Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 22, 1992 TAG: 9201220227
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DOUG DOUGHTY SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
UVA LANDS TOP-NOTCH TAILBACK
Virginia received a commitment Tuesday from its possible tailback of the future, Lamonte Still, who heads the Roanoke Times & World-News list of prospects in Virginia.Still, from Cox High in Virginia Beach, took an official recruiting visit to Virginia this past weekend and subsequently canceled trips to Maryland and Florida.
UVa also received a commitment from 6-foot-4 1/2, 255-pound Tom Locklin, an all-state center from Lee High in Jacksonville, Fla., who picked the Cavaliers over Georgia Tech.
Florida is also the home of Virginia Tech's latest recruit, 6-2, 185-pound defensive back Lamarick Thomas from Bishop Verot High in Fort Myers.
Thomas, a first-team All-Southwest Florida pick, is the younger brother of Tech freshman tailback Dwayne Thomas. Lamarick Thomas had 48 tackles and seven interceptions as a senior.
Still, a 5-11, 175-pounder, averaged 8.0 yards per carry as a senior and set records in the Tidewater area for rushing yardage in a season (2,036) and career (3,913). He also had 45 career receptions.
"I think their offense is ideally suited to his talents," said Cox High coach Jim Prince, a former college assistant at James Madison.
"He's got that shiftiness that everybody wants out of a running back; then, he's got the explosive speed, 4.4 [seconds] in the 40. He's the best I've ever dealt with - recruited, coached or seen play."
The biggest question about Still concerns his eligibility. He is expected to meet one NCAA standard, a 2.0 average in the core curriculum, but has not posted the required 700 in the Scholastic Aptitude Test.
"His score came up 40 points in the December test," said Prince, who indicated Still will take the SAT again this weekend.
In other recruiting, Penn State received a commitment from defensive lineman Brandon Noble from First Colonial High in Virginia Beach. Noble, the Group AAA player of the year, selected the Nittany Lions over Michigan and Virginia Tech.
Keywords:
FOOTBALL