Photo by: Hardy Meredith | SFA Photography
Coach Conque Announces Addition of Four FBS Transfers to Lumberjack Football Program
6/4/2018 1:44:00 PM | Football
SFA football adds four from the Football Bowl Subdivision ranks, including a safety, tight end, offensive lineman and wide receiver
NACOGDOCHES, Texas – Stephen F. Austin football head coach Clint Conque announced the addition of four Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) transfers to the 2018 roster Monday morning. The Lumberjacks welcome graduate safety Chris James, junior offensive lineman Chett Munden, sophomore tight end Donte Coleman and redshirt freshman wide receiver Calvin Clater as SFA begins its summer workouts.
All four arrive in Nacogdoches after playing at FBS institutions as James was a three-year letter winner at the University of Illinois, Munden a two-year letter winner at North Texas, Coleman a letter winner at Fresno State in California and Clater using a redshirt year at Bowling Green in Ohio. The four join the Lumberjacks' 41 returning letter winners from this past fall.
A native of Orange, Texas, James spent four seasons at Big Ten Conference mainstay Illinois and graduated in May with a degree in Recreation Sport and Tourism. The 6-foot, 200-pound defensive back was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, playing in a total of 31 games for the Fighting Illini across his final three seasons with six starts. James tallied 43 total tackles, including 15 solo stops and two tackles for loss, three pass breakups and half a sack. In his final season at Illinois in 2017, James played in nine games with two starts at nickel, registering 14 tackles, including 10 unassisted, and half a tackle for loss. He played in all 12 games with four starts at defensive back in 2016, recording 23 tackles, one and a half tackles for loss and three pass breakups. Starting four of the first five games of the 2016 season, James notched a career-high six tackles against North Carolina and Western Michigan and posted a tackle for loss at Nebraska. Claiming his first career half sack against Western Michigan, James made a career-high two pass breakups in the 2016 opener against Murray State. After redshirting as a true freshman in 2014, James played in 10 games as a redshirt freshman in 2015, mostly appearing on special teams. He made six total tackles on the season, including making five solo stops.
Graduating from West Orange-Stark High School, James was a three-year varsity football letter winner and four-year track & field letter winner. Earning a spot on the Beaumont Enterprise 2013 Super Gold First Team, the rated two-star recruit by 247Sports.com was tabbed as, "One of the best man cover corners in southeast Texas". He was an All-District 21 3A First Team honoree in 2013 after leading the Mustangs to a 11-2 record. James registered 58 tackles, three interceptions, one sack and a touchdown fumble recovery on defense, while rushing for 685 yards and eight touchdowns and catching 17 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns in 2013. Playing in only two games in 2012 due to injury, James lettered at Ozen High School in Beaumont, Texas, in 2011. A state qualifier in the 4x100m relay and 4x200m relay in 2012, James was an honor roll student. He is the son of Chris and Felicia James and has two brothers and five sisters. James will have one season of eligibility as a Lumberjack.
Munden, a native of Marshall, Texas, spent three years at Conference USA member North Texas, appearing in three games across his final two seasons. After redshirting as a true freshman in 2015, the 6-foot-5, 305-pound offensive lineman made his collegiate debut at Western Kentucky during the 2016 season on Nov. 12. He saw action on the offensive line in two games as a sophomore in 2017, making his season debut in the opener versus Lamar on Sept. 2. Playing his prep career at Marshall High School, Munden was rated as a three-star recruit by ESPN and a two-time first-team all-district selection. He earned 15-5A first-team all-district honors as a senior and was an All-District 14-4A First Team pick as junior. Named to the 2014 ETSN.fm East Texas Football Super Team First Team, Munden was a team captain.
Hailing from Mesquite, Texas, Coleman spent two seasons at Mountain West Conference member Fresno State. After redshirting as a true freshman in 2016, the 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end made his collegiate debut as a redshirt freshman in 2017, where he saw action in the season-opening 66-0 win over Incarnate Word on Sept. 2. A two-time All-District 12-5A Second Team selection at West Mesquite High School under coach Jeff Neill, Coleman was rated as a three-star recruit by ESPN. He caught 18 passes for 234 yards and four touchdowns as a junior and had five receptions for 74 yards as a senior. The son of Shawta Coleman, Donte has two younger siblings, Sade and Miles, and his uncle, Donte Waldon, was a fullback at Ouachita Baptist. Coleman was majoring in criminology-law enforcement at Fresno State.
A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Clater spent one season at Mid-American Conference member Bowling Green in Bowling Green, Ohio, where he redshirted as a true freshman last fall. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound wideout played his prep career at South Hills High School in Fort Worth, Texas, and was rated a two-star recruit. Clater claimed 23 receptions for 480 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2016 as a senior, while compiling 23 tackles, four interceptions and five passes defended on defense. Playing for head coach J.J. Resendez, Clater helped lead the Scorpions to a 10-0 regular season record. He also lettered in track & field and was a class 5A state champion as a high jumper in 2017, recording a personal-best high jump mark of 6-feet, 11 inches to claim the state championship. Clater originally committed to SFA and will have four seasons as a Lumberjack.
James, Munden, Coleman and Clater will now be under the guidance of coach Conque, one of the winningest coaches in Southland Conference history. Conque enters his fifth season as the 'Jacks lead man, owning a 50-34 (.595) career record in Southland contests, which ranks third all-time in Southland coaching victories and is just five wins shy of the most in league history. Furthermore, coach Conque's 74 wins as a Southland head coach rank fifth in conference history in career coaching victories.
SFA went 4-1 against in-state FCS opponents in 2017, marking the first time since 1989 the 'Jacks claimed four victories over FCS Texas opponents in the same season. It also marked the first time since 1995 SFA recorded four wins over Lone Star State schools in a single season.
The Purple and White open up the 2018 season Saturday, Sept. 1 with a trip to Southeastern Conference stalwart Mississippi State. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally on ESPNU, available everywhere via the ESPN app. The 'Jacks host NCAA Division II Tarleton State in a 6 p.m. tilt for its home opener Saturday, Sept. 8.
Fans interested in purchasing tickets for the 2018 SFA football season can visit the new home for SFA Tickets at SFATickets.com or contact the SFA Athletic Ticket Office at 936-468-JACK.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack football throughout the summer.
-SFA-
All four arrive in Nacogdoches after playing at FBS institutions as James was a three-year letter winner at the University of Illinois, Munden a two-year letter winner at North Texas, Coleman a letter winner at Fresno State in California and Clater using a redshirt year at Bowling Green in Ohio. The four join the Lumberjacks' 41 returning letter winners from this past fall.
A native of Orange, Texas, James spent four seasons at Big Ten Conference mainstay Illinois and graduated in May with a degree in Recreation Sport and Tourism. The 6-foot, 200-pound defensive back was a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, playing in a total of 31 games for the Fighting Illini across his final three seasons with six starts. James tallied 43 total tackles, including 15 solo stops and two tackles for loss, three pass breakups and half a sack. In his final season at Illinois in 2017, James played in nine games with two starts at nickel, registering 14 tackles, including 10 unassisted, and half a tackle for loss. He played in all 12 games with four starts at defensive back in 2016, recording 23 tackles, one and a half tackles for loss and three pass breakups. Starting four of the first five games of the 2016 season, James notched a career-high six tackles against North Carolina and Western Michigan and posted a tackle for loss at Nebraska. Claiming his first career half sack against Western Michigan, James made a career-high two pass breakups in the 2016 opener against Murray State. After redshirting as a true freshman in 2014, James played in 10 games as a redshirt freshman in 2015, mostly appearing on special teams. He made six total tackles on the season, including making five solo stops.
Graduating from West Orange-Stark High School, James was a three-year varsity football letter winner and four-year track & field letter winner. Earning a spot on the Beaumont Enterprise 2013 Super Gold First Team, the rated two-star recruit by 247Sports.com was tabbed as, "One of the best man cover corners in southeast Texas". He was an All-District 21 3A First Team honoree in 2013 after leading the Mustangs to a 11-2 record. James registered 58 tackles, three interceptions, one sack and a touchdown fumble recovery on defense, while rushing for 685 yards and eight touchdowns and catching 17 passes for 181 yards and two touchdowns in 2013. Playing in only two games in 2012 due to injury, James lettered at Ozen High School in Beaumont, Texas, in 2011. A state qualifier in the 4x100m relay and 4x200m relay in 2012, James was an honor roll student. He is the son of Chris and Felicia James and has two brothers and five sisters. James will have one season of eligibility as a Lumberjack.
Munden, a native of Marshall, Texas, spent three years at Conference USA member North Texas, appearing in three games across his final two seasons. After redshirting as a true freshman in 2015, the 6-foot-5, 305-pound offensive lineman made his collegiate debut at Western Kentucky during the 2016 season on Nov. 12. He saw action on the offensive line in two games as a sophomore in 2017, making his season debut in the opener versus Lamar on Sept. 2. Playing his prep career at Marshall High School, Munden was rated as a three-star recruit by ESPN and a two-time first-team all-district selection. He earned 15-5A first-team all-district honors as a senior and was an All-District 14-4A First Team pick as junior. Named to the 2014 ETSN.fm East Texas Football Super Team First Team, Munden was a team captain.
Hailing from Mesquite, Texas, Coleman spent two seasons at Mountain West Conference member Fresno State. After redshirting as a true freshman in 2016, the 6-foot-4, 245-pound tight end made his collegiate debut as a redshirt freshman in 2017, where he saw action in the season-opening 66-0 win over Incarnate Word on Sept. 2. A two-time All-District 12-5A Second Team selection at West Mesquite High School under coach Jeff Neill, Coleman was rated as a three-star recruit by ESPN. He caught 18 passes for 234 yards and four touchdowns as a junior and had five receptions for 74 yards as a senior. The son of Shawta Coleman, Donte has two younger siblings, Sade and Miles, and his uncle, Donte Waldon, was a fullback at Ouachita Baptist. Coleman was majoring in criminology-law enforcement at Fresno State.
A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Clater spent one season at Mid-American Conference member Bowling Green in Bowling Green, Ohio, where he redshirted as a true freshman last fall. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound wideout played his prep career at South Hills High School in Fort Worth, Texas, and was rated a two-star recruit. Clater claimed 23 receptions for 480 yards and 6 touchdowns in 2016 as a senior, while compiling 23 tackles, four interceptions and five passes defended on defense. Playing for head coach J.J. Resendez, Clater helped lead the Scorpions to a 10-0 regular season record. He also lettered in track & field and was a class 5A state champion as a high jumper in 2017, recording a personal-best high jump mark of 6-feet, 11 inches to claim the state championship. Clater originally committed to SFA and will have four seasons as a Lumberjack.
James, Munden, Coleman and Clater will now be under the guidance of coach Conque, one of the winningest coaches in Southland Conference history. Conque enters his fifth season as the 'Jacks lead man, owning a 50-34 (.595) career record in Southland contests, which ranks third all-time in Southland coaching victories and is just five wins shy of the most in league history. Furthermore, coach Conque's 74 wins as a Southland head coach rank fifth in conference history in career coaching victories.
SFA went 4-1 against in-state FCS opponents in 2017, marking the first time since 1989 the 'Jacks claimed four victories over FCS Texas opponents in the same season. It also marked the first time since 1995 SFA recorded four wins over Lone Star State schools in a single season.
The Purple and White open up the 2018 season Saturday, Sept. 1 with a trip to Southeastern Conference stalwart Mississippi State. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. and the game will be televised nationally on ESPNU, available everywhere via the ESPN app. The 'Jacks host NCAA Division II Tarleton State in a 6 p.m. tilt for its home opener Saturday, Sept. 8.
Fans interested in purchasing tickets for the 2018 SFA football season can visit the new home for SFA Tickets at SFATickets.com or contact the SFA Athletic Ticket Office at 936-468-JACK.
Stay tuned to SFAJacks.com, as well as SFA's social media platforms, for complete coverage of Lumberjack football throughout the summer.
-SFA-
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