The WTAMU Buffs signed 37 players on National Signing Day, Wednesday, Feb. 6. They signed 27 players on offense and signed 10 on defense.

The Buffs will be losing 30 seniors going into next season, so the opportunity for some of these incoming players will be there for them to make an immediate impact for the Buffs football team. The returning players will be carrying momentum into next season as the team went 12-3 last season but fell to Winston-Salem State in the National Semifinal Tournament.

One player looking to make an immediate impact in WTAMU’s running game is Amarillo High running back Joshua Woods. Woods helped lead the Amarillo High Sandies to a 10-3 record and rushed for 1,533 yards and 18 touchdowns as a senior.

“Josh is a talented local product who carried the workload for Amarillo High School this year,” Buffs Head Coach Don Carthel said.

The Buffs signed three players from Waco, Texas: Toriese Thomas, an offensive lineman, Daron Jefferson, a wide receiver and James Griffin, a defensive lineman.

They also added some quarterbacks to add depth with incumbent quarterback Dustin Vaughan entering his senior year. Ethan Brinkley out of Rockdale High School in Rockdale, Texas, along with Tanner Hodges from Burleson, Texas, was signed.

“Ethan is a multi-sport athlete who holds the school passing record at Rockdale. He is a competitor and a talented thrower who can flat-spin the ball. He is also a lefty,” Carthel said.

The Buffs did some work on their defense too, adding Connor Allen from Guyer High School in Lantana, Texas. Allen was named Defensive Player of the Game in the State Championship over Goergetown and helped Guyer HS to a 15-2 record.

“[Connor] has tremendous athleticism and is a relentless pass rusher,” Carthel said.