Football boosts offensive line, fills needs with signing class


EDIT Signing Day-24

Head Coach Ron Turner introduces the newest class of FIU football players to fans gathered at the team’s National Signing Day event on Feb. 3 at the FIU Stadium Club.

By Joel Delgado ’12 MS ’17 

FIU football Head Coach Ron Turner had trouble telling Douglas and Dallas Connell apart when they first arrived on campus.

The twin brothers – both offensive linemen from Jacksonville, Fla. – are nearly identical in size and appearance and arrived at Modesto A. Maidique Campus in early January as early enrollees.

Turner figured out a solution.

“I just have them wear their jerseys everywhere,” Turner joked at the team’s National Signing Day event at FIU Stadium Club. “Dallas is No. 60 and Douglas is No. 61 – did I get that right?”

The brothers nodded as the crowd chuckled. The Connell brothers are both part of the Panthers’ 2016 signing class, which was introduced Feb. 3 to the university community.

The new class includes 24 new student-athletes – 13 players on offense, 10 on defense and a kicker – who will join the team for the 2016 season, filling gaps on both sides of the football and special teams.

“It’s always an exciting day,” Turner said. “We feel really good about this class. We met our needs for the most part, got most of the guys that we targeted and this class has excellent balance.”

For the Connell brothers, even though they have already begun taking classes and are participating in team activities, National Signing Day was still a special day that made it all sink in for them.

“We’ve always played together and we’re attached to the hip so this was just a natural thing. We were very happy about the chance to keep playing together,” Douglas said. “FIU was the best option for me. I believe in Coach Turner and this up-and-coming program.”

The Panthers also signed center Shane McGough — current quarterback Alex McGough’s younger brother — and defensive tackle Andrew Tarver, both garnering a three-star ranking according to 247Sports.com.

“We wanted to get bigger and stronger on the offensive line and get more depth. On the defensive line, we wanted get some guys that can come in and hopefully play right away. We feel like we did those things,” Turner said.

One big area of concern for the Panthers entering next season lies in the defensive secondary, where the coaching staff will have to find a way to replace cornerbacks Richard Leonard and Jermiah McKinnon.

Turner and his staff hope that junior college transfer and former Westminster Christian cornerback Khairi Reaser, who will be coming to FIU as a junior, will help fill the void.

“We were looking for an older cornerback who had more experience and we think he’s a guy who can step in and contribute early,” Turner said. “He has spend. He’s a good cover guy. And he’s also aggressive.”

The class also includes players who may soon become key playmakers on offense, with a pair of running backs – Shawndarrius Phillips from Delray Beach Atlantic and D’Angelo Ware from Moore Haven High – who complement each other well.

“Shawndarrius is a very physical runner. You see him and you think of him as a bruiser. He shows physicality and an ability to break tackles. And what stands out about D’Angelo is his speed. You watch him on tape and you just see him running away from guys,” Running Backs Coach Tim Harris Jr. said.

NOTES

  • The 2016 class includes four players from Miami-Dade County, including Coral Gables linebacker Shakur Cooper – Miami-Dade County’s all-time sacks leader – and Booker T. Washington wide receiver Darius Scott. Both were named one of the county’s Top 50 players in the 2016 class by The Miami Herald.
  • While in most instances kickers are not offered scholarships, the team made an exception for Booker T. Washington kicker Jose Borregales, who was ranked the No. 45 kicker in ESPN’s 2016 rankings.

2016 FIU Signee Roster

Zachary Armour – Tight End
Jose Borregales – Kicker/Punter
Isaiah Brown – Cornerback
Dallas Connell – Offensive Guard
Douglas Connell – Center
Shakur Cooper – Linebacker
Bryan Ditchman – Offensive Guard
Tony Gaiter – Wide Receiver
Ulice Gillard – Wide Receiver
Isaiah Hill – Safety
Matthew Kramer – Defensive End
JoJo Louis – Safety
Shane McGough – Center
Hunter Orem – Linebacker
Wyatt Panaccione – Offensive Tackle
Shawndarrius Phillips – Running Back
Khairi Reaser – Cornerback
Newton Salisbury – Defensive End
Darrius Scott – Wide Receiver
Andrew Tarver – Defensive Tackle
Devontay Taylor – Defensive End
Stantley Thomas – Wide Receiver
Malik Tyson – Quarterback
D’Angelo Ware – Running Back

2016 NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED

Earlier in the day, FIU Football announced its early season non-conference schedule, which includes three of its first four games at home, a reversal from last season.

The Panthers will open up the season at home Thursday, Sept. 1, against Big 10 foe Indiana at Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium. It will be the second game of a four-game home-and-home series between the two schools that began last September, when the Panthers traveled Bloomington, Ind., and lost 36-22 to Hoosiers.

Then, the Panthers will take on another Big 10 opponent, Maryland, on Saturday, Sept. 10, at FIU Stadium. The Panthers are 0-4 overall against the Terrapins.

Afterward, the Panthers will hit the road for their first road game of the season against the UMass Minutemen Sept. 27. FIU will be looking to avenge a disappointing loss to the Minutemen on the road last season.

FIU’s budding rivalry with UCF will continue the following weekend, when the Knights visit FIU Stadium Saturday, Sept. 24. The overall series between the two schools is tied at 2-2.

The team’s full 2016 schedule was released Feb. 4. To see the full schedule, visit FIUSports.com.