JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville State head football coach Rich Rodriguez and his staff announced the addition of 14 players to their latest signing class on National Signing Day Wednesday.
 
The Gamecocks, who are gearing up for their first season in Conference USA and in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) this fall, signed 11 high school players on Wednesday and announced three transfers that joined the team in January. That brings their total 2023 signing class to 28 after they signed 14 in December's early signing period.
 
"We added 14 guys to the program and will also add 10 or 12 preferred walk-ons that re really good players that we will be announcing later, as well," Rodriguez said. "So I thought our staff did a really good job. There's obviously a lot of transition going on with the move up to FBS and moving to a new conference. And we're selling the new facility that is going to get started here pretty soon, so there is a lot going on."
 
The three transfers that are already with the team are senior wide receiver Jamarye Joiner from Arizona, junior safety Austin Ambush from Maine and junior running back J'Wan Evans from San Mateo College in California.
 
Joiner is a player that signed with Rodriguez and current Jax State offensive coordinator Rod Smith as a quarterback out of high school and will now play his final season for the duo in Jacksonville. Ambush brings three seasons of experience from Maine, while Evans is a playmaker that had a lot of success at the junior college level.
 
Wednesday was about getting bigger on the offensive line and about adding some athleticism in the defensive backfield, according to Rodriguez. Jax State signed four offensive linemen with a lot of size in Kaiden Arnold (6-7, 335), Bryce Causey (6-7, 315), Marvin Lee (6-6, 310) and Cameron Griffin (6-4, 300). They join two signees from December in Daveion Harley (6-2, 305) and Maddox Sunderman (6-4, 300) to round out an offensive line class that will add size to the roster immediately as Jax State moves into FBS.
 
"(Offensive Line Coach Rick) Trickett knew that we needed some size and he got that and we have our eye on some other guys," Rodriguez said. "We knew that we had to get bigger up front, but the big thing is we wanted to we got guys that are athletic and can move. They're all big, athletic guys. We have to get them stronger, but we will get them in the weight room and teach them technique."
 
Ambush is already working with the Jax State defensive backfield and will be joined by a pair of prep safeties in Nehemiah Pgouda and Zechariah Poyser that signed on Wednesday. Also added is corner Geimere Latimer, who Rodriguez says can help at multiple positions.
 
"Safety was probably our thinnest defensive position," Rodriguez said. "We knew that we needed a whole bunch of guys there, and we signed some guys that we think can help us there. They are bigger, taller athletic guys."
 
Also signing with the Gamecocks were a pair of defensive ends/bandits in Tae Floyd and Shane Payton Hodges, guys that Rodriguez described as big and athletic. On offense, speedy receiver Jaylen Williams and a talented quarterback in Cam Vaughn round out the class that inked on Wednesday.
 
Rodriguez said that his staff will continue to look for possible additions through the transfer portal as teams work through and finish their spring practices. With the move to C-USA and its recently announced national television package, as well as the things going on at Jax State, it will become an easier sell to potential recruits.
 
"I think it's going to be easier for us in the future to sell Jax State, our brand, and what we have, because we haven't done anything to our facility, yet," he added. "That will get started pretty soon, and we haven't been in Conference USA on national TV yet. Well, that's going to be addressed this fall, so it's all going to change, not just for our program but for our university."
 
The Gamecocks will play all of their October C-USA during the week and will play all of them in front of a national television audience, something Rodriguez knows will enhance the exposure for Jax State to new levels.
 
"I mean, you're talking about five, six, seven national TV games and four or five of them in midweek, where the whole country can watch you," he said. "I think, as far as the branding for the school, the branding for our program, all of that is going to be more recognizable this fall than it is right now."
 
The Gamecocks are currently conditioning in preparations for Spring practice, which will officially begin on March 4 and culminate with the spring game on Thursday, April 13 at Burgess-Snow Field.