Fordham Football Announces 2014 Recruiting Class

Bronx, N.Y. (February 5, 2014) - Fordham University Head Football Coach Joe Moorhead announced the signing of eleven football players to letters of intent with Fordham for the 2014 season.

Moorhead, who enters his third season on Rose Hill and was an Eddie Robinson Award finalist as the NCAA FCS Coach of the Year for the past two seasons, led Fordham to a 12-2 record last fall and the Rams advanced to the second round of the NCAA FCS Championship for just the second time in school history.
 
Moorhead, the 2013 AFCA Regional Co-Coach of the Year, Patriot League Coach of the Year and a Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year finalist, led the Rams to unprecedented success in 2013, winning the first ten games of the year for the first time in school history and being ranked as high as fifth in the NCAA FCS polls, Fordham's highest ever ranking on the FCS level. The Rams set a school record for most wins in a season in the modern era (since 1920) and accomplished a plethora of firsts, including the first win over an NCAA FBS team (Temple), the first win over a top-ten ranked NCAA FCS team on Jack Coffey Field (Villanova) and the school's first ever home NCAA FCS championship win on Jack Coffey Field (Sacred Heart). For his accomplishments, Moorhead was named the 2013 Patriot League Coach of the Year.
 
A former Fordham quarterback, Moorhead and revamped the Rams' offense, a unit that led the NCAA FCS in pass completion percentage (70.6%), was third in passing offense (360.9 yards/game) and total first downs (364), and seventh in total offense (515.3 yards/game) last fall.
 
The new class features five offensive players and six defensive players. By position, linemen lead the way with three each on the offensive and defensive side of the ball, followed by two offensive linemen, two defensive backs, two running backs, one linebacker and one wide receiver/defensive back.

The eleven newcomers hail from eight different states, from Connecticut to Texas.  Three of the 2013 recruits are from Pennsylvania with one each arriving from Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Texas.

The new recruiting class will join 18 starters who return from the 2013 season, nine on each side of the ball, led by senior quarterback Mike Nebrich and senior linebacker Stephen Hodge, the 2013 Patriot League Offensive and Defensive Player of the year, respectively, along with consensus All-America wide receiver Sam Ajala.
 
"We are very excited about the ten young men we have added to our program," said Moorhead. "The class is not high in quantity but it is high in quality. They are all excellent student-athletes and can fill the void left by the seniors who graduate this year. We can't wait to get them in here this summer as we look to build on the accomplishments of this year."

The Rams are tentatively scheduled to open their 115^th season of varsity football on Saturday, August 30, when they host the Saint Francis (Pa.) University Red Flash on Jack Coffey Field. Fordham is entering its 25^th season as a member of the NCAA FCS Patriot League.

Here is a complete list of the 2014 newcomers:
 

Name	Pos.	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown/High School (Last School)
Jarred Brevard	RB	5-8	187	Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy
Anthony Coyle	OL	6-5	290	Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville
Garrett Donaldson	OL	6-5	263	North Palm Beach, Fla./The Benjamin School
Chase Edmonds	RB	5-10	190	Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East
Tony Fox	DL	6-2	270	Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield College Prep
Ty Green	DL	6-4	270	Ashland, Ohio/Ashland
Caleb Ham	Ath.	6-1	180	McDonough, Ga./Union Grove
Ben Hartman	OL	6-5	295	Del Rio, Texas/Del Rio
Marcus Hicks	DB	5-10	170	Millersville, Md./Old Mill Senior
Josh Klecko	DL	6-2	270	Red Bank, N.J./Red Bank Catholic (Rutgers)
Niko Thorpe	LB	5-11	230	Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic

 

2014 Fordham University Football Recruiting Class
 
Jarred Brevard, RB, 5-8, 187, Pittsburgh, Pa./Shady Side Academy
First Team All-WPIAL AA Allegheny Conference (RB and Returner) as both a junior and senior… Second Team All-WPIAL AA Allegheny Conference (RB and Returner) as a sophomore… Honorable Mention All-WPIAL AA Allegheny Conference as a freshman… Led Shady Side Academy to the WPIAL Class AA playoffs in each of his four seasons… Played under Coach Dave Havern
 

 
 
Anthony Coyle, OL, 6-5, 290, Staten Island, N.Y./Tottenville
2013 Sal Somma Award winner as Staten Island's top lineman… First Team All-City… First Team All-Staten Island… A Staten Island Advance All-Star… Led 2012 and 2013 teams to the PSAL city championship game… Played under Coach Jim Munson
 
Coyle video

 
Garrett Donaldson, OL, 6-5, 263, North Palm Beach, Fla./The Benjamin School
First Team AP All-State… First Team All-Palm Beach County (FACA District 20)… Named First Team All-Palm Beach County by Friday Night Lights Magazine… Unanimous First Team All-SFC in 2013… 2013 Sun Sentinel First Team (Offensive Line)… Three-year varsity starter… Served as a team captain as a senior… Led 2012 team to the Southeastern Football Conference title and an 11-1 record… Played under Coach Ronald Ream
 
 
Chase Edmonds, RB, 5-10, 190, Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East
A consensus First Team All-State selection… Named Mid-Penn Player of the Year… First Team All-Mid Penn… Accumulated 2,378 total yards and 25 touchdowns, including 1,984 rushing yards, as a senior… Also a member of the basketball team at Central Dauphin East… Played under Coach Aaron Blanding
 

 
 
Tony Fox, DL, 6-2, 270, Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield College Prep
Named to the 2013 CHFCA All-State team and to the USA Today Connecticut All-State team… MSG Metro Honorable Mention… New Haven Register All-Area team selection… Served a team captain senior year as well as student body president… Led Fairfield College Prep to Class LL state championship game… Made 61 tackles, 33 solo and seven for loss, as a junior and then recorded 64 stops, 33 solo and 13 for loss, as a senior... Also had five sacks as a senior… Played under Coach Tom Shea
 
 
Ty Green, DL, 6-4, 270, Ashland, Ohio/Ashland
2013 Associated Press Division I All-Ohio – Second Team… Ohio Cardinal Conference Defensive Player of the Year… All-Area Defensive Lineman of the Year… Named First Team All-Area and Second Team All-Ohio (Division II)… Recorded 115 total tackles and 12 sacks in ten games as a senior… Played under Coach Scott Valentine
 
 
Caleb Ham, Ath., 6-1, 180, McDonough, Ga./Union Grove
2013 All Sub-Region Athlete… 2013 All-Southern Crescent Athlete… Named Second Team All-County at wide receiver as a senior… 2013 UGHS Coca-Cola Golden Helmet Award winner… Had 35 receptions for 531 yards and six touchdowns in 2013 as well as 30 tackles, three pass breakups, one interception and one defensive score as a senior…Also a member of the basketball team at Union Grove… Played under Coach Paul Burgdorf
 

Ben Hartman, OL, 6-5, 295, Del Rio, Texas/Del Rio
A four-year starter on the line... Named to 2013 Class 5A Region IV Pre-Season Elite Team and was a second team 2013 All-District 29-5A Team selection at offensive tackle at season's end... Also named offensive lineman of the year and served as a team captain ion 2013...  As a junior, was an All-America defensive end and also earned first team All-District defensive lineman, first team All-District tight end and defensive lineman of the year accolades... As a sophomore, was named All-State at defensive tackle, defensive tackle of the year, defensive MVP and defensive line captain... As a freshman, received All-Conference honorable mention honors as well as being named defensive new comer of the year...  Will be traveling in March to France to play as an All-American offensive tackle with team USA against Team Europe (U19) with Football Worldwide... Played under head coach Frenchey McCrea.

Video Highlights

Marcus Hicks, DB, 5-10, 170, Millersville, Md./Old Mill Senior
Twice named All-Maryland Big School All-State… A two-time First Team All-Capital Gazette and First Team All-Anne Arundel County selection… Twice named First Team All-Baltimore by the Baltimore Sun… Two-time All-Metro team honoree… Washington Post All-Met (DB)… Received All-County and All-State honors both as a defensive back and running back… Led 2013 team to a perfect 10-0 record…  Played under Coach
 
 
Josh Klecko, DL, 6-2, 270, Red Bank, N.J./Red Bank Catholic (Rutgers)
A transfer from Rutgers where he redshirted in 2013… Named a three-star recruit by ESPN.com and the nation's No. 67 defensive tackle recruit… Asbury Park Press All-Shore Defensive Player of the Year… Made 48 tackles and 8.5 sacks as a senior… Received award despite missing four games with injury… Also had 16 quarterback hurries and returned an interception 37 yards for a touchdown… Named Class A Central Defensive Player of the Year… Helped lead the Caseys to three-straight divisional titles… Made 69 tackles and five sacks as a junior… Team finished with the No. 13 ranking in the final NJVarsity.com Top 25… Star-Ledger All-Monmouth County selection… Asbury Park Press All-Shore First-Team performer… Son of New York Jet great Joe Klecko, who played 12 seasons in the NFL with four Pro Bowl appearances as a defensive tackle… Brother Dan was a former BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year at Temple and played eight seasons in the NFL, winning three Super Bowl rings… Played high school football for Coach Jim Portela
 
 
Niko Thorpe, LB, 5-11, 230, Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic
First Team All-State… PIAA Defensive Player of the Year… Named to the Big 33 Football Classic roster in 2013… Northern 8 All-Conference pick… Named to Tribune Review Traffic 25 and Post Gazette Fab 22 PIAA teams… Led team to 2013 WPIAL Class AAAA championship with 13 tackles in game, including three for loss… Vikings advanced to the 2013 PIAA Class AAAA state championship game, finishing the year with a 15-1 record… Played under Coach Terry Totten