Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 13, 1995 TAG: 9508140138
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
It is a tribute to Shayne Graham's prowess as a kicker and a sign of the times in college football recruiting that Graham already has a scholarship offer from Virginia Tech.
It is a rare kicker who receives a scholarship offer, much less in the summer after his junior year, but NCAA Division I-A programs have learned that he who hesitates in football recruiting is left behind.
The Hokies already have four oral commitments - they didn't get their fourth commitment last year until Dec.22 - and have offered scholarships to as many as 25 in-state players, based on interviews with prospects.
The Tech coaches had 6-foot-3, 185-pound Nick Sorensen at the top of their list of state quarterbacks and took a calculated risk by offering him a scholarship in June, even though they wouldn't get a long look at him until their July camp.
Sorensen accepted the offer and justified the Hokies' faith in him with an impressive camp performance.
Sorensen is not the only in-state player to announce an early decision. North Carolina State received an oral commitment from Jawan Clark, a running back and defensive back from Pulaski County, and Duke received its seventh commitment of the summer from running back Luke Roush of Douglas Freeman High School in Richmond.
``I've had a lot of people ask me if I'm going to do something early,'' said Graham, a first-team All-Group AAA selection as a junior. ``I've tried to make that the least of my concerns so I can concentrate on this team [Pulaski County] and this season.''
Graham said he receives an average of three recruiting letters a day and tries to read all of them. He has heard in writing from an estimated 40 Division I-A programs.
``The coaches aren't allowed to call you till Aug.15,'' Graham said, ``but you can call them. Some of them have given me their 800 numbers and asked me to call toll-free at any time. That can be a little awkward, but I've had some questions for a few of them.''
Some of the schools that have expressed more than casual interest are Tech, Boston College, Penn State, Maryland, Florida State, Pittsburgh and Virginia.
If Penn State continues to show interest, Graham is sure he will be interested in the Nittany Lions.
``To tell you the truth, one school that I've always been a fan of is Boston College,'' Graham said. ``It probably has something to do with their colors and our colors being so similar.''
Although friend and former Cougars teammate Tim Davis is a freshman at Boston College, NCAA rules prohibit the two from talking by telephone while Graham is being recruited.
``I've gone to a few Tech games over the years,'' said Graham, whose father is a Tech alumnus. ``I've followed the [Hokies'] program over the years.''
Pulaski County coach Joel Hicks, who has seen former Cougars Chris Kinzer and Mickey Thomas kick for Tech, says Graham is the best kicker he has coached. Graham is 21-of-29 on field-goal attempts in his Pulaski County career, including 16-of-16 from 35 yards or closer.
Graham, who was 5 feet 2 when he kicked for the Cougars' Group AAA Division 6 championship team as a freshman, enters his senior year as a 6-foot, 172-pounder.
``When I was a freshman, my range was 45 yards,'' he said Friday, ``but I wasn't comfortable past 40. Last year, when I grew 6 or 7 inches, I had extended my range to 60 yards and was comfortable from 50 or 55.''
Graham, whose longest field goal in a game is a 53-yarder, recently kicked a 70-yarder while practicing at Kenneth Dobson Stadium.
``Coach Hicks has told me, if I have a chance to kick one from 60 yards, he'll let me do it,'' Graham said.
No kicker in the state has Graham's credentials. Some of the other top prospects, by position, are running back Thomas Jones from Powell Valley High School in Big Stone Gap, offensive lineman Brad Barnes from Tabb in Yorktown, wide receiver Plexico Burress from Green Run in Virginia Beach, inside linebacker Eric Sturdifen from Huguenot in Richmond and defensive back David Macklin from Menchville in Newport News.
Other players, such as 6-3, 250-pound Kofi Bawauh from Gar-Field High School in Woodbridge and Robert Adams from William Campbell in Naruna, are viewed as prospects at several positions. Adams, whose pass-rushing skills are reminiscent of one-time William Campbell star Charles Haley, has been offered a scholarship by Virginia Tech and Virginia.
Some of the other players who have offers from both of the state's Division I-A programs include Jones, Barnes, Sturdifen and Byron Thweatt, a defensive end from Matoaca High School in Ettrick. UVa may be the team to beat for Thweatt, who comes from the same school that produced Cavaliers linebacker James Farrior and basketball star Harold Deane.
At least there is no mistaking Tech's intentions. Last year, when other programs were trying to outdo each other with early commitments, the Hokies stuck to their practice of scheduling most campus visits for January. Burned once, when some of those players committed elsewhere, Tech wasn't about to be burned again.
by CNB