Cal Poly Signs 13 Football Recruits in Early Signing Period

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Cal Poly's initial group of 13 recruits in the Early Signing Period for the Class of 2020 Signees features a pair of community college transfers, another transfer from a four-year school and 10 high school student-athletes.

A quarterback, three offensive linemen, a wide receiver, three defensive backs, one linebacker and a defensive lineman from the high school ranks all signed a National Letter of Intent. In addition, Cal Poly inked Julian Reed of American River College and Trevor Owens from Butte College along with Jamarri Jackson of Northern Arizona, all defensive backs, to financial aid tenders.

The announcement was made Wednesday by Beau Baldwin, named head football coach of the Mustangs last week, and Cal Poly director of athletics Don Oberhelman.

The Early Signing Period for Division I football lasts just three days. Also opening on Wednesday was the Midyear Community College Transfer Signing Period, which lasts until Jan. 15. The Regular Signing Period is slated for Feb. 5 through April 1.

The recruits all hail from California.

"I want to thank some amazing people at Cal Poly for helping us in our recruiting process in such a short amount of time," said Baldwin. "The student-athletes we have signed so far are an amazing group -- athletic, quick, talented and smart -- and we couldn't be more pleased with the football players we signed today.

"The assistant coaches did a great job recruiting this group of players from the beginning," Baldwin added. "One of the reasons we were able to sign a lot of these players was because of the efforts they put forth to develop relationships. I compliment our assistant coaches who did much of the groundwork for that.

"And we will be signing more players during the February signing period as well, with an emphasis on the passing game," Baldwin said.

Topping the class of recruits are quarterback Jackson Pavitt, who led Cardinal Newman (Santa Rosa) to the state 3-AA Division title, and wide receiver Kyrie Wilson, whose Pacifica (Oxnard) squad claimed the state 2-A Division championship.

Cal Poly, which captured the Big Sky championship in its first season in the conference (2012), won its 2019 season opener, Big Sky opener and season finale for a 3-8 mark, finishing tied for ninth place with four other teams in the 13-team Big Sky.

The Mustangs are 32-32 in their first eight years in the Big Sky and have claimed five conference titles in the last 16 years, including four in the eight-year existence of the Great West Conference (2004-11). Cal Poly has earned four NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoff berths since moving to Division I in 1994.

The Mustangs have won 67 of their last 94 home contests (71 percent) and, overall, Cal Poly has won 107 of its last 194 games (55 percent) going back to and including the 2002 finale.

Season tickets for the 2020 Cal Poly Football are on sale now and can be purchased in-person at the Cal Poly Ticket Office, by calling (805) 756-4849, or by clicking here.

The signees (listed alphabetically):

Austin Anderson, OL, 6-5, 255 San Ramon, CA (California High School) With Anderson on the offensive front as a senior under head coach Eric Billeci, California compiled a 7-4 record and qualified for the CIF-North Coast Section Division I playoffs. Anderson earned first-team All-East Bay Athletic League Mountain Division honors as an offensive lineman. VIDEO
Michael Briscoe, DB, 6-2, 195 Vacaville, CA (Vacaville High School) Briscoe made 37 tackles (24 solo) and caught 23 passes for 742 yards and six touchdowns as a senior under head coach Mike Papadopoulos at Vacaville High School. Briscoe also intercepted two passes, recovered a fumble and forced another, helping the Bulldogs to an 8-3 record, Monticello Empire League title and a berth in the second round of the CIF-Sac-Joaquin Section Division II playoffs. Briscoe earned first-team All-Monticello Empire League honors as both a cornerback and wide receiver and also was named the league's Back of the Year. As a junior, Briscoe made 26 tackles (18 solo), intercepted six passes, forced a fumble and recovered another en route to first-team All-Monticello Empire League honors as a cornerback. He also played basketball as a freshman at Vacaville.Also recruited by Weber State and Dixie State, Briscoe chose to come to Cal Poly "because there are literally no negatives when it comes to academics and coaching and, most importantly, every time I have come down to Cal Poly, I felt at home." VIDEO
Kyle Christensen, OL, 6-3, 263 Auburn, CA (Placer High School) As a center under head coach Joey Montoya at Placer High School in Auburn, Christensen was named Foothill Valley League Most Valuable Lineman this fall. He helped lead the Hillmen to a 10-3 overall record, including a first-place finish in the Foothill Valley League, and a runner-up finish in the CIF-Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoffs. In addition to his duties as an offensive lineman, Christensen earned 22 tackles on defense, including five for lost yardage and four sacks. As a junior, Christensen first-team All-Foothill Valley League honors as an offensive lineman and also was an All-Metro honorable mention. Also recruited by Oregon State, Nevada, UC Davis and San Diego, Christensen chose Cal Poly because of "the high-quality academics and brotherhood of the team." VIDEO
Ryan Hannoun, OL, 6-5, 285 Lancaster, CA (Paraclete High School) With Hannoun on the offensive front as a senior under head coach Dean Herrington, Paraclete compiled a 6-5 record and qualified for the CIF-Southern Section Division 3 playoffs. Hannoun was rated a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com and was a team captain for the Spirits this fall. He was a member of the 2019 Daily News Preseason All-Area Team and is expected to be named to the All-Gold Coast League first team on the offensive line. VIDEO
Jamarri Jackson, DB, 5-9, 180, Sacramento, CA (Christian Bros. HS/Coll. of San Mateo/Northern Arizona) Jackson has two years of eligibility remaining at Cal Poly after playing one season (2017) at College of San Mateo and one season (2018) at Northern Arizona. He is presently serving his redshirt year back at College of San Mateo to earn his AA degree. At College of San Mateo in 2017, Jackson made 44 tackles (37 solo), intercepted six passes and broke up eight others en route to first-team junior college All-American honors, helping the Bulldogs to an 11-2 record, including the National Division's Bay 6 League title and a 2-1 mark in the state playoffs, falling 16-12 to Fullerton College in the state championship game. The next year at Northern Arizona, Jackson played in 10 games with 11 tackles and three pass breakups. Jackson is a 2017 graduate of Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, where under head coach Daniel Carmazzi he produced a pair of 1,000-yard seasons rushing. He scored 27 touchdowns as a senior — 13 rushing, seven receiving, three by interception return, three more by kickoff return and one by punt return. Jackson rushed for 1,032 yards on 96 carries (10.8 yards per carry), caught 41 passes for 615 yards and made 44 tackles (32 solo) and intercepted six passes to lead the Falcons to an 11-3 record, Capital Athletic League title and runner-up finish in the CIF-Sac-Joaquin Section Division III playoffs. Jackson's career numbers include 2,473 yards and 46 touchdowns rushing, 90 receptions for 1,204 yards and 11 scores and, on defense, 70 total tackles (57 solo). His interception returns for touchdowns were 32 yards against Vista del Lago as a senior, 12 yards versus River City as a junior and 79 yards against River City as a sophomore. He returned a punt 41 yards for a score versus river City as a junior and his kickoff returns for touchdowns spanned 92 yards against Casa Roble as a senior, 91 yards versus Burbank, also as a senior, and 78 yards against Rosemont as a sophomore. Jackson had a 99-yard run for a touchdown against Rio Americano in 2016, taking a pitch two yards deep in the end zone. As a junior, Jackson rushed for 1,177 yards on 104 carries (11.3 yards per carry) and 15 touchdowns and caught 38 passes for 540 yards and six scores while, on defense, he recorded 33 tackles and seven interceptions. He was a first-team all-state selection as a sophomore and earned all-league and all-county honors as a junior and senior. He elected to come to Cal Poly because "I've played with five other guys on the team already, so it felt like home." VIDEO
Jeremy Justice II, DB, 6-2, 185 Apple Valley, CA (Apple Valley High School) Recruited as a defensive back, Justice also was a wide receiver under head coach Matt Rohrbaugh at Apple Valley High School. Justice recorded 94 total tackles (32 solo), including six for lost yardage and one sack, and also notched one quarterback hurry, two interceptions, forced two fumbles and recovered another fumble. He also caught 16 passes for 429 yards and five touchdowns. As a junior, Justice caught 19 passes for 297 yards and four scores and garnered 97 total tackles (28 solo), three for lost yardage (all sacks), and intercepted one pass. Apple Valley was 9-2 this fall, finishing second in the Mojave River League and earning a spot in the CIF-Southern Section Division 6 playoffs. A two-time first-team All-Mojave River selection, Justice also was recruited by Eastern Washington, UC Davis, Washington State, UNLV and San Diego State. He chose to be a Mustang because "the location is beautiful and the education is priceless. Plus the coaching staff and the players there are well motivated and dedicated to do big things and are willing to do anything to get there." VIDEO
David Meyer, LB, 6-3, 215 Mission Viejo, CA (Mission Viejo High School) Meyer recorded a team-leading 103 tackles (61 solo), including six sacks, as a senior outside linebacker under head coach Chad Johnson at Mission Viejo High School. Meyer also earned two quarterback hurries, intercepted a pair of passes, broke up two others, recovered a fumble and forced four others. Meyer helped the Diablos to an 11-1 overall record, South Coast League championship and a berth in the semifinal round of the CIF-Southern Section Division 1 playoffs. VIDEO
Jacob Oliphant, DB, 5-9, 165 Danville, CA (Monte Vista High School) Under head coach Matt Russi at Monte Vista High School in Danville, Oliphant twice returned an interception, kickoff and punt for touchdowns in a season. As a senior, he made 36 tackles (18 solo) and returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown versus San Leandro. As a wide receiver on offense, Oliphant caught 47 passes for 560 yards and four touchdowns. On special teams, Oliphant averaged 25.0 yards per kickoff return and 20.0 yards per punt return. He returned a kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown versus Foothill of Pleasanton and a punt 74 yards for a score, also against Foothill. Oliphant earned first-team All-East Bay Athletic League Mountain Division honors and also was named most valuable skill player. Monte Vista posted an 8-4 record this fall, finished tied for second place in the East Bay Athletic League's Mountain Division and reached the semifinal round of the CIF-North Coast Section Division I playoffs. As a junior, Oliphant earned second-team all-league honors after returning an interception (42 yards against Livermore), kickoff (90 yards versus Granite Bay) and punt (90 yards against San Ramon Valley) for touchdowns. Also recruited by Air Force, San Diego, Northern Arizona and Montana, Oliphant elected to continue his academic and athletic careers at Cal Poly (and continue to be a Mustang) because "I felt it was the best place for me, not only athletically, but also academically." VIDEO
Trevor Owens, DB, 6-1, 200, Chico, CA (Pleasant Valley High School/Butte College) Owens played two seasons and utilized a redshirt year at Butte College, where he made 28 tackles as a freshman in 2018 and 18 more tackles as a sophomore in 2019. Owens has two years of eligibility remaining. Also as a freshman, Owens intercepted two passes, broke up five others and forced a fumble. This fall, he intercepted one pass and broke up for others as Butte went 8-3 on the year, finishing second in the National Division's NorCal League and defeating College of Sequoias 38-28 in the Gridiron Classic Bowl. Owens is a 2017 graduate of Pleasant Valley High School in Chico, where under head coach Mark Cooley he garnered 20 tackles, one sack, two interceptions and five pass breakups as a senior, earning All-Eastern League honors. He also was a wide receiver, catching 32 passes for 456 yards and five touchdowns. The Vikings were 11-3 in 2016, co-champs of the Eastern League, claimed the CIF-Northern Section Division 2 title and California state Division 4-A champions with a 50-49 win over St. Anthony. As a junior, Owens made 30 tackles, intercepted four passes and broke up eight others. He also played basketball at Pleasant Valley, averaging 7.1 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game as a senior during the 2016-17 season. Sacramento State also recruited Owens and he chose Cal Poly because of "the location and education as well as the coaches. I think something big is coming next year." VIDEO
Jackson Pavitt, QB, 6-1, 190 Calistoga, CA (Cardinal Newman High School) Under head coach Paul Cronin at Cardinal Newman High School, Pavitt passed for over 5,200 yards and 60 touchdowns in his last two varsity seasons, leading the Cardinals to the CIF-North Coast Section Division 3 co-championship in 2018 and CIF-NCS Division IV title and state 3-AA crown this fall. Cardinal Newman was 14-1 this season and 11-1 last fall. During his senior season, Pavitt completed 200 of 292 passes (68.5 percent) for 2,750 yards and 30 touchdowns while also rushing for 744 yards on 148 carries, scoring 11 times. The three-star prospect, according to 247Sports, was intercepted just twice. Pavitt already has been named the North Bay League's Oak Division MVP and Player of the Year with many more honors to come in the next month. In the 31-14 win over El Camino of Oceanside in the state 3-AA title game, Pavitt completed 15 of 21 passes for 128 yards and one score while rushing for 181 yards on 21 trips, two for touchdowns. His statistics as a junior include 154 of 200 passing (77.0 percent) for 2,494 yards and another 30 touchdowns along with 552 yards on 95 rushes and 11 scores. Postseason honors include All-North Coast Section Second Team, Cal-Hi Sports All-State Junior Team and San Francisco Chronicle's 2018 All-Metro Second Team. He was primarily a safety as a sophomore, making 54 tackles (25 solo) with one interception, one fumble recovery and one forced fumble. In his junior and senior seasons combined, Pavitt produced a dozen 200-yard passing games with a personal-best performance against Encinal in 2018 when he completed 24 of 25 passes for 382 yards and six touchdowns. VIDEO I \| VIDEO II
Julian Reed, DB, 5-11, 175, Sacramento, CA (Grant High School/American River College) As a freshman under head coach Jon Osterhout at American River College this fall, Reed notched 11 tackles and a pair of interceptions in eight games, earning first-team All-National Division NorCal League honors. American River was 8-3 overall, won the NorCal League title and lost in the first round of the state playoffs to Modesto. Under head coach Mike Alberghini at Grant Union High School in Sacramento, Reed earned 63 tackles, intercepted five passes and forced a pair of fumbles during his senior season, earning All-Delta League first-team honors and Sacramento Bee All-Metro honorable mention praise. He also competed in track and field, earning a sixth-place finish in the 110-meter high hurdles at the state championships and claiming Delta League titles in the 110-meter hurdles as both a junior and senior. Reed was sixth-grade class valedictorian at Del Paso Elementary School. A part-time student at ARC in the Fall 2018 semester, Reed began his five-year NCAA clock in the Spring of 2019 and has four years remaining to play three seasons at Cal Poly. Also recruited by UC Davis and Southern Utah, Reed elected to transfer to Cal Poly "because of the amazing educational program that the school has to offer and the amazing people there." VIDEO
John Smolenski, DL, 6-5, 235 Phelan, CA (Serrano High School) Smolenski garnered 69 tackles (37 solo), including nine for lost yardage and five sacks, as a senior under head coach Casey Maholchic at Serrano High School. The Diamondbacks went 12-1 this fall, capturing the Mojave River League title and advancing to the semifinals of the CIF-Southern Section Division 7 playoffs. Smolenski also recorded three quarterback hurries, three pass breakups and one fumble recovery. His statistics as a junior included 56 tackles (31 solo), 10 for lost yardage and one sack along with three fumble recoveries and one forced fumble. VIDEO
Kyrie Wilson, WR, 5-11, 165 Oxnard, CA (Pacifica High School) Under head coach Mike Moon, Wilson helped Pacifica to Ventura County's first California state championship as a public school as the Tritons claimed the state Division 2-A title with a 34-6 victory over McClymonds last week. Wilson intercepted two passes and caught a touchdown pass in the game as the Tritons finished the year 15-1, second in the Pacific View League and CIF-Southern Section Division 6 champions with a 42-41 win over La Serna. For the season, Wilson collected 54 tackles (25 solo), including three for lost yardage and two sacks. He also notched three quarterback hurries, blocked one punt and intercepted three passes. As a wide receiver on offense, Wilson caught 37 passes for 755 yards and nine touchdowns. As a junior, Wilson caught 15 passes for 258 yards and five scores while making 23 tackles on defense. He also had 25 tackles as a sophomore, giving him 102 tackles in 37 career varsity games. VIDEO
Photo credits: Sportstarsmag.com, MaxPreps.com, Sacramento Bee, Hudl.com, Chico Enterprise-Record, Victor Valley Daily Press, East Bay Times, Orange County Register, Santa Rosa Press Democrat