Cal Poly’s initial recruits in the Early Signing Period for the Class of 2019 Signees features a transfer from Washington State, another from the community college ranks and a quartet of high school student-athletes.
An offensive lineman, defensive back, wide receiver and kicker from the high school ranks all signed a National Letter of Intent while D’Angelo McKenzie, the transfer from Washington State, and Dominic Splan of City College of San Francisco inked financial aid tenders.
The announcement was made Wednesday by 11th-year Mustang football coach Tim Walsh and Cal Poly director of athletics Don Oberhelman in the Cal Poly Football Office.
The Early Signing Period for Division I football lasts just three days. Also opening on Wednesday was the Midyear Community College Transfer Signing Period, which lasts until Jan. 15. The Regular Signing Period is slated for Feb. 6 through April 1.
The recruits hail from Arroyo Grande, San Jose, San Diego, Bakersfield, Tracy and La Habra.
In addition, Dusty Frampton, a Saint Mary’s (Stockton, Calif.) High School graduate who signed a National Letter of Intent a year ago but has utilized a grayshirt year, will enroll at Cal Poly in January.
“We are excited to announce six signees, and one grayshirt in this early period,” said Walsh. “This early signing period is good for us to find young men that fit our Cal Poly profile and want to be Mustangs. We feel this group gives us a great start to 2019 recruiting and having the ability to add three to the roster immediately is something we wanted to accomplish.
“Frampton tore his ACL a year ago and has rehabbed and is now ready to enter as a true freshman at the H position vacated by Joe Protheroe,” Walsh added. “He was a big tailback in high school and earned allstate honors after his junior and senior years.
Frampton rushed for 1,648 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2017 and 2,345 yards and 42 scores as a junior in 2016, shattering school rushing records. He averaged 8.3 yards per carry in 2017 and 9.1 yards in 2016.
“We’re looking forward to seeing all these you men in the Green and Gold,” Walsh added. “This is a great start for Cal Poly football and our future immediate success. We look forward to completing the signing class with 12 more in February.”
Cal Poly, which captured the Big Sky championship in its first season in the conference (2012), won four of its final six games of the 2018 campaign to finish 5-6. The Mustangs, 4-4 for a sixth-place tie with Montana in the 13-team league, is 30-26 in its first seven years in the Big Sky, have claimed five conference titles in the last 15 years, including four in the eight-year existence of the Great West Conference (2004-11), and earned its fourth NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision playoff berth in 2016.
The Mustangs have won 66 of their last 89 home contests (72 percent) and, overall, Cal Poly has won 104 of its last 183 games (57 percent) going back to the 2002 finale.
This fall, senior fullback Joe Protheroe shattered most of the school rushing records as he led the nation (FCS) in rushing with 1,810 yards and also broke the career rushing mark with 4,271 yards. Senior cornerback Dominic Frasch finished No. 1 in the FCS in passes defended (1.9 per game) and joined Protheroe as Associated Press All-Americans last week.
The signees (listed alphabetically):
Mitch Anderson, WR, 5-11, 180, Whittier, Calif. (La Habra High School)
Under head coach Frank Mazzotta at La Habra High School, Anderson caught 18 passes in five games as a senior and 27 passes, eight for touchdowns, in 11 games as a junior … also rushed for 121 yards on just 11 carries in junior season … Anderson helped Highlanders to 7-4 mark, first-place finish in Freeway League and a spot in the CIF-Southern Section Division 2 playoffs in 2018 … was offensive player of the year as a freshman in 2015 … La Habra claimed three straight Freeway League titles from 2016-18 … a top-100 honor student and earned team’s scholar-athlete award four times … participated in AP Heritage … will major in mechanical engineering at Cal Poly … decided to be a Mustang because “I love the area and the players … coaches made me feel at home.”
Walsh: “Anderson, unfortunately, was injured most of his senior year. He has run a 10.77 100 meters and has the size and speed to mature into a JJ Koski-type receiver.”
Payson Campisano, OL, 6-3, 250, San Diego, Calif. (Torrey Pines High School)
Under head coach Ron Gladnick at Torrey Pines High School, Campisano earned third-team All-Avocado League honors on defense and has been chosen to play in Spanos Classic North vs. South Game … on defense, he made 20 tackles in eight games, including 12 solo stops … helped Falcons to 10-1 record, 5-0 record for first place in Avocado League and a runner-up finish in CIF-San Diego Section Open Division playoffs … also has competed on the track and field team with a personal best of 44-8 in shotput … also played freshman basketball … has volunteered with Team RWB and carries a 4.16 grade-point average … his sister, Sierra, is a member of the Cal Poly women’s basketball team … accepted a scholarship offer from Cal Poly — “it’s a great academic school’ —after getting offers from the University of San Diego and Montana State … will major in general engineering at Cal Poly.
Walsh: “Campisano is an athletic 6-5 offensive lineman that we feel as he continues to physically blossom will be a steal in this class. He’s athletic and played in a similar system at Torrey Pines. It’s awesome to have two Campisanos at Cal Poly now as his sister Sierra is here playing for our women’s basketball team. Payson gets the entire Cal Poly philosophy.”
Isaiah Jernagin, DB, 5-8, 170, Bakersfield, Calif. (Bakersfield High School)
Under head coach Paul Golla at Bakersfield High School, Jernagin made 65 tackles in three varsity seasons … notched 32 tackles in senior season … also rushed for 334 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 13.4 yards per carry, and caught six passes … Drillers were 9-4 in 2018, finishing second in the Southwest Yosemite League and advancing to the semifinal round of the CIF-Central Section Division 1 playoffs … Jernagin earned first-team All-Southwest Yosemite League honors as a defensive back for the second straight year after earning second-team honors as a sophomore … played on Bakersfield’s CIF-Central Section Division I championship team in 2016 as a sophomore, earning All-Area honorable mention praise … was an All-Area first-team defensive back as a junior … Drillers were 11-3 and qualified for the state semifinals … has a younger brother Isaac, who is a running back with the Drillers … wants to major in journalism … “I believe Cal Poly is a great school for me to build my future upon.”
Walsh: “Jernagin was a corner for Bakersfield High School, where he led the Drillers’ secondary. He is an athletic tough competitor who will compete for time as a freshman. We’re excited to to have him as a Mustang.”
D’Angelo McKenzie, S, 5-10, 180, San Jose, Calif. (Valley Christian High School/Washington State)
As a senior under head coach Mike Machado at Valley Christian in 2017, McKenzie made 45 tackles with three pass breakups … averaged 10.9 yards on 20 punt returns, returning one for a touchdown … .also rushed for 306 yards and three touchdowns and caught nine passes for 143 yards … helped Warriors to 9-3 record, second place in West Catholic Athletic League and to the semifinal round of the CIF-Central Coast Section Open Division 2 playoffs … named to All-Metro First Team by the San Francisco Chronicle, named West Catholic League Most Valuable Defensive Back and to the All-WCAL First-Team as a defensive back, wideout and running back … named to All-NorCal Offense by SportStar Magazine on defense … as a junior in 2016, recorded 54 tackles with two interceptions and a pair of fumble recoveries … rated fifth on the Top-10 Cornerbacks in the West by 247Sports.com prior to senior season … rated three-star prospect by 247Sports.com, ESPN.com and Rivals.com … rated No. 36 safety in the country by ESPN.com … rated No. 71 prospect in California by 247Sports.com … signed with Washington State during the Early Signing Period in December 2017 and was a redshirt during 2018 season … announced on Nov. 9 via Twitter that he had been granted his release from the Cougars and would transfer … received offers from several Power Five schools including Arizona, Arizona State, Oregon State, Notre Dame, UCLA and Utah.
Walsh: “McKenzie was highly recruited a year ago as a free safety and we are excited that he has chosen us as his university to transfer to and become immediately eligible with four years of eligibility remaining. He is a big hitter with speed.”
Dominic Stellini-Splan, OL, 6-1, 285, Tracy, Calif. (Tracy High School/City College of San Francisco)
Stellini-Splan played two seasons at City College of San Francisco as the team’s center … twice earned first-team All-Bay-6 Conference honors … helped Rams to 7-4 mark in 2018 and played in the Golden State Bowl … Rams also were 8-3 in 2017 and beat Sacramento City College in the Capital City Bowl … Stellini-Splan was a three-year varsity letter winner under Matt Shrout at Tracy High School, primarily as the center … earned first-team All-Tri-City Athletic League honors as a junior and senior, collecting Lineman of the Year honors as a junior … also was All-Area twice … chose to transfer to Cal Poly because “they gave me an opportunity that I couldn’t turn down” … wants to be a firefighter.
Walsh: “Splan was a two-year starter from Tracy High School, where they run an offense similar to ours. We’re excited he will be here in the spring. He fills the experience lost with the departure of center Harry Whitson.”
Colton Theaker, K, 6-3, 180, Arroyo Grande, Calif. (Arroyo Grande High School)
Under head coach Michael Hartman at Arroyo Grande High School, Theaker made all of his 45 PAT attempts and was 10 of 15 on field goals with a long of 52 yards during senior season … also averaged 34.1 yards on 28 punts and 63.8 yards on 66 kickoffs with 55 touchbacks … helped Eagles to 8-4 overall mark, third-place Mountain League finish and into the quarterfinal round of the CIF-Central Section Division 1 playoffs … earned first-team All-Mountain League honors as a kicker … as a junior made 38 of 39 PATs and seven of 10 field goals … also played defense in 2017 with 36 tackles … was named to the All-Pac 5 League and All-CIF-Southern Section Division 2 first team … made 45 of 49 PAT kicks and six of seven field goals with a long of 44 yards as a sophomore … career totals are 128 of 133 PAT kicks and 23 of 32 field goals … named a top-12 member of Chris Sailer Kicking … also played soccer for the Eagles, earning first-team All-Pac 8 and MVP honors … member of school’s Honor Roll and an Advanced Placement student … earned football team’s Leiter Award for his leadership … also participated in Young Life Club and played for the Santa Barbara Soccer Club … chose to continue his athletic and academic career at Cal Poly because “it has everything I wanted in a college experience … great education, location and football” … plans to major in business administration and wants to work in international business.
Walsh: “Theaker has a big leg and big shoes to fill with the departure of Alex Vega and Casey Sublette, but we feel he is ready to kick as a true freshman. He has made a 52-yard field goal in a game and his kickoffs are boomed! He has had some pretty impressive punts as well.”
–Provided by Cal Poly
