Students sign national letters of intent
Following the signing of their letters of intent, seniors Caleb Faris, Enrique Jerico DeJesus, Jude May, Romain “Smoke” Mungin and Cameron Shaw stand alongside head coach Robert Weiner in the media center Wednesday, Feb. 6. They all announced their decisions to play Division I football on National Signing Day.
Sitting in front of family and friends in the media center, five seniors signed their national letters of intent on National Signing Day Wednesday, Feb. 6.
“Football is a game that carves itself deep inside of your soul,” head coach Robert Weiner said. “So, there’s a reason why when we get to this culmination day, a day of choosing a school that not only will you go and pursue all of your academic pursuits, but also will play football in, there’s a reason why this day becomes so emotional.”
The “culmination day” as referred to by Weiner started with a viewing of the player’s highlight reels. Following this, each player announced which school he will be attending next year and then signed his letter of intent.
First to announce was defensive back Enrique Jerico DeJesus. He will be moving to Boca Raton, Florida as he will be attending Florida Atlantic University to further his academic and athletic career.
“I don’t know that we have a better and sometimes more subtle representation of what we always try to be about,” Weiner said. “He is the ultimate lunch-pail guy who comes every single day, never misses a moment, always does his job, always does it to the best of his ability and is always there.”
After transferring to Plant for his senior year, wide receiver Caleb Faris became a receiver that was “always getting open” and in the last five games, he had over 25 catches. He signed as a preferred walk-on at Florida State University.
“Ever since I can remember it’s always been a dream to play at Florida State,” Faris said. “It’s always been a dream to wear the garnet and gold. I know for a fact that I would never be standing here wearing this emblem if it wasn’t for Coach Weiner and the whole entire Plant football staff.”
Quarterback Jude May transferred to Plant his junior year and prepared to compete for the starting job. When he did not beat out the competition, he decided staying at Plant was the best option for him, even if he wasn’t the starter. He eventually earned a preferred walk-on status from the University of Florida.
“He wasn’t a Plant Panther from the beginning, but he is a Plant Panther through and through,” Weiner said. “We want players that are competing for their spots every single day, but then we want players who are going to be teammates whether it works out exactly the way you thought or didn’t think.”
A second senior announced he was taking his talents to Florida Atlantic University when wide receiver Romain Smoke Mungin placed a “FAU” hat on his head.
“Even though the recruiting process for me went bad, with the situation I was in because of my grades, Coach kept pushing me, kept helping me,” Mungin said. “He kept striving to get me somewhere.”
Originally committed to Boston College, Mungin found a better fit for him closer to home with the assistance of Weiner.
“This is a young man with all that talent and he just humbly goes about his game,” Weiner said. “There is a very, very kind and gentle soul inside a violent and fast body of this young man and that is the perfect balance for a football player, and since the moment he stepped on our campus, he has been a difference maker.”
Last to sign was 6-foot-6 defensive back Cameron Shaw. Shaw’s recruitment started late after missing his junior year to an injury, but with the support of friends like DeJesus, he completed his senior campaign and he will be moving on to the University of Central Florida.
“I didn’t think this day would ever come,” Shaw said. “Missing my entire junior year for an injury, it’s just been tough. I just want to thank my best friend for keeping me honest, keeping me in the weight room, and on the field.”
