Sports
Trio of Jacks football players to move on to Crookston after finishing at DCB
Tyler Ohmann
02/07/2012
Three Dakota College at Bottineau football players will be furthering their athletic careers as they each signed letters of intent last Wednesday to attend and play for the University of Minnesota-Crookston.
The three sophomores, wide receiver Keith Osgood and defensive ends, Kevin Ellis and Deryck Woods II, were standouts for the Jacks the past two seasons.
The trio also become the first players from the DCB football program to move on to Division II college football.
The signing ceremony happened in the conference room on the second floor of Thatcher Hall at 2 p.m., Wednesday afternoon. The same room where the founders of the football program are prominently displayed on the wall.
“This is a real big day for us, and a great place to have this, because of the football founders,” said DCB Athletic Director Scott Johnson. “Those are the people responsible for you being here.”
Johnson addressed the athletes as they prepared to ink their names, and become University of Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles.
“Obviously I also would like to thank Coach Pfeifer and Coach Mooney for all the stuff that they’ve done to support you guys,” Johnson said. “One of the bigger things is don’t forget about us. If you want to come back and help on a recruiting basis or whatever, we certainly would be very happy to have you.”
“We wish you the best of luck as you move on,” Johnson added.
Following the initial signatures the players were allowed to express their gratitude and feelings with the 20 or so members in attendance.
“I want to say it has been an absolute pleasure being here at DCB,” Osgood said. “If I could pick any other school to start off my football career or my education I wouldn’t have picked anywhere else besides here, because there’s been great memories on and off the football field.”
“I enjoy the fans, that is why I love to play the game is the fans,” Osgood added. “It has been a pleasure and wow, it’s already passed.”
Woods also expressed his thanks to coaches and those who helped him along the way.
“I would like to thank Coach Pfeifer for the opportunity to play again,” Woods said. “After missing my senior year of high school I though football was done, but thanks for the opportunity.”
“Thank you Coach Mooney for the opportunity and coaching me and Coach Sathre, my defensive coordinator, for teaching me a little stuff,” Woods added. “It is an emotional time for me, and a very happy time. Thank you, and I appreciate it.”
Ellis declined to comment only saying, “Keith said it all.”
The three did however share their sentiments about sticking together after DCB.
“I think it will be phenomenal for us to all be together coming from here, because we were in dog fights together in both seasons, and to have someone with me, someone I know, we can push each other harder, harder than we did here and play to our abilities, and be the best that we can,” Osgood said. “It will be something good for us to be over there playing together.”
Ellis thought that the three of them together will help foster other relationships in their new environment.
“I think its very important, especially in a game like football that is a team-oriented sport,” Ellis said. “Me going there with two guys I know will help the bonding situation better, and make me more comfortable around my environment, so I think its a big thing to have for us.”
Woods hopes that the former Lumberjacks can shake up the Golden Eagles (who were 1-10 in 2011) for the better.
“I trust it a lot, because Kevin is a good run stopper and Keith will be a great asset to the offense,” Woods said. “I feel like me and Kevin can go over there and change up the defense, me rushing the passer and Kevin stopping the run. I think it’s really good that we have some people going there to a school we’ve never been to before.”
Woods is a 5-foot, 11-inch, 230 pound defensive end from Fort Worth, Texas. Ellis is a 6-foot, four-inch, 225 pound defensive end from Chicago, Ill. Osgood is a 6-foot, 175 pound receiver from Miami, Fla., who led the Jacks in receptions during his sophomore season.
UMC is a Division II school that plays in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC). The football program recently underwent changes as they fired their previous coaching staff and hired Paul Miller former coach at the University of Minnesota-Morris.