Pitt State helmetPITT STATE FOOTBALL
RECRUITING CLASS OF 2004
 
 

The following players have signed National Letters of Intent to join the Pitt State football program for the 2004 season.
 
 

"There is no substitute for hard work and effort beyond the call of mere duty. That is what strengthens the soul and ennobles one's character."  -- Walter Camp
 

KENNY BLANCHO, 6-4, 220, FR, DE/TE
  Hometown: Pittsburg, Kan.
  High School: St. Mary's-Colgan
  H.S. Coach: Chuck Smith
Honors/Stats: first-team Kansas Class 2A All-State, 2003; first-team All-Area, 2003; first-team All-Crawford-Neosho-Cherokee League, 2003; second-team All-CNC, 2002; helped SMC win 54 consecutive games and capture four straight Class 2A state titles; 2004 Kansas Shrine Bowl selection.
Anticipated PSU major: construction engineering/plastics engineering
 

"Leaders are like (Gorillas) -- they don't flock. You find them one at a time." -- borrowed, from Knute Rockne
 

MITCHELL CRAWFORD, 6-2, 235, FR, DL
  Hometown: Miami, Okla.
  High School: Miami
  H.S. Coach: Rick Simpson
Honors/Stats: first-team All-District, 2003; All-Conference, 2003; a three-year starter for the Wardogs; also a two-year All-Conference wrestler for MHS.
Anticipated PSU major: biology (pre-physical therapy)
 

"The athlete who says that something cannot be done should never interrupt the one who is doing it."  -- John Wooden
 

NOAH DUMPERT, 6-3, 185, FR, WR
  Hometown: Paola, Kan.
  High School: Paola
  H.S. Coach: Mike Dumpert
Honors/Stats: honorable mention Kansas Class 4A All-State, 2003; All-Frontier League wide receiver, 2002-03; All-Frontier League defensive back, 2002-03; helped the Panthers to league and district titles during a 9-2 season in 2003; caught 40 passes for 630 yards and nine touchdowns the past two seasons; a state medalist in the horizontal jumps in track & field; also an honor roll student and a member of the National Honor Society.
Anticipated PSU major: business administration
 

"In doing your work in the great world, it is a safe plan to follow a rule I once heard on the football field: don't flinch, don't fall; hit the line hard."  -- Theodore Roosevelt
 

CALEB FARABI, 5-6, 165, FR, RB
  Hometown: Pittsburg, Kan.
  High School: St. Mary's-Colgan
  H.S. Coach: Chuck Smith
Honors/Stats: first-team Kansas Class 2A All-State, 2003; Kansas Top 11 (All-State, All-Class), 2003; first-team All-Area, 2003; first-team All-Crawford-Neosho-Cherokee League, 2003; rushed 189 times for 2,429 yards (12.9 ypc, 173.5 ypg) and 41 TDs as a senior for the Panthers; finished his prep career with 4,118 rushing yards and 80 TDs; helped SMC win 54 consecutive games and capture four straight Class 2A state titles; 2004 Kansas Shrine Bowl selection; also an honor roll student.
Anticipated PSU major: undeclared
 

"Extraordinary accomplishments only happen when your passion produces extraordinary effort. If it doesn't consume you, be ready to accept mediocre results."  -- John Rennie
 

BRANDON HARMON, 6-3, 297, FR, OL
  Hometown: Alva, Okla.
  High School: Alva
  H.S. Coach: Steve Gale
Honors/Stats: honorable mention Oklahoma Class 2A All-State, 2003; All-District Co-Offensive Lineman of the Year, 2003; four-year starter for the Goldbugs; also a member of the National Honor Society and the AHS All-Academic Honor Roll.
Anticipated PSU major: business
 

"Besides pride, loyalty, discipline, heart, and mind, confidence is the key to all the locks."  -- Joe Paterno
 

TRAC HENDRIX, 5-11, 185, FR, RB/DB
  Hometown: Richmond, Mo.
  High School: Richmond
  H.S. Coach: Rob Bowers
Honors/Stats: second-team Missouri Class 3A All-State, 2003; first-team All-District, 2002-03; first-team All-Conference, 2002-03; second-team All-Conference, 2001; rushed 175 times for 1,623 yards (9.3 ypc, 124.8 ypg) and 29 TDs this past season; also recorded 50 tackles with five interceptions, helping the Spartans to an 11-2 record, conference and district titles and a 3A state semifinalist finish; holds all significant RHS career rushing records; has 13 career interceptions; also a member of the National Honor Society.
Anticipated PSU major: business
 

"None of us are really born equal. The talented have no more responsibility for their birthright than the underprivileged have for theirs. The measure of each is what he does in a specific situation."  -- Vince Lombardi
 

RYDER HILL, 6-1, 195, FR, DB
  Hometown: Claremore, Okla.
  High School: Oolagah
  H.S. Coach: Sonny Schovanel
Honors/Stats: Oklahoma Coaches Association Class 4A All-State, 2003; first-team Class 4A All-State (Tulsa World), 2003; District III Player of the Year, 2003; Rogers County Player of the Year, 2001-03; rushed for 1,738 yards (133.7 ypg) and 27 touchdowns, passed for 1,324 yards and 17 touchdowns and scored 173 points (13.3 ppg) in 2003; helped OHS to three straight district titles (2001-03) and two 4A state semifinals finishes (2001, '03); career totals: 4,687 rushing yards, 67 rushing TDs, 3,154 passing yards, 35 passing TDs; 2004 Oil Bowl selection.
Anticipated PSU major: undeclared
 

"Genius: it's one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration. No one has ever drowned in sweat."  -- Lou Holtz (and Thomas Edison)
 

BRYAN McMURTREY, 5-11, 175, FR, DB
  Hometown: Kansas City, Kan.
  High School: Sumner Academy
  H.S. Coach: Richard Gleichman
Honors/Stats: Kansas Class 5A All-State, 2003; All-League selection, 2003; led the Sabres in interceptions (4) and passes defended (7) this past season; also rushed for 1,361 yards and 16 TDs during his final two prep years; a member of the National Honor Society.
Anticipated PSU major: engineering
 

"Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, and brave enough to face himself when he is afraid, one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory." -- Gen. Douglas MacArthur
 

RYAN McINERNEY, 6-0, 260, FR, OL
  Hometown: Tulsa, Okla.
  High School: Union
  H.S. Coach: Bill Blankenship
Honors/Stats: first-team All-District, 2003; a two-year starter for the Redskins; helped Union to a 14-0 record and the Oklahoma Class 6A state title as a junior in 2002; helped Union to a 12-1 record and a 6A semifinal appearance in 2003; an honor roll student.
Anticipated PSU major: undeclared
 

"Self-praise is for losers. Be a winner. Stand for something. Always have class, and be humble."  -- John Madden
 

KENDALL MOLZ, 6-5, 260, FR, OL/DL
  Hometown: Kiowa, Kan.
  High School: South Barber
  H.S. Coach: James Johnston
Honors/Stats: Eight-Man All-State, 2002-03; first-team All-League, 2002-03; helped the Chieftains to a pair of league, district and regional titles the past two seasons, posting a 21-3 combined record during that time; recorded 133 tackles (61 solo) with 16.0 quarterback sacks the last two seasons.
Anticipated PSU major: undeclared
 

"The only place you can win a football game is on the field. The only place you can lose is in your heart."  -- Darrell Royal
 

RUSTY MORGAN, 6-1, 200, FR, LB
  Hometown: Cushing, Okla.
  High School: Cushing
  H.S. Coach: Mike Wayland
Honors/Stats: first-team Oklahoma Class 4A All-State, 2003; Class 4A, District II Defensive Player of the Year, 2003; recorded 126 tackles as a senior for the Tigers; a four-year All-Area performer, 2000-03; career totals: 419 tackles, 3,200 rushing yards, 2,500 passing yards; a member of the CHS Principal's Honor Roll.
Anticipated PSU major: physical education
 

"I became an optimist when I discovered that I wasn't going to win any more games by being anything else."  -- Earl Weaver
 

MARQUES NELSON, 6-3, 210, FR, WR
  Hometown: Kansas City, Kan.
  High School: Sumner Academy
  H.S. Coach: Richard Gleichman
Honors/Stats: Kansas Class 5A All-State, 2003; All-League selection, 2002-03; had 38 receptions for nearly 700 yards and five touchdowns the past two seasons; also a three-time All-League baseball player for the Sabres (2001-03).
Anticipated PSU major: computer science
 

"Winning is only half of it. Having fun winning is the other half."  -- Bum Phillips
 

JOSH PAONI, 6-3, 280, FR, OL
  Hometown: Girard, Kan.
  High School: Girard
  H.S. Coach: Craig Crespino
Honors/Stats: first-team Kansas Class 4A All-State (Topeka Cap-Journal, Wichita Eagle), 2003; Class 4A All-State, KFCA, 2003; first-team All-Area, 2003; first-team All-Crawford-Neosho-Cherokee League, 2003; honorable mention All-CNC, 2002; 2004 Kansas Shrine Bowl selection.
Anticipated PSU major: undeclared
 

"If what you did yesterday still looks big to you, you haven't done much today."  -- Wid Matthews
 

MARK SMITH, 5-10, 165, FR, QB
  Hometown: Pittsburg, Kan.
  High School: St. Mary's-Colgan
  H.S. Coach: Chuck Smith
Honors/Stats: first-team Kansas Class 2A All-State, 2002-03; Kansas Top 11 (All-State, All-Class), 2002-03; first-team All-Area, 2002-03; first-team All-Crawford-Neosho-Cherokee League, 2002-03; three-time Class 2A All-State, 2001-03; posted a 38-0 record as a starter, completing 72 percent of his passes for 5,800 yards and 72 TDs in his career; helped SMC win 54 consecutive games and capture four straight Class 2A state titles; 2004 Kansas Shrine Bowl selection; also an All-State selection in baseball and basketball for SMC.
Anticipated PSU major: undeclared
 

"Winners bring reality up to their vision. Losers bring their vision down to reality."  -- Chuck Knox