Wisconsin Loss of Donnell Vercher Is Fresno State’s Gain

Oct 6, 2012; Fort Collins, WY, USA; Fresno State’s prolific secondary gets a huge boost with the transfer of local JUCO star Donnell Vercher. Mandatory Credit: Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports

Fresno State ranked near the top of college football in passes intercepted last season with 13, and converted six of those into touchdowns. The loss of All-American safety and national interceptions leader Phillip Thomas might mean a drop-off for the Bulldogs in 2013, but Fresno State reportedly scored a transfer on Wednesday that should help compensate for Thomas’ absence.

CBS 47 in Fresno is reporting JUCO product Donnell Vercher is headed to Fresno State after being denied admission to Wisconsin. The Badger secondary could have desperately used the talented Vercher, who Rivals.com rated as a three-star prospect. As CBSSports.com’s Tom Fornelli writes, Wisconsin already lost Reggie Mitchell, who transferred to former Badger assistant Paul Chryst’s Pitt program earlier in the week.

While new Badger head coach and noted defensive guru Gary Andersen searches for answers in his secondary, Tim DeRuyter has a decisive answer in his. Vercher intercepted as many passes at Fresno City College last season as Thomas picked off for Fresno State (8). Varcher was a one-time Bulldog verbal commit, The Fresno Bee‘s Anthony Galaviz reports.

Fresno State ranked No. 5 in turnover creation among Bowl Subdivision teams last season, gaining 35. Only Oregon, Boise State, LSU, Mississippi State, Kent State and Kansas State had better turnover margins. Vercher’s addition could go a long way in helping keep the Bulldogs on that positive side of the battle, which will be a key to Fresno State potentially busting the BCS for the first time in program history.