Oaks' Young signs with UCO

Bud Sullins/Special to the Herald-Leader Oaks-Mission (Okla.) senior lineman Joseph "Choogie" Young signed a letter of intent Friday to play football at the University of Central Oklahoma in the Oaks gymnasium. Also pictured are his mother Penny, left, and father Chero, right, Oaks head football coach C.D. Thompson, standing, and a host of friends and family.
Bud Sullins/Special to the Herald-Leader Oaks-Mission (Okla.) senior lineman Joseph "Choogie" Young signed a letter of intent Friday to play football at the University of Central Oklahoma in the Oaks gymnasium. Also pictured are his mother Penny, left, and father Chero, right, Oaks head football coach C.D. Thompson, standing, and a host of friends and family.

OAKS, Okla. -- The Oaks football team struggled through a winless season in 2017, but the Warriors program had reason to celebrate on Friday.

Senior lineman Joseph "Choogie" Young became one of the first Oaks players in several years to sign a national letter of intent when he signed with the University of Central Oklahoma in a signing ceremony held in the Oaks gymnasium.

"It means a lot to me," said Young, who played his first three seasons of high school football at Colcord before transferring to Oaks his senior year. "It's what I've always wanted to do ever since I started playing football."

Young -- who stands 6-foot-5 and 285 pounds -- played on the offensive and defensive line for the Warriors.

"He's big and quick," said Oaks head coach C.D. Thompson. "He can move for a big guy. He's athletic. Toward the end of the season we even threw him a couple of passes at tight end."

Young said the Bronchos coaches haven't decided which side of the ball he'll play on.

In a press release on UCO's football website, Bronchos head coach Nick Bobeck said Joseph is a "big athlete that could play either side of the ball. He has two things you can't teach; he's huge and athletic. We are excited about his potential in the trenches."

Young was one of 32 signees for UCO, which is located in Edmond, Okla. The Bronchos went 8-4 last season.

Sports on 02/14/2018