University of Massachusets Athletics
UMass Adds Seven Newcomers For Spring Football
January 31, 2005 | Football
Jan. 31, 2005
AMHERST, Mass. - UMass has announced the addition of seven players to its football roster for the start of spring practice. Six of the players are transfers including five from Division I-A. The other player joins the program after attending prep school in the fall semester.
UMass head coach Don Brown is pleased to welcome: offensive lineman Brent Caldwell (Clarmore, Okla./Tahlequah H.S./ Syracuse), offensive lineman Jon Carnes (Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough H.S./Rutgers), wide receiver Victor Cruz (Paterson N.J./Paterson Catholic/Bridgton Academy), running back Shawnn Gyles (Ayer, Mass./Ayer H.S./Northeastern), quarterback Taylor Humphrey (Orinda, Calif./Miramonte H.S./Hawaii), defensive back Michael Meggett (Brooklyn, N.Y./Fort Hamilton/West Virginia) and defensive lineman Lateef Taylor (Cambridge, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin/Cincinnati).
"Obviously this groups increases our depth at all positions," said Brown, who led the Minutemen to a 6-5 season in his first as the head coach at UMass. "Competition breeds success and all of these players will have chances to earn playing time in their careers at UMass."
Brent Caldwell
Offensive Lineman • 6-3 • 299
Senior (One year of eligibility remaining to play in one year)
Clarmore, Okla./Tahlequah H.S./Syracuse
At Syracuse: Saw his only game action in 2003 when he played in six games against Central Florida, Toledo, Boston College, Temple, Notre Dame, and at Virginia Tech ... Made the travel roster for all 12 games ... Did not participate in any games in 2002, his redshirt freshman season ... Did not play in 2001, as he redshirted.
At Tahlequah High School: All-state and all-district honoree at offensive guard as a senior ... Northeastern Oklahoma Team Camp Lineman of the Year in 2000 ... 6A-4 Lineman of the Year ... Tulsa World All-Star ... Muskogee Phoenix All-Star ... Daily Oklahoma All-Star ... Played in 2001 Lion's Club All-Star game ... Team captain as a senior ... Four-year football letterwinner.
Personal: Brent R. Caldwell ... Born November 30, 1982, in Clarmore, Okla. ... Son of Dawn Caldwell.
Jon Carnes
Offensive Lineman • 6-4 • 279
Sophomore (Three years of eligibility remaining in play in three years)
Hillsborough, N.J./Hillsborough H.S./Rutgers
At Rutgers: Spent two seasons at Rutgers, did not play in any games.
At Hillsborough High School: Strong lineman who served as team captain for Hillsborough in 2002 ... Was a three-year starter on the offensive and defensive line ... Named to the All-Area third team and All-County second team as a senior ... Was also a first team All-Conference pick under head coach Rich Mantz ... Member of the 2000 State Championship team.
Personal: Jonathan W. Carnes ... Born December 26, 1984, in New Jersey ... Son of Fran and Curt Carnes.
Victor Cruz
Wide Receiver • 6-0 • 190
Freshman (Four years of eligibility remaining to play in five years)
Paterson, N.J./Paterson Catholic H.S./Bridgton Academy (Maine)
At Bridgton Academy: Spent the fall at Bridgton Academy for a post-graduate semester.
At Paterson Catholic High School: Two-way star in high school at wide receiver and defensive back for the Parochial Group 1 champions ... All-State honoree as a senior ... Played for head coach Benjie Wimberley at Paterson Catholic High School in Paterson, N.J. ...Helped the team go undefeated (11-0) in 2003 ... Made 42 catches for 731 yards ... Totaled 19 touchdowns his senior year, including 15 receiving, one rushing, one on a punt return, one on a kick return and one on an interception return ... Scored two of those scores in less than 30 seconds on an interception and a kickoff return ... A first team All-North Jersey, first-team All-Passaic County, first team All-B.P.S.L., first team Parochial All-State and second-team Associated Press All-State selection ... Played in the North-South All-Star Football Classic at Rutgers Stadium ... Also a member of the basketball team, he played on an AAU squad with current UMass men's basketball guard Art Bowers.
Personal: Victor Cruz ... Born November 11, 1986 in New Jersey ... Son of Blanca Cruz ... Joins fellow Paterson resident Cesar Rosario at UMass.
Shawnn Gyles
Running Back • 6-0 • 180
Junior (Two years of eligibility remaining to play in three years -- will sit out the 2005 season)
Ayer, Mass./Ayer H.S./Northeastern
At Northeastern: Played two seasons for the Huskies including his freshman season under current UMass head coach Don Brown in 2003 ... In 2004, finished ninth in the Atlantic 10 in average yards per kick return (22.6) with 361 yards on 16 returns ... Also carried the ball 48 times for 187 yards (3.9 average) and one touchdown ... Had 63 yards rushing and 44 yards receiving with a touchdown in the Cheyney victory on Sept. 4 ... Caught five passes for 69 yards including one touchdown -- the game-winning score in 34-30 win over Villanova ... also threw a touchdown pass to Shane Hopkins on a halfback option play on Homecoming against New Hampshire ... In 2003, appeared in all 12 games ... Finished fourth on the team in carries (57), rushing yards (396) and touchdowns (six)... Topped NU in yards per carry (6.9) among players with at least 50 attempts... Finished seventh in the Atlantic 10 in kickoff return average (22.1)... Had one of the best debut performances in NU history, rushing five times for 172 yards and four touchdowns, tying the school mark for most TDs by a freshman set by Gary Benoit on Oct. 16, 1982...also had a career-long 46 yard kick return and a four-yard reception, giving him 222 all-purpose yards on the day... Included in that was an 87-yard run to paydirt, the Huskies' longest play from scrimmage all season... Carried the ball seven times for 49 yards and a touchdown the next week in a 51-0 thrashing of Albany... Rushed 12 times for 83 yards and a score and brought back three kickoffs for 88 yards versus William & Mary ... Returned four kicks for a career-high 91 yards at Harvard.
At Ayer High School: Played four seasons of football at Ayer High School... Four-year starter as a standout running back on offense and a free safety on defense... Captained the team as a senior... Named Team MVP for two consecutive years... Voted league MVP after senior campaign... Selected to play in the Shriners All-Star Game as a senior... Named to Worcester Telegram & Gazette Super Team and the newspaper's Offensive Player of the Year as a senior... Also Lowell Sun Offensive Player of the Year... Broke a Central Massachusetts record with 36 touchdowns in his final season; rushed for over 1700 yards and had 643 receiving on 25 catches... Had over 4000 career rushing yards and nearly 1500 receiving with over 60 total TDs... Ran track all four years of high school... Was captain of the track team for two years.
Personal: Shawnn N. Gyles ... Born December 25, 1984 in Dorcester, Mass.
Taylor Humphrey
Quarterback • 6-0 • 205
Freshman (Four years of eligibility remaining to play in four years)
Orinda, Calif./Miramonte H.S./Hawaii
At Hawaii: Did not see action in any games as a true freshman ... Served as a back-up to Timmy Chang, the NCAA's all-time leading passer.
At Miramonte High School: A 2004 graduate of Miramonte High School in Orinda, Calif... Earned two letters in football and one in lacrosse... Comes from a long line of quarterbacks out of Miramonte which includes Marc Guillon of Alabama, Adam Smith of Duke, Drew Bennett of UCLA and currently a receiver with the Tennessee Titans, and Ken Dorsey of Miami, who is now with San Francisco 49ers... Broke Miramonte's career passing record, formerly held by Dorsey... Passed for more than 5,500 yards and 46 touchdowns in his prep career... Passed for 920 yards and completed 72 percent of his passes to lead his team to its second straight North Section championship... Named regional All-American by Prep Star and section All-American by CalHiSports.com... Named to San Francisco Chronicle's all-Metro team, the Contra Costa Times Cream of the Crop and ANG's all-star quarterback... Tabbed all-state and the North Coast Section Player of the Year... Also selected as the team's offensive MVP... Bench presses 275 pounds, squats 400 pounds and runs a 4.67 40-yard dash... An honor-roll student.
Personal: William Taylor Humphrey ... Born April 28, 1986 in Orinda, Calif... Son of Cindy and Bill Humphrey.
Michael Meggett
Defensive Back • 6-1 • 205
Freshman (Four years of eligibility remaining to play in four years)
Brooklyn, N.Y./Fort Hamilton H.S./West Virginia
At West Virginia: Did not see action in any games with the Mountaineers after enrolling at the school last January
At Fort Hamilton High School: Earned first team all-city and all-state honors as a senior free safety for Coach Vince Laino ... Produced 251 career solo tackles and 11 interceptions on defense, and caught 71 passes for 1,499 yards and 10 touchdowns as a wide receiver on offense ... Was named to the Heisman tri-state all-star team and was the Iron Horse player of the year for New York City ... Rivals.com listed him as the nation's 57th-best free safety and Insiders.com rated him the nation's 106th-best safety prospect ... Was considered one of the top 150 players in the East by PrepStars Magazine. Was recognized as one of the top 10 players in New York by SuperPrep.
Personal: Michael A. Meggett ... Born November 28, 1985 in Brooklyn, N.Y. ... grandson of Priscilla Knox ... Is a second cousin of former NFL standout returnman Dave Meggett.
Lateef Taylor
Defensive Lineman • 6-0 • 290
Sophomore (Three years of eligibility remaining to play in three years)
Cambridge, Mass./Cambridge Rindge & Latin H.S./Cincinnati
At Cincinnati: In two seasons with the Bearcats, did not see any game action, redshirting in 2003.
At Cambridge Rindge & Latin High School: Earned six letters in football and wrestling ... played defensive tackle his junior and senior years under the coaching of Kuane Dixon... Helped wrestling team to three league championships... Finished second in the sectional tournament and third in the state tourney at 275 pounds... Two-time league wrestling all-star... Earned school's Book Award and Graphic Design Award... Member of the Black Student Union.
Personal: Lateef R. Taylor ... Born March 30, 1985 in Denver, Colo. ... Son of Linda Mizell and Demetrius Taylor.
Players Mentioned
