Position Coach: Charlie Williams
Returning Starters: Mike Jefferson (4 starts), Biren Ealy (10 starts), Ricky Williams (5 starts), Syndric Steptoe (2 starts)
Starters Lost: Lance Relford (8 starts, graduation)
Top Reserves: Anthony Johnson, Ryan Eidson
Newcomers: Juan Valentine (return to team), Bobby McCoy (HS); Gerold Rodriguez (HS)
Other Departures: none
Ealy should be the go-to guy, but could miss some time early in the season with a leg injury. Ricky Williams was a favorite target of Heavner last season. Now that he’s healthy, the senior is poised for his best season, in this his last. Jefferson had a huge spring and could live up the hype he had out of high school. Eidson and Steptoe are both undersized, but are among the fastest players on the team. Juan Valentine took last year off with an injury and a personality conflict with the prior staff. He had a great spring and shot up the depth chart. McCoy and Rodriguez will both have a chance to play right away, but McCoy may have the inside track. Tight end Brad Wood was a wide out last season at Pima CC, but could play wide receiver if needed.
2004
DEPTH CHART
|
|
NAME |
YEAR |
HT |
WT |
HOMETOWN |
|
|
SPLIT END |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
Biren Ealy |
JR |
6-3 |
195 |
Houston (Cypress Falls) |
|
2 |
Juan Valentine |
RS-SR |
6-1 |
190 |
Houston (Tyler CC) |
|
3 |
Anthony Johnson |
RS-FR |
6-2 |
200 |
San Diego (Horizon) |
|
|
FLANKER |
|
|
|
|
|
1 |
Ricky Williams |
RS-SR |
6-2 |
211 |
Los Angeles (Verbum Dei) |
|
2 |
Syndric Steptoe |
SO |
5-9 |
185 |
Bryan, TX (Bryan) |
|
3 |
Mike Jefferson |
RS-SO |
6-2 |
203 |
El Paso, TX (Parkland) |
|
4 |
Ryan Eidson |
SO |
5-10 |
160 |
Moraga, CA (De La Salle) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
2003
STATS
|
PLAYER |
REC |
YDS |
AVG |
TD |
|
Biren Ealy |
42 |
577 |
13.7 |
4 |
|
Ricky Williams |
36 |
563 |
15.6 |
2 |
|
Mike Jefferson |
16 |
218 |
13.4 |
2 |
|
Syndric Steptoe |
9 |
77 |
86 |
0 |
|
Ryan Eidson |
2 |
41 |
20.5 |
0 |
NOTES:
The Wildcats return all but one contributing receiver from last year and Lance Relford was injured the final four games…Coaches and players routinely say that Eidson and Steptoe are among the fastest players on the team and Anthony Johnson is not far behind…For Ricky Williams, Charlie Williams is the fourth position coach he has played under…The Cats will use three and four receiver sets, so there should be plenty of playing time…McCoy and Rodriguez were both high school sprinters…Johnson’s brother played in the NFL and served as his high school coach…Eidson is a walk-on who saw the field as a true freshman…Valentine re-joins the team after sitting out last season…JC transfer Brad Wood is slated to play TE, but was a wide receiver last season at Pima CC.
Quarterbacks
Running backs