UConn signs 20 recruits for football program

A couple of Jones boys - who played their high school football right here in Connecticut - headline an incoming class of 20 recruits who have signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Huskies.

Head coach Randy Edsall made the announcement during a press conference held Jan. 3.

Only two of the 20 student-athletes hail from the Nutmeg State: Byron Jones, a 6-foot defensive back from New Britain who attended St. Paul Catholic High School in Bristol; and Tebucky Jones Jr., a 6-foot tall, wide receiver from Farmington who played for New Britain High School (the same school his father attended before matriculating at Syracuse University en route to a nine-year career as an NFL defensive back, six of those with the Patriots.)

Including the Jones boys, a half dozen of the signees are from New England, four come from Florida and two each from New York, Georgia and Pennsylvania.

Scott McCummings

Eleven of the student-athletes play defense and nine play offense, including 6-foot-2, 210-pound quarterback Scott McCummings from Natick, Mass.

According to Edsall, McCummings was named to the Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Association All-State Team and was chosen by the Boston Globe as a member of the newspaper’s 2009 All-Scholastic Team.

As a senior, McCummings captained his high school team and threw for more than 2,000 yards, and ran for another 1,000 yards as he led his team to the Massachusetts state Division II Super Bowl.

Byron Jones

Byron Jones also helped his team advance to the state playoffs this past fall - he made three receptions for 63 yards in a first-round Class MM game.

The Connecticut High School Coaches Association selected Byron Jones for a spot on the Class MM All-State Team for his performance in his senior year, which included 51 receptions for 735 yards and eight touchdowns. His versatility was demonstrated by his three interceptions and his ability to return punts and kickoffs.

Tebucky Jones Jr.,

Tebucky Jones was also recognized by the Connecticut High School Coaches Association, and earned a spot on the All-State Class LL First Team. He had 51 receptions for 735 yards and eight touchdowns in his senior year.

The roster

Other signees are: linebacker Joshua Alexander; defensive back Ty-Meer Brown; offensive guard Gus Cruz; receiver Geremy Davis; fullback Reuben Frank; offensive tackle Mark Hansson; defensive end Jonathan Louis; defensive back Taylor Mack; defensive end B.J. McBryde; running back Lyle McCombs.

Also, defensive back Andrew Opuku; center Bryan Paull; defensive lineman Angelo Pruitt; linebacker Yawin Smallwood from Worcester; cornerback Gilbert Stlouis; linebacker Brandon Steg; and the biggest player in the group, 6-foot-5, 295-pound offensive tackle Greg McKee from Chicago.

The following student-athletes each signed a Letter of Intent with UConn in 2009 and enrolled for the Spring 2010 semester: quarterback Leon Kinnard and linebacker Michael Osiecki from Seymour.

Donald Brown and Superbowl 2010

Maybe one day five years from now, one of these young men will be asked by reporters gathered for the Super Bowl to recall his memories of National Signing Day, much as former UConn standout and current Colts running back Donald Brown was Wednesday afternoon as his team prepared to play the Saints.

“I remember going down to the high school athletic director’s office [at Red Bank Catholic High School in New Jersey], signing that piece of paper and faxing it up to the guys at UConn. Then I had that burden off me because that was a pretty stressful time, especially when you’re down to signing day. My parents were there, but that was about it. Then I went back to class and it was a normal day,” Brown said.

Posted Feb. 4, 2010