SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State head football coach Bobby Petrino has added 17 players to the Bears roster for 2021, he announced Wednesday on the first day of the Division I early signing period.
Petrino’s class includes nine high school players, four junior college transfers and four other transfers. The group also consists of 11 offensive players (six offensive linemen, three running backs, a tight end and a wide receiver), along with six defensive standouts (three linebackers, two defensive backs and a defensive lineman). Two players – Nixa linebacker Steven Ward and Kansas City Rockhurst offensive lineman Brett Harris – are from the state of Missouri, while the class has players from nine different states and New Zealand.
“I’m really excited about the class we’re signing today,” said Petrino. “It was a great job by our assistant coaches in a very different year in terms of recruiting. They did a great job of evaluating and working on watching video and phone calls and background checks and finding out what the players are all about.
“I think we had a really good day. Seven in this class will come in this January. We may not be able to play all of them in the spring, but hopefully we can get waivers for many of them to help us right away.”
Petrino noted that his team will resume its 2020-21 season in January with workouts starting Jan. 11 and practices beginning Jan. 22. The Bears will begin Missouri Valley Conference play on Feb. 20 at North Dakota before hosting Illinois State at Plaster Stadium on Feb. 27.
Capsules of all 17 signees are below.
Andrew Cunningham, RB, 6-1, 215, So., Tampa, Fla. (Cambridge Christian High, Iowa Central CC)
Cunningham redshirted his first college season at Georgia Southern before transferring to Iowa Central Community College in 2019. He was a standout for coach Bob Dare at Cambridge Christian High in Tampa where he tallied more than 4,400 career rushing yards and 70 touchdowns in his prep career, averaging 9.0 yards per carry. His senior season for the 9-3 Lancers was cut short due to an injury after he accumulated 632 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. He racked up 1,500 all-purpose yards and 20 touchdowns during his junior campaign, earning second-team all-state honors from FloridaHSFootball.com at the 2A level.
Kendrick Davis, OL, 6-4, 300, Sr., West Bend, Wis. (East High, Fort Hays State)
Davis started nine games at right guard in 2019 at Fort Hays (Kan.) State before an injury cut his season short. Fort Hays did not play any games in the fall of 2020. During his junior season at FHS, he helped the Tigers average school records 41.4 points and 485.6 yards per game, which ranked 11th and 12th nationally at the Division II level. He played his first two seasons at Iowa Western Community College where he was a second-team all-region selection as a sophomore. Prepped at West Bend (Wis.) East High School for coach Tony Michels.
Udoka Ezeani, LB, 6-2, 207, Fr. Richmond, Texas (Foster High)
A highly-touted standout, Ezani led coach Shaun McDowell’s Falcons at Foster High in Richmond, Texas to an 8-2 season in 2020. He attended the Rivals Elite Camp in Houston in February.
Sean Fitzgerald, OL, 6-2, 290, Sr., Mt. Pleasant, Mich. (Mt. Pleasant Sr. High, Coastal Carolina)
Fitzgerald began the 2020 season No. 2 on Coastal Carolina depth chart at right guard and played in seven games this season for the Chanticleers. He played in 24 games during the 2018 and 2019 seasons, earning seven starts as a redshirt freshman in 2018. He was recognized on the Dean’s List, President’s List and Sun Belt Commissioner’s List for academic excellence during his career at Coastal. He spent his freshman season (2017) at Michigan. He was a four-year starter, three-time All-Saginaw Valley Conference pick and two-time all-state selection for coach Jason McIntyre at Mt. Pleasant (Mich.) Senior High. He was selected to play in the Blue-Gray All-American Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla., and Michigan East-West All-Star Game.
Nick Gallo, OG, 6-3, 285, So., Lewisville, Texas (Guyer High, Independence CC)
Gallo was on the squad at Independence (Kan.) Community College in 2020, but coach Kiyoshi Harris’ Pirates did not play any games in the fall season. He spent his freshman season at San Diego (Calif.) Mesa Community College. He was also a standout offensive lineman for coach John Walsh at Guyer High in Lewisville, Texas.
Brett Harris, OL, 6-6, 285, Fr., Kansas City, Mo. (Rockhurst High)
Harris was a Missouri Class 6 all-state second teamer in 2020 and a first-team all-district pick for coach Tony Severino at Kansas City Rockhurst High. He was also rated as a three-star recruit by 247Sports.com which also tabbed him the No. 29 player in Missouri. He had offers from North Dakota State, Ball State, Indiana State, Western Kentucky, Miami (Ohio).
Jordan Hoskins, LB, 6-0, 205, Fr., Detroit, Mich. (West Bloomfield High)
Hoskins earned OAA all-league accolades as a senior at West Bloomfield High in Detroit. He helped lead coach Ronald Bellamy’s Lakers to an 8-1 record his senior season. He also earned all-league and all-state honors as a senior. Hoskins is also a former national chess champion.
Mark Hutchinson, OL, 6-2, 280, Fr., Hayward, Calif. (Pittsburg High)
Was a first-team All-Bay Valley Athletic League selection in 2019 at Pittsburgh (Calif.) High for coach Victor Galli’s Pirates. He helped lead the Pirates to a conference title his senior season. He also earned a spot on the 2018 U.S. Under-16 National Team.
Tywuan Lee, RB, 6-2, 200, Fr., Hilliard, Fla. (Hilliard High)
Lee racked up 105.6 rushing yards per game as a senior for coach John Pate at Hilliard (Fla.) High in 2020. He helped Red Flashes to an 8-1 season his senior year, carrying 94 times for 845 yards and 11 touchdowns with five games over 100 yards. He rushed for 842 yards on 132 carries with 9 TD’s as a junior and compiled 308 yards on 49 carries his sophomore season with three scores and a pair of 100-yard games.
Tobias Little, RB, 6-0, 237, Sr., Atlanta, Ga. (Benjamin Mays High, Louisville)
Little will be a graduate transfer after completing his undergraduate degree at Louisville. He appeared in 13 career games for the Cardinals, including nine games in 2017 as a redshirt freshman fullback. He missed the 2018 season with an injury but returned in 2019 to make four appearances. He prepped at Benjamin Mays High in Atlanta for coach Corey Jarvis. He was rated as a three-star prospect by Rivals and ESPN and was the No. 49 rated player in Georgia his senior year. As a linebacker in high school, he tallied 167 career tackles with 63 tackles for loss and 104 stops his senior year alone. He had multiple high-major offers out of high school, including Clemson, Louisville, South Carolina, Mississippi State, Missouri and others.
Kyriq McDonald, DB, 6-0, 202, Jr., Huntsville, Ala. (James Clemens High, Cincinnati)
A transfer from Cincinnati, McDonald played in games against UCLA and Ohio State as a redshirt sophomore in 2019. He played two seasons at Alabama, redshirting his freshman year and seeing playing time in 11 games in 2018. He earned the coaching staff Special Teams Player of the Week twice in games against Mississippi State and Auburn. He was a four-star recruit by Rivals and three-star prospect by Scout, ESPN and 247sports his senior year at James Clemens High School in Huntsville, Ala. He brought down 66 ball carriers as a senior for coach Wade Waldrop with 3 interceptions, 12 tackles for loss and 11 pass break-ups as the No. 24 ranked CB nationally. He finished with 70 tackles, 8 interceptions, 5 blocked punts and 5 PBU’s as a junior. He had offers from Mississippi State, Louisville, Florida State and others before signing with Alabama.
Todric McGee, DB, 6-1, 195, Fr., Wichita, Kan. (Wichita Northwest High)
McGee was a Kansas 5A all-state defensive back in 2020, helping coach Steve Martin’s Grizzlies to a 10-1 season. He earned all-city and all-conference honors with 64 tackles 3 interceptions and 8 tackles for loss as a senior. He also brought down 88 ball carriers as a junior with 54 solos, 5.5 tackles for loss, 4 picks and 9 passes defended. He finished his prep career with 8 interceptions in 32 varsity games with 116 tackles, 13.5 for loss and 16 passes defended. He also had offers from Army, Air Force and Southeast Missouri State.
Davin Simms, WR, 6-0, 180, Fr., Wichita, Kan. (Andover Central High)
Simms caught 37 passes for 490 yards and 6 touchdowns as a senior for coach Derek Tuttle’s Jaguars at Andover Central High in Kansas. He earned Wichita Eagle 4A all-state honors after a 7-2 senior campaign. He played previously at Derby (Kan.) High for coach Brandon Clark. Dynamic players with great speed. A great deep threat and kick returner, Simms also had offers from South Dakota, Bryant, Brown and Fordham.
Ryan Suliafu, OL, 6-3, 325, So., Riverside, Calif. (Junipero Serra Catholic High, Riverside City College)
Suliafu burst onto the California juco scene in 2019, earning All-SCFA Southern first-team all-conference honors at center for coach Tom Craft at Riverside (Calif) City College. Riverside did not play any games in the fall of 2020. He helped lead coach Pat Harlow’s Lions at Junipero Serra Catholic High to a 9-3 record and CIF Division I playoff run his senior season in 2018.
Siale Suliafu, DL, 6-0, 279, Fr., Riverside, Calif. (St. Bernard High)
A California prep standout, Suliafu spent his senior season for coach Manuel Douglas at St. Bernard High in Playa del Rey, Calif. He earned CIF Division I all-state and All-Trinity League honors his junior year at Junipero Serra Catholic High.
Ron Tiavaasue, TE, 6-3, 244, Jr., Auckland, New Zealand (Akid Secondary, Snow College)
A transfer from Snow College in Utah, Tiavaasue caught 12 passes for 84 yards with a touchdown in just three games in 2019 for coach Andrew Mitchell’s Badgers. Snow did not play any games in the fall of 2020. He saw action in 9 games as a freshman in 2018. He was a three-star prospect by 247Sports.com and was the 14th ranked tight end nationally by 247sports. He also had offers from Southern Illinois, Southeastern Louisiana, New Mexico State, Louisiana Monroe, Akron, North Texas, North Dakota State and Central Arkansas.
Steven Ward, LB, 6-1, 205, Fr., Nixa, Mo. (Nixa High)
Named as the high school player of the year by the Springfield News-Leader, Ward helped lead Nixa High School’s defense to an 8-3 season in 2020 and a district title. Coach John Perry’s Eagles allowed just 15.4 points per game. In 2020, he brought down 143 ball carriers with 102 solo stops, 11 tackles for loss, 11 QB hurries and a pair of interceptions. He was a first-team all-state selection along with first-team all-district, all-conference and all-region.
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Yr. | Hometown | High School / Previous School |
| Andrew Cunningham | RB | 6-1 | 215 | So. | Tampa, Fla. | Cambridge Christian High / Iowa Central CC |
| Kendrick Davis | OL | 6-4 | 300 | Sr. | West Bend, Wis. | East High / Fort Hays State |
| Udoka Ezeani | LB | 6-2 | 207 | Fr. | Richmond, Texas | Foster High |
| Sean Fitzgerald | OL | 6-2 | 290 | Sr. | Mt. Pleasant, Mich. | Mt. Pleasant Sr. High / Coastal Carolina |
| Nick Gallo | OG | 6-3 | 285 | So. | Lewisville, Texas | Guyer High / Independence CC |
| Brett Harris | OL | 6-6 | 285 | Fr. | Kansas City, Mo. | Rockhurst High |
| Jordan Hoskins | LB | 6-0 | 205 | Fr. | Detroit, Mich. | West Bloomfield High |
| Mark Hutchinson | OL | 6-2 | 280 | Fr. | Hayward, Calif. | Pittsburg High |
| Tywuan Lee | RB | 6-2 | 200 | Fr. | Hilliard, Fla. | Hilliard High |
| Tobias Little | RB | 6-0 | 237 | Sr. | Atlanta, Ga. | Benjamin Mays High / Louisville |
| Kyriq McDonald | DB | 6-0 | 202 | Jr. | Huntsville, Ala. | James Clemens High / Cincinnati |
| Todric McGee | DB | 6-1 | 195 | Fr. | Wichita, Kan. | Wichita Northwest High |
| Davin Simms | WR | 6-0 | 180 | Fr. | Wichita, Kan. | Andover Central High |
| Ryan Suliafu | OL | 6-3 | 325 | So. | Riverside, Calif. | JSerra Catholic High, / Riverside City College |
| Siale Suliafu | DL | 6-0 | 279 | Fr. | Riverside, Calif. | St. Bernard High |
| Ron Tiavaasue | TE | 6-3 | 244 | Jr. | Auckland, New Zealand | Akid Secondary / Snow College |
| Steven Ward | LB | 6-1 | 205 | Fr. | Nixa, Mo. | Nixa High |
