2005 Football Recruiting Class at 22


Including Jarriett Buie, a defensive end who signed last year and becomes eligible in 2005, and Cedric Hill, a tight end/wide receiver who enrolled in January, USF's 2005 Recruiting Class stands at 22 players.

All-State quarterbacks Matt Grothe and Carlton Hill were among the earliest signees this morning, headlining a group that includes players across all positions, including an incoming kicker in Mike Benzer.

Grothe was Florida's Class 4A Player of the Year and led his Lake Gibson team to the state championship game. Hill won Class A all-state honors at Jefferson County High School in Monticello.


R.J. ANDERSON
DEFENSIVE BACK
5-11, 165
TAMPA, FLA.
ARMWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

Two-time all-state player in Class 4A and a member of back-to-back state championship teams at Armwood…Ranked as 30th top prospect in Florida by Tampa Tribune and 37th by Orlando Sentinel…First team all-Suncoast in St. Petersburg Times and rated as the ninth best player in the Tampa Bay area…All-Hillsborough County by Tampa Tribune…Eight interceptions, including two for touchdowns of 97 and 27 yards in 2004 senior season…Also had 22 pass breakups…Ouststanding outfielder in baseball, he is said to be one of the best defensive players in the nation…MLP prospect…Born November 1, 1986…Given name is Ronnie Anderson…Coached by Sean Callahan.


MIKE BENZER
PLACEKICKER
5-8, 185
LONGWOOD, FLA.
LYMAN HIGH SCHOOL

Class 5A second team all-state…First team all-conference and all-district…Made 11 of 15 field goals as a senior, including career-long from 55 (school record)…Had six field goals of 50 yards or longer…Had 42 touchbacks on kickoffs…Lyman’s Outstanding Special Teams Player as a junior and senior…Rated number one kicker in Florida by OneonOneKicking.com…Listed among top kickers nationally by Street & Smith…Outstanding student with a 3.5 gpa and a 1220 on his SAT…Also plays soccer.

JARRIETT BUIE
FRESHMAN
DEFENSIVE END
6-4, 240
TAMPA, FL
ARMWOOD HIGH SCHOOL

Signed in February 2004 but gains eligibility in 2005…Ranked 22nd best defensive end by Rivals.com…Ranked as 25th best player in the state by Tampa Tribune and 39th by Orlando Sentinel…Ranked number two overall player in Tampa Bay area by St. Petersburg Times and also a member of that paper’s all-Suncoast team…First team Class 4A all-state for state champion Armwood High…Hilllsborough County Defensive Player of the Year by Tampa Tribune…44 tackles prior to state playoffs, including nine sacks and 14 tackles for loss…Also had two caused fumbles…Had a combined five sacks, seven tackles for loss and 12 quarterback hurries in back-to-back games against Middleton and Plant…Coached by Sean Callahan.


BEN BUSBEE
TIGHT END
6-4, 240
MOBILE, ALA.
McGILL-TOOLEN HIGH SCHOOL

Honorable mention all-state in Class 6A…All-region…29 catches for 503 yards in 2004…Indoor state champ in shot put…Finished sixth in state in outdoor season…Born November 5, 1986… Given name is Ben Lloyd Busbee…Coached by Steve Savage.

GENE COLEMAN
LINEBACKER
6-0, 245
LAKE WALES, FLA.
LAKE WALES HIGH SCHOOL
PEARL RIVER C.C.

Originally signed with USF in February 2003 before enrolling at Pearl River Community College in Pearl River, Miss…Pre-season JUCO All-American in 2004 sophomore season…Went on to win MVP of the Junior College National Championship Game when he had two interceptions to help Pearl River to the 35-14 win…Helped Pearl River to state championship in a 24-13 win over Hinds…Class 3A first team all-state at Lake Wales High School…Ranked 39th in the state by Orlando Sentinel…Had 183 tackles with two interceptions, including one for a touchdown as a senior…Named to Lakeland Ledger all-area team and won MVP in South Central All-Star Game…Class 3A all-state second team as a junior when he had 175 tackles, 20 for run losses, six sacks and two interceptions…Also ran for 900 yards and 22 touchdowns…Coached by former USF quarterback Chad Barnhardt…Also wrestled for two years, and played one season of baseball.


ANTWANE COX
DEFENSIVE BACK
6-0, 170
MIAMI, FLA.
KILLIAN HIGH SCHOOL

Second team all-Dade County for Class 4A-6A (Miami Herald)…Played in Dade-Broward All-Star Game…Helped team to Class 6A state title in 2004…Born February 11, 1986…Given name is Antwane Lamar Cox…Also ran track.


CHRIS DeARMAS
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN
6-4, 275
MIAMI, FLA.
SOUTHWEST HIGH SCOOL

Played for Team Florida in the CaliFlorida Bowl this year…Also named to Nike South Florida All-Star Game…Ranked 44th top prosepct in Florida by Tampa Tribune...Three-star prospect by Rivals.com, ranked as the 19th best offensive guard in the nation and the 49th ranked prospect in Florida, regardless of position…Ranked as 33rd best prospect in Florida by Orlando Sentinel…Class 6A third team all-state in senior season…Two-time all-Dade County selection…Played in 2004 Dade-Broward All-Star Game.


ISHMEAL GRANT
WIDE RECEIVER
6-2, 175
BLOUNTSTOWN, FLA.
BLOUNTSTOWN HIGH SCHOOL

Class A first team all-state…25 catches for 674 yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior…Also had 10 punt returns for 168 yards, 12 kick returns for 474 yards and four interception returns for 56 yards…Six kick returns went for touchdowns and three punt returns resulted in touchdowns…Also had 63 tackles as a cornerback…16 touchdowns on returns in his final two seasons…Team reached state championship game…Third team all-state as a junior when he once had three kick returns for touchdowns in one game…Also plays basketball and runs track…Coached by Bobby Johns…Born April 24, 1986.


MATT GROTHE
QUARTERBACK
6-1, 190
LAKELAND, FLA.
LAKE GIBSON, FLA.

Class 4A Player of the Year and a finalist for Florida’s Mr. Football…First team Class 4A all-state as a junior and senior…Led team to state title game against Armwood High…Lakeland Ledger Player of the Year as a junior and senior…Ranked 21st best prospect in Florida by Tampa Tribune and 23rd by Orlando Sentinel…Ranked 24th dual-threat quarterback in the nation by Rivals.com…93rd overall prospect in Florida according to Rivals…Threw for 2700 yards and ran for 1,250 as a senior…33 passing touchdowns and 15 rushing touchdowns…Passed for 2,004 yards as a junior, along with 1,100 rushing yards…25 passing touchdowns as a junior and 14 more on the ground….Born September 8, 1986…Coached by Demyer.


JESSIE HESTER, JR.
WIDE RECEIVER
6-0, 270
BELLE GLADE, FLA.
GLADES CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

Ranked as 38th top prospect in Florida by Tampa Tribune...Ranked as the 57th best receiver in the nation by Rivals.com, who rankes him 76th best player in Florida, regardless of position…Ranked as 97th top prospect in Florida by Orlando Sentinel…Played senior year at Glades Central after two years at Wellington High…First team all-county and all-conference…Ran sprints for track team…Born November 1, 1986…Son of former Florida State (1981-84) great Jessie Hester, who played for the Raiders, Falcons, Colts and Rams, as well as the Tampa Bay Bandits (USFL) between 1984-95…He led the Seminoles in receiving in 1983 and 1984 when he had a combined 73 receptions and 15 touchdowns.


CARLTON HILL
QUARTERBACK
6-3, 215
MONTICELLO, FLA.
JEFFERSON COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL

Class A first team all-state…Four-star ranking by Rivals.com…Also rated as 20th best “athlete in the nation