Owens headed to Northwestern College

Silverado senior tailback Walter Owens signed a letter of intent to play football at Northwestern College in Iowa on Monday.

Owens, the Desert Sky League Offensive Player of the Year in 2007, will receive a partial scholarship. He led the Hawks to a league title last season as he rushed 970 yards on 132 carries.

“They’re a winning programming, good education program,” Owens said. “They offered me a better financial package.”

The Red Raiders are a member of the NAIA and play in the Great Plains Athletic Conference, making the playoffs five years in a row. They were 8-2 overall in 2007, with a perfect 5-0 record at home.

The team runs a spread offense and Owens expects to play in the backfield and in the slot.

He visited the campus in April and was impressed by the school buildings. The temperature was 70 degrees when he left California, but when he got to Iowa it was in the 20s.

“I’m expecting (the weather) to be very cold,” Owens said. “I’m not used to cold weather.”