SAN ANTONIO — Head football coach Larry Coker announced the addition of seven players to his program on Wednesday.
Stefan Beard (OL/Austin, Texas/Westlake HS/Navarro [Texas] JC), Austin Blake-Smith (TE/Fayetteville, Ga./Spalding HS/Nassau [N.Y.] CC/Mesa [Ariz.] CC/Ventura [Calif.] JC), Anthony Hickey (LB/San Juan Capistrano, Calif./JSerra Catholic HS/Wagner/Saddleback [Calif.] JC), Les Maruo (LB/Wichita, Kan./Goddard HS/Hutchinson [Kan.] CC), Tanner Myers (OL/Gardner, Kan./Gardner-Edgerton HS/Highland [Kan.] CC/Coffeyville [Kan.] CC) and Derrick Worthy (CB/Los Alamitos, Calif./Los Alamitos HS/Orange Coast [Calif.] JC) all signed National Letters of Intent from the junior college ranks, while Brenndan Johnson (CB/Waco, Texas/Midway HS/Naval Prep Academy) will come to the Alamo City by way of prep school. All seven players will enroll at UTSA for the upcoming spring semester and participate in spring drills.
"We are excited to add these seven players to our program and are looking forward to having them on campus next spring," Coker said. "This group fills several needs for us and we expect them to compete for playing time immediately."
They will be joined by February 2015 signees DeQuarius Henry (DE/Houston, Texas/Sharpstown HS), Avery Jackson (CB/Austin, Texas/Johnson HS) and Zach Pare (OT/Georgetown, Texas/East View HS), who all greyshirted this fall, and Jesse Ebozue (WR/Arlington, Texas/Bowie HS), who signed a financial aid agreement back in October, as mid-term enrollees.
Below is biographical information on the seven newcomers.
Stefan Beard, OL
6-4 · 315 · Jr.-TR
Austin, Texas (Westlake HS/Navarro [Texas] JC)
Played in all 11 games this past season for head coach Cody Crill … helped pave the way for an offense that averaged 43.5 points and 513.6 total yards (328.8 pass/184.8 rush) as a sophomore … saw action in 10 contests as a true freshman for head coach Brian Mayper … offense scored 52.8 points and racked up 612.3 yards (335.1 rush/277.2 pass) per outing that fall … selected to play on the 2014 USA Football Under-19 national team … attended Austin Westlake High School in 2013 after moving from his hometown of Chicago, Ill., but did not play.
Austin Blake-Smith, TE
6-5 · 240 · Sr.-TR
Fayetteville, Ga. (Spalding HS/Nassau [N.Y.] CC/Mesa [Ariz.] CC/Ventura [Calif.] JC)
Played in seven games this past season at Ventura (Calif.) Junior College for head coach Steve Mooshagian … caught 18 passes for 197 yards (10.9 avg.) and two touchdowns en route to first-team Southern California Football Association All-Northern Conference honors … posted season highs of four receptions in two contests and had 51 yards against Allen Hancock (Nov. 7) … attended Mesa (Ariz.) Community College in 2014 after beginning college career at Nassau (N.Y.) Community College the previous season … did not start playing football until his senior year of high school … primarily played baseball (pitcher) at the prep level.
Anthony Hickey, LB
6-4 · 235 · Jr.-TR
San Juan Capistrano, Calif. (JSerra Catholic HS/Wagner/Saddleback [Calif.] JC)
Played in 13 games as a sophomore at Saddleback (Calif.) Junior College for head coach Mark McElroy … racked up 57 tackles, including 8.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks, one interception and three pass breakups that season … team won 10 contests and captured the Southern California Football Association Regional Championship … played 11 games as a redshirt freshman in 2014 at Wagner, primarily on special teams, and posted eight stops … a second-team All-Trinity League selection and voted team Defensive MVP as a prep senior … recorded 36 tackles and four sacks that fall and also registered five receptions for 92 yards and a pair touchdowns … nominated to the 2013 Orange County All-Star Game.
Brenndan Johnson, CB
5-11 · 175 · Fr.-HS
Waco, Texas (Midway HS/Naval Academy Prep)
Originally signed a Letter of Intent with Navy in February 2015 and spent this past fall at the Naval Academy Preparatory School … coached by Terry Gambill as a prep senior in 2014 and helped lead Midway High School to 12 wins that season … registered 73 tackles, including five for a loss and two sacks, one forced fumble and three pass breakups en route to second-team All-District 12-6A accolades at outside linebacker … also an academic all-district selection that season … prep career began at Reicher Catholic High School in Waco … posted 50 stops as a junior.
Les Maruo, LB
6-1 · 235 · Jr.-TR
Wichita, Kan. (Goddard HS/Hutchinson [Kan.] CC)
Appeared in 22 games the past two seasons for head coach Rion Rhoades … ranked second on the squad with 85 tackles, including 11 behind the line of scrimmage and two sacks, in 11 contests of action last fall … had a 15-stop performance against Ellsworth Community College (Oct. 31) … registered 22 tackles, 1.5 TFLs and a fumble recovery in 11 games as a true freshman in 2014 when he was a teammate of current Roadrunner La'Kel Bass … the Blue Dragons finished with an 11-1 overall record that year and No. 4 national ranking, the highest in program history … racked up 79 stops in nine games as a prep senior and another 59 in 10 contests as a junior.
Tanner Myers, OL
6-7 · 310 · Jr.-TR
Gardner, Kan. (Gardner-Edgerton HS/Highland [Kan.] CC/Coffeyville [Kan.] CC)
Helped lead Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College to eight victories and a final No. 14 national ranking last season … played all 11 games and earned second-team All-Jayhawk Conference accolades as a sophomore for head coach Aaron Flores … helped pave the way for an offense that averaged 50.5 points and 486 total yards (335.9 pass/150.2 rush) per contest … did not play in 2014 … college career began in 2013 at Highland (Kan.) Community College … a 2012 second-team All-Eastern Kansas League selection as a prep senior at Gardner-Edgerton High School.
Derrick Worthy, CB
5-10 · 165 · Jr.-TR
Los Alamitos, Calif. (Los Alamitos HS/Orange Coast [Calif.] JC)
A 2015 first-team Southern California Football Association All-Southern League selection for head coach Kevin Emerson … registered 42 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, one sack, four interceptions, including three touchdown returns, and 12 pass breakups in 11 games of action this past season … his three TD returns covered 87, 77 and 26 yards … appeared in nine contests as a true freshman … posted 27 stops, a pick and seven PBUs that year … a member of the basketball and track & field teams in addition to playing football at the high school level.