PENSACOLA, Fla. – The University of West Florida football program signed its first two student-athletes on Friday during the NCAA midyear transfer signing period, and both are Division I transfers with local ties. Blake McCall, an offensive lineman from Century, Fla., will transfer to UWF from Jackson State. Tyler Henderson, a defensive back from Crestview, Fla., joins the program after starting his college career at Florida Atlantic.
 
The UWF football team will play its first season in 2016. The program will add more commitments on Feb. 4, 2015, the NCAA signing day for football. All football student-athletes enrolled at UWF during the 2015-16 academic year will redshirt that season.
 
Both McCall and Henderson, who were teammates at Davidson Middle School in Crestview, have enrolled at UWF for the 2015 spring semester. They will both have three years of athletic eligibility when the Argonauts begin play in 2016.
 
"It's important to us that both of these student-athletes are local here in the 850 area code," said UWF head coach Pete Shinnick. "We're looking for young men that will be the best fit for our program from this area. They have to meet the marks that we're looking for, and both Blake and Tyler do that."
 
Blake McCall
Offensive Lineman, 6-3, 300, Century, Fla./Northview HS (Jackson State)
 
2014: Saw playing time as a redshirt freshman at Division I Jackson State… the offensive line helped lead the team to 25.8 points per game and 376.1 total yards per game.
 
2013: Redshirted during his freshman year at Jackson State.
 
High School: Helped lead Northview High School to an 11-3 overall record and a 4-0 district record as a senior... Northview averaged 42.9 points per game and took the Florida Class 1A state championship with a 42-21 win over Trenton High School during his senior year… was a three-year starter and played all five positions in the offensive line.
 
Tyler Henderson
Defensive Back, 5-10, 195, Crestview, Fla./Crestview HS (Florida Atlantic)
 
2013: Redshirted during his freshman year at Division I Florida Atlantic… earned a spot on the Conference USA Honor Roll.
 
High School: Attended Crestview High School where he earned first team all-area honors in both football and baseball.
 
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The University of West Florida Department of Intercollegiate Athletics has won eight national championships, and UWF leads all schools in Gulf South Conference history with 79 league championships and 18 all-sports trophies. Football will be the 15th varsity sport at the University. UWF President Judy Bense confirmed on Sept. 4, 2013 that the team will begin playing in 2016, and the University reached an agreement for the team to play its home games at Maritime Park Stadium in downtown Pensacola starting that fall.
 
For information on all UWF athletics, visit www.GoArgos.com.