Fresno State Athletics
Football Signs 21 to National Letters of Intent
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Football
February 3, 1999
FRESNO, Calif. - Head coach Pat Hill's third recruiting class, the Bulldogs' class of 1999, ranks as the best so far for Fresno State, and the best with which he's been affiliated, according to Hill. The Bulldogs inked 21 California high school seniors to National Letters of Intent today, including three Fresno products.
Eight student-athletes in this signing class were identified for national or regional recognition from major recruiting publications, including Prep Star and Super Prep. Every member of this year's class earned all-league or all- city honors with six student-athletes earning league, city or district Most Valuable Player honors.
"We are enthusiastic about this recruiting class - these young guys have committed to the Fresno State football program because we are building the future and offering a complete package - we emphasize our commitment to education and football - winning on and off the field."
Hill will make individual comments on each signee at the Fresno State Quarterback Club's second annual "Draft Day" party. For more information on obtaining tickets to this event, please call Janee Young at 278-7801.
Student-Athlete Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) Rene Arguelles OL 6-4 320 Glendora, CA (Charter Oak) Bernard Berrian WR 6-1 165 Winton, CA (Atwater) Justin Brown OL 6-6 295 Chatsworth, CA (Chaminade) Herman Cooks RB 5-11 195 Fresno, CA (Sanger) Aaron Cox FB 6-1 235 Diamond Bar, CA (Diamond Bar) Marc Dailey LB 6-1 215 Fresno, CA (Clovis West) Marque Davis WR 5-11 180 Dos Palos, CA (Dos Palos) Kendall Edwards 6-0 195 Rubidoux, CA (Jurupa Valley) Alec Greco TE 6-3 220 Auburn, CA (Colfax) Kerry Hunter DL 6-4 230 San Bernardino, CA (Pacific) Jeremy Johnson H 6-4 205 Long Beach, CA (Long Beach Poly) Danny Jones C 5-10 175 Fresno, CA (Edison) Bryce McGill S 5-11 195 Bakersfield, CA (Bakersfield) Jermaine McDermott OLB 6-2 210 Bakersfield, CA (Bakersfield) Dee Meza C 5-9 175 Santa Ana, CA (Orange Lutheran) Brian Morris DL 6-2 230 Moreno Valley, CA (Rancho Verde) Corey Neal C 5-9 170 Sylmar, CA (Sylmar) Mike Painchaud OL 6-5 290 Norco, CA (Norco) Antonio Sanchez OL 6-5 270 Sylmar, CA (Sylmar) Fitu Tu'ua OL 6-5 270 Oceanside, CA (Oceanside) Maurice Washington WR 6-1 190 Oakland, CA (McClymonds)
1999 Fresno State Football National Letter of Intent Signee Profiles
Rene Arguelles OL, 6-4, 320 Glendora, CA (Charter Oak)
Prep Star All-Region member ... made all-league team as a junior and senior ... all-CIF pick ... all-Valley selection as a junior and senior ... Cal High All-State team member.
Bernard Berrian WR, 6-1, 165 Winton, CA (Atwater)
Modesto Bee player of the year for 1998 ... Merced Sun-Star all-Area selection ... named to Modesto Bee all-district team ... MVP of Atwater team ... Cal High All-Northern team member ... explosive two-way star for the 13-1 Falcons ... went ot the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I finals for the third straight season ... caught 53 passes for 1,276 yards and 16 touchdowns, including a 168-yard performance in the Divison I finals vs. Elk Grove ... on the defensive end, had six interceptions in his first year at cornerback ... also returned kickoffs and punts ... brother runs track at Arizona State.
Justin Brown OL, 6-6, 295 Chatsworth, CA (Chaminade)
Three-year varsity starter ... All-league selection as a sophomore, junior and senior ... All-Area Los Angeles Daily News pick ... All-San Fernando Valley selection by the Los Angeles Times ... named lineman of the year by Chaminade High School ... all-CIF first-team pick ... helped starting running back gain over 1,312 yards as a senior ... starting running back gained over 1,100 yards behind Brown as a junior ... did not allow a sack in 297 plays ... selected to play in Shrine All-Star game ... owns a 3.6 overall grade point average.
Herman Cooks RB, 5-11, 195 Fresno, CA (Sanger)
CIF Co-Player of the Year ... All-Fresno Bee and All-League pick as a junior and senior ... accounted for 2,517 rushing yards and 38 touchdowns as a senior ... ran for 210 yards and two touchdowns, including the gamewinner as Sanger upended previously unbeaten Edison for the CIF Central Section title ... had 44 touchdowns in his career and 2,859 career rushing yards ... scored five touchdowns in a single game ... third on the Central Section single-season rushing list as a senior and fifth all-time on the Central Section scoring chart with 228 points ...his 38 total as a senior ranked fourth on the Central Section single-season list ... selected to the Shrine All-Star Game ... switched from linebacker last season.
Aaron Cox FB, 6-1, 235 Diamond Bar, CA (Diamond Bar)
Member of Super Prep's west region team ... second-team all-CIF selection and second-team All-American ... had 127 carries for 750 yards (6.5 avg.) and six touchdowns... all-Sierra League pick ... had 15 tackles and four sacks on defense.
Marc Dailey LB, 6-1, 215 Fresno, CA (Clovis West)
All-league and All-Valley selection who has been nominated for the Shrine All- Star game ... repeat selection on theFresno Bee's All-star team ... named Tri- River Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year ... Clovis West was the CIF Yosemite Division large-school champion ... recorded 130 tackles and two sacks ... had three fumble recoveries and five pass deflections.
Marque Davis WR, 5-11, 180 Dos Palos, CA (Dos Palos)
All-State Player of the Year ... All-state selection as a junior and senior ... Prep Star all-region pick (rated 12th as a defensive back)... Fresno Bee all-section choice as a junior and senior ... all-county honoree both years as well ... North Sequoia League MVP as a junior and a senior and Small School MVP as a senior ... scored a school record 37 touchdowns as a senior and had a record-breaking 73 scores in his career ... his career TDs rank second in Section history ... hauled in a 93-yard touchdown reception vs Coalinga in his senior season ... ... carried 222 times for 1,847 yards (8.3 avg.) as a senior ... finished career with 3,877 total yards on 501 rushes (7.7 avg.) ... had 43 career receptions for 931 yards (21.7 avg.) ... had six kickoff returns as a senior, averaging a 25.2 return ... ran back a career 25 kickoffs for 508 yards (20.3 avg.) and had 26 career punt returns for 385 yards (14.8 avg.) ... recorded 72 total tackles as a junior and senior, finishing with 194 in three years ... had 12 interceptions, including six as a senior ... Dos Palos won the CIF Small School Championship with a perfect 13-0 record ... the Broncos were 34-3 in his career and retired his #6 jersey.
Kendall Edwards 6-0, 195 Rubidoux, CA (Jurupa Valley)
Two-way star for Jurupa Valley ... all-Ivy League MVP ... won the Garland Rose Award as the Riverside County Player of the Year ... led county in rushing ... ran for 2,081 yards last season ... was the focus of the double-wing offense ... won CIF Southern Section offensive player of the year ... one of the top prospects in California ... has two brothers, one brother, Donnie, played football at Portland State ... brother, Curtis, is a member of the Bulldog football team ... transferred to Jurupa Valley.
Alec Greco TE, 6-3, 220 Auburn, CA (Colfax)
All-Golden Empire League selection as a junior and senior ... honorable mention all-metro pick both years ... all-Golden Empire League selection in track ... finished his career with 109 receptions, breaking the previous Colfax career record ... owns a 4.05 overall grade point average.
Kerry Hunter DL, 6-4, 230 San Bernardino, CA (Pacific)
All-San Andreas League team selection as a junior and senior ... San Andreas defensive MVP as a senior ... was Pacific's defensive co-MVP ... helped lead Pirates to a 10-3 record and the semi-finals for the third consecutive year ... member of the all-Inland Empire squad ... two-time selection to the All- CIF team and was co-MVP of District VIII ... all-state selection in the Medium Schools category ... had 125 total tackles and two interceptions as a senior ... recorded 101 tackles and one INT as a junior.
Jeremy Johnson H, 6-4, 205 Long Beach, CA (Long Beach Poly)
Rookie of the year ... caught 25 passes for nine touchdowns and 465 total yards ... CIF qualifier in track and league champion in 300 intermediate hurdles and 110 high hurdles... high school coach calls him a "diamond in the rough."
Danny Jones C, 5-10, 175 Fresno, CA (Edison)
North Yosemite League Defensive Player of the Year as a senior ... first-team All-North Yosemite League as a junior ... recorded 142 total tackles in two years of varsity action ... also had nine interceptions ... selected to All- Central Section team as a senior.
Jermaine McDermont OLB, 6-2, 210 Bakersfield, CA (Bakersfield)
All-area and Southeast Yosemite League as a junior and senior ... ranked among Cal High School's top 50 picks ... two-year starter ... had 21 solo tackles and 169 assisted tackles in his career ... recorded 31 tackles for loss and 25 quarterback sacks ... caused three fumbles and recovered five ... also had 30 quarterback hurries and four deflections.
Bryce McGill S, 5-11, 195 Bakersfield, CA (Bakersfield)
All-area and Southeast Yosemite League as a junior and senior ... Prep Star preseason all-region nominee ... Bakersfield Jockey Club Athlete of the Month ...posted 20 solo tackles and 61 assisted tackles with two tackles for loss as a junior ... recorded 43 solo tackles and 83 assisted tackles for 126 total tackles his senior season ... had two caused fumbles and four fumble recoveries as a senior ... had seven interceptions his junior season and five as a senior ... blocked three kicks as a senior ... rushed for 700 yards on 102 carries (6.9 avg.) with 10 touchdowns ... had six receptions for 110 yards.
Dee Meza C, 5-9, 175 Santa Ana, CA (Orange Lutheran)
MVP of League ... all-CIF Southern Section member ... All-CIF (Divisional) ... All-state team for Small Schools ... All-Orange County selection by the Los Angeles Times ... scored 45 career touchdowns for Lancers ... rushed for 2,663 yards and 38 touchdowns on 275 careeries (9.7 avg.) ... had 15 interceptions and 105 unassisted tackles and 81 assisted ... averaged 35.6 yards per kickoff return with four touchdowns.
Brian Morris DL, 6-2, 230 Moreno Valley, CA (Rancho Verde)
Helped lead Mustangs to the finals of the CIF Division V playoffs ... first- team all-Sunbelt League as a defensive end and second-team pick as a tight end ... All-Riverside County selection ... all-league pick ... all-CIF honoree.
Corey Neal C, 5-9, 170 Sylmar, CA (Sylmar)
Prep Star all-region pick ... Los Angeles Times second-team selection as a junior and first-teamer as a senior ... Sylmar team MVP ... ... led Valley with 25 touchdowns last season ... had 143 carries for 1152 yards (8.1 avg.) ... scored 22 rushing touchdowns ... had six interceptions as a junior and 10 in the last two seasons ... nominated for the Shrine All-Star Game ... ... named to the all-city team.
Mike Painchaud OL, 6-5, 290 Norco, CA (Norco)
Prep Star All-American and Super Prep All-American who was nominated for the Shrine All-Star game ... rated 15th in the West region by Prep Star ... all- league selection as a junior and senior ... All-CIF pick ... second-team all- state selection ... all-county team as a junior and senior.
Antonio Sanchez OL, 6-5, 270, Sylmar, CA (Sylmar)
All-League selection as a junior and senior ... all-county and all-CIF team member ... second-team all-state pick ... Prep Star all-region team member (rated 23rd overall).
Fitu Tu'ua OL, 6-5, 270 Oceanside, CA (Oceanside)
All-Avocado league honoree as a junior and senior ... all-North County conference choice both years as well ... MVP of North County as a senior ... first-team All-CIF San Diego section ... first-team All-Samoan team ... protected a 5-9 quarterback who threw 150 completions and 244 attempts (.614) for 2,678 yards (223.2 per game) and 25 touchdowns ... Pirate coach John Carroll calls Tu'ua the best offensive lineman in the county ... Oceanside finished with a 10-2 record.
Maurice Washington WR, 6-1, 190 Oakland, CA (McClymonds)
First team all-Oakland Athletic League pick at wide receiver ... posted 26 catches for 410 yards and three touchdowns ... East Bay touchdown leader ... one of the Bay Area's top receivers ... returned four kickoffs for touchdowns, longest for 92 yards ... had 12 kickoff retrusn for 632 total yards (49 avg.) ... had nine punt returns for 188 yards (20.8 avg.) ... also played defensive back and punted ... had 12 assisted tackles, four unassisted and one interception ... went to the state finals in track ... clocked at 10.6 in the 100 meters ... had times of 21.3 in the 200 and 48.5 in the 400 races ... ran the third lef of the 4X400 relay team with a 47.8 split for second nationally in the Junior Olympics ... preseason All-American ... attended Stagg High School in Stockton for three years.
