As Illinois State head coach Denver Johnson and the Redbird football team addressed the media during the teams annual media day Tuesday at Hancock Stadium, there were a few new faces in Redbird uniforms. Johnson announced the addition of Dwayne Smith, Nick Monsanto, Tim Mosolino, Victor Arlis and Kentin Lathrope to the Redbird squad.
Smith, a transfer from Illinois, is a wide receiver with two years of eligibility remaining. The Rantoul, Ill., native joins former Illinois players Quincy Washington and Jim Ferguson on the Redbirds. At 6-foot-2, 195 pounds, Smith caught 13 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns in 2000 and two passes for 74 yards in 2001.
Dwayne is a tall, fast receiver that appears to be a good compliment to Vito Golson and our offense, Johnson said. He is an impact player that can run and catch. We are delighted to have him join the team.
Monsanto is a junior college transfer from Los Angeles Valley Community College, which produced current ISU linebacker Hassan Abdul-Malik. Monsanto is a 6-foot-3, 247-pound defensive lineman. He posted 65 tackles last season and was named conference honorable mention. Originally from Naples, Fla., Monsanto attended Lehigh Senior High School.
Nick has a fast motor and is a high-effort guy, Johnson said. He has the ability to play inside and outside on the defensive line and he plays with a lot of intensity.
Mosolino (6-7, 250, defensive line), Arlis (6-1, 215, running back) and Lathrope (6-3, 255, defensive line) each joined the squad as well.
We are very selective about guys that we let walk-on to the team, Johnson said. Each of these guys are players that we think have a good chance of making the team.
The fall roster is currently set at 90 as all returning players made it to camp except for Doug Lillie, who failed to report. The Redbirds will undergo conditioning testing on Wednesday, before beginning two-a-day practices on Thursday.
