Aggie Football Signs Junior College Running Back
Utah State football head coach Gary Andersen announced Tuesday that Joey DeMartino has signed to play for the Aggies in 2010.
DeMartino, a 5-11, 198-pound running back from San Diego, Calif., will have three years of eligibility, coming to USU after one season at Grossmont Junior College.
“With the injury to Robert Turbin plus two senior running backs this fall in Michael Smith and Derrvin Speight, we felt that it was important to get a quality running back in our program for this fall. We’ve been looking for the right fit since January and we feel we’ve found a perfect match in Joey DeMartino,” Andersen said. “He’s a tremendous fit to our program and a great fit for our University and Cache Valley.”
DeMartino earned second-team all-National Division, Southern Conference offensive honors and was named Grossmont’s Offensive MVP after leading the Griffins and ranking seventh in the Southern California Football Association in rushing, with 952 yards on 143 carries (5.8 yards per carry/91.7 yards per game), with six touchdowns. He added 120 yards on 12 catches (10.0 ypc) with one TD. DeMartino was also Grossmont’s top all-purpose runner, averaging 118.5 yards per game while scoring 42 points.
Additionally, DeMartino was named Pacific Coast Athletic Conference Men’s Athlete of the Week on Sept. 13, for his performance which included his second straight 100-plus yard outing, rushing for 179 yards and a 61-yard touchdown on 16 carries, as the Griffins routed College of the Desert, 61-14 on Sept. 12.
With the Aggies, DeMartino will reunite with Grossmont teammate, USU junior wide receiver Xavier Martin. DeMartino and Martin helped the Griffons to an 8-3 record last season. The Griffins capped their season by defeating El Camino College, 27-22, in the US Bank Beach Bowl on Nov. 21.
At Mt. Carmel High School, DeMartino rushed for 1,168 yards on 137 carries (8.53 ypc/116.8 ypg) with nine TD’s his senior season in helping the Sundevils to a 4-6 record and earning first-team all-Palomar League honors as was named MCHS’s MVP. He added 18 receptions for 329 yards (18.3 ypc) with five TD’s and 12 kick returns for 426 yards (35.5 ypr) with a TD return of 99 yards and another of 96 yards, finishing the season with 16 total TD’s and adding a pair of two-point conversions for 100 total points.
As a junior, DeMartino rushed for 832 yards on 127 carries (6.6 ypc/75.6 ypg) with six TD’s, adding 19 catches for 171 yards (9.0 ypc) with one TD and five kick returns for 151 yards (30.2 ypr) and two TD’s.
DeMartino was also a four-year letterwinner in track & field, running the 100m and 4x100m relay. He helped the Sundevils to a second-place finish in the TIF and was team captain as a senior.
Andersen added that he and the Aggies are still looking to add a big running back from the high school ranks.
USU’s season-opener at Oklahoma on Saturday, Sept. 4 is tentatively slated for a 5 p.m. (MT) start, while the Aggies’ home-opener is Saturday, Sept. 11 vs. border-foe Idaho State at 6 p.m. (MT).
Utah State football season ticket renewal applications have been mailed out. Fans can also renew online 24 hours a day at www.UtahStateAggies.com and clicking on the “buy/renew tickets” under the “tickets” drop down menu.
For more ticket information, contact the USU Ticket Office at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum, or by phone by calling 1-888-USTATE-1 (1-888-878-2831) or (435) 797-0305.