KC player transfers to Oklahoma

LANE JOHNSON The Kilgore College Rangers just got a little thinner at quarterback.

Groveton native Lane Johnson, a sophomore, is transferring to Oklahoma to play for the Sooners. Johnson, listed at 6-7, 252 pounds, would have likely gotten time in once again for coach J.J. Eckert's Rangers under center, where he shared time with Hallsville native Shane Fry last year. Johnson was at his best when using his long frame to scramble.

If the Oklahoma media reports are correct, Johnson will likely redshirt this season for the Sooners, which one media outlet described as "loaded" at tight end.

"It was not an intended deal," Eckert told the Kilgore News Herald Friday. "It was one of those situations where he was going to get some reps at tight end for us. He's probably a little inexperienced at it, but he makes up for it with effort. You hate to lose players, for sure, but when they have the opportunity to go to the University of Oklahoma, that's a huge step for them, a big thing."

This much is certain: when practice begins in early August, the Rangers will have someone under center that has little or no time as the KC quarterback. Former Kilgore High School quarterback Chase Fisher, a 2006 KHS grad who helped the Ragin' Red to the Class 4A state championship in 2004, got some playing time for KC later that year, and is back on the Rangers' roster. The program has several others: signees S'Darius Blackshire, who helped lead Carthage to the Class 3A state championship last season, as well as Hans Cook of Deer Park, Tanner McDonald of Aledo and transfer Cal Farley of Keller.

Blackshire got the most press around here. The former Carthage Bulldog opened the 2008 season right here at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium against coach Mike Vallery's Kilgore Bulldogs, and the two teams played in one of the hottest games on record at the stadium. Blackshire suffered a knee injury in that game, but came back, obviously, to have a big year. He was actually voted a first-teamer on the Texas Sports Writers Association's Class 3A All-State team.

Farley, listed as a 4.0-GPA athlete who runs a 4.7-second 40-yard-dash by Rivals. com, was recruited by a number of schools, including the University of Tulsa and Pennsylvania, where he eventually signed. Classified as a sophomore, he's transferred to KC.

Cook helped Deer Park to an 8-2 overall record in 2008, passing for over 1,100 yards and 13 touchdowns. He was an all-district selection in both of his seasons as Deer Park's starter under center.

McDonald is quite decorated coming out of high school at Aledo. He was chosen District 6-4A's most valuable player (by the coaches in that district) after being the starting quarterback just one year. He helped the Aledo Bearcats to a 10-0 record in the regular season and 7-0 in district play.

The Rangers will begin practice for the season in early August. They open the year, Eckert's third as head coach, on the road at Fort Scott (Kan.) on Saturday, Aug. 29.