Former Griffin Seau, Wolf Pack sack Hawai’i

By Bill Dickens
Updated: October 26, 2015

Nevada's Ian Seau (8) sacks Hawai'i's Max Wittek (13) during their football game at Mackay Stadium in Reno on Oct. 24 2015.

2015 4-YEAR COLLEGE FOOTBALL STANDOUTS

By Bill Dickens

© East County Sports.com

EL CAJON (10-26-15) — Former Grossmont College standout 6-foot-3, 250-pound IAN SEAU turned in a powerful performance as a senior defensive end in Nevada’s 30-20 win over Hawai’i. Seau wrapped up four sacks, four tackles, forced a fumble and recovered a fumble for the Wolf Pack.

Seau will anchor a defensive line that is one of the best in the Mountain West and contend for Defensive Player of the Year honors in the conference.

He was named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, awarded annually to the best defensive player in the nation. Seau was also named to several other organizations, including the Rotary Lombardi Award Watch List, Sporting News Preseason All-Mountain West, Phil Steele’s Preseason First Team All-MW and Athlon Sports First Team All-MW.

He was named to the All-Mountain West second team as a junior.

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Spencer Havird

Valhalla High product SPENCER HAVIRD, a 6-foot-2, 192-pound sophomore returning safety at Gardner-Webb, could develop into an All-Conference performer down the road, according to his coaches. He had five tackles in the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ loss to Charleston South.

Havird has started all 19 games, including 7 this year since enrolling in the Boiling Springs, NC university. So far he has 106 tackles and 59 solo stops. He also has two sacks, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions during his career.

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A quarterback controversy is brewing at Oregon State University between true freshman SETH COLLINS (6-3, 195) of Granite Hills and redshirt freshman Nick Mitchell. Although the coaches won’t come out and say it, the fact that Mitchell got a lot of playing time in Colorado’s 17-13 victory over the Beavers has raised some eyebrows.

The fact that the Beavers have stumbled to a 2-5, 0-4 Pac-12 record has caused more voices of concern. Mitchell looks like a pure passer but doesn’t have the mobility that Collins does. In the loss to Colorado Collins rushed for 54 yards on nine carries and completed four of seven passes for 77 yards.

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University of San Diego redshirt freshman quarterback and former Grossmont High record-breaking QB ANTHONY LAWRENCE clicked on 21 of 26 passes for 278 yards and four touchdowns as the Toreros toppled the Warner (Fla.) Royals 45-14.

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DARRIEN OLIVER, of Chadron State.

DARRIEN OLIVER, a 6-foot-1, 312-pound sophomore guard out of Helix High, has started at guard the last two seasons for the Chadron State (Neb.) Eagles. Oliver helped pave the way for 1,000-yard rusher Michael Madkins and the second best team rushing attack in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference.

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Grossmont High graduate BJ GONZALES, a 5-foot-9, 150-pound true freshman defensive back, faced off against Oliver and his teammates when Chadron squeezed out a 39-38 victory over the Black Hills University Yellowjackets in Spearfish, South Dakota. In five games Gonzales has recorded four tackles.

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Virnel Moon

Five-foot-11, 160-pound sophomore wide receiver VIRNEL MOON, a product of El Cajon Valley High, hauled in a 71-yard touchdown pass to give Colorado Mesa University a 14-0 lead over the Fort Lewis Colorado Skyhawks. Moon finished with two catches for 81 yards as the Mavericks prevailed 21-13.

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William Milo

Nose guard WILLIAM MILO, a 5-foot-10, 290-pound Helix graduate, racked up five tackles as Colorado Mesa out of Grand Junction, Colo. knocked off Fort Lewis. In 2013, who redshirted last year, was tabbed the Co-Defensive Freshman of the Year.

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Helix product CAMERON LEE, a junior wide receiver at Upper Iowa University, caught four passes for 65 yards but it was not enough to save the Peacocks from a 34-19 loss to the Southwest Minnesota Mustangs. In his last two games Lee has made nine catches.

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XAVIER GOODLOE

XAVIER GOODLOE, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound defensive back out of Steele Canyon High, notched eight tackles for the Silver City Western New Mexico Mustangs in a loss to Western Colorado State.

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Marshall defensive end GARY THOMPSON, a product of Helix High, charted five tackles to help Marshall defeat Texas State 30-13.

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A 5-foot-8, 165-pound senior Hardrocker wide receiver, KEVIN MILLS of South Dakota School of Mines caught four passes for 26 yards in a 56-27 loss to Azusa Pacific.

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Helix graduate JALEN WYATT, a 6-foot-3, 265-pound true freshman defensive end at Azusa Pacific, has racked up three tackles in abbreviated play for the Cougars. He plans to be in the medical field upon graduation.

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Junior defensive back RAYVON OWENS, a graduate of Christian High, pitched in with three tackles in Willamette University’s loss to Oregon Pacific in Forest, Oregon.

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Sophomore defensive back KEITH ROGERS, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound graduate of Valhalla High, is a standout in the secondary for the Jamestown Jimmies in Jamestown, North Dakota. He recorded three tackles and two solos for the Jimmies, who fell short to Valley City State 12-6 in the annual battle for the Paint Bucket.

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