Army West Point Athletics
Bobby Ross Announces 2006 Football Recruiting Class
June 30, 2006 | Football
Class of 2010 Arrives at Academy
WEST POINT, N.Y. - Army head coach Bobby Ross welcomed the newest members of the Black Knights' football program into the fold today as he announced his club's 2006 recruiting class.
Thirty-two recently graduated high school student-athletes and 34 others that attended the U.S. Military Academy Prep School last year help comprise Ross and his staff's second full recruiting class since taking over the reins of Army's fabled football program in December 2003.
For the second straight year, Ross and his staff focused on adding size and strength to the Army program, importing a group that includes18 players standing 6-3 or better and seven new plebes weighing at least 275 pounds.
"I'm very pleased with this class. We brought in 34 kids from the prep school and 32 others on direct admits," explained Ross. "Clearly, this is the best class we've had in terms of potential. We brought in two very fine quarterbacks and this class has some great potential in the offensive backfield.
"The real strength of this class right now might rest in the defensive line and at cornerback. We have some people in the defensive secondary that might help us as early as this year. There is decent size in the offensive line as well. I really like the height this group possesses. We've got several kids that have a chance to really mature and fill out. We've already tested some of the new players from the prep school and some are stronger than some of our varsity players right now. That is a good sign."
The group of signees includes 34 defensive standouts and 32 offensive players. Heading the positional breakdown is defensive line where Ross and his staff injected 14 newcomers, followed by linebacker (13), offensive line (12), defensive secondary (7), fullback (5), running back (5), tight end (4) and quarterback (3).
Twenty-three different states are represented in the class. Florida, a longtime recruiting bastion for the Army program, leads the way with 11 new Black Knights, followed by Texas with seven, North Carolina, Ohio and Pennsylvania with five each, and Georgia and Virginia with four apiece. California, Iowa, Maryland and Oklahoma are represented by three players each and Alabama by two.
"All in all, it's a good group," Ross added. "I think there are as many as 10-15 players from this class that could possibly help us this year, particularly in the secondary at cornerback and possibly in the offensive backfield."
The Class of 2010 includes the intriguing brother combination of Fritz and Ted Bentler. Ted saw action in seven games at defensive tackle last fall as a redshirt freshman at the University of Iowa. He elected to transfer to West Point as a member of this year's freshman class, joining his brother Fritz (6-4, 230), who was recruited as a defensive end by Ross and his staff. Ted Bentler (6-2, 280) registered four tackles last year for the Hawkeyes and was considered one of the fast-rising defensive line talents in the Iowa program following a strong showing this spring. While Fritz is immediately eligible to play for the Black Knights, Ted will sit out this season due to NCAA transfer guidelines. He will be eligible next fall and will retain two years of football eligibility.
"It takes a high-character individual to make the decision Ted Bentler made - to start out as a freshman after two years in college in order to serve your country," Ross stated. "Ted just likes this style of structured life. He appears to be very excited about the opportunity to be here and has already taken a leadership role in his cadet company from what I understand.
"Ted is a good, solid football player. We've seen film on him and are very impressed by what he did at Iowa. We're excited about him, and his brother Fritz, joining our program."
Fans can order 2006 Army Football season tickets, individual home game tickets or Army-Navy tickets by calling 1-877-TIX-ARMY or via the internet at www.goARMYsports.com.
Army Football Class of 2010
| Name | Cl. | Pos. | Hgt. | Wgt. | Hometown/High School |
| Steven Allen | Fr. | DB | 5-9 | 157 | Trotwood, Ohio/Trotwood-Madison |
| Patrick Alvarez | Fr. | LB | 6-0 | 230 | Victoria, Texas/Memorial (USMAPS) |
| Kyle Bates | Fr. | LB | 6-1 | 243 | Springfield, Va./Robert E. Lee |
| Fritz Bentler | Fr. | DE | 6-4 | 230 | Bettendorf, Iowa/Assumption |
| Ted Bentler | Fr. | DT | 6-2 | 280 | Bettendorf, Iowa/Assumption |
| Ernie Bernal | Fr. | TE | 6-4 | 246 | San Antonio, Texas/Judson (USMAPS) |
| Hunter Byles | Fr. | DT | 6-1 | 282 | Many, La./Many (USMAPS) |
| Bryson Carl | Fr. | FB | 5-11 | 234 | Albuquerque, N.M./La Cueva |
| Vincent Comasco | Fr. | DB | 6-1 | 191 | Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt |
| Jude Cooke | Fr. | OL | 6-6 | 285 | Philadelphia, Pa./Father Judge |
| Matt Coulthard | Fr. | TE | 6-3 | 230 | Tripoli, Iowa/Tripoli (USMAPS) |
| Taylor Dawson | Fr. | DT | 6-2 | 246 | Plano, Texas/Trinity Christian Academy (USMAPS) |
| Andrew Dieugenio | Fr. | LB | 6-0 | 210 | State College, Pa./State College |
| Nicholas Emmons | Fr. | FB | 5-11 | 230 | Corvallis, Ore./Corvallis (USMAPS) |
| Zachary Enlow | Fr. | RB | 5-11 | 202 | Tulsa, Okla./Cascia Hall Prep |
| Matt Feiden | Fr. | FB | 5-7 | 208 | Delray Beach, Fla./North Broward (USMAPS) |
| Ryan Flanagan | Fr. | OL | 6-5 | 270 | West Chester, Pa./West Chester East |
| Michael Gann | Fr. | DE | 6-2 | 258 | Roswell, Ga./Marist School |
| Dean Garretson | Fr. | OL | 6-3 | 285 | Lothian, Md./Southern (USMAPS) |
| Don Gbaanador | Fr. | WR | 6-0 | 182 | Missouri, Texas/Dulles (USMAPS) |
| Shane Gillis | Fr. | OL | 6-2 | 275 | Mechaniscsburg, Pa./Trinity |
| Michael Haigler | Fr. | LB | 6-1 | 230 | Charlotte, N.C./Providence |
| Ozzie Harrell | Fr. | DB | 6-0 | 190 | Ellenwood, Ga./Cedar Grove (USMAPS) |
| Geoffrey Hewitt | Fr. | LB | 6-0 | 230 | Corona, Calif./Santiago |
| Dennis Hilburn | Fr. | LB | 6-1 | 230 | Phoenix, Ariz./Paradise Valley (USMAPS) |
| Mario Hill | Fr. | DB | 5-11 | 190 | Greensboro, N.C./Grimsley (USMAPS) |
| Damion Hunter | Fr. | WR | 5-10 | 166 | Naples, Fla./Barron Collier (USMAPS) |
| Aaron Irby | Fr. | DE | 6-1 | 232 | Dublin, Ohio/Dublin Scioto (USMAPS) |
| John Jacobs | Fr. | DE | 6-3 | 247 | Loretto, Tenn./Loretto |
| Jordan Jarosz | Fr. | DB | 5-10 | 170 | Charlotte, N.C./Providence |
| Antoine Johnson | Fr. | LB | 5-8 | 230 | Houston, Texas/Bellaire (USMAPS) |
| Grant Johnson | Fr. | OL | 6-0 | 256 | Southlake, Texas/Carroll (USMAPS) |
| Jason Johnson | Fr. | OL | 6-2 | 269 | Las Flores, Calif./Tesoro |
| Jeremy Jonas | Fr. | OL | 6-4 | 270 | Harrison, Ohio/Harrison (USMAPS) |
| Justin Kay | Fr. | DT | 6-1 | 269 | Vestavia Hills, Ala./Vestavia |
| David Labensky | Fr. | LB | 6-1 | 232 | Winter Park, Fla./Lake Highland Prep |
| Dean Lisante | Fr. | LB | 5-11 | 198 | Ponte Verde Beach, Fla./The Bolles School |
| Kenric Lull | Fr. | OL | 6-3 | 261 | Littleton, Colo./Columbine (USMAPS) |
| Bradley Marren | Fr. | LB | 6-0 | 217 | Charlotte, N.C./South Mecklenburg |
| Richard Maszarose | Fr. | DT | 6-0 | 243 | Finksburg, Md./Calvert Hall College (USMAPS) |
| Sean McGrath | Fr. | TE | 6-4 | 205 | Mundelein, Ill./Carmel |
| Brian McSween | Fr. | WR | 5-11 | 161 | Alexandria, Va./Bishop Ireton (USMAPS) |
| Richard Miller | Fr. | OL | 6-3 | 286 | Valrico, Fla./Bloomingdale (USMAPS) |
| Tony Moore | Fr. | RB | 5-11 | 223 | Sand Springs, Okla./Tulsa Union (USMAPS) |
| Joe Muldoon | Fr. | OL | 6-5 | 274 | Bowie, Md./DeMatha Catholic (USMAPS) |
| Mitch Odom | Fr. | DL | 6-3 | 210 | Franklin, N.C./Franklin (USMAPS) |
| Chase Prasnicki | Fr. | QB | 6-0 | 222 | Lexington, Va./Rockbridge County |
| Joseph Puttmann | Fr. | DB | 6-2 | 210 | Cincinnati, Ohio/SHAPE American (USMAPS) |
| Ross Richert | Fr. | FB | 6-1 | 231 | Ringwood, Okla./Ringwood |
| Nicholas Sabellico | Fr. | RB | 5-9 | 188 | Pittsfield, Mass./New Mexico Mil. Inst. (N.M.) (USMAPS) |
| Alan Sheehan | Fr. | LB | 6-2 | 230 | Tallahassee, Fla./North Florida Christian (USMAPS) |
| Ian Smith | Fr. | RB | 5-7 | 193 | Lake City, Fla./Columbia (USMAPS) |
| Phillip Smith | Fr. | DE | 6-3 | 230 | Burton, Mich./Davison |
| Greg Spencer | Fr. | DT | 6-0 | 269 | Sharpsburg, Ga./Northgate (USMAPS) |
| David Sprague | Fr. | OT | 6-3 | 260 | Moorpark, Calif./Grace Brethren |
| Patrick St. Pierre | Fr. | FB | 6-0 | 248 | New Philadelphia, Ohio/Central Catholic (USMAPS) |
| Kyle Stancombe | Fr. | QB | 5-11 | 175 | Bloomington, Ind./Bloomington North (USMAPS) |
| Chad Thayer | Fr. | LB | 6-0 | 204 | Miami, Fla./Miami Palmetto (USMAPS) |
| Karl Thompson | Fr. | OL | 6-2 | 291 | Richmond, Va./Varina (USMAPS) |
| Justin Turner | Fr. | RB | 5-7 | 181 | Boynton Beach, Fla./American Heritage-Boca Delray |
| Victor Ugenyi Jr. | Fr. | DE | 6-2 | 232 | Atlanta, Ga./North Springs |
| Alejandro Villanueva | Fr. | DT | 6-7 | 265 | Belgium/SHAPE American |
| Bryant Watrous | Fr. | LB | 6-1 | 210 | Satellite Beach, Fla./Satellite (USMAPS) |
| Carson Williams | Fr. | QB | 6-3 | 216 | Cullman, Ala./Cullman |
| Parker Woolwine | Fr. | DB | 5-10 | 175 | Tampa, Fla./Freedom |
| J.D. Ybanez | Fr. | TE | 6-3 | 212 | El Paso, Texas/Coronado |
