New Rockets coach Campbell signs 27 players

Coach Matt Campbell announces his first recruiting class for the University of Toledo. THE BLADE/LORI KING Enlarge | Photo Reprints

There are many ways to measure the value of a football recruiting class, and the most telling, perhaps, boils down to the answer to one basic question.

Did a coaching staff land the players it wanted, or was it forced to settle for second and third options?

At the University of Toledo, first-year coach Matt Campbell and his assistants hit for a high percentage in compiling a class that Campbell officially unveiled Wednesday on national signing day. Of the 45 prospects the coaching staff brought on campus for an official visit, 27 of them -- 60 percent -- decided to be a Rocket. In recent seasons, UT's list of visitors was "well into the 50s," Campbell said.

"We hit on all cylinders early on," he said.

The end result was a class that Scout.com and Rivals.com ranked second best in the Mid-American Conference behind Temple. UT's classes in 2010 and 2011 were ranked No. 1 by at least one of the sites.

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The objective in comprising this class, Campbell said, was to "take our program from good to great."

The best way to do that, he believes, is being stout in the trenches. Campbell introduced four offensive linemen, including Whitmer's Storm Norton, and all are at least 6-foot-6.

Of his five new defensive linemen, four are three-star prospects. They are Allen Covington of Tampa, Treyvon Hester of Pittsburgh, Orion Jones of Tulsa, and Phillip Martin of Chicago. Defensive line coach Eli Rasheed told Rockets supporters Wednesday who attended a fan event at Savage Arena that if he can't get the group to play well, "Coach Campbell might be looking for a new defensive line coach."

"I know so many times you talk about this conference being a quarterback-driven conference, and there's no question that it is," Campbell said.

"But I think one of the areas that are key to the success of a football program and sustaining success is winning recruiting battles, and getting the right players on the offensive and defensive lines."

Wednesday was stress free for Campbell and his coaches. After securing two commitments Tuesday, from Dublin Coffman receiver Marcus Davis and junior college defensive back Cameron Cole, UT had no more spots to fill. None of its commitments wavered, and the coaches were able to relax by 9 a.m.

"To get those two pieces of the puzzle to finish off this class, I think, like anything, how you finish is so important," Campbell said. "I think we finished the right way."

Twenty-four of UT's recruits live within a four-hour radius of Toledo, and 21 attended a UT camp last summer.

Six recruits hail from Pittsburgh, with three of them attending Penn Hills, a high school that produced past UT star's Barry Church, Archie Donald, and Tyrell Herbert.

The class is made up of 11 three-star recruits, and a four-star recruit in Penn Hills receiver Corey Jones.

Campbell said a few members of the class might grayshirt because of academics, meaning they would not enroll in school until 2013.

Joining Norton in the class is his high school teammate, Whitmer running back Jody Webb. Webb is one of three running backs along with North Olmsted's Marc Remy, and Pittsburgh Central Catholic's Damion Jones-Moore.

Among the Rockets' four preferred walk-ons are St. John's Jesuit products Troy Favorite (offensive line) and Brandon Smith (kicker/punter).

"The day our staff got the job here three years ago we said we are going to win Toledo," Campbell said. "It's been priority No. 1. It always will be."

Toledo recruits

NamePos.Ht.Wt.Hometown (High School)

Brian BlackburnQB6-6225Detroit (Crockett)

Cameron ColeDB6-0190Cincinnati (LaSalle)

Jaylen ColemanLB6-0225Pittsburgh (University Prep)

Chris CollinsDE6-4270Cleveland (John Hay)

Allen CovingtonDT6-2272Tampa, Fla. (Armwood)

Marcus DavisWR5-10175Columbus (Dublin Coffman)

Brad DunavantP6-0195Rockwall, Tex. (Heath/.)

Mike EbertTE6-6240Sandusky (Perkins)

Juwan HaynesDB6-0185Pittsburgh (Central Catholic)

James HenryOL6-8255Columbus (Upper Arlington)

Treyvon HesterDT6-3290Pittsburgh (Penn Hills)

Corey JonesWR5-8165Pittsburgh (Penn Hills)

Orion JonesDL6-2270Tulsa (Jenks)

Damion Jones-MooreRB5-7180Pittsburgh (Central Catholic)

Danny LarkinsWR5-11190Madison Heights, Mich. (Madison)

Ray MarlowOL6-7323Dayton (Carroll)

Phillip MartinDL6-4275Chicago (Kenwood Academy)

Armani MillerWR6-0185Huber Heights (Wayne)

Chase MurdockLB6-0215Barrington, Ill. (Barrington)

Travis NeesDB5-11195Piqua (Piqua)

Storm NortonOL6-8310Toledo (Whitmer)

Paul PerschonOL6-6310Schaumberg, Ill. (Conant)

Marc RemyRB6-0186North Olmsted (North Olmsted)

Craig RunyanTE6-4230Marysville (Marysville)

Jody WebbRB5-9170Toledo (Whitmer)

Chaz WhitakerS6-2180Pittsburgh (Penn Hills)

Alex ZmolikTE6-5230Port Huron, Mich. (Port Huron)