Dec. 15, 2010
RUSTON, La. -
Louisiana Tech head coach Sonny Dykes got off to a strong start on his first full recruiting class as six junior college players signed National Letters of Intent with Louisiana Tech Wednesday. Oscar Johnson and Quinton Patton, both ranked by Scout.com as three-star recruits, headline the group.
The mid-year signing class includes OL Larry Banks, LB Chip Hester, OL Oscar Johnson, WR Quinton Patton, DL Jon'al White and WR Myles White.
"We have a really solid group signing today that should give competition for starting spots on our team," said head coach Sonny Dykes. "We expect to have everyone on campus for the spring quarter so all six of them will be able to go through spring practice."
Johnson and Patton are both rated three stars by Scout.com while Jon'al White, a Ruston High School product, is rated two stars by both Scout.com and Rivals. "All of these guys are proven athletes," Dykes said. "The Two linemen are have a huge size to them and Jon'al White is a big body inside that can disrupt play. Myles White played at a good program at Michigan State and is a polished wide receiver with good size and speed."
These six student-athletes begin Sonny Dykes' first full recruiting class at Louisiana Tech after coming in late in the recruiting period last season.
For complete coverage of Bulldog Football, please visit the official home of Louisiana Tech Athletics at LATechSports.com.
JuCo Signees
Larry Banks, OL
Jr., 6-4, 325
Fayette, Miss. (Copiah-Lincoln CC)
2010 (Copiah-Lincoln CC): Helped guide Co-Lin to the MACJC state championship game and a 9-2 record … Paved the way for Co-Lin to rush for over 175 yards per game and for the team to average almost 335 offensive yards per game … Coached by Glenn Davis.
2009 (Copiah-Lincoln CC): Guided Co-Lin to a 6-3 record … Paved the way for the team to rush for over 118 rushing yards per game … Coached by Glenn Davis.
High School: Graduated from Jefferson County High School in 2009 … Earned letters in football and basketball … Garnered all-state, all-region and all-metro honors … Named the offensive lineman of the year … Coached by James Herrington.
Personal: Larry Darnell Banks, Jr. … Son of Flora Banks … Born Sept. 4, 1990 in Fayette, Miss. … Chose Louisiana Tech over Troy, North Texas, Utah State and Arkansas State.
Chip Hester, LB
Jr., 6-0, 230
North Myrtle Beach, S.C. (Hutchinson CC)
2010 (Hutchinson CC): Led the Hutchinson defense with 121 total tackles (52 solo, 69 assisted) and posted 12.0 tackles for a loss of 53 yards … Recorded 2.0 sacks for a loss of 29 yards … Credited with one pass break-up, one pass deflection and one QB hurry … Recovered three fumbles for a total of two yards … Helped team to a 10-2 record and a 42-21 win over Eastern Arizona in the Salt City Bowl, marking the second consecutive Salt City Bowl Championship for Hutchinson … Coached by Rion Rhoades.
2009 (Hutchinson CC): Helped lead the Hutchinson defense to a 7-4 mark … Team won the Salt City Bowl title over the New Mexico Military Institute, 22-14.
High School: Graduated from North Myrtle Beach High School in 2008 … Lettered in football, wrestling and track … Coached by Denver Cromer.
Personal: Arquan Marquis Hester … Goes by the name "Chip" … Son of Sarah Bragg … Born Feb. 22, 1990 in Wilmington, N.C. … Chose Louisiana Tech over UNLV and North Texas.
Oscar Johnson, OL
Jr., 6-6.5, 350
Crystal Springs, Miss. (Copiah-Lincoln CC)
2010 (Copiah-Lincoln CC): Helped guide Co-Lin to the MACJC state championship game and a 9-2 record … Paved the way for Co-Lin to rush for over 175 yards per game and for the team to average almost 335 offensive yards per game … Coached by Glenn Davis.
2009 (Copiah-Lincoln CC): Guided Co-Lin to a 6-3 record … Paved the way for the team to rush for over 118 rushing yards per game … Coached by Glenn Davis.
High School: Graduated from Crystal Springs High School in 2009 … Played offensive and defensive line … Recorded 17 tackles his senior year … Recorded 92 total tackles his junior year with 27 solo stops, causing one fumble and recording four sacks for a loss of three yards … Coached by David Virgil.
Personal: Oscar L. Johnson … Son of Oscar and Olivia Johnson … Born March 1, 1990 in Crystal Springs, Miss. … Chose Louisiana Tech over Baylor, Marshall, Mississippi State, Troy and UAB.
Quinton Patton, WR
Jr., 6-1, 195
La Vergne, Tenn. (Coffeyville CC)
2010 (Coffeyville CC): Played in all 10 games for Coffeyville CC, garnering first team all-conference honors as a wide receiver and second team all-conference accolades as a punter … Named team MVP … Recorded 50 catches for 687 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 13.74 receiving yards per game with a season-best catch of 59 yards … Punted 54 times with an average of 39.8 yards per punt with six touchbacks, four fair catches and a season-best punt of 75 yards … Coached by Darian Dulin.
2009 (Coffeyville CC): Played in nine games, recording 23 catches for 309 yards and a 13.4 average with three touchdowns … Averaged 34.3 yards per game and had a season-best 44-yard catch … Punted 16 times for 583 yards … Coached by Darian Dulin.
High School: Graduated from La Vergne High School in 2008 … Coached by Will Hester.
Personal: Quinton Arne Patton … Son of Darlene Patton … Born Aug. 9, 1990 in Nashville, Tenn. … Chose Louisiana Tech over offers from Minnesota, South Florida and Troy.
Jon'al White, DL
Jr., 6-1, 300
Ruston, La. (Jones County JC)
2010 (Jones County JC): Played in nine games, recording 45 total tackles including 28 solo tackles and 17 assisted stops … Registered 11.0 tackles for a loss of 28 yards including four sacks for a loss of 18 yards… Coached by Eddie Pierce.
2009 (Jones County JC): Played in nine games, recording 47 total tackles with 29 solo stops and 18 assisted tackles … Recorded three sacks for a loss of 10 yards … Forced one fumble … Coached by Eddie Pierce.
High School: Graduated from Ruston High School in 2009 … Lettered in football and track for three years … Garnered all-state and all-district honors … His senior year, registered 102 tackles and seven sacks … Coached by Billy Laird.
Personal: Jon'al P. White … Son of Regina Little … Born on Oct. 16, 1990 in Ruston, La. … Plans to major in criminal justice … Chose Louisiana Tech over Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Southern Miss and Iowa State.
Myles White, WR
R-Jr., 6-1, 185
Livonia, Mich. (Northwest Mississippi CC)
2010 (Northwest Mississippi CC): Led Northwest Mississippi CC in receptions (53, sixth nationally), yards (712) and touchdowns (six) in an offense that ranked 10th nationally at 413.6 yards per game … Boasted four 100-yard receiving games … Named MACJC first team all-state and NJCAA all-region XXIII … Signed with Louisiana Tech on Dec. 15, 2010.
2009 (Michigan State): Played in six games (Montana State, Wisconsin, Illinois, Western Michigan, Purdue, Penn State) to earn his first letter … caught two passes for 86 yards, including a 39-yard touchdown grab from Keith Nichol, in the 2009 Green-White spring game … had three catches for 75 yards in the April 18 scrimmage, including a 56-yard scoring pass from Nichol.
2008 (Michigan State): Redshirted … selected Scout Team Offensive Player of the Week vs. Florida Atlantic.
High School: Graduated from Stevenson High School in 2008 … Named to PrepStar's All-Midwest Team … Rated among the state's top seniors by the Lansing State Journal (No. 20), Scouts, Inc. (No. 22) and Detroit Free Press (No. 31) … Second-team all-West selection by the Detroit Free Press … Earned second-team all-Metro West honors from The Detroit News … Played for Coach Tim Gabel at Stevenson High School in Livonia, Mich. … Had 26 receptions for 651 yards (25.0 avg.) and 10 touchdowns as a senior while helping the Spartans (13-1) advance to the state finals … Recorded 35 tackles (19 solos, 16 assists) and two interceptions in 2007 … Caught 15 passes for 201 yards (13.4 avg.) as a junior … Qualified for four events in the 2007 state track championships … Ranks as the school record holder in the 300-meter hurdles (38.9) and long jump (22-3) … Set state indoor records in the triple jump as a freshman (40-7.75) and sophomore (43-3).
Personal: Myles Howard White … Son of Michael and Karen White … Born March 30, 1990 … father Michael ran track at Michigan State … Chose Louisiana Tech over offers from Utah State, Troy, Memphis, Arkansas State and New Mexico State.
