July 26, 2010
STANFORD, Calif.-- Stanford Football announced the addition of 14 players to its roster after the initial Signing Day. Included in the class are all-state players from California; from the Midwest in Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri; from New Jersey; and from the Southeast in Alabama, Florida, North and South Carolina.
“This year for the first time, our roster at the start of Training Camp will be full at 105 men,” said Bradford M. Freeman Director of Football Jim Harbaugh. “I am very excited for this year’s freshman class because of the depth and quality, including these 14 post-Signing Day additions. They may not be as publicized, but they have come from near and far to fill a variety of positions and great needs. The most glaring attribute of this class is the quality and potential of contributors and future starters. We are thrilled and cannot wait to get started with them on the field August 9.”
Bay Area products include Menlo School's Brig Badger, Sacred Heart Prep's two-sport standouts, Chris Gaertner and Matt Walter and Bellarmine Prep's Kyle Olugbode. Badger, a safety for coach Mark Newton, made 92 tackles and caught 140 yards last season as a safety, linebacker and receiver for the Knights. Gaertner and Walter both played for Pete Lavorato, helping the Gators advance to the CIF playoffs last season. Gaertner, now a safety, was a first team all-league pick, who compiled 2,128 all-purpose yards and added 14 career interceptions. He ran for 13 touchdowns as a senior, averaging 7.1 yards per carry on the ground, while also setting the school-record in the long jump, at 20'6”. Walter was a first team all-league running back, rushing for a single-season record 1,705 yards with 23 touchdowns, who also sprinted to school records in the 100 (11.11) and 200-meter (22.7) dashes. Olugbode, a running back and safety for Mike Janda, was the league MVP and GoldenStatePreps.com NorCal Player of the Year, who rushed for 1,811 yards and 24 touchdowns last season.
The running back position will also feature another Northern California standout, Jackson Cummings, the Sierra Foothill League's MVP, who rushed for a single season record 2,406 yards with 39 touchdowns for Rocklin High. He rushed for a school-record 3,463 yards in his career, also scoring a record 56 touchdowns. Chesterfield (Missouri) native Lee Ward, who is listed as a fullback, was a two-time all-state linebacker and a two-time All-St. Louis metro selection, who made 141 tackles with six sacks and also rushed for 1,415 yards with 16 touchdowns.
David Olson will take snaps at quarterback after being an All-South Carolina pick and the region's player of the year out of Columbia's Irmo High. He threw for 1,857 yards with 18 touchdowns, running another five in.
The receiving core will add John Flacco (Audubon, N.J.), Brandon Gottfried (Orange Beach, Ala.) and Jeff Trojan (Huntinton Beach, Calif.). Flacco caught 1,000 yards and was a three-sport athlete, whose brother, Joe, is currently a quarterback with the Baltimore Ravens. Gottfried combined to catch 2,248 yards and 49 touchdowns as an all-state selection, while also averaging a double-double of 22.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. His father, Mark, was the Crimson Tide’s basketball coach from 1998 to 2009, while his cousin is Coach Harbaugh. Trojan was a two-time all-league selection out of Orange County, where he made 58 receptions for 897 yards with seven touchdowns.
The lines have also been bolstered in Marion (Iowa) native David Parry, an all-state defensive lineman who played in the Iowa Shrine All-Star game last season, and West St. Paul (Minn.) native Conor McFadden, a second team all-state offensive lineman.
Two more kickers have been added to the team in Miami (Fla.) native Juan Castellanos and Charlotte's Ben Rhyne. Castellanos launched a school-record 52-yarder last season and was an All Miami-Dade County selection in both football and soccer, where he scored 22 goals and added 22 assists. Rhyne was an all-state player, who set school-records for field goals made (13), percentage (81.3) and punting yards (1,885) last season.
The first day of practice for Stanford Football is August 9. The home opener against Sacramento State is September 4.
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A Look at This Year's AdditionsBrig Badger
Safety
5-11 / 190 / Freshman
Atherton, CA
Menlo School
Graduated from the Menlo School in Atherton, Calif….played for head coach Mark Newton…earned two varsity letters as a safety, linebacker and receiver…totaled 140 reception yards and was credited with 92 tackles as a senior…played on Menlo’s 2009 Central Coast Section Scholastic championship team…also lettered in basketball…helped Menlo to the 2009 Peninsula Athletic League and Central Coast Section titles…parents are James and Melissa Badger…has one older brother, Braden and one older sister, Brooke…born in Palo Alto, Calif….full name is Brigham Matteson Badger.
Juan Castellanos
Kicker
6-0 / 175 / Freshman
Miami, FL
Ronald Reagan/Doral Senior High School
Graduated from Ronald Reagan/Doral Senior High School in Miami, Fla….played for head coach John Lopez…played just one season of varsity football…made seven of nine field goal tries as a senior, including a school-record 52-yarder…all-county selection…Wendy’s Heisman nominee…also lettered in soccer…played midfield and forward…earned all-county honors as a senior after scoring 22 goals and adding 22 assists…Cambridge Scholar and Diploma recipient…Spanish Honor Society vice president…graduated in the top two percent of his class…Miami Herald’s Scholar-Athlete Award winner…parents are
Juan Castellanos and Claudia Del Rio…has one younger sister, Martina Castellanos…his cousin, Juan Miguel played soccer for the U.S. Military Academy…another cousin, Alvaro, swam at Penn State…born in Cartagena, Columbia…full name is Juan Carlos Castallanos.
Jackson Cummings
Running Back
5-9 / 195 / Freshman
Rocklin, CA
Rocklin High School
Graduated from Rocklin (Calif.) High School…played for head coach Greg Benzel…three-year varsity letterwinner as a running back…named Sierra Foothill League’s Offensive MVP as a senior after he rushed for single-season school record 2,406 yards and 39 touchdowns…averaged 160.2 yards per game and 7.04 yards per carry…also had 24 receptions for 249 yards and two touchdowns…also earned first team all-Sac Joaquin Section and Division II all-state honors…NorCalPreps.com Offensive Player of the Year…holds school career records for rushing (3,463 yards) and touchdowns (56)…rushed for a school single-game record 337 yards against Roseville…helped Rocklin to the Sierra Football League and CIF Sac-Joaquin Section championship as a senior…team won 14 straight games before losing to Servite, 33-30, on a last-second field goal in the CIF Division II state title game…also was an all-league performer in basketball…recipient of the American Citizenship, President’s Academic Excellence and Distinguished Community Service Awards…National Football Association and College Hall of Fame Inductee for Sacramento region…parents are Casey and Robin Cummings…has one younger sister, Delaney…father played football and his mother played field hockey at Northwestern…uncle, Patrick Cummings, played football at Minnesota and aunt, Jennifer Osborne, played field hockey at North Carolina…born in Evanston, Ill….full name is Jackson Cole Cummings.
John Flacco
Wide Receiver
6-2 / 180 / Freshman
Audubon, NJ
Audubon High School
Graduated from Audubon (N.J.) High School…played for head coach Jonathon Caputo…three-year varsity letterwinner as a wide receiver and middle linebacker…compiled over 1,000 receiving yards and averaged 150 tackles as a junior and senior from the middle linebacker’s position…invited to play in the Adam Taliafero Foundation All-Star Football Classic…also lettered in basketball and baseball…served as the valedictorian of his class…parents are Stephen and Karen Flacco…has four brothers, Joe, Michael, Brian and Thomas and one sister, Stephanie…brother Joe played quarterback at Delaware (2005-07) and is now with the Baltimore Ravens…brother Michael played professional baseball in the Baltimore Orioles system…born in Voorhees, N.J….full name is John Stephen Flacco
Chris Gaertner
Safety
6-0 / 185 / Freshman
Atherton, CA
Sacred Heart Preparatory
Graduated from Sacred Heart Preparatory in Atherton, Calif….played for head coach Pete Lavorato…three-year varsity letterwinner…played defensive back, tailback and was a return specialist during his varsity career…earned first team All-Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division honors as a senior…was a third team All-San Mateo County selection, as well…graduated with school records for career interceptions (14) and single-season all-purpose yardage (2,128)…rushed for 1,264 yards and 13 touchdowns in 178 carries as a senior…averaged 105 yards per game and 7.1 yards per carry…also caught 17 passes for 304 yards and one touchdown…averaged 25 yards per kickoff return…also totaled a single-season school record 2,128 all-purpose yards…had four interceptions and 14 pass breakups on defense…helped the Gators advance to the semifinals of the Central Coast Section Division IV playoffs…earned second team all-league and all-county honors as a junior in 2008…totaled 92 tackles, including 40 solo stops, as a free safety…also had five interceptions and 17 pass breakups…recovered three fumbles…averaged 38.6 yards per return with two touchdowns…finished with 39 tackles as a sophomore and led the league in interceptions with five...had three interceptions in one game to set a new single-game school record…helped the Gators to a first place finish in the PAL Ocean Division and a second place showing in the CCS small school division playoffs…also lettered in track and basketball…participated in the 4x100 relay, long jump, 300 hurdles, 400 meters and 4x400 relay…West Bay Athletic League champion in the long jump with a school-record leap of 20-6…also won the league title in the 300m hurdles…part of Sacred Heart’s 4x100m championship relay team…received the Newton Award for physics in 2009…also honored for academic achievement in U.S. literature and religious studies…PADI certified divemaster, rescue diver, among others...also is a black belt in shaolin kempo karate…parents are Chris and Jacqueline Gaertner…has one younger brother, Ryan…born in Greenwhich, Conn….full name is Christopher James Gaertner.
Brandon Gottfried
Wide Receiver
6-5 / 200 / Freshman
Orange Beach, AL
Gulf Shores High School
Graduated from Gulf Shores (Ala.) High School…played for head coach Mark Freeman…also attended American Christian Academy…three-year varsity letterwinner…played wide receiver, defensive back, tight end and long snapper…first team all-state selection as a senior…combined for 2,248 receiving yards and 49 touchdowns over his three-year varsity career…also lettered in basketball…averaged 22.8 points and 11.4 rebounds a game as a senior…earned academic honors in mathematics and Spanish…parents are Mark and Elizabeth Gottfried…his father played basketball at Alabama from 1984-87 and later coached the Crimson Tide from 1998-2009…has one younger sister and three younger brothers…cousin is Stanford head coach Jim Harbaugh…born in Los Angeles, Calif….full name is Brandon Joseph Gottfried.
Conor McFadden
Offensive Lineman
6-3 / 265 / Freshman
West St. Paul, MN
St. Thomas Academy
Graduated from St. Thomas Academy in Mendota Heights, Minn….played for head coach Dave Ziebarth…three-year varsity letterwinner who played center, left tackle and defensive tackle…Minneapolis Star Tribune first team All-Metro selection…Associated Press second team all-state pick…also earned academic all-state honors…helped St. Thomas to the Classic Suburban League title, section championship and state semifinal appearance as a senior…helped pave the way for the Cadets to average 415.0 yards per game on the ground…selected to play in the Minnesota High School All-Star Game…school winner of Wendy’s High School Heisman…commanded over 240 cadets as a battalion commander in his high school’s ROTC program…served as student body president…National Merit Commended Student…also lettered in tennis and hockey…parents are Michael and Mary Kate McFadden…born in Washington, D.C….full name is Michael Conor McFadden.
David Olson
Quarterback
6-3 / 223 / Freshman
Columbia, S.C.
Irmo High School
Graduated from Irmo High School in Columbia, S.C….played for head coach Bob Hanna…three-year varsity letterwinner as a quarterback…4A all-state selection by High School Sports Report…Region 5 AAAA Offensive Player of the Year…passed for 1,857 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior…also rushed for five touchdowns…also lettered in lacrosse and rugby…represented Irmo High School at the South Carolina Leadership Summit…parents are Bruce and Beverly Olson…has two older brothers, Aram and Jacob, and one younger sister, Alyssa…father played quarterback at Minnesota…born in Menomonee Falls, Wis….full name is David Joseph Olson.
Kyle Olugbode
Running Back / Safety
6-0 / 195 / Freshman
San Jose, CA
Bellarmine Preparatory
Graduated from Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, Calif….played for head coach Mike Janda…played running back and safety…2009 GoldenStatePreps.com NorCal Player of the Year as a senior…also was a first team all-state selection by GoldenStatePreps.com…earned second team all-state honors by MaxPreps…NorCalPreps.com first team selection…earned San Jose Mercury News, West Catholic Athletic League and Cal-Hi Sports Player of the Year honors following his senior season…rushed for 1,811 yards and 24 touchdowns on 259 carries as a senior…averaged 6.99 yards per carry…credited with 67 tackles and had four interceptions as a safety…helped the Bells to the CIF Division I state title game…rushed for 360 yards and six touchdowns as a junior en route to earning first team all-league honors…also lettered in basketball…2009 University of Miami Junior Book Award winner…parents are Kenny and Josephine Olugbode…has two younger brothers, Kristoffer and Kenneth and one younger sister, Maria…born in San Jose, Calif….full name is Kyle Hakeem Olakunie Olugbode.
David Parry
Defensive Tackle
6-2 / 295 / Freshman
Marion, IA
Linn-Mar High School
Graduated from Linn-Mar High School in Marion, Iowa….played for head coach Bob Forsyth…three-year varsity letterwinner as an offensive and defensive tackle…first team Iowa Newspaper Association 4A all-state offensive lineman as a senior…first team Iowa Preps (Rivals) Elite all-state selection…also earned first team All-Mississippi Valley Conference and All-Cedar Rapids Metro Area honors a senior…second team Des Moines Register all-state selection…recipient of Linn-Mar’s Lion Award as team most valuable player as a senior…helped Linn Mar to a 9-1 record and the Valley Division title…was selected to play in the Iowa Shrine All-Star Game following his senior season…earned first team all-conference honors as a junior…first team Iowa Preps (Rivals) all-state junior offensive linemen selection…earned second team All-Cedar Rapids Metro honors by the Cedar Rapids Gazette…second team Iowa Preps (Rivals) 4A all-state selection…earned team award for top lineman…parents are George and Elaine Parry…has one older brother, Georhe, who played football at Harvard from 2000-04…born in Carrollton, Texas….full name is David Robert Parry.
Ben Rhyne
Kicker
6-2 / 195 / Freshman
Charlotte, NC
Charlotte Country Day School
Graduated from Charlotte (N.C.) Country Day School…played for head coach Bob Witman…was a punter and kicker…NCISAA all-state punter as a senior…CISAA all-conference selection, as well…made 13 of 16 field goals and converted on 50 of 51 point after attempts as a senior…compiled a 40.0 punting average…set school records for most field goals made (13) and best field goal percentage (81.3) and most punting yards (1,885) as a senior…also lettered in swimming and lacrosse…Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Award winner as the school’s top math and science student…graduated in the top-10 of his class…Cum Laude Society member…parents are Al and June Rhyne…has one older brother, Bo and two younger sisters, Haley and Anna…father played football at Davidson College from 1976-79…grandfather played football at North Carolina from 1952-55…born in Charlotte, N.C….full name is Benjamin Greer Rhyne.
Jeff Trojan
Wide Receiver
6-3 / 190 / Freshman
Huntington Beach, CA
Edison High School
Graduated from Edision High School in Huntington Beach, Calif….played for head coach Dave White…three-year varsity letterwinner as a wide receiver and safety…two-time first team All-Sunset League selection…earned first team All-CIF Pac-5 Division honors as a senior…National Football Foundation/College Hall of Fame Scholar Athlete Award recipient…had 58 receptions for 879 yards and seven touchdowns as a senior…caught 88 passes for 1,360 yards and 12 touchdowns during his varsity career…also had six career interceptions…blocked three field goals as a senior…tied the school’s single-game record with 13 receptions…also lettered in basketball…Character Coalition Award recipient in 2007 and ’09…parents are Dean Trojan and Beth McCombs…has two younger brothers, Connor and Kyle and one younger sister, Katie…born in Mission Viejo, Calif….full name is Jeffrey Dean Trojan.
Matt Walter
Running Back
5-11 / 180 / Freshman
Portola Valley, CA
Sacred Heart Prep
Graduated from Sacred Heart Preparatory in Atherton, Calif….played for head coach Peter Lavorato…three-year varsity letterwinner who played defensive end, running back and linebacker during his varsity career…earned first team Peninsula Athletic League Bay Division and team MVP honors as a senior after rushing for a school single-season record 1,705 yards and 23 touchdowns…earned All-Ocean Division honors as a junior after rushing for 1,093 yards on 145 carries as a junior…also had seven receptions for 206 yards…rushed for 942 yards and 17 TDs as a sophomore…rushed for a school-record 3,740 yards and a school-record 48 touchdowns over his three-year prep career…also lettered in track and field and soccer…participated in the 4x100 relay, 100 and 200 meters…ran the second leg of Sacred Heart’s school record-setting 4x100 relay team (44.5)…also set school records in the 100 (11.11) and 200 meters (22.7)…2009 National Merit Award finalist…earned academic honors in Spanish and U.S. literature…parents are Ron and Sharon Walter…has one younger sister, Mackenzie…born in Palo Alto, Calif….full name is Matthew Todd Walter.
Lee Ward
Fullback
6-0 / 245 / Freshman
Chesterfield, MO
Parkway Central High School
Graduated from Parkway Central High School in Chesterfield, Mo….played for head coach Mark Goldenberg…three-year varsity letterwinner who played linebacker, power back and fullback over his varsity career…two-time all-state selection as a linebacker…Max Preps Junior All-America first team linebacker selection…selected to the St. Louis American’s All-America team as a junior and senior…two-time St. Louis Greater Metro selection…three-time Suburban South Conference selection…National Football Foundation Collegiate Hall of Fame (St. Louis chapter) scholarship recipient for exemplary play, character and academic achievements…had 141 tackles, six sacks, five forced fumbles and 28 tackles for loss as a senior…also rushed for 1,415 yards and 16 touchdowns…finished with 137 tackles, including 22 for loss, as a junior…finished his sophomore season with 109 stops…also lettered in track and field…three-year National Honor Society member…four-year member of Spanish Honor Society…inducted into the Foreign Language Hall of Fame…son of David and Mary Ward…has one older sister, Justine, who attends the University of Notre Dame…born in St. Louis, Mo….full name is Lee Francis Ward.
