THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 16, 1995 TAG: 9511160429
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
D.J. Jordan has piled up yards for Atlantic Shores each week, but not nearly as many as the miles he piles up just getting there.
Jordan, who averages a 157 yards per game, puts 380 miles a week on his burgundy Toyota Corolla commuting between his Smithfield home and the Chesapeake school.
``It's not really that big of a deal,'' said Jordan, a senior who opted for a third year at Atlantic Shores after his family moved from Chesapeake to Smithfield last spring. ``I'm comfortable there, and the teachers are really good.
``Of course, then there's the football side of things. ...''
Indeed, Jordan, who carries well over a 3.0 grade-point average, admits that being the featured runner on a potential state championship team was central to his decision.
``I thought about going to Menchville and living with a friend,'' Jordan said. ``And I thought about going to Smithfield High, but the team there hasn't done too well lately (two victories in its last 20 games).
``The thing is, I really wanted the opportunity to want to go the playoffs again. Doesn't matter what level you're at, it's great to be in the playoffs.''
So it is will a considerable measure of satisfaction that Jordan, who turns 18 three days after Christmas, looks ahead to Saturday when the Seahawks, first-round losers in the private school Division I playoffs a year ago, will travel to Quantico to compete in the tournament semifinals.
``Everything seems to have worked out pretty well,'' Jordan said.
The success of the Seahawks has even tempered Jordan's disappointment at not achieving the lofty goals he set for himself before the season. Encouraged by first-year coach Adam Cheyunski's plan to structure the Atlantic Shores offense around him and the fact that he rushed for over 1,000 yards in 1994 despite missing two games with a broken wrist, Jordan set preseason standards of 180 yards and two touchdowns a game, along with 2,000 yards at the end of the campaign.
``Those were crazy goals,'' Jordan said. ``But I figured they were possible.''
They actually seemed probable after Jordan, a slashing 6-foot, 200-pounder with 4.5 speed, rushed for 423 yards in his first two games. But then teams began keying on No. 22 - ``I hate when that happens,'' Jordan said - which made life easier for quarterback Brian Driskell and fullback B.J. Skipper but slowed Jordan's record-setting pace.
``The first two games, all we did was run the ball with D.J. on sweeps,'' Cheyunski said. ``We got teams so petrified of that play we were able to run everything else off it.''
Jordan, who doubles as an inside linebacker, admits the extra attention has been frustrating, although he's quick to point out he'd much rather have a berth in the semifinals than 2,000 yards and the rest of the year off.
Besides, with 1,415 yards, a 6.8-yards-per-carry average and 19 touchdowns, Jordan figures he's still on track for one of his other preseason goals - being a first- or second-team All-Tidewater selection.
``Hopefully, they won't just look at the fact that I'm in private school,'' Jordan said. ``There are some good players in private schools.''
Division I-AA colleges seem to agree. Jordan is being courted by James Madison, William and Mary and Lehigh, among others. He's also interested in playing for Hampton and Norfolk State.
While in college, Jordan, who said he's been entertained by a local sports talk radio show each morning on his 38-mile drive from Smithfield, plans to look into a career as a sports broadcaster.
``I'm a sports nut anyway,'' he said. ``It just seems like it'd be an awesome job to have.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo
MOTOYA NAKAUMURA/Staff
D.J. Jordan has averaged 157 yards per game in leading the Seahawks
to Saturday's Division I private schools semifinals at Quantico.
by CNB