Conference (Western Kentucky) honoree.
Career Notes: 2014 Southtown Star All-Area selection...Earned All-Conference honors in the South Suburban Blue conference...Earned Comcast SportsNet Chicago and IHSA Chicago Bears' Athlete of the Week after posting two interceptions and 137 yards on just nine carries in win over Tinley Park...Rated as the eighth-best cornerback in the state of Illinois by Rivals.com...2014 All-State honoree by Edgytim.com...Amassed 11 career interceptions, 21 pass breakups, 155 tackles and five forced fumbles on defense...Also played offense and totaled 1,200 all-purpose yards and 10 touchdowns...Also participates in track and field.
Career Notes: 2014 Associated Press Division 1-2 All-State selection...Detroit news first-team All-Metro selection in 2014...Three-time All-City honoree...School record holder for sacks and tackles...Earned the team's Defensive Player of the Year award and Iron Man Award in 2014...Recorded 203 career tackles and 55 sacks...Blocked 12 punts...Also participates in track and field and baseball.
Career Notes: 2014 first-team 4A All-State offensive lineman...2013 second-team 4A All-State offensive lineman by the Des Moines Register...Academic All-State honoree...Two-time All-Conference selection by the Des Moines Register...Named one of the top 50 prospects in Iowa by Rivals.com...Three-sport athlete (football, wrestling, track)...Also had opportunities to wrestle in college...No. 2 ranked heavyweight wrestler in the nation by intermatwrestle.com...USA Wrestling Triple Crown winner (Greco, freestyle, folkstyle).
Career Notes: Two-star prospect...Invited to 2014 JUCO All-American bowl in Glendale, Ariz....Made 24 tackles and three interceptions in 14 games at Pierce...Picked off 10 passes as an upperclassman in high school...Made 81 tackles and forced three fumbles in his junior and senior year of high school...Also played wide receiver as a junior in high school, making 10 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown...Will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Career Notes: Two-star prospect by Rivals.com and Scout.com...2013 All-State selection by the Louisville Courier-Journal...2013 honorable mention All-State honoree by the Associated Press...Rushed for 1,832 yards and 20 touchdowns as a junior in 2013...Had the second-best per-game rushing average (153 yards) in the state of Kentucky in 2013.
Career Notes: 2014 All-Conference (Metropolitan Interscholastic) honoree...Had 2,682 career rush yards, fifth in school history...Posted 1,034 rush yards as a senior...Amassed 3,192 career all-purpose yards, ninth in school history...Scored 34 career rushing touchdowns...Four-year starter, with a career record of 47-8...Team won the 2011 Indiana 5A state championship and was the 6A runner up in 2013 and 2014...Also participates in track.
Career Notes: Two-time All-Region honoree (2012, 14)...Selected to play in the Sports Plus West Tennessee All-Star game after his senior season...2014 Team captain...Recorded 104 tackles, five interceptions, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries...Also played offense...Rushed 76 times for 454 yards and 10 touchdowns...Caught 86 passes for 1,364 yards and 17 touchdowns...Returned 11 kicks for 270 yards...Also participates in track.
Career Notes: Rated as the No. 16 prospect in the Central Florida Super60 by the Orlando Sentinel...2014 Florida 4A first-team All-State honoree...First-team All-Central Florida linebacker...Compiled 254 career tackles in just 21 games...Made 110 tackles, seven sacks and an interception his senior year in 2014...Played in the offense vs. defense All-American bowl game and the central Florida All-Star game.
Career Notes: Rated as the 11th best cornerback in the state of Illinois by Rivals.com...2014 IHSFCA 5A first-team All-State selection...Named to USA Today's All-USA Illinois Football Team in 2014...Special Mention All-State defensive back in 2014 by the Chicago Tribune and Champaign News-Gazette...Three-time All Conference selection...First-team Big 12 All-Star selection as a sophomore defensive back by the Bloomington Pantograph in 2012...78 career tackles, six career interceptions and 23 career pass breakups...Did not give up a touchdown in 2014...Played quarterback as a senior, throwing for 1,537 yards and 18 touchdowns while rushing for 1,210 yards and 18 more touchdowns...Also participates in basketball.
Career Notes: 2014 SCFA Northern Conference Offensive Player of the Year...Two-year All-Conference player at Ventura...Earned All-Conference honors as an all-purpose back, running back and return specialist at Ventura...Rushed for more than 1,500 yards in two years at Ventura and averaged 5.2 yards per carry...Scored 18 touchdowns in 2014...Also caught 78 passes for 662 yards at Ventura and averaged at least 29 yards per kick return both years...Will have two years of eligibility remaining.
Career Notes: First-team 6A All-State honoree by the Missouri Football Coaches Association as a senior...First-team All-Metro and Class 6 All-District honoree by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in 2014...First-team All-Conference (Suburban West American) in 2014...Totaled 57 tackles, 10 sacks and 11 tackles for loss...Led defense that pitched five shutouts and allowed fewer than 10 points per game...Credited with 34 tackles and six sacks as a junior...Also played three years of basketball.
Career Notes: Three-time All-City selection by the Belleville News-Democrat...2014 honorable mention 8A All-State selection...2014 second-team All-Metro selection by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch...Three-time Academic All-St¬ate honoree...Three-time All-Conference selection...Four-year starter...Also participates in track and field and basketball.
Career Notes: Two-time Illinois 5A All-State honoree by the Illinois Football Coaches Association (2013 as WR; 2014 as QB/OLB)...Special mention All-State selection in 2014 by the Champaign News-Gazette...Three-time first-team All-Conference (Mississippi Valley) selection...Accounted for 28 touchdowns as a senior...Started at quarterback in 2014, throwing for more than 2,000 yards and rushing for 423 yards...Caught 66 passes for 940 yards and six touchdowns as a junior...Also played defense, recording 40 tackles, three sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery in 2013...Was twice named to the IHSA All-State team while playing three different positions...Three-sport athlete, also playing basketball and baseball...Earned All-Conference honors in basketball after his junior season.
Career Notes: Two-star recruit by Scout.com and Rivals.com...Led Lake Mary to back-to-back 10-0 regular seasons in Class 8A...Intercepted eight passes as a junior.
Career Notes: Will have two years of eligibility remaining...Made 81 tackles in two seasons at East Arizona College...Earned a spot on the Alabama Sportswriters Association 6A All-State team in 2011...Named West Alabama All-Star after sophomore season in high school in 2009...Was a four-year starter.
Career Notes: Two-time honorable mention All-State selection...Two-time All-Conference (CS8) honoree (2013, 2014)...Led the 2014 team in tackles and knocked down passes...Member of back-to-back Illinois 5A state champions...Had a record of 29-0 as a starter...Sacred Heart Griffin set a state record with more than 700 points in a season...Played both offensive and defensive line...Also participates in basketball.
2015 Football Schedule 
