DALTON, Ga. — The Chattanooga area’s leading rusher in 2022 has found a new home.
Tyson Greenwade signed with Charleston Southern University during a ceremony Wednesday at Dalton High School, completing a nine-month journey in which he went from not being a college prospect to becoming one of Georgia’s most productive running backs.
Greenwade, despite missing two games, rushed for 1,914 yards and 23 touchdowns in his final season for the Catamounts, including a 371-yard, six-touchdown performance against North Murray in the opener and 375 yards and four scores against region opponent Hiram in late September.
Now he's an NCAA Division I signee. Charleston Southern competes in the Football Championship Subdivision as a member of the Big South Conference, and the Buccaneers are entering a new era with first-year head coach Gabe Giardina.
“I really think it’s a great positive for him and the team,” Dalton coach Kit Carpenter said of Greenwade’s decision. “They are getting a great football player and a high-character kid who provides great leadership on and off the field. He’s getting a top-notch education in a beautiful place.”
After rushing for 800 yards as a junior, Greenwade received very little attention from college recruiters. He vowed to change that in the offseason.
“Before the season, he told me he wanted to rush for 2,000 yards,” Carpenter said. “The only 2,000-yard rusher I knew (for Dalton) was (2020 graduate) Jahmyr Gibbs, but when Tyson sets his mind to something, he can do anything. If he hadn’t missed those two games, there is no doubt he would have reached that goal.
“He was down after his junior year, but the kid who played for us this year was incredible. To witness it each week was really fun to watch.”
Area haul for Reinhardt
Six local athletes at Georgia schools signed or will sign scholarships with Reinhardt University during this period, the rewards of consistent recruiting in the area by coaches from the NAIA school in Waleska, about an hour north of Atlanta.
Among the group is Coahulla Creek quarterback Kace Kinnamon, who had more than 2,700 yards of total offense and accounted for 26 touchdowns as the Colts made the GHSA state playoffs for the first time in program history.
“Reinhardt is definitely making a great investment in Kace Kinnamon,” said new Coahulla Creek head coach Drew Carter, who was the program's offensive coordinator the past three years. “The tangibles speak for themselves. He’s a true dual-threat quarterback, and what separates him is that he’s a great competitor and student of the game. Nobody outworks him and he’s never satisfied with success.
“I really think he’s just hitting his stride as a quarterback and his best football is ahead of him.”
Kinnamon will have a familiar face to throw to in Heritage receiver Tyler Cheatwood (23 catches, 673 yards, eight touchdowns), as well as Calhoun's Curtis and Kerns.
Those three are joined by offensive lineman Jayden Calhoun from Southeast Whitfield and North Murray's Austin Davis, an athletic defensive lineman who will likely move to tight end in college.
North Murray coach Preston Poag was among the coaches impressed by the Reinhardt staff.
“Reinhardt sent several coaches and were on our campus two or three times a week in recent weeks,” said Poag, who listed unsigned quarterback Seth Griffin among Reinhardt’s interests. “They did a really nice job, and Coach (James) Miller is building a good program.”
Catching on together
Sonoraville tight end Ridge Redd and Ringgold receiver Ty Gilbert are signing with FCS power Jacksonville State this week.
Redd, a 6-foot-5, 235-pounder who was a member of the Times Free Press Dynamite Dozen, was a big part of coach Denver Pate’s explosive offense with 612 yards and three touchdowns on 36 catches. Gilbert (6-1, 180) had a knack for finding the end zone for the Tigers in 2022, scoring nine times on 31 catches and producing 484 yards.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com.
Updated with more information at 6:50 p.m. on Feb. 1, 2023.