Three players on the Northwest Missouri State spring football roster likely will be missing once play resumes in August.

Backup quarterback Tyler Herl is looking to transfer in an effort to gain more playing time, while the Bearcats cut backup running back Sheldon Cook, the News-Press has learned.

The Bearcats already lost freshman running Ricky Hicks of Kansas City Central to an anterior cruciate ligament tear during spring drills.

Herl had performed well during spring workouts, coach Mel Tjeerdsma said, but the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder from Shawnee Heights, Kan., opted to transfer.

“He actually had a very good spring, but he’s looking at being a backup possibly for two more years, and that leaves him just one year left,” Tjeerdsma said. “He wants to play and figures that he might be able to do that somewhere else.”

Herl, who had been toiling alongside fellow sophomore-to-be Blake Christopher for the backup position behind junior-to-be Blake Bolles, had not tumbled down the depth chart, Tjeerdsma insisted.

“We had him and Blake Christopher about even coming out of the spring,” Tjeerdsma. “But when you have more than one quarterback in a class, you run into that (decisions to transfer out). He can play, and hopefully it will work out for him.”

Cook, meanwhile, leaves the team in what the News-Press has learned was a “joint decision.”

Tjeerdsma declined to comment on that move, but this spring the former Park Hill South standout had tumbled down the depth chart. Cook’s career highlight was a 172-yard performance on just 13 carries against Pittsburg State in Arrowhead Stadium on Nov. 4, 2006, but he failed to beat out LaRon Council for the starting spot last preseason and languished behind the fellow junior.

He carried the ball only 64 times last season for 331 yards. He was overshadowed late in the season by freshman Clint Moore.

Hicks injured his knee in the final practice before spring break, completely tearing an ACL he partially tore in high school.

The 2006 Scholastic League most valuable player has already had surgery. Tjeerdsma said he doubts Hicks can be available for the Aug. 27 season opener at Abilene Christian, but he’s hopeful he can be play soon thereafter.

“He had a really good first half of the spring,” Tjeerdsma said.

Sports reporter Rick Dunaway can be reached at rickd@npgco.com