Cowboys Sign Four Juco Standouts

STILLWATER - Oklahoma State head football coach Mike Gundy saw his team grow by four members Wednesday as the fax machine in the Cowboy football office got an early workout. Four junior college players, all in need positions for the Cowboys, signed their letter of intent and sent them in on National Junior College Signing Day.

The four players are defensive end Darius Hart of Pearl River C.C. in Mississippi, defensive tackle Horace Hubbard out of Fort Scott C.C. in Kansas, safety Andrew McGee from Copiah-Lincoln C.C. in Mississippi, and offensive lineman Anthony Morgan of Navarro College in Texas.

"It's a good class and we had success last year bringing in midterm players," said Gundy. "We think these guys will fit right in with the rest of the team.

"Three guys on defense and one on offense (and we'll) still get a number of high school players. We feel like the way that we have divided up our numbers the percentage of junior college players with the percentage of high school players is very good.

"We wanted three or four and we ended up with four - an inside defensive lineman, an outside defensive lineman, a safety, and an offensive lineman, it gives us some maturity in those spots. We are looking forward to getting them in here in January," Gundy continued.

The defensive linemen in Hart, a 6-6, 250-pounder, and Hubbard, a 6-5, 275 pound three technique, should help out with pass rush immediately.

In today's Big 12 with all the spread offenses you have to be able to generate a pass rush with your front four and not throw a lot of extra players into rushing with blitzes.

Hart had seven sacks and three fumble recoveries this season and he was first team all-conference in the MJCAA and first team all-region.

Hubbard, originally out of Gretna, Va., led the Jayhawk Conference in fumbles forced this season with five. Last season he had 15 sacks and 16.5 tackles for loss. He is a two-time All-Jayhawk Conference performer and was also all-region. this season.

This duo will help with that right away, Gundy says.

"We think that Hart will give us some pressure off the edge," explained Gundy. "Body-wise he is a lot like Ugo (Chinasa) and ultimately he is going to be bigger than Ugo, thicker. Then Horace gives us some more fexibility inside and should be a 300-pounder by the time that August rolls around next year."

Losing two seniors on the offensive line with the possibility of Russell Okung going to the NFL as a junior (although Gundy said he thought he will stay for his senior season) is where Morgan becomes important. Morgan has a 500-pound bench press, but moves well with a 5.3 forty. He led the offensive line that blocked for an offense that averaged 235 yards rushing a game.

"He is a guy that gives us some girth in there," said Gundy of the 6-4, 325-pound Morgan.

With safeties Ricky Price, Quentin Moore and T.J. Bell graduating there is a need for more maturity at that position and McGee brings it. This season he earned all-conference honors with more than 100 tackles and one interception.

"We have McGee at safety who is very mature, very heady, and a lot of savvy," said Gundy. "He is very much like Jamie Thompson. With his interest in FCA and doing things right on and off the field he is immediately going to be a leader for us."

All four players will be enrolled and ready for class and offseason workouts in January.

The Cowboys are also slated to get one high school player at mid-term in safety Joe Mitchell of Katy (Morton Ranch), Texas. Mitchell is expected to sign like all other high school prospects on the first Wednesday in February.