After a 2004 Panther football season that saw many changes in the football program, coach Henry Frazier III and his staff seem to have not missed a beat already getting spring practice underway, and by increasing their national letters of intent list to 23. This year’s list ranges in diversity with 18 of the 23 players coming from high schools, while the other 5 players are transfers from junior colleges and other 4-year institutions.
Ever since Prairie View A&M has been able to obtain and give football scholarships a few years back, the program has been progressing rapidly, as opposed to the years when the football program received no scholarships and as a result put together the longest losing streak in college football history.
Coach Frazier has a different mind set for the 2005 football season, looking to back up his successful 2004 inaugural campaign that saw the Panthers defeat rival Texas Southern after 16 years, average 24 points per game, and come away with three victories on the season.
When asked how the first day of signing went Frazier replied, “It has been an extremely exciting day for Panther football. “We got most of the student-athletes that we wanted to bring into our program and I feel we addressed the essential needs of our football team. We recruited some definite impact players, many of whom will be able to step in and contribute immediately for us.”
Ten of the 23 athletes planning to play at Prairie View come from the state of Texas, four from the state of Maryland, two from Missouri, two from Louisiana, and one each from California, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Arizona.
The names of the new panthers are as follows: Trey Battie (OL 6-5, 320), Bakarie Bayoh (DE 6-4, 245), Thurman Brown (OL, 6-6, 330), Barry Davis (CB 6-2, 185), Efren Edwards Jr. (LB 6-1, 210), Jason Fobbs (DB, 5-10, 180), Vallice Ford (ATH 6-1, 190), Adam Galbreath (WR, 6-1, 200), Che’ Keeton (WR, 5-11, 185), Prince Ledbetter (DB 5-11, 180), Adrian Logan (DL 6-4, 290), Rashad Maybin (DT 6-2, 280), Trent Nickerson (FS 6-3, 195), Clannel Phillips (DL 6-2, 285), Mario Ramos-Sanchez (PK, 6-1, 180), Trevor Sanders (DE 6-4, 235), Courtney Smith (DE 6-3, 225), Jonathan Smith (ATH 5-10, 180), Brandon Whitby (QB, 6-2 195), Marlon White (DB 5-11, 175), Alfred Wiley (CB, 5-9, 170), Jermaine Wright (DB, 5-10, 170), and Wesley Yarborough (OL, 6-3 290).
Last season the Panther football team placed two players on the All-SWAC football squad with punter Eric Hernandez making first-team All-SWAC, joined by free safety Santana Lane making second-team All-SWAC. Head coach Henry Frazier III and his staffs are putting all the pieces together to attempt to make a successful run at a winning season in 2005.