UC recruit knows triple option offense

UC recruit knows some triple-option attack
Feb. 9, 2007

By Jack Bogaczyk
Charleston Daily Mail

The University of Charleston finished its 2007 football recruiting in one day, punctuated with a quarterback that intrigued several Division I-A Mid-American Conference schools as a defensive back.

The Golden Eagles' 34-player list was completed late Wednesday with four additions, one faxed from 275-pound defensive tackle Micah Waiamau of Ewa Beach, Hawaii.

"I told (UC Athletic Director) Tom Nozica I might have to fly out there personally and recruit next year," UC Coach Tony DeMeo said kiddingly.

From closer to Charleston will arrive perhaps the most intriguing player in DeMeo's third UC signing class and a legitimate player in what figures to be a wide-open Golden Eagles' scramble for a starting quarterback in 2007.

Jay Julian, a 6-foot, 170-pound quarterback from Shawnee High in Springfield, Ohio, picked UC partly because he ran a good portion of DeMeo's triple gun option attack in high school.

Some MAC schools were interested in Julian for the secondary, where he was a four-year high school starter.

"He wanted to play quarterback," DeMeo said. "He's really special ... great speed. He can be a big-time player at this (NCAA Division II) level."

Julian was the Springfield area (suburban Dayton, Ohio) offensive player of the year in 2005, when he passed for 1,933 yards and 15 touchdowns, and rushed for 729 yards and seven scores.

Julian was injured for much of his senior season, but still posted 1,214 yards total offense and 16 touchdowns in six games.

The 6-foot Waiamau played at Kapalama High in Ewa Beach. UC's other two final signees are 5-9, 175-pound running back/slotback Brian Lee of Atlanta's Landmark Christian School and 6-3, 285-pound offensive lineman George Ford of Zephyrhills, Fla. (Wesley Chapel High).

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UC WILL open the 2007 season at home on Aug. 25 against Tusculum (Tenn.), DeMeo said. The Golden Eagles will play six home games in an 11-game schedule, which finishes with eight West Virginia Conference dates in nine weeks (one open date).

UC visits Findlay (Ohio) on Sept. 1, before Elizabeth City (N.C.) State comes to UC Stadium on Sept. 8. UC has West Virginia Conference home games with West Virginia Wesleyan, Concord, West Liberty and Glenville State, and plays at defending champion Shepherd, West Virginia State, Fairmont State and Seton Hill.

Charleston opens spring practice March 26, and will hold a controlled scrimmage (no spring game) to end drills on April 21, as part of a two-day UC high school coaches' clinic.