KSFY News - Sioux Falls, SD News, Weather, SportsUSD Football Inks Two Junior College Transfers

University of South Dakota head football coach Joe Glenn announced Tuesday the signing of two junior college transfers for the 2012 season.  Butler Community College (Kan.) safety Dennis (D.J.) Wakes and running back Jasper Sanders inked with the Coyotes during the junior college signing period. 

Wakes, a native of Topeka, Kan., earned first team All-Jayhawk Conference honors as a sophomore.  He helped lead the Grizzlies to an 11-1 record, a conference and Region VI championship and finished the season ranked second nationally.  Wakes played in all 12 games recording 37 tackles, including 23 solo stops at safety.  He had 5.5 tackles for loss with two sacks, four pass breakups and four passes defended. 

In 2010, Wakes helped lead the team to an 11-1 record with a conference championship, region championship and a national runner-up finish as a freshman at Butler Community College.

Wakes attended Topeka High School where he was a four-time letterwinner and earned all-conference honors both his junior and senior seasons at wide receiver.  He helped lead his team to the playoffs for the first time in 15 years.  A versatile athlete, Wakes also lettered in basketball (three times) and in baseball (four times), as well as a three-time all-conference selection in baseball.

"D.J. is a strong safety who is a tough kid and a sure tackler at 6-1, 190," Glenn said.  "He is not afraid to come down and fit in the front eight and he will compete for a starting assignment right away."

Sanders, a native of Kansas City, Kan., is a 5-10, 200-pound, running back who earned first-team all-conference honors and honorable mention all-America honors as he led the Grizzlies in rushing with 937 yards and a team-high 15 touchdowns this past fall.  Sanders played in all 12 games and averaged a team-high 78.1 yards.  He also had three receptions for 24 yards. 

His 90 points scored ranked second on the team and he ranked second in total offense at 78.1 yards per game and second in all-purpose yards at 80.1 per contest.  As a freshman at Butler, he had 48 carries for 506 yards with seven rushing touchdowns.

Sanders lettered all four years at Piper High School where he earned all-state honors as a quarterback and all-conference.  He set every rushing record in school history except career touchdowns.  In one game, he rushed for 401 yards and 30 carries with six total touchdowns.

He also participated in basketball and track and was a two-time state champion in the 4 X 100m relay.  As a junior, Sanders rushed for 1,034 yards with eight rushing touchdowns to go along with 300 yards passing, 100 yards receiving and two receiving touchdowns.  As a senior, he rushed for 1,800 yards, 1,000 yards through the air and 31 total touchdowns.

Sanders also was recruited by Maryland and Tennessee-Martin among others.

"Jasper is a terrific running back and also was a high school wildcat quarterback," Glenn said.  "He is a terrific addition to our program and a great young man."