Oilers Ink 23 on Signing Day
Findlay, Ohio - The University of Findlay football program announced the signing of 23 student-athletes on Wednesday, Feb. 6 as head coach Rob Keys and his staff unveiled their 2013 recruiting class for the Oilers.
The class features 14 offensive players, seven defensive players, one athlete and one kicker from five states. There are 14 players from Ohio, six from Michigan and one each from Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.
On offense the class is made up of five offensive linemen, three wide receivers, three tight ends, two quarterbacks and one running back. Defensively, the class consists of four defensive linemen and three linebackers.
"We are excited about this recruiting class and believe we found individuals who will mesh nicely with the players in our program," said Keys. "We believe we filled our needs on the offensive and defensive lines and secured physically and mentally tough players. We wanted players who will compete and work hard every single day on the field and in the classroom as well. This group loves the game of football and collectively carries an average grade point average of over 3.0, with an average ACT score of 22."
2013 Oilers Football Signings
Verlon Reed
Hometown – Columbus, Ohio
Previous School – The Ohio State Univ./Marion-Franklin
Position – QB
Ht./Wt. – 6-1, 205
Bio Information – Transferred to the Oilers from Ohio State where he was recruited as an athlete…Caught nine passes for 132 yards in five games as a starting wide receiver for the Buckeyes in 2011 before a knee injury cost him his red-shirt freshman season…Was second on the team in the receptions and receiving yards before the injury…Played quarterback, wide receiver and defensive back in high school for Marion-Franklin…Helped lead Marion-Franklin to a state semifinal berth…Finished his prep career with a 23-6 record as the starting quarterback…Earned all-Ohio, all-city, all-metro and all-district honors…Had 1,714 yards passing and 18 touchdowns as a senior…Also contributed 1,658 rushing yards…Won four city league titles…Lettered in basketball and track as well.
Jared Matte
Hometown – Shelby Twp., Mich.
Previous School – Utica Eisenhower
Position – OL
Ht./Wt. – 6-5, 270
Bio Information – Earned letters in football, wrestling and track…Won the Iron Man Award as a senior in football…Led his team to several playoff appearances…Ranked sixth in the state in wrestling as a junior.
Ryan Caprathe
Hometown – Farmington, Mich.
Previous School – Farmington
Position – OL
Ht./Wt. – 6-5, 315
Bio Information – Named first team all-conference twice…Was an academic all-Michigan selection…Helped pave the way for his team to rush for 2,343 yards and a 6.1 yards per carry average…Served as the team captain…Lettered in hockey and lacrosse as well.
Ryan Caprathe Video Highlights
Steve Mathie
Hometown – Canton, Ohio
Previous School – Canton GlenOak
Position – OL
Ht./Wt. – 6-4, 275
Bio Information – Named second team all-conference…Was a three-year letter winner…Named honorable mention all-district.
D'Avon Adkins
Hometown – Cincinnati, Ohio
Previous School – Walnut Hills
Position – DT
Ht./Wt. – 6-0, 285
Bio Information – Named first team all-conference…Served as the team captain…Had 80 tackles and six sacks…Also forced a fumble and returned a fumble for a touchdown.
D'Avon Adkins Video Highlights
Wyatt Karhoff
Hometown – Ottawa, Ohio
Previous School – Ottawa-Glandorf
Position – DL
Ht./Wt. – 6-4, 245
Bio Information – Named first team all-Ohio…Was the Northwest District Defensive Player of the Year…Earned first team all-district honors…Named first team all-conference…Had 86 tackles and six sacks as a senior…Also played offensive line and helped the Titans rack up over 4,500 yards of offense…Qualified for the state tournament in wrestling and lettered three times in track.
Wyatt Karhoff Video Highlights
Anthony Federico
Hometown – Willoughby, Ohio
Previous School – Willoughby South
Position – TE/H-Back
Ht./Wt. – 6-2, 220
Bio Information – Named first team all-district…Was a first team all-count and conference pick…Had 24 receptions for 684 yards and seven touchdowns…Had 44 tackles and five sacks on defense.
Anthony Federico Video Highlights
A.C. Limes
Hometown – Bowling Green, Ohio
Previous School – Ostego
Position – TE/H-Back
Ht./Wt. – 6-3, 200
Bio Information – Was a two-time first team all-Northern Buckeye Conference pick on offense…Earned second team all-conference honors as well during his career on the offensive side of the ball…Named first team all-conference on defense as a senior and second team all-conference as a linebacker during his junior season…Was an all-county and all-district pick...Had 439 yards and five touchdowns as a senior…Racked up 123 tackles and six sacks as well.
Jady Snyder
Hometown – North Baltimore, Ohio
Previous School – North Baltimore
Position – OL
Ht./Wt. – 6-4, 285
Bio Information – Won four letters in football…Was named all-conference.
Tory Clark
Hometown – Columbus, Ohio
Previous School – Central Crossing
Position – ATH
Ht./Wt. – 6-0, 195
Bio Information – Named first team all-conference…Was a second team all-district pick…Nominated for the Ohio North/South All-Star Game…Accumulated 2,169 all-purpose yards.
Johnny Hopkins
Hometown – Radcliff, Ky.
Previous School – North Hardin
Position – DE
Ht./Wt. – 6-0, 250
Bio Information – Named all-Kentucky…Was a first team all-district pick…Played in the Border Bowl and Bluegrass All-Star Game…Recorded 97 tackles…Had 10.5 sacks and seven pass deflections.
Johnny Hopkins Video Highlights
Jared Evers
Hometown – Ithaca, Mich.
Previous School – Ithaca
Position – TE/H-Back
Ht./Wt. – 6-0, 230
Bio Information – Won three state titles…Was a three-sport team captain in football, wrestling and track…Named all-Michigan…Was a first team all-conference selection…Had 42 receptions for 583 yards and 11 touchdowns…Rushed the ball 34 times for 340 yards and eight touchdowns…Had 67 tackles, eight sacks and two interceptions on defense…Was an all-conference performer in wrestling…Was a state qualifier in the 110 hurdles…Named all-conference in the hurdles, shot put and discus.
Jason Moore
Hometown – Oberlin, Ohio
Previous School – Oberlin
Position – WR
Ht./Wt. – 6-3, 190
Bio Information – Earned all-Ohio honors…Was a first team all-district and all-conference pick…Named the Patriot Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year twice…Passed for 1,166 yards and five touchdowns…Had 31 receptions for 521 yards and four scores…Rushed the ball 91 times for 802 yards and 14 touchdowns…Recorded 61 tackles on defense…Picked off 11 passes…Named all-conference in basketball as well…Coached by Fred Howery, a UF alum and member of the Oilers 1992 NAIA National Championship team.
Micah Johnson
Hometown – Tolono, Ill.
Previous School – Unity
Position – WR
Ht./Wt. – 6-1, 185
Bio Information – Named first team all-conference twice…Was a second team all-area pick…Led his team to a state championship as a senior…Helped his team reach the state semifinals as a junior…Was a state placer in the 4x100 and 4x200 relays in track…Also placed in the 55-meter and 200-meter dashes.
Micah Johnson Video Highlights
Anthony Linnear
Hometown – Ft. Wayne, Ind.
Previous School – Northside
Position – RB
Ht./Wt. – 5-9, 185
Bio Information – Two-way player that excelled on both sides of the ball…Named first team all-Indiana twice during his career…Was the News Sentinel Prep Football Player of the Year…Ran for 1,431 yards and 13 touchdowns…Had 472 receiving yards and six scores…Recorded 79 tackles and nine sacks on defense…Picked off four passes and scored two touchdowns on defense.
Anthony Linnear Video Highlights
Darnell Fields
Hometown – Romulus, Mich.
Previous School – Romulus
Position – QB
Ht./Wt. – 6-2, 185
Bio Information – Named all-conference and all-academic…Totaled 3,700 yards and 25 touchdowns as a senior…Passed for 2,200 yards and 15 touchdowns…Rushed for 1,500 yards and ten scores…Lettered in basketball and football…Named the team MVP for both sports.
Darnell Fields Video Highlights
Myles Alexander
Hometown – Euclid, Ohio
Previous School – Euclid
Position – LB
Ht./Wt. – 6-0, 210
Bio Information – Named first team all-conference…Was a first team all-district pick…Led his team with 124 tackles…Also contributed five sacks and two interceptions.
Myles Alexander Video Highlights
Quinten Wessell
Hometown – Delphos, Ohio
Previous School – Delphos Jefferson
Position – LB
Ht./Wt. – 6-0, 230
Bio Information – Gained 627 yards rushing as a senior…Recorded 133 total tackles on defense.
Quinten Wessell Video Highlights
Ben Adkins
Hometown – Columbus, Ohio
Previous School – Groveport
Position – DE
Ht./Wt. – 6-2, 245
Bio Information – Named all-conference…Was named the team MVP…Earned the team award for most versatile…Was a three-year letter winner…Had 86 tackles as a senior with five fumble recoveries…Made 104 tackles as a junior.
Nathan Hughes
Hometown – Fowlerville, Mich.
Previous School – Howell
Position – OL
Ht./Wt. – 6-1, 230
Bio Information – Named first team all-conference twice…Was a first team all-county pick…Earned five varsity letters during his career.
Nathan Hughes Video Highlights
Lane Kleilein
Hometown – Delaware, Ohio
Previous School – Buckeye Valley
Position – K
Ht./Wt. – 6-4, 175
Bio Information – Earned all-Mid Ohio Conference honors…Was named honorable mention all-county…Made 6-of-7 field goal attempts…Connected on 29 extra points.
Lane Kleilein Video Highlights
Brandon Kelly
Hometown – Cincinnati, Ohio
Previous School – Withrow
Position – LB
Ht./Wt. – 6-1, 215
Bio Information – Was an all-conference selection…Led his team to two conference championships...Three-year starter...Served as team captain.
Brandon Kelly Video Highlights
Keinyi Dixson
Hometown – Flushing, Mich.
Previous School – Flushing
Position – WR
Ht./Wt. – 5-11, 170
Bio Information – Named all-conference…Holds three school records in kick and punt returns.
Keinyi Dixson Video Highlights
On Feb. 7, the Oilers announced another signing who will compete for the Oilers in 2013.
Reilly Butz
Hometown – Galloway, Ohio
Previous School – Hilliard Bradley
Position – ATH
Ht./Wt. – 5-11, 170
Bio Information – Was an all-conference player…Had 11 catches for 245 yards…Rushed 24 times for 268 yards…Racked up 46 tackles and two interceptions…Averaged 33.4 yards per kick return.