NEO Sports
Monty Franks
MIAMI, Okla. — Twelve members of the Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College football team have during the first-ever NCAA national early signing period.
The traditional national signing day has always come in late January while the NJCAA does not have an early signing period.
“We’re very excited that so many of our players were able to participate as early signees,” Golden Norseman head coach Clay Patterson said. “Along with the guys that are eligible on the regular signing day, we expect to have 20 total with at least 17 to sign at the Division 1 level.”
NEO finished the regular season in a tie with Trinity Valley Community College and Blinn College for the Southwest Junior College Football Conference title with a 5-2 record.
The Golden Norsemen won the post-season championship with a 26-20 win over Trinity Valley in Athens, Texas.
Ranked No. 4 in the nation entering the inaugural Midwest Classic Bowl presented by Downstream Resort on Miami’s Multi-Purpose Sports Complex at Red Robertson Field, the Norsemen dropped a 30-20 decision to Coffeyville (Kansas) Community College. NEO finished rated No. 8 with a 9-3 season record.
Two Golden Norsemen have signed with the Oklahoma State University Cowboys. Sophomore tight end Jake Ross (6-7, 245 from Coweta) and redshirt wide receiver Patrick McKaufman (6-6, 190 from Oklahoma City Douglass) were early signees.
NJCAA all-American linebacker Dillon Hall (6-1, 210 from Edmond) along with linebacker Bryan Burns (6-0, 220 from Lawton) signed with the University of Central Oklahoma Broncos in Edmond.
Joining the University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane are NEO starting linemen center Judge Hartin (6-4, 265 from Madill) and defensive end Cade Baumann (6-4, 235 from Walters).
NEO all-American sophomore running back Darwin Thompson (5-9, 195 from Jenks) is transferring to Utah State University in Logan.
Two Golden Norsemen signed with Kansas State University in Manhattan. Joining the Wildcats are redshirt defensive backs Kevion McGee (5-10, 180 from Ardmore) and Darreyl Patterson (5-11, 175 from Lawton).
Redshirt sophomore tight end Jace Sternberger (6-4, 240 from Kingfisher) joined the Aggies of Texas A&M University in Lubbock.
Golden Norse record-setting starting quarterback Wyatt Steigerwald (6-1, 200 from Nowata) signed with the Griffins of Missouri Western State University in St. Josephs.
During his redshirt sophomore season, Steigerwald established five NEO school records. He completed 203 of 305 passes for 2,744 yards and 32 touchdowns which eclipsed the previous record set in 2012 by Clayton Mitchem of 183 of 287 for 2,435 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Steigerwald finished third in the nation with a 159.7 pass efficiency rating while setting an NEO school record with a 62.7 pass completion average. The previous record was a 58.3 percentage set in 2012 by Mitchem.
Another redshirt sophomore, defensive back DJ Freeman (5-10, 175 from Del City), signed with the RedHawks of Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau.