More college football updates

In last week's Acorn we featured 10 Ventura County athletes to watch for this college football season. At the request of our readers, we're adding a few more names to the list this week.

Football fans should keep their eyes and ears alert for these locals as well:

Casey Matthews, sophomore, LB, Oregon: Matthews, an Oaks Christian grad who hails from Agoura, cracked the Ducks' starting lineup as a true freshman but suffered a late-season shoulder injury. He recorded 18 tackles in his first year at Oregon, a number that should increase dramatically this season.

Alex Henderson, junior, RB, Northern Arizona: A former Calabasas High standout, Henderson has rushed for 1,913 yards in two years in the desert, ranking him 10th on the school's alltime list. After being named the Big Sky Newcomer of the Year as a freshman in 2006, Henderson's numbers took a slight dip last year. Considering how well he catches the ball out of the backfield, 1,200 all-purpose yards isn't out of the question.

Duke Lemmens, sophomore, DL, Florida: Lemmens played defensive end and defensive tackle as a freshman at Florida. The Westlake native, who attended Oaks Christian, had six total tackles, including two against rival Tennessee.

J.T. Wright, junior, WR, New Hampshire: A transfer from College of the Canyons, Wright, a former Agoura High star, caught at least one pass in all 12 of New Hampshire's games in 2007. He finished the year with 31 receptions for 356 yards and two scores. He'll be in the Wildcats' starting lineup.

Sean Trowbridge, junior, WR, Arizona: Trowbridge made the Wildcats' roster as a walkon last year after transferring from Moorpark College. Now the Agoura grad has to get on the field and contribute to Arizona's passing attack.

Others to watch for include Oaks Christian grads Sean Wiser and Chris Owusu at Stanford—Wiser is a safety and Owusu plays wide receiver—and Cory Yriarte, who's competing for a spot on Boise State's offensive line.

Tyler Staley, of Agoura fame, plays center at Portland State.

Chris Turner, formerly of Chaminade in West Hills, is the starting quarterback at Maryland.

Any other suggestions? Email sdorman@theacorn.com.