HUNTSVILLE — On the heels of a trip to the Football Championship Subdivision title game, Sam Houston State coaches had very little time to square away their 2012 recruiting class.

In a span of less than a month, Bearkats coach Willie Fritz and his staff did some last-minute selling and signed 17 recruits on Wednesday on national signing day.

Having to replace a few departing seniors, the plan that Fritz and his staff came up with was one in which they attempted to add offensive linemen and bolster depth across the board.

“We’re building toward having a fantastic 2012 season and I know I’ve got a bunch of guys that feel the same way as I do. ... I thought we had a great class, I really do,” Fritz said at signing day press conference Wednesday afternoon.

“There’s a couple of spots where we might’ve looked to sign one or two more guys that we didn’t get. We like where we’re at and we’re going to stick where we’re at and maybe try to add a transfer or two late that we think can be a dominating player for us.”

The target area the Bearkats were looking to fill was the offensive line. Needing to replace starting center Travis Watson and offensive guard Chris Crockett, and with two starting seniors on the coming season’s offensive line and at tight end, the offensive front was an area that needed to be addressed.

Helping to fill the void will be new signees Brandon DeWitt (Lawton, Okla.), Roclan Drain (Corsicana), R.J. Earls (Brazoswood), Donald Jackson III (Kilgore), Richard LoLohea (Euless Trinity), Zachary Stevens (Cy Fair) and Shane Weeks (Garland Sachse).

“One area of concern for us was that we really wanted to find some offensive linemen,” Fritz said. “We have got some experienced offensive linemen coming back, but we needed to get some guys in that can provide depth and continuity in that offensive line for years to come. That’s an area that we wanted to build up.

“We signed seven freshman offensive linemen and I really feel like two or three of those guys are going to have the opportunity to come in and compete for starting jobs, being able to travel with us, getting into the rotation, whatever the case may be. ... Because of where our ages fall at with our offensive line, we needed to have a big class.”

With the majority of the defense returning, including safety Darnell Taylor, the 2011 Southland Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Sam Houston also looked to add depth to the defensive side of the ball.

“It was very, very important, without question,” Fritz said. “We’ve got quite a few guys that have started four years. You don’t find that very often. We’re going to have a very experienced defense next year with a lot of upperclassmen. We brought a couple of guys in that will push for playing time. If not, we can redshirt them, put them in the system and continue to have great players.”

On the defensive line, the Kats added James DeLaRosa (Fort Worth Brewer) and Sione Latu (Euless Trinity). Sam Houston also got a pair of linebackers in Nigel Robertson (Dallas Skyline) and Mouf Adebo (Mansfield). Defensive backs Jarell Crenshaw (Pearland Dawson), Shelby Davis (Texarkana Texas) and Quaylon Ewing-Burton, who transferred from Boise State, make up the secondary.

Quarterback Don King III (Waxahachie), running back Steven Hicks (Mesquite Poteet) and tight end Braden King (Longview) also signed with Sam Houston.

Sam Houston's 2012 signing class

MOUF ADEBO

6-1, 215

Linebacker

Mansfield High School

    First team All-District 5-5A defensive end for coach Jeff Hulme ... starter on playoff teams that reached the bi-district finals in 2010 and the area finals in 2011 ... totaled 24 quarterback sacks, 63 solo stops and 39 tackle assists ... intercepted three passes.



JARELL CRENSHAW

5-11, 185

Defensive back/

Return Specialist

Pearland Dawson High School

    Two-time first team All-District 24-4A and honorable mention All-Greater Houston selection for coach Eric Wells ... four-year starter ... led team to state semifinals in 2009 and 2011 and to regional semifinals in 2010 ... “Special Teams Player of the Year” ... totaled 88 tackles (57 solo, 31 assists), five interceptions, seven pass break-ups and had one return for a touchdown.



SHELBY DAVIS

5-11, 175

Cornerback/Return Specialist

Texarkana Texas High School

    All-area and first team All-District 13-4A cornerback for coach Barry Norton ... led Tigers to district championship and three consecutive playoff appearances ... totaled 54 tackles including 35 solo stops ... forced two fumbles and intercepted five passes ... returned 15 kickoffs for 470 yards including a 95-yard TD.



JAMES DeLaRosa

6-1, 275

Defensive lineman

Fort Worth Brewer High School

    First team All-District 5-4A, district “Defensive Player-of-the-Year”, team “Most Valuable Player” and captain for Coach Paul Sharr ... totaled 20 tackles for losses including nine quarterback sacks ... credited with 78 tackles including 34 solo stops ... played both ways as junior, totaling 46 stops and six sacks in 2010.



BRANDON DeWITT

6-3, 285

Center/Offensive lineman

Lawton, Okla., High School

    Oklahoma All-State, All-District and Class 6A “Offensive Lineman of the Year” for coach Randy Breeze ... team captain ... led team to 2010 city, district and regional championships and the state semifinals ....Oklahoma Top 50 recruit ... offensive lineman who moves well.



ROCLAN DRAIN

6-4, 255

Offensive line

Chatfield/

Corsicana High School

    Second team All-State, first team All-Golden Circle and first team All-District 15-4A for coach Phil Castles ... team captain and “Outstanding Lineman” award-winner ... led Tigers to district co-championship and state semifinals ... starter on 7-4 bi-district finalists as junior.



R.J. EARLS

6-2, 265

Offensive lineman

Clute Brazoswood High School

    Two-time first team All-County and All-District offensive guard for coach Dean DeAtley ... part of offensive line that did not give up a quarterback sack ... graded out with 90 percent average for the season and four knockdown blocks per contest ... four-sport letterman, also participating in basketball, track and power lifting ... regional qualifier in the discus in track and in powerlifting with 330 bench and 600 squat.



STEVEN HICKS

5-8, 190

Running back

Mesquite Poteet High School

    First team All-District 15-4A running back for coach Randy Jackson ... rushed for 1,215 yards and 18 touchdowns ... caught 23 passes for 232 yards and five TDs ... led team to district co-championship and state playoffs ... rushed for 1,004 yards and 13 TDs as a junior on 12-3 state semifinalist squad ... also lettered in baseball and track and field.



DONALD JACKSON III

6-2, 270

Offensive lineman

Kilgore High School

    All-State, All-East Texas and All-District 15-4A lineman for coach Mike Wood ... named District 14-4A “Offensive Lineman of the Year” ... grade 90 percent for the season with 74 knockdown blocks.



BRADEN KING

6-4, 240

Tight end/deep snapper

Longview High School

    Second team All-District 11-5A tight end and deep snaps specialist for coach John King ... led Lobos to school's eighth consecutive district championship and 2011 regional finals ... starter on state semifinalist squad as junior in 2010.



DON KING III

6-2 205

Quarterback

Waxahachie High School

    Honorable mention All-State and first team All-District 15-4A quarterback for coach David Ream ... passed for 2,658 yards and 21 touchdowns ... led team to district championship ... threw for 724 yards and five touchdowns as a junior ... father, Don King Jr., was All-Southwest Conference quarterback for the SMU Mustangs.



SIONE LATU

6-0, 270

Defensive tackle

Euless Trinity High School

    First team All-District 6-5A defensive tackle and district “Defensive Player of the Year” for coach Steve Lineweaver ... helped lead Trojans to 12-1 season, district title and the regional finals ... team earned No. 12 state ranking his senior year ... as junior member of 15-1 district championship squad that reached state finals ... member of 14-2 state championship team as sophomore in 2009 with fellow signee Richard LoLohea.



RICHARD LOLOHEA

6-1, 305

Offensive lineman

Euless Trinity High School

    First team All-District 6-5A offensive tackle for coach Steve Lineweaver ... helped lead Trojans to 12-1 season, district title and the regional finals ... team earned No. 12 state ranking his senior year ... as junior member of 15-1 district championship squad that reached state finals.



NIGEL ROBERTSON

5-11, 225

Linebacker

Dallas Skyline High School

    All-District 9-5A linebacker for coach Reginald Samples ... led Raiders to three consecutive district championships ... team rolled up 14-1 record reached state quarterfinals in 2011, 9-3 mark and area finals in 2010 and 12-1 mark regional semifinals in 2009 ... totaled 93 tackles as senior and 84 stops as junior.



ZACHARY STEVENS

6-1, 270

Offensive lineman/

Deep Snapper

Cypress Fairbanks High School

    All Greater Houston and All-District 17-5A offensive lineman for coach Ed Pustejovsky ... finalist for Houston Touchdown Club offensive “Most Valuable Player” award ... Cy Fair “Offensive Lineman of the Year” ... graded 93 percent for the year with 27 pancake blocks ... led team to 2011 district title and 5A Division I regional finals ... starter on area finalist squad in 2010 ... power lifting stats include 385 bench and 590 squat.



SHANE WEEKS

6-3, 265

Offensive Line

Garland Sachse High School

First team All-District 10-5A and “Offensive Lineman of the Year” for coach Mark Behrens ... honorable mention All-District as junior ... helped lead team to state playoff appearance.



QUALYON EWING-BURTON

6-1, 184

Defensive Back

Transfer from Boise State

    Transfer from Boise State ... started four games in 2011 and played in seven contests in 2010.