JEFFERSON TWP — The Knoch High football team made history Wednesday.

Offensive tackle Micah Lio signed a letter of intent with the University of Akron, making him the first lineman to accept a full scholarship to a Division I program in the 63-year history of Knoch football.

Jake McTighe, who played numerous positions for Knoch as a three-year starter, signed with Lafayette College of the Patriot League, becoming the Knights' first scholarship player at Knoch coach Mike King's alma mater.

"Western Pennsylvania continues to be a hotbed for high school football and for these two kids to be among the top of that class this year is a tremendous accomplishment," King said.

The 6-foot-8, 275-pound Lio is the first Knight to go Division I since quarterback Matt Dunaway went to Bowling Green 20 years ago.

He is among the first recruits of first-year Zips coach Rob Ianello, who succeeded J.D. Brookhart as head coach Dec. 10.

"I was recruited by Coach Brookhart and when he and his staff were let go, I wasn't sure what was going to happen," Lio said. "I kept all of my options open. Eastern Michigan and New Hampshire were among them."

But Ianello and offensive coordinator John Latina, a New Castle native, visited King in hopes of retaining Lio.

Akron was 3-9 last season and 12-24 under Brookhart in the past three seasons. The Zips were Mid-American Conference champions in 2005, however, and posted the program's first win over a BCS school, North Carolina State, in 2006.

"Their coaches don't believe it's going to be a very long rebuilding process to get back on top in that league," King said. "They think they can win the league within two years and that Micah can be one of the key cogs there."

Akron offensive line coach Mitch Browning has 31 years of college coaching experience. He was offensive coordinator at Minnesota and Syracuse, and was a finalist for the Frank Broyles Award as best assistant coach in the country in 2003 at Minnesota.

Ianello was an assistant and interim head coach at Notre Dame before accepting the Akron post.

"I'm going to try to play right away, but I know they want me to get bigger," Lio said. "I have no problem with a redshirt because it buys me an extra year."

Lio is undecided on his course of study.

King was a defensive tackle at Lafayette from 1982-86. The Leopards recruited McTighe as a fullback.

Other schools wanted him as a tight end, linebacker and defensive end.

"The versatility helps Jake," King said. "If he doesn't work out at one position, then try another."

Lafayette plays in the Patriot League and was second in that seven-team circuit last year with an 8-3 record. The Leopards are 22-8 in league play over the past five years.

Lafayette, located in Easton, Pa., won the league championship in 2004, 2005 and 2006, qualifying for the Division I-AA playoffs each year.

"They don't have any fullbacks coming back from last year, so I've got a chance to compete for a spot right away," McTighe said.

McTighe carries a 3.7 grade-point average and is leaning toward a major in exploratory engineering.

Frank Tavani has been Lafayette's head coach for 10 years and is 60-53 during that time. The Leopards have been ranked among the Top 25 in each of the past five seasons.