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SANTA ANA, CA -Santa Ana College sophomore running back Dartangan Johnson (Newport Harbor H.S., Newport Beach , CA ) signed a national letter of intent to play football at Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) and head coach John Ware next season. The 6-foot, 220-pound tailback was ranked as the top junior college running back for 2005 recruiting classes by both SuperPrep.com and CollegeFootballNews.com this past season. Those two recruiting sites also had Johnson ranked 10th and 11th, respectively, among all junior college players this year.
 Last season, Johnson received first team all-Mission Conference, National Division honors after leading the league in rushing with 1,302 yards and 10 touchdowns on 266 carries. He also caught 21 passes for 235 yards while earning first team all-California Region IV and third team J.C Grid-Wire all-America recognition.
The former Newport Harbor High School-product, who helped led the Dons to a 5-5 overall record in 2004, became just the third running back in SAC history to rush for over 2,000 career yards. Johnson rushed for 2,033 while at SAC despite missing the final four games of his freshman season because of a broken ankle. He was leading the state in rushing with 731 yards and seven touchdowns through five games. Only Camron King (1999) and Estrus Crayton (1989) have rushed for more yards in their career at SAC with 2,533 and 2,452, respectively.
Prior to coming to SAC, Johnson rushed for more than 3,000 yards in two seasons at Newport Harbor High School . He finished as the Pilots' career record holder in rushing yards and 100-yard games and was third on the career touchdowns list. The three-year letterwinner rushed for 1300 yards and 23 touchdowns as a senior after garnering 1878 yards and 15 scores as a junior.
Missouri Southern State University is a NCAA Division II institution and is a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) which includes Central Missouri State University , Emporia State University , Missouri Western State College , Northwest Missouri State University , Pittsburg State University , Southwest Baptist University , Truman State University and Washburn University.
In 2004, the Lions finished 5-6 overall in their first year as a member of the MIAA. This year they are listed among teams in Street & Smith's "Best of the Rest," sitting just outside that magazine's preseason NCAA Division II Top 25 poll.
Missouri Southern State University website: www.mssu.edu
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