CALHOUN, Ga. — As Calhoun seeks its first state football championship in 58 years Friday in the Georgia Dome, several seniors are playing for more than a title ring.
Unlike last year’s 14-1 Class AA runner-up team, the 2010 version of the Yellow Jackets had exactly zero college commitments entering the postseason. However, after four impressive playoff wins, most notably last week’s 27-14 win over top-ranked Carver, interest in a handful of Calhoun players has picked up.
“Recruiting has picked up,” coach Hal Lamb said. “The five or six I have who I think can play at the next level have gotten more interest, especially with our offensive players who have played so well. Not so much in offers, but interest and visits and such. We’re hearing a lot of good things from them.”
Running back Dustin Christian, who received an early offer from East Carolina, committed to the University of Tennessee Chattanooga last week. After out-rushing mega-recruit Isaiah Crowell last week in front of numerous college coaches, the interest in the 1,500-yard rusher has grown.
The biggest beneficiary has been quarterback Landon Curtis, who has propelled himself from having virtually no football interest to getting several calls a day. Following an 18-for-22 passing effort last week, Curtis enters Friday’s championship game against Buford with 2,560 yards, a 65-percent completion rate, 32 touchdowns and two interceptions. He has offers from West Georgia and Austin Peay, with more expected in the coming weeks.
“A lot more people have called me,” said Curtis, a two-sport star who had received more interest as a baseball pitcher entering the playoffs. “After last week’s game a bunch of coaches called me to say I played a great game. Before that I had heard nothing from those guys. I think most of them thought I was going to concentrate on baseball, but I’m wide open.”
Curtis’ main receiving target, J.T. Palmer, earned preseason all-state recognition, but that honor didn’t generate nearly the recruiting buzz as his postseason (over 500 yards and six touchdowns in four games) has. The 6-foot-3 senior has received offers from Tennessee Tech and the Naval Academy and strong interest from Central Florida and Troy.
Others, including defensive linemen Caden Parker and Gus Roberts, are hearing from Division II schools. Suddenly, a team that might have had one or two seniors go on to play on Saturdays next year, could have seven or eight.
n Two of the area’s Division I recruits, Ridgeland’s Devin Bowman and Mason Harris, remain solid to their commitments to the University of Georgia and South Carolina, respectively, according to coach Mark Mariakis.
“Coach [Mark] Richt was in town to visit Devin over the weekend and everything is still good there,” Mariakis said. “He hasn’t even talked to any other schools and he’s even trying to get enrolled early. Coach [Steve] Spurrier is planning to visit Mason sometime in January and that’s something Mason is really excited about.”
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6296.