2017 Roster Updates

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ST_Lawson
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No longer on the roster:
Brody Crossin LB 6-2 223 So. Valparaiso, IN

Considering we have 10 LBs on the current roster, and considering we have one of the most talented LB corps in...well...probably in all of the FCS (Brett Taylor was one of the best in the FCS last year, and Brott and Moon were both very good, plus some other guys who look to be very talented)...didn't look like Brody was going to be getting much playing time (as near as I can tell).
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Got a few rather exciting transfer roster updates for you guys that I just received confirmation on:

First up, and the one I'm most excited about for the coming season is...former Northern Illinois Safety Brandon Mayes. He'll be a senior and is originally from Aurora, IL. Brandon played in 40 total games for the Huskies over 3 years, starting in all but 12 games his freshman year. The last two years, he has been the top DB in terms of tackles for NIU and would have been one of the top returning DBs in the MAC this year. If you watched or listened to our game against Northern last season, you may recognize the name due to his season-high 12 tackles against us. He had 2 interceptions last year.
This was from an article on the NIU athletics website about their spring practices:
Defensively, nine players who started at least six games a year ago return, including six in the Huskie secondary. Safeties Brandon Mayes and Mycial Allen are the Huskies' top returning tacklers with 71 and 61 stops a year ago, respectively.
He should immediately give a big boost to a secondary that really struggled with the long ball last year.
Here's his bio from last year on the NIU website: http://niuhuskies.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=340

Next, we've got former Liberty University Cornerback Tyrin Holloway. Holloway will be a senior (grad transfer) and is originally from Humble, TX. He started in all 11 games last year for Liberty, 9 games (played in all 11) in 2015, and 2 games (played in all 14) in 2014 as a R. Freshman. One of the best pass-defenders on Liberty's team last year, Holloway had 5 interceptions taken back for 81 yards, 6 pass breakups, and 36 tackles. Holloway got his degree in Criminal Justice, so it makes sense for him to be pursuing a LEJA master's at Western. Here's his bio from last year on the Liberty website: https://www.liberty.edu/flames/index.cf ... erID=10598

Finally, there's former Eastern Michigan Wide Receiver Izaiah Fuller. Fuller will be a junior and is originally from Cincinnati, OH. Fuller played in 11 games last year, starting 1, had 2 receptions for 19 yards (1 was 18 yards, against UNC-Charlotte). This sounds like a situation where he wasn't really projected to be a starter or get a ton of catches, and transferring to a school that has a solid QB and just had two of the best WRs in school history graduate could be a good situation for him. He's 6' 4" and 198 lbs, so he's bigger than most WRs (will be the tallest on our roster). Here's his bio from last year on the EWU site: http://www.emueagles.com/roster.aspx?rp ... h=football

That's all I've got for you guys for now, but there might be a few more coming in the next couple of weeks. I'll be sure to post their info as soon as I get confirmation.
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I just hope are DB"s don't play 5 yards off the receivers.
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ST_Lawson wrote: Wed Jun 07, 2017 1:56 pm No longer on the roster:
Brody Crossin LB 6-2 223 So. Valparaiso, IN

Considering we have 10 LBs on the current roster, and considering we have one of the most talented LB corps in...well...probably in all of the FCS (Brett Taylor was one of the best in the FCS last year, and Brott and Moon were both very good, plus some other guys who look to be very talented)...didn't look like Brody was going to be getting much playing time (as near as I can tell).
Update, Brody Crossin is transferring to Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, IL. Olivet Nazarene plays in the NAIA and Bourbonnais, along with being the summer training camp location of the Bears, is only about an hour and a half away from his hometown of Valparaiso, IN (and the conference games will mostly be against teams in the Chicago area...so that'll be nice for his family to see more games probably).

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Coach posted a twitter pick the other day of some new players in town. Anyone know who the 6-3ish guy in the front wearing a Nike shirt is? Looks familiar, but can't place him and doesn't seem to match anyone discussed.

Thought maybe Eli Watson, but don't think he's that big and no arm sleeve of tats from pictures I found.

Looks older to me and a transfer?
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letsgonecks wrote: Fri Jul 07, 2017 6:54 pm Coach posted a twitter pick the other day of some new players in town. Anyone know who the 6-3ish guy in the front wearing a Nike shirt is? Looks familiar, but can't place him and doesn't seem to match anyone discussed.

Thought maybe Eli Watson, but don't think he's that big and no arm sleeve of tats from pictures I found.

Looks older to me and a transfer?
This guy?
Image

Not sure actually. It looks like Brandon Mayes (the transfer from NIU) has a tat sleeve on that arm as near as I can tell, but doesn't look like the same guy in his headshot photo:
Image

I tweeted at Coach Fisher asking who it was, so maybe I'll hear something back at some point.
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Couple of roster updates:

Larry Harleston has been added to the roster: http://goleathernecks.com/roster.aspx?rp_id=16550
Larry is listed as a Redshirt Freshman LB from South Milwaukee, WI. He is 5'10" and 226lb.
I can't really seem to find much about him. Closest I've been able to come is that there's a Larry Harleston that played on the University of Dubuque's football team in 2015, was a D-Lineman and was first team all conference there. That's be this guy: https://www.hudl.com/profile/4087205/larry-harleston although he's listed as a sophomore in his most recent videos, so idk for sure. He's also listed as being from Racine, WI, which is really close to South Milwaukee, so it could be the same guy. I don't know the rules about transferring from DIII to DI (which is what this would be, if this is the same guy).
There's also this listing: http://www.hudl.com/profile/1746024/larry-harleston, but that could easily just be his profile from high school. DIII doesn't involve scholarships, so idk how that one year at DIII counts according to the NCAA, but it could be what happened here...sat out a year to bulk up/get better, then transferred to Western.

Next update: #82, WR Tyler Mahnke is no longer on the roster. He was redshirted last year, so hadn't had any playing time yet. Since we have 10 WR's currently on the roster, some of which look like they could be very talented Fresh/Soph's, I'm not sure he'd end up seeing much playing time in the near future either. I have not heard if he is transferring elsewhere or if he's just staying at Western, but not playing on the team.

Also, Quality Control Coach for the Offense, Kieron James (http://goleathernecks.com/coaches.aspx? ... h=football) is no longer listed on the coaching staff. That could just be that he's now finished with his master's degree (that his bio says he was working on) and is off to pursue other opportunities.

I don't have any "inside info" on any of this stuff...everything is pretty much just my best guesses...so if any of you have any relevant info, please let me know. Thanks.
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Not technically a "roster" update, but three grad assistants have been added to the list of coaches:
Nick Brautigam - Grad Assistant, Defense: http://goleathernecks.com/coaches.aspx?rc=2132
Willie White - Grad Assistant, Video Operations: http://goleathernecks.com/coaches.aspx?rc=2133
Holden Boyle - Grad Assistant, Football Operations: http://goleathernecks.com/coaches.aspx?rc=2134
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ST_Lawson wrote: Tue Jul 18, 2017 1:40 pmAlso, Quality Control Coach for the Offense, Kieron James (http://goleathernecks.com/coaches.aspx? ... h=football) is no longer listed on the coaching staff. That could just be that he's now finished with his master's degree (that his bio says he was working on) and is off to pursue other opportunities.
Kieron did graduate in May with a Master's Degree in Sports Management.
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wiu712 wrote: Wed Jul 19, 2017 1:44 pm
ST_Lawson wrote: Tue Jul 18, 2017 1:40 pmAlso, Quality Control Coach for the Offense, Kieron James (http://goleathernecks.com/coaches.aspx? ... h=football) is no longer listed on the coaching staff. That could just be that he's now finished with his master's degree (that his bio says he was working on) and is off to pursue other opportunities.
Kieron did graduate in May with a Master's Degree in Sports Management.
There we go then. Congrats to the young man and I wish him well.
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