TGN area football players commit on National Signing Day

Dec. 20—Five football players in The Goshen News area found their next home Wednesday on National Signing Day.

Inking in their commitments with their respective schools, all will be playing Division I football and representing the area at the collegiate level.

Below is a summary of where each player is going to begin the 2024 season.

GOSHEN

Ryan Eldridge — OL — Ball State University — Mid-American Conference (MAC)

The anchor on the Goshen RedHawks line this past season, the 6-foot-7 offensive lineman is headed to Muncie to join the Cardinals for the 2024 season.

Head coach Mike Neu, a Ball State alum, will be entering his ninth season at the school which is coming off a 4-8 season. Neu led Ball State to the MAC championship in 2020 and his first bowl game that same season. Since, the Cardinals have made one other bowl game in 2021.

2024's schedule includes a home conference against Missouri State and road games at Miami (FL), Vanderbilt and James Madison.

NORTHRIDGE

Wyatt Boals — DL — Illinois State University — Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC)

6-foot-3 defensive lineman Wyatt Boals committed to Illinois State University Wednesday in Middlebury. Boals totaled 42 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and three sacks during his career with the Raiders.

The Redbirds, members of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and of the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC), finished this past season 6-5 (4-4 MVFC) with longtime head coach Brock Spack and the helm.

Boals will be part of the team trying to get Illinois State to the FCS Playoffs for the first time since 2019.

McClain Miller — RB — North Dakota State University — Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC)

Northridge's featured running back this season, McClain Miller, joined Boals in committing to the MVFC Wednesday.

Set to join the nine-time FCS champion North Dakota State Bison, Miller joins one of more successful programs at the Division I FCS level in Fargo, N.D.

Miller totaled 2,055 rushing yards during his career alongside 27 touchdowns. This past year Miller worked through an injury mid-season to play in nine games for the Raiders, running for 967 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also caught 17 passes for 197 yards.

Bison head coach Tim Polasek will return for his second season in Fargo after losing in the FCS semifinals this past season.

North Dakota State travels to Illinois State, September 28.

NORTHWOOD

NiTareon Tuggle — WR — University of Georgia — Southeastern Conference (SEC)

4-star wide receiver NiTareon Tuggle committed to Kirby Smart and the Georgia Bulldogs Wednesday night in Nappanee.

A 6-foot-1 wide receiver, "Nitro" was a lighting rod for the Panthers on their trip to the Class 3A state finals this past season. His 1,449 receiving yards led the state as Tuggle also caught 19 touchdown passes in the process.

For his career, Tuggle tallied 2,866 receiving yards on 173 receptions. He also compiled 41 touchdowns during his high school career in Nappanee. That helped him be ranked by 247sports as the 2nd highest record in the state and the 65th nationally.

Tuggle will head to Athens, Ga. next season. Georgia (12-1) is currently ranked No. 6 by the College Football Playoff Committee's final rankings of the 2023 season. They're set to play in the Orange Bowl vs. No. 5 Florida State (13-0).

Jo'Ziah Edmond — CB — University of Michigan — Big Ten Conference (B1G)

Wrapping up the commitments in the Goshen News area was Jo'Ziah Edmond for NorthWood.

Edmond chose to stay in the Midwest by joining head coach Jim Harbaugh and the Michigan Wolverines.

Also a 4-star recruit and ranked 3rd in the state by 247sports, the 6-1 cornerback will headed to Ann Arbor, Mich. to join the Wolverines next season.

During his final season at NorthWood, Edmond made 51 solo tackles while intercepting five passes and forcing one fumble. He also played a bit of wide receiver for the Panthers during their state run this past season.

Michigan (13-0), the current No. 1 team in the country, is set to play No. 4 Alabama (12-1) in the Rose Bowl in one of the College Football Playoff semifinal games. If the Wolverines win, they'll be headed to the National Championship game in Los Angeles, Calif.

Reach Matt Lucas at 574-533-2151, ext. 240325, or at matt.lucas@goshennews.com.