WAYNE – Student-Athletes across the country signed their national letter on intent on National Signing Day (NSD) Wednesday. The Wayne State College football coaching staff held their annual event in the back room of the Max in downtown Wayne as well as on Facebook highlighting the incoming group of student-athletes.
According to a release from the Wayne State Athletics office, 33 individuals signed their national letter of intent to attend Wayne State College beginning in the fall of 2021 and compete on the football team.
Head coach John McMenamin, who’s still looking to coach his first game as the new head coach, will be moving into his second season this fall. Coach McMenamin said the group wanted to get more size and length as well as speed in the skill positions.
“I thought our o-line we really signed a lot of good guys that are going to help with that size factor and on the d-line we got three guys there,” said McMenamin. “Then we got to get on the play-maker side and just get some guys that had some speed that can really push the ball down the field and be able to cover the ball.”
The list of signees include 24 athletes from Nebraska, seven from Iowa and one each from South Dakota and Missouri.
Broken down there are seven offensive lineman and linebackers; four wide receivers; three defensive backs/free safety; three defensive linemen (one transfer from Iowa Western Community College); three quarterbacks (two transfers: Central Missouri/Chadron State); two wide receivers/DBs; one tight end; one running back; one linebacker/safety and one safety/athlete.
The average GPA of all the signees is 3.3.
Currently there are 93 guys working out preparing for a spring season as 100% of the seniors from 2020 plan on returning.
“Our college has really helped us out to get ahead of the curve and our coaches have done a great job recruiting that is really going to push ahead,” McMenamin added. “The last two recruiting classes are really setting the tone that I think Wayne State is going to be on the map for a while.”
The 2019 Wayne State College football team, led by then Dan McLaughlin, finished 4-7 overall before the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19.
The league has allowed the football teams to practice this spring as Wayne State College is trying to plan a few spring games against some in-state opponents.
HIGH SCHOOL
Oliver Bakeris – Tight End 6-5, 240 Bettendorf, Iowa / Bettendorf HS
Two year starter in football while also starting in basketball and track and field at Bettendorf HS…earned All-Mississippi Athletic Conference honors in football during senior season with nine catches for 95 yards at tight end…also averaged 33.6 yards on 18 punts and had one kick return for 37 yards…during junior season made 11 receptions for 208 yards (18.9 avg)…elected team captain in football and basketball and member of the National Honor Society.
Silas Bales – Defensive Back 6-1, 190 Glenwood, Iowa / Glenwood HS
Bales is a multi-sport standout at Glenwood High School, starting three years in football and track and field, two years in basketball and one in rugby…helped Rams reach the Iowa Class 3A state playoffs twice while winning two district titles…earned Iowa Print Sports Writers Association Second Team All-State honors as a junior and senior at defensive back…recorded 33 tackles (27 solo) with interception and fumble recovery during senior season while making 24 catches for 300 yards at wide receiver with seven TD’s…as a junior, credited with 44 tackles (29 solo) with 5.5 tackles for loss, two recoveries and interception return for TD…was a three-time All-Hawkeye 10 and two-time All-District selection in football…also excels in classroom, earning Academic All-State and All-District Academic honors twice.
Shea Gossett – Wide Receiver 6-3, 180 Fremont, Neb. / Archbishop Bergan Catholic HS
Gossett was a three year starter in football at Fremont Bergan…during senior season, recorded 27 catches for 426 yards and five TD’s at tight end helping Knights reach Class C2 title games…named Class C2 All-State honorable mention by Lincoln Journal Star during senior season…standout in track and field, placing fourth at 2019 State Meet in Class C triple jump (41’ 7 ¾”)…excels in the classroom, named Academic All-State in football three seasons along with twice in track and field and Academic All-State in basketball last season.
Chris Graham – Offensive Line 6-0, 310 Omaha, Neb. / Omaha Burke HS
Two year starter in football and basketball at Burke High School in Omaha…2020 football season cancelled due to COVID-19…last year as a junior in basketball, averaged 5.0 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
Tate Hinrichs – Linebacker 6-2, 200 Omaha, Neb. / Milliard South HS
Hinrichs was a three year starter and four year letter winner in football for the Patriots…during senior season recorded 121 tackles, three sacks and one fumble recovery to earn Class A All-State First Team honors on defense…as a junior he was credited with 96 tackles, one sack and one interception…closed high school career with 309 tackles and helped Millard South win three district titles to go with a 27-6 record…earned First Team All-Metro Conference honors as a senior and was Third Team All-Metro Conference as a junior.
Jacoby Hurst – Wide Receiver/Defensive Back 6-1, 175 Papillion, Neb. / Papillion LaVista HS
Hurst is a football and baseball standout at Papillion LaVista High School…earned All-Metro Conference and Class A All-State honorable mention honors during senior season…credited with 10 pass break ups, two interceptions and 16 tackles to go with six catches for 201 yards and two TD’s as a wide receiver.
Ty Kalb – Offensive Line 6-0, 270 Omaha, Neb. / Millard West HS
Two year starter in football and baseball for the Wildcats…earned All-Metro Conference honorable mention honors as a junior and senior and started on the 2019 team as a junior that was 11-1 and reached the Class A semi-finals…posted a .343 batting average in baseball during 2020 season.
Logan Katzer – Linebacker 6-1, 205 Glenwood, Iowa/ Council Bluffs Lewis Central HS
Katzer had standout senior season at Lewis Central High School…earned Iowa Class 3A Second Team from the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association after rushing for 1,397 yards (6.7 avg) while scoring 17 touchdowns to go with 48.5 tackles and 20.5 tackles for loss at linebacker…holds school record for rushing yards in a single game at 327 yards and helped team reach the state quarterfinals last season…was also a First Team All-District selection as a senior.
Dexter Larsen – Linebacker 5-11, 200 Blair, Neb. / Blair HS
Larsen was a three year starter in football at running back and linebacker for the Blair Bears…was a 1,000-yard rusher all three years and closed high school career with 3,896 yards and 47TD’s, averaging 125.7 yards per game and 5.9 yards per carry…earned Class B All-State honors as a junior and senior and was a three-time All-District and All-Eastern Midlands Conference selection…as a senior, rushed for 1,212 yards (7.0 per carry) with 22 TD’s and had another 246 yards receiving on 20 catches with two scores…at linebacker, had 57 tackles in 10 games with two interceptions and one fumble recovery…rushed for 1,329 yards as a junior and 1,355 yards during sophomore season…was a State Wrestling qualifier last year and two time letter winner in baseball…three-time Academic All-Conference selection.
Tyler LeClair – Linebacker/Safety 6-2, 207 Bennington, Neb. / Bennington HS
LeClair was a three year starter in football and baseball for the Badgers…named Class B All-State by numerous publications and All-Nebraska and Super State (Second Team) as a senior at defensive back after recording 97 tackles, helping Bennington to 9-2 record and Class B quarter-finals…also rushed for 802 yards at running back on 128 carries (6.3 avg) with 12 TD’s…during junior season, set school record with 10 catches in a single game and finished season with 43 receptions for 448 yards and seven TD’s…other honors include All-Eastern Midlands Conference as a junior and senior and Academic All-Conference.
Trevor Marshall – Wide Receiver 6-2, 210 Gretna, Neb. / Gretna HS
Versatile athlete for the Gretna Dragons, multi-year starter in football, basketball and track and field…during senior season, named Class B All-State and Second Team Super State as a punter…had 54 catches for 875 yards (16.2 avg) and 10 TD’s to go with 41.9 average on punts including a season-long of 61 yards while helping team to a 6-2 record…as a junior, was a running back and rushed for 915 yards in nine games and scored nine TD’s…as a sophomore in 2019 placed third in the Class A high jump at state track meeting clearing 6’ 6”.
Garrett Morris – Safety/Athlete 6-2, 180 Waukee, Iowa / Waukee HS
Morris is a three year starter in football and track and field and a two year starter in wrestling at Waukee High School…helped team to 7-3 record and Iowa Class 4A quarterfinals during senior season, recording 19.5 tackles with an interception and fumble return for a touchdown…excels in the classroom earning Academic All-State honors in all three sports three years in high school.
Drake Peed – Defensive Tackle 6-2, 275 Elk Point, S.D. / Elk Point-Jefferson HS
Peed is a multi-sport standout at Elk Point-Jefferson High School…in football, he was a two-time Class 11A All-State selection by the South Dakota High School Coaches Association and was three-time Dak 12/Big East All-Conference First Team…senior season was cut short due to injury but still helped his team reach the South Dakota playoffs all four years…holds school records for sacks in a season (8) and single game (3)…is a three-time state qualifier and two-time medal winner in wrestling, placing seventh in 2020 at 285 pounds and sixth as a sophomore in 2019…in track and field as a sophomore in 2019, placed second at Class B state track in the shot put (54’ 1”) and discus (145’ 7”)…holds school record in discus at 166’ 8”.
Trent Rasmussen – Defensive End 6-5, 230 Rockville, Neb. / Centura HS
Rasmussen is a three sport standout at Centura High School, starting two years in football, three years in basketball and four years in track and field…was a two year selection as First Team All-District and earned Class C2 All-State honorable mention as a senior after making 64 tackles with eight tackles for loss and 26 catches for 346 yards and one TD…helped team make the playoffs back to back years and the first playoff appearance in 20 years…in basketball is a two time All-Lou Platte Conference and All-District First Team selection and is a three year All-Conference selection in track and field.
Chris Robinson – Free Safety 5-9, 160 St. Louis, Mo. / McCluer HS
Robinson is a football and track and field standout at McCluer High School in Missouri…earned First Team All-Suburban North Conference honors on defense and helped team make the district championship…career stats include 13 interceptions and 60 tackles.
Isaac Robinson – Linebacker 6-0, 210 Elkhorn, Neb. / Elkhorn HS
Robinson was a three year starter in football for the Antlers…led team with 108 tackles during senior season (89 solo) while helping Elkhorn to 11-2 record and Class B state title…also had three forced fumbles, three pass breakups and two sacks and earned Class B All-State honorable mention honors during senior season…as a junior recorded 31 tackles and two interceptions to earn All-Conference honorable mention honors…an Academic All-Conference selection two years.
Ashten Schmaderer – Wide Receiver 6-1, 175 Bennington, Neb. / Bennington HS
Three year starter in football and two year starter in baseball for the Badgers…during senior season had 44 catches for 792 yards (18.0 avg) and five TD’s while making five interceptions on defense with 36 tackles and two fumble recoveries…during junior campaign made 34 receptions for 587 yards and seven TD’s…holds school record with 95 yard punt return for a touchdown…two time All-Eastern Midlands Conference and Class B All-State honorable mention selection…played on the 2019 Class B state baseball championship team.
Tierel Tompkins – Offensive Line 6-4, 305 Cedar Falls, Iowa / Cedar Falls HS
Two year starter in football…named First Team All-Metro and Second Team All-Mississippi Valley Conference as a junior and senior…helped team to Iowa Class 4A state runner-up finish.
Nolan Ulrich – Offensive Line 6-4, 260 Blair, Neb. / Blair HS
Helped Blair reach the Class B state playoffs the last three seasons…named All-District and All-Eastern Midlands Conference as a senior…excels in the class room with Academic All-State and All-Conference honors during senior season and was Academic All-Conference in basketball.
Kendrick Watkins-Hogue – Wide Receiver 6-0, 170 Dubuque, Iowa / Dubuque Senior HS
Watkins-Hogue led Iowa Class 4A in receiving as a junior in 2019, making 69 catches for 1,081 yards and nine TD’s…had three games of 200 or more yards of receiving and was named Offensive MVP…earned First Team All-State and All-Conference honors in 2019…also excels in basketball, averaging 11.9 points per game last season to earn Second Team All-Conference honors.
WALK-ONS
Trevor Cargill – Offensive Line 6-1, 275 Scotia, Neb. / Central Valley HS
Four year starter in football, basketball and track and field…was a four year All-Golden Rod Conference selection in football and named Class D2 All-State honorable mention as a junior and senior…helped Central Valley to 10-1 records as a junior and senior, reaching the state semifinals his senior season
Zach Coleman – Running Back, 5-9, 190 Omaha, Neb. / Milliard West HS
Competed in football and track and field at Milliard West…member of the Class A state semifinals teams in 2018 and in 2019…state track qualifier in the 4×100 relay in 2019.
Ayden Fink – Offensive line, 6-1, 265 Ralston, Neb. / Ralston HS
Three year starter in football, two years in wrestling and track and field…named team captain in senior season and received All-Conference and Class B honorable mention honors…helped team make Class B playoffs junior and senior years and averaged three pancakes per game…father Jason is a Wayne native and played at Wayne State in the mid 1990’s.
Sam Rallis – Wide Receiver/Defensive Back 6-1, 175 Council Bluffs, Iowa / St. Albert HS
Rallis is a three year starter in football and basketball at St. Albert High School…during senior season named Class A Iowa Print Sports Writers Association All-State First Team after making 25 catches for 525 yards and seven TD’s…had nine career touchdowns on special teams that included kickoff, punt and interception returns…as a junior named Third Team All-State by the Iowa Print Sports Writers Association…was three time All-City and All-District in football…in basketball last season averaged 15.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game and is a two time All-City and All-District selection.
Alex Schall – Linebacker 6-1, 190 Kearney, Neb. / Kearney HS
Two year starter in football and three year starter in track and field…credited with 103 tackles during senior season and was named Kearney Hub All-Territory First Team and Class A All-State honorable mention…ranks 6th all time for tackles at Kearney High School…academic All-State selection in football as a senior and Academic All-Conference three season in football and track.
Jackson Tuttle – Linebacker 6-1, 200 Omaha, Neb. / Omaha Burke HS
Three year letter winner in football at Burke High School…2020 season cancelled due to COVID-19…helped team win back-to-back district titles, recording 37 total tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss…2018 team went 13-0 and won the Class A state title.
Beau Wendt – Offensive Line 6-0, 290 Omaha, Neb. / Millard South HS
Wendt was a three year starter in football and two in wrestling…named All-Metro Conference and Class A All-State honorable mention during senior season helping team to 8-2 record…helped team to a 10-2 record and Class A quarterfinals while being named All-Metro Conference…credited with 137 pancakes in three years on Millard South offensive line…also named All-Metro Conference during sophomore season.
TRANSFERS
Nick Bohn – Quarterback 6-2, 195 Bennington, Neb. / Bennington HS (Central Missouri)
Bohn transfers to WSC after one year at Central Missouri…as a senior at Bennington, earned Class B All-State honors at quarterback after passing for 3,121 yards and 38 TD’s while completing 260 of 429 passes (60.6%)…in two years as starter, passed for 4,664 yards and 52 TD’s completing 60.8 percent (390-641) of his passes…played in the 2020 Nebraska Shrine Bowl…also a standout baseball player, earning All-Eastern Midlands Conference honors and played on two state championship teams.
Clayton Murphy – Quarterback 6-4, 210 Ogallala, Neb. / Ogallala HS (Chadron State)
Murphy transfers to Wayne State from Chadron State…three year starter in football and basketball…named Class C1 All-State as a senior after throwing for 2,040 yards and 24 TD’s, completing 61.5 percent (128-208) of his passes…in three years as a starter, threw for 4,680 yards and 46 TD’s completing 295 of 539 passes (54.7%)…also rushed for 498 yards and 5 TD’s during senior season…was a three-time All Southwest Conference and All-District selection and named North Platte Telegraph Player of the Year…in basketball, earned All-Conference and All-District honors as a junior and senior.
Luke Sims – Defensive Tackle 6-2, 290 Omaha, Neb. / Creighton Prep HS (Iowa Western CC)
Sims transfers to WSC after spending one year at Iowa Western Community College…was a three year starter in football at Creighton Prep High School…during junior season (2017) rushed for 1,005 yards in 12 games as a fullback and scored 18 TD’s, helping Creighton Prep reach Class A semi-finals…recorded 10 sacks during senior season and was a two-time All-Metro Conference selection.
Three names missing include Dilan Krause (quarterback) from Elkhorn South; Bo Wieseler (linebacker) from Elkhorn South and Trevon Jones (defensive back) from Bellevue West.