JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) – The Bucs added nine new players just before Christmas during the early signing period this winter. On Wednesday, eight more guys signed on the dotted line, bringing the incoming Blue and Gold recruiting class to 17 players.

Of the eight National Signing Day additions, six of them will play on the defensive side of the ball, while the other two will find homes on offense.

Second year head coach, George Quarles, added three more players from the Cincinnati area. It’s a geographical region he believes the program can be successful in going forward.

The Bucs got just one signee out of the Volunteer state on Wednesday – outside linebacker Andrei Delinois of of McCallie High School in Chattanooga.

“I think we ended up signing three Tennessee kids, which is not a great deal,” Quarles said on Wednesday. “We recruited quite a few more than that, but recruiting is hard. That’s all I can say.”

But, the 17 kids ETSU did end up with, Quarles believes, all share a similar trait.

“I’m excited – not just because they’re good players, but they’re good people,” he said. “All of them are good students. It’s important to me that we get high-character kids that are used to winning.”

Still, there is some work to be done to fill all of the team’s needs headed into the spring semester.

“We met some needs – obviously we’ll still have to find a couple in that second go-around in the transfer portal,” Quarles said. “I mean, that’s just life. Inside linebacker, probably a couple of O-Linemen and then a quarterback. That will be kind of what we’re looking for – and then who knows, we may have some more attrition after spring practice ourselves.”

Quarles did share, however, that 2022 starting quarterback Tyler Riddell and starting wide receiver Will Huzzie have both withdrawn their names from the transfer portal and returned to ETSU.

“We welcomed them back,” Quarles said. “They’re ready to work. They’re down there right now in the weight room getting after it. That’s what it’s about – those older guys, they need to provide leadership.”