Harris transferring to Oregon, Jones to UNK
Dec. 18—Two noteworthy college football players from the Northwest Missouri area announce where they will be headed for the next chapter in their careers.
On Monday, former Northwest Missouri State running back Jay Harris went to social media to announce his commitment to the University of Oregon.
Harris makes the leap to a yearlong top-10 Division I program slated to play in the Fiesta Bowl against Liberty on New Year's Day.
Named a Division II Associated Press First Team All-American this past season as a sophomore, Harris ran for 1,499 yards and 14 touchdowns for the Bearcats in 2023. He also became the first player in program history to run for 100 yards or more in each regular season game.
Harris will enter a Ducks program that also received a commitment from coveted transfer and former Oklahoma Sooner quarterback Dillon Gabriel on Dec. 9.
Former Missouri Western starting quarterback Reagan Jones unveiled his next destination through the transfer portal on Saturday.
Jones will transfer to fellow MIAA member Nebraska-Kearney and spend his senior season as a Loper. The move comes at a time when longtime starting quarterback and All-MIAA honorable mention TJ Davis ran out of eligibility this past season, leaving the door open for Jones to put himself in the mix for the starting job in 2024.
Jones was the starter for the Griffons during most of the 2022 season, a year in which Western went 5-6 in Matt Williamson's final year as head coach before being fired.
The Wichita, Kansas, native was demoted to the backup quarterback position behind starter Armani Edden in 2023. Jones found himself in certain packages on the field and was used for his ability as a runner and passer. Despite the demotion, Jones still accumulated seven total touchdowns for Western this past season.
Former Griffon running back Seth Cromwell has yet to announce his next destination after entering the transfer portal following the 2023 season.
Jacob Meikel can be reached at jacob.meikel@newspressnow.com.
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