ARKADELPHIA, Ark. – Coming off of their ninth-straight winning season, Ouachita Tigers' football head coach Todd Knight and his staff announced the signing class of 2017. 32 student-athletes make up a class that will continue to strengthen the program with the longest consecutive streak of winning seasons in all of Arkansas college football.

"We've covered a lot of needs and taken care of some depth issues," head coach Todd Knight said. "A lot of these guys we'll be able to mix in and they can be difference-makers in the fall. We also have the three midyear transfers who are really good players and will be with us during spring football.

As is the trademark of Ouachita football's signing classes, 21 of the 32 signees are from within the state. The Arkansans will be joined by six from Texas and five from Louisiana. Joining the 28 high school signees are three midyear four-year transfers, two of which are former Arkansas high school players. For coach Knight, recruiting within the borders of the Natural State has become an established part of the program's success.

"It's incredible how high school football in Arkansas has improved over the past 30 years. It's exciting. There are a lot of great coaches in our state. They could coach in our league or the SEC and they do a great job of developing players."

Coach Knight added that the longevity of his staff has allowed the program to build strong relationships with coaches statewide. Add to that the number of coaches on Ouachita's staff that came from Arkansas high schools and it's easy to see why Ouachita has had such a successful run at recruiting in-state talent.  

19 student-athletes were signed this year to help strengthen the Tigers' defense, including 10 defensive backs, six defensive lineman and three linebackers. With a key nucleus of front-seven starters returning from last season, this group will be looked to add depth and make an immediate impact in the defensive backfield.

"We felt like we really needed to recruit more speed on that side of the football. Offensively we've been pretty consistent over the years but this year we felt that we needed to go after those defensive players who will make us better and add more depth."

Coach Knight went on to say that the emphasis on defense was a much needed change of direction that he hopes will bring the desired results over the next two seasons. He stressed that the defensive additions will be a great compliment to the strong nucleus of returning offensive players.

On offense, the Tigers focused on adding depth and versatility in key positions. This year Ouachita signed five wide receivers, three offensive lineman, one tight end, one running back and two quarterbacks. With nine starters returning from an offense that averaged 434 yards of offense and 36 points per game in 2016, many from this year's class will have an opportunity to learn and develop.

"While we expect these guys to be ready to come in and contribute they won't have the pressure of coming in and having to start day one. After all the injuries we had last year, we had several guys that had to be ready to play, but at least this year, knock on wood, if we can stay healthy, those guys should be able to grow into the program."

Coach Knight praised recruiting coordinator Brett Shockley's efforts in setting the standards and expectations of this year's signing class. The efforts that the coaching staff put into recruiting this class resulted in one of the larger classes in recent program history. But coach Knight also had praise for his players and their role in bringing new student-athletes to Ouachita.

"You can do all the recruiting you want as a coach, but the recruits have got to feel like, first, you have great university to come to. Ouachita is a great place to get a degree and a faith-based education. Those are not just clichés, those are wonderful things that we recruit to. Second is the chemistry of our current players. Everyone has football and academics, but it's the little things that attract players. Our guys have a great chemistry and sense of family. I think that's a big draw, because everybody wants to feel like they are part of family and our kids have set that standard in that regards."

The Ouachita Tigers' football team is currently in offseason workouts as they prepare to pursue their third Great American Conference title and make a return to the NCAA DII playoffs. The 2017 season will kickoff on September 2 at Cliff Harris Stadium. 

To see the entire National Signing Day Class of 2017, click here.