Football Adds Four More to 2018 Signing Class
3/28/2018 3:13:00 PM | Football
‘Jacks welcome four additions to the 2018 class, including two offensive linemen, a cornerback and an outside linebacker
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – The Stephen F. Austin football program and head coach Clint Conque announced the addition of four new signees to its 2018 class Wednesday. Four junior college transfers from Louisiana and California, including two offensive linemen, a cornerback and an outside linebacker have all inked their letters of intent to join the Lumberjacks for the 2018 season.
Offensive lineman Jake Balderrama from Chaffey College, cornerback Tyler Freeman from Mt. San Jacinto College, linebacker Kirkland Joseph from Independence Community College and offensive lineman Collin Lagarde from Iowa Central Community College all signed with SFA over the last week, joining defensive end Daniel Brewer who signed in late February, as five total signees who have inked since National Signing Day on Feb. 7. Including Brewer, the new additions bring the Lumberjacks' 2018 signing class to 28.
Balderrama and Lagarde join Tyler Junior College transfer Tanner Elliott and Cypress Rach High School's Jeffrey Rose and John Wilkowski as five newcomers on the offensive line for SFA in 2018. Freeman is the Lumberjacks' fourth cornerback signed in the 2018 class, joining Butler Community College transfer Jadarious Byrd, Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College transfer Aretavious Hendrix and New Mexico Military Institute transfer Donald Mensah Jr. With East Mississippi Community College transfer Quin Jones, who is already on campus, and Nacogdoches High School signee DaRyan Williams, Joseph becomes the third linebacker to be signed by SFA for the 2018 season.
Of the 28 total additions to the SFA football family, 13 are continuing their education and football careers upon graduating from high school, while 15 are transferring into Texas' oldest town.
Jake Balderrama
OL | 6-4 | 315
Chaffey College | Canyon Springs HS | Moreno Valley, California
Prior to SFA: Spent one year at Chaffey College in Cucamonga, California, and at NCAA Division II Dixie State in St. George, Utah … Played in three games and made two starts on the offensive line at Dixie State … Earned 2017 Southern California Football Association first-team all-conference honors while at Chaffey College … Lettered in football, golf and wrestling at Canyon Springs High School … Team captain in football and golf … Named to first-team all-league in football and tabbed as MVP in both football and golf … Son of Carrie and Armando Balderrama … Father, Armando, played football at Whittier College in Whittier, California.
Tyler Freeman
CB | 6-2 | 190
Mt. San Jacinto College | West Valley HS | Perris, Calif.
Prior to SFA: Spent two seasons at Mt. San Jacinto College in San Jacinto, California … Tallied 73 total tackles as a defensive back, including making 44 solo stops, in 19 games played over his two years at Mt. San Jacinto … Also forced four fumbles, had 4.5 tackles for loss, four pass breakups and two fumble recoveries … Posted 41 total tackles as a sophomore, including 21 individual stops, and racked up 19 tackle for loss yards with three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries for 46 yards … Recovered a fumble for a touchdown in a 47-33 win at Los Angeles College and finished the year with three pass breakups … Claimed All-American Mountain Conference Second Team honors … Recorded 32 total tackles as a freshman, including 23 solo stops, in nine games played with a forced fumble and a pass breakup … Was a two-year varsity letter winner as a defensive back at West Valley High School in Hemet, California … Three-year letter winner in track and field, racing in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m and 400m … Son of Ebony Sharone and Rice Mason … Will be majoring in psychology.
Kirkland Joseph
LB | 6-0 | 215
Independence Community College | Breaux Bridge HS | Breaux Bridge, La.
Prior to SFA: Spent two seasons at Independence Community College in Independence, Kansas, including utilizing a redshirt year as a true freshman … Registered the second-most tackles on the team with 74, including a team-best 53 solo stops in his second year at Independence during the 2017 season … Averaged a team-high 7.4 tackles per game and posted a team-best nine tackles for loss … Also recorded two sacks and gained a fumble recovery … Was named MVP of the Midwest Classic Bowl, recording nine total tackles and recovering a fumble to aid the Pirates to their first bowl victory in school history … Claimed student-athlete of the month honors … Two-year varsity letter winner in both basketball in football at Breaux Bridge High School … Earned all-district, all-metro and all-city honors as a linebacker on the gridiron and ran the point on the hardwood … Son of Evette Demouchet … Will be majoring in kinesiology.
Collin Lagarde
OL | 6-3 | 317
Iowa Central Community College | St. Augustine HS | New Orleans, La.
Prior to SFA: Spent two seasons at Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, Iowa … Originally signed with Southern University in 2015 and spent the fall with the Jaguars, appearing in one game against Jackson State … Played in 18 total games across two seasons at Iowa Central Community College, including starting all 11 games his freshman year and seven as a sophomore in 2017 … Earned academic all-region honors for the 2017 fall semester … Lettered at St. Augustine High School in New Orleans.
The 2018 signing class represents a tremendous effort by the Lumberjack coaching staff, not just in the state of Texas, but nationwide as well. The class is comprised of 17 players from Texas and eight other states and providences, including Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Florida, California, Illinois, New Jersey and Ontario, Canada. Of the 17 Texas additions, seven are from the East Texas corridor with an additional five from the Houston area, three from the Dallas-Fort Worth area and one each from the San Antonio and Austin areas of the Lone Star state.
The 'Jacks are in the midst of spring football and just completed practice two of their 15 allotted spring sessions Tuesday afternoon. Two spring scrimmages held Saturday, April 7 at Nacogdoches High School and Saturday, April 14 inside Homer Bryce Stadium will highlight the practices. SFA's annual Purple and White Spring Game is slated for Saturday, April 21 at 6 p.m. and will conclude the Lumberjacks' spring ball.
SFA opens up its 2018 campaign at Southeastern Conference mainstay Mississippi State in Starkville, Mississippi, on Saturday, Sept. 1.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack football.
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