Some Signing Day Shots (part 1)

I like to post as many pics of our incoming players as I can.

I'll start now with the group shot from Detroit Country Day School featuring incoming LB Gianmarco Rea.

Please send more so I can post them here.

Big Billy C.

Those of us hoping for a big DT to add to this recruiting class just got our wish.

6-3 280 lbs. Billy Carson from Lexington HS in South Carolina has committed to the Lions.


You can see his latest highlight video by clicking here.


You can see his junior highlight video below:

Carson comes from a high school team that was one of the top squads in the country, especially in his junior year when the team was led by current University of South Carolina WR Shaq Roland.

Carson would be the first Lexington grad to join the Lion program, but he would keep the spirit of South Carolina alive at Wien Stadium as fellow Palmetto stater Will Patterson is graduating this May.

Here's our unofficial list of commits so far:

1. Michael Bigach, OL 6-6 245 lbs. St. Ignatius HS, Cleveland, OH
2. Tony Bonadies, OL 6-5 315 lbs. Leonia HS, Leonia, NJ
3. Keith Brady, LB 6-2 205 lbs. Lakota East HS, Liberty Township, OH
4. Billy Carson, DL 6-3 280 lbs. Lexington HS, Lexington, SC
5. Toure Douglas, WR 6-4 188 lbs. Vineland HS, Vineland, NJ

6. Cameron Dunn, WR 6-3 210 lbs. St. Xavier HS, Cincinnati, OH

7. Nathan Gibbs, OL 6-4, 285 lbs. Hickory HS, Hickory, NC

8. Kelly Hilinski, QB 6-6 220 lbs. Notre Dame HS, Sherman Oaks, CA

9. Denzel Hill, WR 6-3 185 lbs. North Point HS, Waldorf, MD

10. John Hunton, TE 6-5 235, lbs. Southside HS, Fort Smith AR

11. Ben Kaplan, WR 6-4 180 lbs. St. Charles North HS, St. Charles, IL

12. Tyler Kwiatkowski, LB 6-3 220 lbs. Mount Carmel HS, Mount Carmel, PA

13. Charles Melka, DL 6-4 238 lbs. Benet Academy, Lisle, IL

14. Eric Mourkakos, OL/DL 6-3, 235 lbs. Dwight-Englewood HS, Englewood, NJ

15. Cameron Nizialek, K/P 6-3 195 lbs. Freedom HS, South Riding, VA

*16. Brett Nottingham, QB 6-4 212 lbs. Monte Vista HS, Danville, CA

17. Kendall Pace, OL 6-5 250 lbs. Bishop McNamara HS, Forestville, MD 

18. Will Peoples, S 6-1 190 lbs. Buckingham, Browne & Nichols, Cambridge, MA

19. Gianmarco Rea, FB/LB 6-2 215 lbs. Detroit Country Day, Beverly Hills, MI

20. Connor Spears, WR 6-6 205 lbs. Bishop Heelan HS, Sioux City, IA

21. Parker Tobia, LB 6-1 200 lbs. Bergen Catholic HS, Oradell, NJ

22. Richard Wolff, OL 6-3 254 lbs. Crespi HS Encino, CA

*=Transfer from Stanford University, junior status

Cleveland Rocks!

Michael Bigach, #74


My longtime readers know that I lived and worked in Cleveland in the 1990's, and while there I learned of the high school football powerhouse known as St. Ignatius.

St. Ignatius is so good some years that its BACK-UP players can often be good enough to become impact players in the Ivies.

So that's why I'm especially glad to hear that 6-6, 245 lbs. OL Michael Bigach has committed to Columbia.

Michael would be just the fifth St. Ignatius grad to play for the Lion football team and the first in almost 30 years.

The greatest Lion to come from St. Ignatius was our super kicker Miro Lovric '83. 


Here's our unofficial list of commits so far:

1. Michael Bigach, OL 6-6 245 lbs. St. Ignatius HS, Cleveland, OH
2. Tony Bonadies, OL 6-5 315 lbs. Leonia HS, Leonia, NJ
3. Keith Brady, LB 6-2 205 lbs. Lakota East HS, Liberty Township, OH
4. Toure Douglas, WR 6-4 188 lbs. Vineland HS, Vineland, NJ

5. Cameron Dunn, WR 6-3 210 lbs. St. Xavier HS, Cincinnati, OH

6. Nathan Gibbs, OL 6-4, 285 lbs. Hickory HS, Hickory, NC

7. Kelly Hilinski, QB 6-6 220 lbs. Notre Dame HS, Sherman Oaks, CA

8. Denzel Hill, WR 6-3 185 lbs. North Point HS, Waldorf, MD

9. John Hunton, TE 6-5 235, lbs. Southside HS, Fort Smith AR

10. Ben Kaplan, WR 6-4 180 lbs. St. Charles North HS, St. Charles, IL

11. Tyler Kwiatkowski, LB 6-3 220 lbs. Mount Carmel HS, Mount Carmel, PA

12. Charles Melka, DL 6-4 238 lbs. Benet Academy, Lisle, IL

13. Eric Mourkakos, OL/DL 6-3, 235 lbs. Dwight-Englewood HS, Englewood, NJ

14. Cameron Nizialek, K/P 6-3 195 lbs. Freedom HS, South Riding, VA

*15. Brett Nottingham, QB 6-4 212 lbs. Monte Vista HS, Danville, CA

16. Kendall Pace, OL 6-5 250 lbs. Bishop McNamara HS, Forestville, MD 

17. Will Peoples, S 6-1 190 lbs. Buckingham, Browne & Nichols, Cambridge, MA

18. Gianmarco Rea, FB/LB 6-2 215 lbs. Detroit Country Day, Beverly Hills, MI

19. Connor Spears, WR 6-6 205 lbs. Bishop Heelan HS, Sioux City, IA

20. Parker Tobia, LB 6-1 200 lbs. Bergen Catholic HS, Oradell, NJ

21. Richard Wolff, OL 6-3 254 lbs. Crespi HS Encino, CA

*=Transfer from Stanford University, junior status

And a Tight End Makes 20

John Hunton is already used to wearing light blue!

John Hunton, a 6-5, 235 lbs. TE from Southside HS in Fort Smith Arkansas has committed to the Lions.

You can see his junior year highlights by clicking here.

Hunton will be the first documented Southside grad to play football for the Lions.

Here's a nice short write up on Hunton from his local paper.


Here's our unofficial list of commits so far:

1. Tony Bonadies, OL 6-5 315 lbs. Leonia HS, Leonia, NJ
2. Keith Brady, LB 6-2 205 lbs. Lakota East HS, Liberty Township, OH
3. Toure Douglas, WR 6-4 188 lbs. Vineland HS, Vineland, NJ

4. Cameron Dunn, WR 6-3 210 lbs. St. Xavier HS, Cincinnati, OH

5. Nathan Gibbs, OL 6-4, 285 lbs. Hickory HS, Hickory, NC

6. Kelly Hilinski, QB 6-6 220 lbs. Notre Dame HS, Sherman Oaks, CA

7. Denzel Hill, WR 6-3 185 lbs. North Point HS, Waldorf, MD

8. John Hunton, TE 6-5 235, lbs. Southside HS, Fort Smith AR

9. Ben Kaplan, WR 6-4 180 lbs. St. Charles North HS, St. Charles, IL

10. Tyler Kwiatkowski, LB 6-3 220 lbs. Mount Carmel HS, Mount Carmel, PA

11. Charles Melka, DL 6-4 238 lbs. Benet Academy, Lisle, IL

12. Eric Mourkakos, OL/DL 6-3, 235 lbs. Dwight-Englewood HS, Englewood, NJ

13. Cameron Nizialek, K/P 6-3 195 lbs. Freedom HS, South Riding, VA

*14. Brett Nottingham, QB 6-4 212 lbs. Monte Vista HS, Danville, CA

15. Kendall Pace, OL 6-5 250 lbs. Bishop McNamara HS, Forestville, MD 

16. Will Peoples, S 6-1 190 lbs. Buckingham, Browne & Nichols, Cambridge, MA

17. Gianmarco Rea, FB/LB 6-2 215 lbs. Detroit Country Day, Beverly Hills, MI

18. Connor Spears, WR 6-6 205 lbs. Bishop Heelan HS, Sioux City, IA

19. Parker Tobia, LB 6-1 200 lbs. Bergen Catholic HS, Oradell, NJ

20. Richard Wolff, OL 6-3 254 lbs. Crespi HS Encino, CA

*=Transfer from Stanford University, junior status

Maryland Speedster

Denzel Hill,  a super fast WR from Waldorf Maryland, has committed to Columbia.

The 6-3, 185 lbs. Hill is also a track star for North Point HS. He looks like a very legitimate deep threat for the Lion passing game.

You can see his highlight reel here:

And Hill's nice personal statement about his goals is here.

Hill will be the first documented North Point grad to play for CU football.


Here's our unofficial list of commits so far:

1. Tony Bonadies, OL 6-5 315 lbs. Leonia HS, Leonia, NJ
2. Keith Brady, LB 6-2 205 lbs. Lakota East HS, Liberty Township, OH
3. Toure Douglas, WR 6-4 188 lbs. Vineland HS, Vineland, NJ

4. Cameron Dunn, WR 6-3 210 lbs. St. Xavier HS, Cincinnati, OH

5. Nathan Gibbs, OL 6-4, 285 lbs. Hickory HS, Hickory, NC

6. Kelly Hilinski, QB 6-6 220 lbs. Notre Dame HS, Sherman Oaks, CA

7. Denzel Hill, WR 6-3 185 lbs. North Point HS, Waldorf, MD

8. Ben Kaplan, WR 6-4 180 lbs. St. Charles North HS, St. Charles, IL

9. Tyler Kwiatkowski, LB 6-3 220 lbs. Mount Carmel HS, Mount Carmel, PA

10. Charles Melka, DL 6-4 238 lbs. Benet Academy, Lisle, IL

11. Eric Mourkakos, OL/DL 6-3, 235 lbs. Dwight-Englewood HS, Englewood, NJ

12. Cameron Nizialek, K/P 6-3 195 lbs. Freedom HS, South Riding, VA

*13. Brett Nottingham, QB 6-4 212 lbs. Monte Vista HS, Danville, CA

14. Kendall Pace, OL 6-5 250 lbs. Bishop McNamara HS, Forestville, MD 

15. Will Peoples, S 6-1 190 lbs. Buckingham, Browne & Nichols, Cambridge, MA

16. Gianmarco Rea, FB/LB 6-2 215 lbs. Detroit Country Day, Beverly Hills, MI

17. Connor Spears, WR 6-6 205 lbs. Bishop Heelan HS, Sioux City, IA

18. Parker Tobia, LB 6-1 200 lbs. Bergen Catholic HS, Oradell, NJ

19. Richard Wolff, OL 6-3 254 lbs. Crespi HS Encino, CA

*=Transfer from Stanford University, junior status