Valley’s Diggs, McFarland Accept Offers

On talent alone, Valley College football Coach Chuck Ferrero said that Division I scholarships for defensive end Ed McFarland and defensive back John Diggs were academic.

And so they were.

McFarland, an All-Southern California Conference defensive end last season, accepted a scholarship offer from Cal State Fullerton on Wednesday, the first day players could sign letters of intent for fall sports.

Diggs, a freshman out of Kennedy High, signed with Washington State.

For a while, however, it appeared academic roadblocks would forestall a Wednesday signing.

McFarland (6-4, 230), who did not qualify for admission to a Division I school out of high school, must earn his associate’s degree before becoming eligible at Fullerton. He is on schedule to receive his degree at the end of the spring semester at Valley, Ferrero said.

“Fullerton knew Ed was a good player and didn’t want him to get away,” Ferrero said.

If McFarland, who transferred to Valley from Pierce, does not earn his degree, his letter of intent and scholarship to Fullerton will be voided, Ferrero said.

Diggs enrolled at Valley because he did not receive the Division I scholarship he was seeking out of high school, Ferrero said. Normally, Ferrero requires high school recruits to commit to his program for two years, but he made an exception in Diggs’ case.

Diggs received offers from several Pacific 10 schools but delayed his signing until verifying that he qualified for admission.

Fourteen Valley College players have signed Division I scholarships.