Eleven Prep Players Sign With Titan Football Team

Cal State Fullerton’s football program, making a pointed effort to recruit more high school players this year, signed 11 prep players to letters of intent Wednesday. Eleven community college players and one transfer from a four-year school also signed with the Titans.

Fullerton signed only three high school players last year, relying almost entirely on community college players. But Coach Gene Murphy said after last season that he hoped to return to recruiting more high school players.

“We’re encouraged,” Murphy said Wednesday, looking over a list of players that includes quarterback Terry Payne of Hemet High School, kicker Phil Nevin of El Dorado and free safety Howard McCrary of San Fernando.

Payne threw for 2,200 yards and 25 touchdowns last season at Hemet.

Nevin will start for the Titans as a freshman, Murphy said.

Other local high school players who signed with Fullerton are wide receiver Shawn Facione of El Dorado, free safety Jeff Higbee of Fountain Valley and offensive tackle Wade Hogg of Troy.

All but two of the 11 high school players already have met the requirements of Proposition 48, the National Collegiate Athletic Assn.’s academic eligibility regulation, Murphy said.

Most of the community college players Fullerton signed are defensive players, and particularly players who can fill the Titans’ immediate need at cornerback, where the only returning player is redshirt Terry Tramble.

FULLERTON LETTERS OF INTENT

Name Pos. Ht. Wt. School Roosevelt Beasley CB 5-10 170 San Bernardino Valley CC Dave Collins OG 6-3 286 Santa Monica CC John Cottie OT 6-5 240 Burbank High Shawn Facione WR 6-3 175 El Dorado High Shawn Forristall LB 6-2 212 Palomar CC Jeff Higbee FS 6-2 180 Fountain Valley High Damon Hogan SS 5-9 185 Los Angeles Valley CC Wade Hogg OT 6-5 270 Troy High Keary Johns FS 6-1 190 San Fernando High David Lamm OG 6-3 250 Vista High Johnny Lawrence WR 6-1 185 Banning High Howard McCrary FS 6-3 190 San Fernando High Phil Nevin K 6-0 165 El Dorado High Terry Payne QB 6-4 185 Hemet High Nuygen Pendleton CB 5-8 160 Long Beach CC Victor Pierce OB 6-1 270 Bakersfield CC Cory Rice DT 6-1 270 Glendale CC Mike Rogan OT 6-6 265 Cerritos CC Clarence Siler DE 6-4 240 Sacramento CC Nebojsa Sormaz LB 6-4 243 Louisiana State University George Sykes CB 5-10 185 Glendale CC Richard Talley CB 5-10 160 University High Robert Taylor DT 6-4 280 Santa Monica CC

Name Hometown Roosevelt Beasley San Bernardino Dave Collins Los Angeles John Cottie Burbank Shawn Facione Placentia Shawn Forristall San Diego Jeff Higbee Fountain Valley Damon Hogan Reseda Wade Hogg Fullerton Keary Johns Palmdale David Lamm Vista Johnny Lawrence Carson Howard McCrary Sunland Phil Nevin Placentia Terry Payne Hemet Nuygen Pendleton Long Beach Victor Pierce Bakersfield Cory Rice Alhambra Mike Rogan Norwalk Clarence Siler Sacramento Nebojsa Sormaz Sharon, Pa. George Sykes Los Angeles Richard Talley Los Angeles Robert Taylor Los Angeles