ECU Football Signs 30 For 2013

The East Central University football team has added 30 players for the 2013 season.

Wednesday, February 6th 2013, 7:08 pm

By: News 9


The East Central University football team has added 30 players for the 2013 season. The group includes six defensive backs, four defensive linesman, four wide receivers, three outside linebackers, two quarterbacks, two tight ends, two offensive lineman, two running backs, two defensive ends, two inside linebackers and a long snapper.

Defensive Backs

Cameron Durant, DB, 6-1, 175, Tulsa, Okla. (Booker T. Washington)

Durant was the team captain as a senior…tallied 57 tackles, three tackles-for-loss, two forced fumbles, four pass break-ups and six interceptions as a senior…team claimed the 2010 5A State championship…also a member of the track team that earned all-state honors in the 4x400 meter relay.

Vernon Johnson, DB, 6-1, 200, Desoto, Texas (Desoto)

Johnson as a Texas All-District 7-5A First Team pick as a senior…he tallied 87 tackles, six TFL, six sacks, two fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and four pass break-ups.

Shannon Larry, DB, 5-9, 200, White Settlement, Texas (Brewer)

Larry was an academic all-district honorable mention…also an all-state powerlifter.

Jeff Surrell, DB, 6-0, 185, Ardmore, Okla. (Ardmore)

Surrell was the district co-Defensive Back of the Year…named the Ardmore super team defensive back of the year.

Davy'Aun Thomas, DB, 5-11, 170, Lawton, Okla. (Lawton McCarthur)

Thomas was a first-team all-district corner and punt returner pick.

Jhames West, DB, 6-1, 190, Oklahoma City, Okla. (Westmoore)

West tallied 892 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns as a senior…also added 1,275 passing yard and 13 passing touchdowns…an all-state honorable mention selection.

Defensive Lineman

Everett Baker, DL, 6-6, 240, Pottsboro, Texas (Pottsboro)

Baker tallied 88 tackles and 16 tackles-for-loss as a senior…was the Texas 6-2A Defensive Player of the Year and named to the All-6-2A District First Team…an all-state honorable mention and the All-Texhoma Land Defensive Tackler of the Year.

Ryder McCaskill, DL, 6-2, 260, Davis, Okla. (Davis)

McCaskill earned first team all-district, all-area and all-state honors as a senior…also named to the Ardmore Super Team and the district MVP.

Victor Sanders, DL, 6-2, 300, Midwest City, Okla. (Midwest City)

Sanders was an honorable mention all-city pick as a senior.

Dequan Wilford, DL, 6-2, 255, Gainesville, Texas (Gainesville)

Wilford tallied 115 tackles, 7.5 sacks, 10 tackles-for-loss and one interception as a senior…named to the all-district and Cooke County first teams.

Wide Receivers

Randall Case, WR, 5-9, 170, Jones, Okla. (Jones)

Case tallied 21 touchdowns as a senior…named to the all-state, little all-city and all-district first teams…also a 3A All-Star selection.

Jack Higginbotham, WR, 6-1, 175, Norman, Okla. (Norman North)

Higginbotham garnered 47 catches for 1,066 yards and 10 touchdowns as senior…named the 6A-3 District Wide Receiver of the Year…named to the Daily Oklahoman and All-City all-conference teams…a OSSAA Coaches All-State selection.

Dezmon Jackson, WR, 6-2, 185, Mesquite, Texas (Mesquite)

Jackson was a Texas 12-5A All-District Second Team pick as a wide receiver as a senior…he tallied 27 receptions for 440 yards and three touchdowns.

David Moore, WR, 6-1, 205, Gainesville, Texas (Gainesville)

Moore tallied 40 catches for 700 yards as a senior…averaged 17.5 yards per catch, with 12 total touchdowns…a first team all-district pick on both sides of the ball…also named to the All-Cooke County first team and all-region first team.

Outside Linebackers

Tanner Masters, OLB, 6-0, 200, Coppell, Texas (Coppell)

Masters recorded 70 tackles, 40 solo and 30 assists as a senior…tallied six tackles for loss, four sacks, seven quarter back hurries, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two pass break-ups…was a unanimous all-district first team pick and an honorable mention academic all-district selection.

Dallen Mercer, OLB, 6-3, 205, Velma, Okla. (Velma Alma)

Named to the all-state and all-district first team as a running back and a linebacker…also earned all-area running back and linebacker first team honors.

Christopher White, OLB, 5-10, 195, Gainesville, Texas (Gainesville)

Tallied 172 total tackles and added two interceptions as a senior…was a first team All-Texhoma land and Cooke County pick…also named to the District 9-3A Defensive MVP and an honorable mention all-state player.

Quarterbacks

Jordan Avants, QB, 6-3, 215, Garber, Okla. (Garber)

Avants tallied 221 carries for 2,009 yards and 38 touchdowns rushing as a senior…also added 1,885 yards and 20 touchdowns as a quarterback…was 102-of-160 passing…tallied 642 career carries for 5,168 yards and 78 touchdowns…also added 4,017 career passing yards and 42 touchdowns. ..earned all-district honors as a sophomore and senior…also named the B-1 District Offensive Player of the Year…named to the 8-Man All-Star team and was a first-alternate All-State selection in 2012.

Carson Hyles, QB, 6-4, 195, Rowlett, Texas (Rowlett)

Hyles was a Texas 11-5A All-District Honorable Mention pick as a senior…he tallied 15 touchdowns, six rushing, as a quarterback…had a total of 2,385 passing yards and 96 rushing yards…garnered a 64% completion percentage.

Tight Ends

Ned Adair, TE, 6-3, 240, Fort Gibson, Okla. (Fort Gibson)

Adair was the District 4A-4 Tight End of the Year and a 4A-4 First Team All-District pick…averaged 29 yards a reception as a senior…also a member of the baseball team, where he was an all-metro team selection as a pitcher.

Blake Gordon, TE, 6-4, 220, Stroud, Okla. (Stroud)

Gordon was a OSSA Coaches All-State pick…tallied 202 tackles, 10 fumble recoveries, 11 forced fumbles and an interception for a touchdown…a District 2A-5 picked for three seasons…named the District 2A-5 MVP…also a member of the Stroud basketball team.

Offensive Lineman

Shaun Edwards, OL, 6-7, 320, Dell City, Okla. (Destiny Christian)

Edwards was an all-city, all-state, and all-state private school pick…also earned all-state honors on the basketball court…named to the honor roll.

Jeremy Newton, OL, 6-8, 255, Enid, Okla. (Garber)

Newton led his team to a 9-3 record as a senior…earned all-district honorable mention honors.

Running Backs

Seth Handley, ATH, 5-7, 170, Enid, Okla. (Enid)

Handley rushed for 1,240 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior…led the team in receiving with 31 catches for 427 yards and two touchdowns…a first team all-state according to the Oklahoma Coaches Association and a first team All-6A-1 District pick.

Coleton McDonald, RB, 6-1, 2-5, Mounds, Okla. (Liberty Mounds)

McDonald tallied 3,193 yards rushing and 39 touchdowns as a senior…a 2012 Oklahoma All-State selection…garnered 6,062 career rushing yards and 72 career touchdowns.

Defensive Ends

Parker A'neal, DE, 6-4, 240, Skiatook, Okla. (Cascia Hall Prep)

A'neal was a 4A All-District pick and earned all-state honorable mention honors in football…also a member of the varsity baseball team.

Evan Coles, DE, 6-1, 235, Tulsa, Okla. (Norman North)

Coles tallied 85 tackles as a senior…led the state of Oklahoma in sacks (13)…also added 28 quarterback hurries…named the 6A-3 District Defensive Lineman of the Year…a Daily Oklahoman and all-city selection.

Inside Linebackers

Terrance Bonner, MLB, 6-0, 210, Moore, Okla. (Southmoore)

Bonner tallied 126 tackles, one sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery as a senior…leaves Southmoore as the all-time leading tackler…earned 2012 all-state honorable mention honors.

Josh Morgan, MLB, 5-11, 230, Oklahoma City, Okla. (Westmoore)

Morgan recorded 141 tackles to lead 6A players…added two sacks, 12 quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles as a senior…an all-state honorable mention…also the 2012 state power lifting champion at the 220 weight class…holds the state powerlifting record for squat (635 pounds).

Long Snapper

Kristian Castellanos, LS, 6-1, 220, Fontana, Calif. (A.B. Miller)

Castellanos has a 98% accuracy on all short and long snaps throughout his high school career..was the 2011 Snap, Hold & Kick Southern High School Competition Runner-up.

ECU also added our mid-year transfers that boosts the new additions to the 2013 roster to 34. The group of four transfers are:

Kellan DeLaRosa, S, 6-1, 205, Spring Valley, Calif. (Southwestern)

Joel Reser, OL, 6-1, 3-5, Oklahoma City, Okla. (Northeastern Oklahoma)

JoJo Snell, RB, 5-9, 190, Grantier, Miss. (Mississippi Gulf Coast)

Robert VanDeripe, OLB, 5-10, 200, Cypress, Calif. (Golden West)

Notes: The 2013 signing class includes 20 from Oklahoma, nine from Texas and one from California…ECU signed three from Gainesville High School and two from Norman North High School.

logo

Get The Daily Update!

Be among the first to get breaking news, weather, and general news updates from News 9 delivered right to your inbox!

More Like This

February 6th, 2013

March 22nd, 2024

March 14th, 2024

February 9th, 2024

Top Headlines

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024

March 28th, 2024