The Hilltoppers have added three transfers from NCAA Division I-A schools this month, as David Wolke arrived from Notre Dame prior to the start of preseason camp. “We are excited to have Jamar, Tyler and David join the WKU football family,” Elson said.
A 6-foot-3, 225-pound wide receiver, Jones spent the last three years at Michigan State including sitting out 2003 as a redshirt. He made his only appearance of 2005 in the Spartans’ 61-14 victory at Illinois, and also saw action in home wins over Minnesota and Wisconsin the previous season.
Jones started for three years at DeSoto County High, where he recorded 97 catches for 1,812 yards and 13 scores during his career and participated in South-Central Florida All-Star Classic following the 2002 campaign. He was a second-team Florida Sports Writers Association all-state selection as a senior after catching 30 passes for 706 yards — an average of 23.5 yards per reception — and six scores, also earning all-area accolades from the Sun-Herald and first-team all-Heartland Conference honors. Jones had 34 tackles, four interceptions and six passes defensed as well as 12 kickoff returns for 267 yards and two touchdowns in 2002, serving as team captain for the Bulldogs that year.
The Arcadia, Fla., resident earned first-team all-area and all-league accolades his junior season after posting 27 catches for 639 yards and five scores, while he recorded a career-best 40 receptions for 467 yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore to earn all-conference honors. Jones also lettered in basketball and baseball for the Bulldogs.
Tipton, a 6-foot-2, 240-pound linebacker from Goode, Va., was at Pittsburgh the last two seasons, where he sat out as a redshirt in 2004 before making an unassisted tackle in eight appearances mostly on special teams last fall.
He started and lettered for three years at Lynchburg Christian Academy, helping the Bulldogs go 18-4-1 over his final two seasons including a 10-1-1 mark his junior year when LCA advanced to the finals of the state playoffs. Tipton recorded 1,868 yards and 20 touchdowns rushing, adding 39 catches for 648 yards and seven scores, in his career.
Tipton was an all-state, all-area and all-Virginia Independent Conference selection as a senior after posting 118 tackles, including 19 for loss, 13 passes defended, five forced fumbles and three interceptions — he also ran for 451 yards, averaging 12.8 yards per attempt, and five touchdowns that season. He was named all-state, all-area and all-league his junior season, and was also an all-state and all-VIC selection as a sophomore in addition to being chosen team most valuable player as a sophomore and junior as well as the Bulldogs’ Defensive MVP his final year.
Tipton also lettered for three seasons in basketball at LCA.
The Hilltoppers begin the 2006 season Saturday at 11:30 a.m. (CDT) at I-A Georgia in a contest that will be televised regionally by Lincoln Financial Sports.
