Local stars sign letters of intent

Published 12:00 am Thursday, February 4, 2010

National Signing Day is one of the most eagerly anticipated days on college football fans’ calendars as each high school star make it official with the school of their choice.

But sometimes, the day can be a two-way street leading to a dead end. That happened to Warren Central’s Ja’Relle Pedyfoot.

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• Carlos Williams, Vicksburg, Jackson State

• Bennie Peoples, WC/

Co-Lin,  Grambling

• Jeremy Lee, Hinds AHS, Mississippi State

• Tim Jones, WC, Hinds CC

• Steve Jordan, WC, Hinds CC

• Darius Newton, Hinds AHS, Hinds CC

• Jimmy White, Hinds AHS, Hinds CC

Walk-ons

• Reed Gordon, PCA,

Mississippi State

• Jericho Harris, WC,

Mississippi State

When he woke up Wednesday morning, Pedyfoot was set to sign a football scholarship offer with Henderson State University in Arkadelphia, Ark. Henderson State is a NCAA Division II school that plays in the Gulf South Conference. Then came the phone call — no scholarship papers were going to be there when he got to Warren Central.

“They pulled my scholarship,” Pedyfoot said Wednesday afternoon. “They said someone had taken my place. I couldn’t believe it. It felt like my heart had come out of me. I feel real down about it.”

Pulled scholarships are unfortunately one of the downsides to college recruiting. Most fans hear about players breaking their commitments by signing with another school but not so much is made of it when a college changes its mind like in the case of Pedyfoot.

Now he’s left scrambling.

“The coaches here at Warren Central will help me find a spot at one of the junior colleges,” said Pedyfoot, who was academically qualified to sign with a four-year school. As a defensive end last season, he helped the Vikings return to the playoffs after a three-year absence and made 66 tackles.

Two of Pedyfoot’s Viking teammates, Tim Jones and Steve Jordan did sign on Wednesday with Hinds Community College. Jones was the Vicksburg Post’s 2009 Player of the Year after leading the Vikings with 1,453 yards and 15 touchdowns rushing.

Jones, who was also qualified, said he had an offer to go to Louisiana-Monroe but felt playing time was an issue.

“I feel I have a better chance to start at Hinds. They said I could play either running back or safety, maybe even both. And they came up with a full scholarship,” Jones said. “I can go there for a year and then sign with another Division I school.”

Jones scored a 19 on his ACT.

“I am very happy with the choice. And I’ve got Steve (Jordan) coming too. I also heard what happened to JaRalle. They had no room for him — that’s messed up,” Jones said.

Two former All-County stars Carlos Williams and Bennie Peoples signed with Southwestern Athletic Conference schools. Williams, a two-time Vicksburg Post Defensive Player of the Year (2007-08) as a linebacker for the Vicksburg Gators, signed with Jackson State. Williams ran out of eligibility at Vicksburg but found a spot with former Gators defensive coordinator Stacy Sizemore at American Heritage in Delray, Fla. He helped American Heritage to a Florida state title.

“Jackson State got a heckuva football player. Carlos Williams can play Division I football,” said Gators coach Alonzo Stevens. “He is a tremendous run-stopper.”

In 2008, Williams paced the Gators to a 9-3 season and a second-round appearance in the Class 4A playoffs. He finished with a county-high 139 tackles.

Peoples was an All-County selection as a defensive end out of Warren Central in 2007. He signed with Copiah Lincoln and last year started for the Wolves at offensive tackle. He was signed in January by Grambling State.

“He did a great job for us and he is at Grambling now,” said Co-Lin coach Glen Davis.

Hinds AHS had three players sign, including one with Mississippi State. Jeremy Lee, a defensive back, inked with Dan Mullen’s Bulldogs. He also signed with Hinds Community College. Lee rushed for 665 yards as a quarterback and also started at corner on defense.

Also signing with Hinds were running back Darius Newton, the 2008 Vicksburg Post All-Area Offensive Player of the Year, and defensive linemen Jimmy White. Newton rushed for 1,685 yards in his junior season for the War Dawgs and then had 1,020 yards in 2009. White was fourth in the area in tackles with 108 and also had six sacks and five fumble recoveries.

While not yet offering scholarships, Mullen did offer two All-Warren County players preferred walk-on status at Mississippi State for the fall. Taking up the offer were Porters Chapel Academy’s Reed Gordon and Warren Central’s Jericho Harris.

“A lot of things were going to have to happen for me get signed on Wednesday,” Gordon said. “But I was told by Coach Mullen that by December, I would be on scholarship with Mississippi State. So I plan on being there in August.”

Contact Jeff Byrd at jbyrd@vicksburgpost.com