UPDATE: Delta Devils to welcome 10 signees this week

ITTA BENA — Karl Morgan’s first year at Mississippi Valley State was one that he likely wants to forget. And the first step to getting beyond an 0-10 season is to start on the next one.
And that’s exactly what Morgan and his staff are doing.
MVSU will welcome 10 mid-year transfer signees when school starts Thursday. Eight of the 10 transfer signees come from Mississippi junior colleges while one hails from California and another transferred from the University of South Carolina.
The signing class includes one quarterback, Percy Turner — a 6-foot, 200 pound Fayette native who comes from Copiah-Lincoln Community College. Turner threw for 1,747 yards and 18 TDs to go with nine picks this season for the Co-Lin Wolves. He rushed for another 350 yards and three scores.
Ronald Byrd — a 6-foot-5, 280 pound defensive lineman — will transfer from South Carolina. The Hogansivlle, Ga. native, who was considered the 15th best prep prospect in the country in 2008, was listed as a four-star athlete (on a five-star scale) by both Rivals and Scout.com.
Byrd, however, never saw the field as a Gamecock after suffering a torn ACL in August 2009.
Another area Valley hopes to make improvement in is their running game with the signing of Southwest Mississippi Community College running back Ratheal Bateaste. The Gloster native rushed for 525 yards and six TDs last year for Southwest.
Other changes to the MVSU roster include sophomore offensive lineman Jamell House, who Morgan said has plans to transfer. It is unknown where the Little Rock native will land.

• Ratheal Bateaste (RB) - Southwest CC Dytanyl (FB) - Hinds CC J.J. Thurman (TE) - Holmes CC Percy Turner (QB) - Co-Lin CC Napoleon Brewer (DB) - Coahoma CC Alex Brown (DB) - Pasadena CC Ronald Byrd (DL) - South Carolina Lakendrick Carter (DB) - East Miss. CC Rico Mazique (LB) - Holmes CC Shelby Waddell (K/P) - Itawamba CC