Recruiting Update - Junior College Transfers

FOOTBALL ADDS JUNIOR COLLEGE PLAYERS TO ROSTER

WEATHERFORD, Okla. -- Southwestern Oklahoma State University has announced that 12 student-athletes have transferred and enrolled in the college to play football next season with the Bulldogs. Second-year coach Dan Cocannouer and his staff revealed the list Wednesday with their eye cast towards immediate needs with 10 of the 12 hailing from California area junior colleges. SWOSU, which finished 2009 with a 1-10 record, started no fewer than 10 different freshmen at one time or another last season. The Bulldogs 54-player travel roster was made up of 27 freshmen during the final two road games.

“We needed to get older and in a hurry,” Cocannouer said. “With the amount of freshman and sophomores we already have in place, it was important to add kids that can provide some leadership and experience.”

Cocannouer said his staff spent considerable time pouring over lists and watching hours of film from junior colleges in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and California.

“This group of players met all the criteria we were looking for when we started this process,” Cocannouer said. “They are all good character guys and someone who really wants to be here and work with us to make our program better.”

The following is a complete list of those junior college transfers.

Kemaine Thurston, DL, 6-1, 285, Jr., San Bernardino Valley College.. Two-year starter for SBVC where he helped the Wolverines to a 5-5 record which included four-straight victories and a 29-21 season-ending victory over Los Angeles Harbor…Graduate of Arroyo Valley High School where he was a three-year starter and also a member of the school’s varsity wrestling team.

Terrence Humes, OL, 6-5, 320, Jr., San Bernardino Valley College…Started 20 consecutive games for SBVC at right tackle…Graduate of San Bernardino High school where he was a two-time all league selection and selected as the team’s lineman of the year in 2005.

Isaac Tucker, RB, 5-10, 195, Jr., Citrus College…Team’s leading rusher as both a freshman and sophomore…Rushed for nearly 800 yards during his career, including back-to-back seasons with an identical 395 yards…Played in a California Junior College All-Star game…Graduate of West Covina High School where he was named the team’s offensive MVP as a senior.

Mike Van Deripe, QB, 6-0, 180, Jr., Golden West College…All-time leading passer in Golden West College history with over 5,000 career yards…Earned American Division Mountain Conference first-team quarterback selection in 2009 when he completed 215-of-361 passes for 2,826 yards and 27 touchdowns…Led GWC to its first post-season appearance in 34 years with a 37-36 win over Ventura College…Graduate of Cypress College where he was a first team, all-conference selection and threw for over 2,000 yards and 22 touchdowns as a senior…Also rushed for 1,100 yards and scored 11 rushing TDs.

Tommy Cogburn, 5-8, 183, Jr., Golden West College…Played both defensive back and wide receiver for the GWC…Finished year with 29 tackles and two interceptions…Caught four passes for 83 yards, including a 72-yard touchdown against San Diego Southwest….Graduate of South El Monte High School where he was an all-league selection.

Jonathan Darby, 6-0, 200, Jr., DB, Grossmont College…Finished 2009 as the second-leading tackler for Grossmount with 57 stops with four interceptions and a fumble recovery…Team finished with an 8-3 record and participated in the U.S. Bank Beach Bowl where they beat El Camino, 27-22…Graduate of West Hills High School in San Diego.

Sean Gordon, 6-2, 225, DE, Jr., Golden West College…Two-year starting defensive end at Golden West where he finished the year with 28 tackles and three and one-half sacks… Squad won the last seven games of the season and finished as Rooster Bowl Champions with a 37-35 overtime victory over Ventura…Graduate of Laguna Hills High School where he was the team’s most valuable player…Father, Scott, played in the NFL with the Houston Oilers.

Preston Margain, 5-11, 205, Jr., Golden West College…Starting linebacker for Golden West where he finished second on the team with 53 tackles, five of which were for losses totaling 14 yards…Started every game at GWC for two consecutive seasons…One of four former GWC Rustlers on this year’s SWOSU team…Graduate of Fountain Valley High School where he was a second-team, all-league selection…Listed on the Principles Honor Roll four consecutive years.

Eric Charles, 5-10, 175, WR, Jr., San Bernardino Valley College…Played in only four games as a sophomore at SBVC after promising freshman campaign…Led the team with 42 receptions for 372 yards and had 535 yards in 2008…Named Mountain Conference Special teams Player-of-the-Week after totaling 173 all-purpose yards and scoring one touchdown…Graduate of San Gorgonio High School where he was a first-team, all-county selection…Caught 62 passes for 914 yards and 14 TDs as a senior.

Bronze Withem, 5-11, 225, LB, Jr., Citrus College…Injuries limited him to just two games during his sophomore campaign…As a freshman had 90 tackles for the Owls which earned him all-conference and ranked him third among freshman in the Southern California Football Association…Graduate of San Dimas High School where he led team with 130 tackles as a senior and earned all-area selection…Finished high school career with better than 350 tackles.

Reed Ryan, 6-1, 255, Fr., OL, New Mexico Highlands…Spent one season at New Mexico Highlands after starring at Justin Northwest High School in Texas…Team made it to the second round of the state playoffs as a senior.

Marvin Tribble, 5-10, 185, Jr., CB, Independence Junior College…Played in eight of nine games for Independence where he was coached by current SWOSU graduate assistant Anthony Randle…Finished the season with 15 tackles…Native of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.