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At this time last year, if you asked Ringling’s Matthew Farris if he thought college football was possible, he would have said no.
As recent as the end of this season, if you asked Lone Grove’s Greg Higgs the same question, you would have received the same answer: No.
Both said yes on Wednesday to Southwestern Oklahoma State in Weatherford, signing with the Division II school after Farris returned from an ACL tear his junior year to lead south-central Oklahoma in rushing yards as a senior, and Higgs continued his bout with concussions to make the All-Ardmoreite Super Team.
After tearing his ACL in the first game of his junior season in 2010, Farris took a few games to get his stride as a senior. But once he did, the District A-4 Most Valuable Player and All-Ardmoreite Super Teamer was hard to stop. Farris (6-foot-1, 180 pounds) rushed 218 times for 2,181 yards and 21 touchdowns in leading Ringling to the Class A quarterfinals.
“You’ve always got a chance,” Farris said of his recovery and chance to play collegiately. “When it first happened, I didn’t think I would be able to play college ball. It wasn’t easy, but if you want it that bad it’s not too much.”
Higgs had his eyes set on a collegiate football after a summer in which he excelled at the U.S. Army All-American Combine in San Antonio. But concussion problems, which have hampered him throughout his high-school career, came into play again in his final season with Lone Grove.
The 6-4, 290-pound offensive lineman decided to hang up his cleats, but got an itch to play again a few weeks ago.
The opportunity to continue his career was too enticing.
“It was always burning at me,” Higgs said of playing in college. “I knew if I didn’t give it a try, I would regret it later.
“I went back to a specialist to talk to them. They said I’m like any other kid, I’m just more susceptible to concussions.”
Part of the allure of SWOSU for Farris and Higgs came from the investment the school is putting into its football program. Ardmore-born brothers and NFL coaches Rex and Rob Ryan are gracious donators and alumni of Southwestern who will be inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame on Feb. 18. Southwestern also laid new turf on its football field as recent as 2010 and is making renovations to its football facilities and stadium.
At this time last year, if you asked Ringling’s Matthew Farris if he thought college football was possible, he would have said no.
As recent as the end of this season, if you asked Lone Grove’s Greg Higgs the same question, you would have received the same answer: No.
Both said yes on Wednesday to Southwestern Oklahoma State in Weatherford, signing with the Division II school after Farris returned from an ACL tear his junior year to lead south-central Oklahoma in rushing yards as a senior, and Higgs continued his bout with concussions to make the All-Ardmoreite Super Team.
After tearing his ACL in the first game of his junior season in 2010, Farris took a few games to get his stride as a senior. But once he did, the District A-4 Most Valuable Player and All-Ardmoreite Super Teamer was hard to stop. Farris (6-foot-1, 180 pounds) rushed 218 times for 2,181 yards and 21 touchdowns in leading Ringling to the Class A quarterfinals.
“You’ve always got a chance,” Farris said of his recovery and chance to play collegiately. “When it first happened, I didn’t think I would be able to play college ball. It wasn’t easy, but if you want it that bad it’s not too much.”
Higgs had his eyes set on a collegiate football after a summer in which he excelled at the U.S. Army All-American Combine in San Antonio. But concussion problems, which have hampered him throughout his high-school career, came into play again in his final season with Lone Grove.
The 6-4, 290-pound offensive lineman decided to hang up his cleats, but got an itch to play again a few weeks ago.
The opportunity to continue his career was too enticing.
“It was always burning at me,” Higgs said of playing in college. “I knew if I didn’t give it a try, I would regret it later.
“I went back to a specialist to talk to them. They said I’m like any other kid, I’m just more susceptible to concussions.”
Part of the allure of SWOSU for Farris and Higgs came from the investment the school is putting into its football program. Ardmore-born brothers and NFL coaches Rex and Rob Ryan are gracious donators and alumni of Southwestern who will be inducted into the school’s Athletic Hall of Fame on Feb. 18. Southwestern also laid new turf on its football field as recent as 2010 and is making renovations to its football facilities and stadium.
Then there’s the personal care. Farris, who has two sisters who graduated from SWOSU and another sister currently enrolled, said he liked fourth-year coach Dan Cocannouer. Farris added that if he ever went to a Division II school, it would be Southwestern because “they’ve always been good” to his sisters.
Higgs said SWOSU discussed the possibility of redshirting him and will outfit him with a special helmet and limit his full pads practices to two days a week.
The combination of extended careers and Southwestern’s approach to recruiting was too good of an opportunity to pass up for Farris and Higgs.
“I didn’t want that thought in my mind ... the ‘What if?,’” Higgs said of giving up on football.
For Farris and Higgs, the dream continues in Weatherford.
Erik K. Horne
221-6522
