The Illinois State football team added some more depth Wednesday, as head coach Denver Johnson announced the signing of Brian Ahsoon, a defensive tackle from Mesa, Ariz., and James Temple, a defensive back from Savannah, Ga.
Ahsoon is a six-foot, 280-pound transfer from City College of San Francisco, which is the same junior college attended by current Redbird Kevin Zouzounis. The Rams have posted a 36-0 mark over the last three seasons with three National Junior College Championships.
Ahsoon was named the teams outstanding defensive lineman for the 2001 season. He had two sacks and four tackles in the Rams 61-12 National Championship win over Palomar. The Rams led the nation in team defense, only allowing 174.6 yards per game.
Brian is a stout lineman that has good strength, Johnson said. We think that he will add depth and talent to our defensive line. He is extremely strong and works hard in the weight room. He is somebody, that we think, can come in and establish himself in the middle of the line and help us stop the run.
Prior to junior college, Ahsoon was a two-year starter at Highland High School in Gilbert, Ariz. As a senior, Ahsoon was named first team All-Fiesta Region for a team that won the league championship.
Temple, who will enter Illinois State as a freshman, sizes up at six-feet and 185 pounds and is an athletic talent that has been heavily recruited to play football, basketball and baseball. At Savanah High School, Temple rushed and passed for over 1,000 yards, while only throwing two interceptions. He was named the teams most valuable player and was selected to the all-region team.
James is a multi-sport guy that had a lot of options, Johnson said. He was being recruited by Georgia Southern as a quarterback and has even drawn some interest for Major League Baseball scouts. We feel fortunate to add a player like this to our program. He will bring a lot of athleticsm and added depth to the team.
Temple was also a four-year starter in basketball and helped lead his team to the Sweet 16 every season, including a second-place finish as a junior and an Elite 8 berth as a freshman.
