By steven.marcus@newsday.com
Photo credit: Handout | Stony Brook recruit Will Tye stands on the field during a game with his former Florida State team.
Tye, 6-2, 260 pounds, enrolled at Stony Brook last week and on Wednesday was officially announced as part of the team's recruits on national signing day.Tight end Will Tye was raised in Connecticut but grew up being a fan of Florida State football. Deion Sanders was his idol, and Tye wanted to play football at the same university. After two seasons of limited playing time with the Seminoles, Tye looked elsewhere. Now, his favorite school is Stony Brook.
"Up and coming" is the reason Tye gave for transferring to Stony Brook, where he will have two years of eligibility. "All the I-AA schools called," he said, but after a big recommendation from his high school coach at Salisbury and others who had played for Stony Brook, Tye made a quick decision.
"Will's the top recruit in our class," Seawolves coach Chuck Priore said. "He should make an immediate impact in our run and pass game with his ability to block and stretch the field."
Tye said he wants to be "that everything guy. Be able to block, be open on passes."
Priore signed some promising Long Island recruits -- DL Ousmane Camara (Bay Shore), RB TylerFredericks (Lawrence) and LB John Haggart (Sayville) -- but likely will redshirt all of them.
"My goals as a program is to have a developmental process for our kids, get them here, get them in the weight room. Get them to learn what we do, get their academics under their belts," Priore said. "Then have them for four more years, which will make us a better program down the line."
Stony Brook also announced that Ron Denig, a former All-Long Island linebacker at Newfield, had joined as a walk-on. Denig was slated to play for LIU Post last season but decided to pursue Army Prep. That evaporated when he tore the ACL in his right knee last June in an all-star game. Priore expects Denig to redshirt and compete for a spot in 2014.
Denig has attended youth camps at Stony Brook since age 9. "They've always been friendly over the years," he said. "Stony Brook still wanted to give me a chance."
Also joining the Seawolves will be former St. Anthony's star kicker Nick Ferrara, who has one year of eligibility remaining after leaving Maryland with an injury. Floyd quarterback A.J. Otranto and Stony Brook School running back Donald Liotine also will join the Seawolves as walk-ons.
LIU Post announced the signings of OL Joseph Aliberti (Mepham), WR James Higgins (Connetquot), DB Ryan Renfroe (Connetquot), OL David Rodriguez (Brentwood), LB C.J. Denig (Comsewogue) and OL Giancarlo Carvalho (East Meadow).
2013 Stony Brook football recruiting class
(Name, position, Hometown/High School/Previous School
Reggie Allen, DB, Frostproof, Fla./Frostproof
Humphrey Anuh, LB, Columbia, Md./Hammond
*Conor Bednarski, QB, South Pasadena, Calif./South Pasadena/Fullerton College
Tyrice Beverette, DB, Lakewood, N.J./Lakewood
Josh Bevillard, DL, Fort Myers, Fla./Bishop Verot
Ousmane Camara, DL, Bay Shore, N.Y./Bay Shore
*Ron Denig, LB, Selden, N.Y./Newfield
Dakota Everett, LB, Effort, Pa./Pleasant Valley
*Nick Ferrara, K, Hicksville, N.Y./St. Anthony's/Maryland
Tyler Fredericks, RB, Lawrence, N.Y./Lawrence
*Zedrick Gardner, DB, Miami, Fla./Northwestern/ASA College
Armani Garrick, OL, Brooklyn, N.Y./Fort Hamilton
Lionel Guillaume, OL, Plantation, Fla./Plantation
John Haggart, LB, Sayville, N.Y./Sayville
Marvin Hart, DB, Minneola, Fla./Lake Minneola
*James Kenner, RB, Willingboro, N.J./Paul VI/ASA College
Quinton Littlejohn, DB, Gaithersburg, Md./Watkins Mill
*Max Martinez, DB, Wichita, Kan./Bishop Carroll/Butler CC
Kamani Odrick, LB, Montclair, N.J./Montclair
Keyon Pinnock, WR, Columbia, Md./Atholton
Travon Reid-Segure, DB, Brooklyn, N.Y./Fort Hamilton
Markinson Sainvil, DL, Orlando, Fla./Lake Nona
Allen Singleton, DL, Humble, Texas/Atascocita
*Will Tye, TE, Middletown, Conn./Salisbury School/Florida State
*-- Mid-year transfer
