ECU picks up three JUCOS for next season: We have bios on JUCOS

from Jim Modlin in Greenville, N.C. at the Governor’s Inn:

Three Junior College Transfers Will Enroll at ECU in January and Participate in Spring Practice

EAST CAROLINA FOOTBALL ANNOUNCES MID-YEAR SIGNEES

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Three junior college transfers have signed mid-year national letters-of-intent to attend and play football at East Carolina University, head coach Skip Holtz announced Friday.

Quarterback Dominique Davis from Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College, safety Bradley Jacobs from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and offensive lineman Diavalo Simpson from East Mississippi Community College have all joined the Pirate program and will enroll at ECU in January.

While preparing his team for an AutoZone Liberty Bowl matchup against Arkansas Jan. 2, Holtz took immediate measures to help offset the loss of seven seniors off the Pirates’ current depth chart at the quarterback, safety and offensive line positions by signing the trio of newcomers.

“When you look at the bulk of seniors and the amount of experience that will be graduating, we felt it was really important to bring some junior college players in with this class,” Holtz said. “I think we got three really good players and people.”

Davis, who opened his collegiate career at Boston College and experienced action for the Eagles in 2008 as a redshirt freshman, engineered the nation’s top junior college offense at FSCC last fall with a 492.0 yards-per-game average. Jacobs and Simpson each played major roles in separate, but back-to-back divisional titles in the Mississippi Association of Community & Junior Colleges (MACJC) and helped guide their programs to No. 8 and No. 4 national rankings, respectively.

“They’re coming in to fill some needs for us,” Holtz added. “We have not made the junior college route a steady part of what we do here, but we have gone that way in cases of need. This year, our biggest needs were at safety, on the offensive line and at quarterback. I feel really good about the three guys that we signed. Having them here in January is a huge bonus because they will have an opportunity to go through spring ball.”

The Pirates have captured consecutive Conference USA championships and will make their fourth-straight bowl appearance – a first in school history. East Carolina will also vie for its 10th win of the season against the Razorbacks, a mark that has not been reached since the 1991 team claimed 11 victories.

The AutoZone Liberty Bowl will be broadcast on ESPN with the kickoff set for 5:30 p.m. (ET).

— GET BIOS–

2009 EAST CAROLINA FOOTBALL MID-YEAR SIGNEE BIOS

Dominique Davis, QB, 6-4, 210, Lakeland, Fla. (Fort Scott CC/Kathleen High School)

Fort Scott CC (2009): Led Greyhounds to No. 2 national ranking in the final National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)/JCFootball.com poll after his team completed the year with an 11-1 mark … Helped the Fort Scott offense lead the NJCAA in total offense (492.0 ypg) … Ranked 36th among all NJCAA quarterbacks in passing yards per game at 122.25 … Named Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Offensive Player-of-the-Week Sept. 26 … Completed 113-of-215 passes during the season for 1,467 yards and eight touchdowns … Also rushed for 12 TDs. Boston College (2008): As a redshirt freshman in 2008, took over for the injured Chris Crane midway through the second quarter at Wake Forest (11/22) and started the last three games, including the ACC Championship … During the season, completed 63-of-138 passes for 741 yards with six touchdowns and four interceptions … Against Vanderbilt in the Music City Bowl, completed 15 passed for 190 yards and two touchdowns … In the ACC Championship Game against Virginia Tech, threw for a career-high 263 yards … After taking over against Wake Forest, engineered a nine play, 70-yard drive for the come-from-behind win as he ran for the game-winning one-yard touchdown with 1:12 left in the game. Personal: Full name is Dominique D. Davis … Born July 17, 1989 … Son of Rena Davis … Brother Desmond Clark plays tight end for the NFL’s Chicago Bears.

Bradley Jacobs, S, 5-10, 190, Long Beach, Miss. (Mississippi Gulf Coast CC/Long Beach High School)

Mississippi Gulf Coast CC: Helped team finish the season ranked No. 8 in the final National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)/JCFootball.com poll … Bulldogs went 19-5 during his two seasons, which includes a pair of Mississippi Association of Community & Junior Colleges (MACJC) South Division championships … Served as a key member of a program that captured an overall MACJC title and a Mississippi Bowl win in 2008 … Played an integral role in the Bulldogs’ national top 10 statistical standings in total defense (10th) and rushing defense (6th), while also contributing to a No. 29 rank in fewest passing yards allowed. Personal: Born April, 26, 1990 … Brother Brandon was a four-year (2002-05) letterman as a running back at Ole Miss.

Diavalo Simpson, OL, 6-3, 275, Moss Point, Miss. (East Mississippi CC/Moss Point High School)

East Mississippi CC: Starting left tackle who led the Lions to a No. 4 national ranking in the final 2009 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)/JCFootball.com poll after his team completed the year with an 11-1 mark – the most victories in school history … Played key role in EMCC’s 41.3 scoring average during a season-ending eight-game win streak that included a 27-24 triumph over Arizona Western College in the Mississippi Bowl on Dec. 6 … Helped Lions capture their first-ever Mississippi Association of Community & Junior Colleges (MACJC) state title in ‘09 and back-to-back MACJC North Division championships (’08-09) after rolling to a 12-0 composite divisional record … Anchored a line that allowed East Mississippi to rank in the top three in the NJCAA in total offense and passing both seasons … Protected first-team all-America quarterback Randall Mackey … Lions went 19-3 in his two seasons under head coach Buddy Stephens, who also serves as the team’s offensive line coach. Personal: Born April 6, 1990 … Nickname is Boogie.