Burgess signs with Bacone

By CRAIG HALL
POTEAU--Seth Burgess wanted a chance to play college football.

He is not your typical college football player. Burgess does not stand 6-foot-5 or run the 40 in 4.5.

But he always played hard and is now going to get that chance to continue playing football in college.

Photo by CRAIG HALL Poteau senior Seth Burgess signed to play football with Bacone Friday morning. Pictures, front row (left to right) Poteau assistant Vance Smedley, assistant Andy Perdue, Seth Burgess, Shannon Burgess. Second row: Bacone assistant Robert Daniels, Bacone head coach Lloyd Spotted Wolf, Poteau head coach Jeff Broyles, Darren Burgess, Robert Rockman, Faye Rockman, Mike Odom and Jesse Loomis.

The Poteau senior signed a letter-of-intent to play at Bacone, an NAIA school in Muskogee which competes in the CSFL, before teammates, friends, coaches and family Friday morning. He received scholarships for athletic and academics.

“I’m very excited,” Burgess said. “I couldn’t be more excited.”

Burgess is the son of Darren and Shannon Burgess and the grandson of Robert and Faye Rockman, and Ronald and the late-Lou Burgess. He comes from a long line of county football players. He is a second-generation Pirate as his father played for Poteau in the 1980s and his grandfather Robert “Rocky” Rockman played football for Heavener.

Darren and Rockman were Seth’s first coach in the Poteau Bandit Football League.

Burgess was one of the leading tacklers in the state from his defensive tackle position for the Pirates last season.

He was the Pirates Defensive Lineman of the Year, a four-time recipient of the Black Beard award, first team 4A-4 All-District and first team on the LeFlore County Journal’s county team and a finalist for the defensive player of the year.

Burgess had 20 solo tackles, 75 assists, including 12 tackles for a loss, five sacks and forced three fumbles. He is also an honor student and a member of the National Honor Society through high school.

At Bacone, he expects to play outside linebacker initially and the choice was an easy one for him.

“Their tradition and coaching staff is amazing,” he said. Burgess had another offer from a state school but decided on Bacone in large part because of head coach Lloyd Spotted Wolf. “It was just how the coach sold himself and the school and how he presented himself.”

Spotted Wolf was also pleased that Burgess is joining his team.

“First of all, Seth had been in contact with us since last spring,” Spotted Wolf said. “We’ve kept an eye on him. Seth plays with a high motor and is constantly running to the football and you can’t underestimate his work ethic.”

Bacone’s coach also project Burgess to initially play outside linebacker.

“He will start off at one of the stand-up positions,” Spotted Wolf said. “He’s get a look at the Will, or weak side linebacker spot. As he gets through our strength program he might be able to move inside or put his hand down on the line again.”

Spotted Wolf said Burgess is the first of the local recruits from this area although more might be headed to Muskogee.

“We recruit in two phases,” he said. “In phase one, the guys we recruit all fall to be mid-year early graduates or transfers from major colleges. We have signed eighteen of those guys.

“In the second phase, we’re getting hot and heavy getting high quality players that did not sign with major schools. There are a lot of good football players that did not sign and we are going after them.”