Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 5, 1991 TAG: 9102050220
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Sparrow, from Woodrow Wilson High in Portsmouth, made an oral commitment after visiting UVa this past weekend and is expected to sign with the Cavaliers on Wednesday.
"I think he's going to be the best quarterback they've ever had," said Woodrow Wilson coach Darnell Moore, who, when reminded that Shawn Moore had enjoyed an outstanding career, added, "Or at least he has the potential to be."
In a flurry of recruiting announcements, Timesland offensive player of the year Tim Williams from Bath County made a commitment to VMI. Williams, 5-8 and 160 pounds, finished fourth on the all-time Virginia rushing list with 5,797 yards.
Virginia Tech got a commitment from 6-5, 275-pound lineman Jared Hamlin, rated one of the top 25 prospects in Virginia by the Roanoke Times & World-News, according to Blacksburg High coach David Crist. Hamlin picked the Hokies over Mississippi.
Sparrow, a 6-1, 195-pounder, broke state records for passing yardage (6,790) and touchdown passes (78) in a career and was named to the Parade All-America team.
"Virginia's probably been his favorite all along," Darnell Moore said. "He liked a lot of guys he met on his visit up there this weekend and knew some of their other recruits from camp this summer."
Sparrow liked the idea of entering a program with an established quarterback, Matt Blundin, in his final season of eligibility. Sparrow has not met Proposition 48 guidelines for freshman eligibility, although he is awaiting scores from the Scholastic Aptitude Test he took on Jan. 26.
"He has said he will not go to prep school or junior college," Moore said. "He figures he's going to be eligible, which is good, but I think you need to be prepared. If he did not qualify, I think he'd go to either Norfolk State or Wisconsin."
If he does not qualify under Proposition 48, Sparrow would not be eligible as a freshman at any NCAA program and could not accept an athletic scholarship. Moore said Sparrow qualifies for enough academic aid at Wisconsin that he would receive virtually a full ride.
The Cavaliers enjoyed a recruiting bonanza over the weekend with commitments from four players, including Sparrow and Sussex Central defensive back Joe Crocker, a Top 25 pick.
The Cavaliers added 6-5 1/2, 240-pound Jason Augustino, an all-state linebacker and tight end from North Allegheny High School in Wexford, Pa., and Kendall Meade, a sprinter-turned-football player from Lawrence, Kan., by way of Fork Union Military Academy.
Meade, a 5-11, 175-pound defensive back and wide receiver, has been timed in 4.2 seconds for 40 yards.
Augustino, who had seven quarterback sacks and 11 tackles for loss, visited UVa, Miami, South Carolina, Arizona and Duke. He has a 3.9 grade-point average and 1,200 on the SAT.
Crocker, youngest of three brothers to receive grants-in-aid, picked the Cavaliers over Virginia Tech, Wake Forest and Marshall.
Crocker's oldest brother, Travis, was a starting cornerback for Richmond last year and middle brother, Sean, was a backup cornerback for North Carolina as a freshman.
In other recruiting:
Virginia Tech received a commitment from 6-4, 210-pound quarterback Jim Druckenmiller from Allentown, Pa. Druckenmiller alternated with former high-school All-American Mike Thomas.
Fork Union coach John Shuman described Druckenmiller as a right-handed Will Furrer, the left-handed ex-Fork Union quarterback now at Tech. "He's [Druckenmiller] got one of the best arms I've been around and I've been around [Don] Majkowski and [Vinny] Testaverde."
The Hokies have 19 known commitments.
VMI received commitments from Williams and Terry Tucker, a 5-11, 190-pound defensive back from E.C. Glass High in Lynchburg, committed to VMI. Tucker's teammate, defensive back Roger Johnson (6-2, 180), will sign with Marshall.
Bath County coach Steve Isaacs said he expected Williams to play running back at VMI, which was the only school he visited. William and Mary and Richmond had expressed interest.
"I think a lot of people missed the boat on Timmy," Isaacs said. "Some coaches indicated size was a concern, but if size was a concern, that was just a poor job of recruiting. If they looked far enough, they would have seen that size was never a factor."
Top 25 selection James Dexter, a tight end from West Springfield, committed to South Carolina over N.C. State and James Madison.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL
by CNB