East Mississippi Community College continued to add to its signees to Division 1 college football with the verbal commitment of safety Shaquille Fluker to the University of Georgia.
Fluker, who was an all-state player out of Meridian High School two years ago but was unable to get academically qualified for a Division 1 program immediately, is ranked as a four-star prospect by 247Sports.com, and chose the Bulldogs program over offers from the University of Nebraska, University of Mississippi, University of Kentucky and Kansas University.
“What a great day for a great kid to be around,” EMCC coach Buddy Stephens said. “He’s a great leader that already makes all the right calls in our defense and is athletic enough to make the transition to the SEC right away.”
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Fluke informed Georgia head coach Mark Richt personally over the phone Tuesday that he would be attending UGA and his intention is to be enrolled and ready for spring practice with the Bulldogs by January.
Stephens said that the 3-4 scheme by the Georgia defensive staff is going to be the third new system he’ll be forced to learn but that he doesn’t feel that will hamper Fluker’s transition to a Southeastern Conference program by the 2013 season.
“He’s an athlete and you could put him in any system and he’ll find his way through it,” Stephens said. “What I need him to do is continue to work hard in the classroom and be the same special kid that he is now and he’ll be fine once he gets to Georgia.”
Fluker reportedly took an official visit to the UGA campus in Athens this June and received the offer from the Bulldogs staff before he came back home to the Magnolia state.
The 6-foot-1, 205-pound athlete is the fourth safety commit of the 2013 recruiting class, joining Georgia products Tray Matthews and Quincy Mauger along with Paris Bostick from Tampa, Fla.
Stephens said he expects at least six of his players from this Lions program ranked No. 1 in the preseason national poll.
“What we want to do here is be able to have fans, our alumni and our administration be able to turn on their television at any point during a Saturday and see an EMCC graduate playing college football,” Stephens said. “That’s the goal here – graduate kids and make them successful at the next level.”
Fluker will have three years to play two seasons of eligibility with Georgia meaning the EMCC product can redshirt one season in Athens when he arrives on campus late this winter.
EMCC dismisses former Clemson star Mike Bellamy
EMCC coach Buddy Stephens announced Tuesday former Clemson star tailback Mike Bellamy has been dismissed from the Lions program due to a violation of team policy.
Bellamy, who was working at wide receiver while at EMCC, appeared in 12 games with Clemson last season rushing for 360 yards and three touchdowns.
Stephens declined to go into details into the actions of Bellamy that led to the dismissal but said his program is in a good place depth-wise at the skill positions to handle this roster move.
“Anytime you lose a player of his caliber, it’s a blow and I know that but the thing is we have a team mentality here,” Stephens said. “We have to have a full roster of guys that will be held to a certain standard on this team and that’s what my administration, alumni and everybody at EMCC expects from me here.”
Bellamy was one of two high-profile transfers from Bowl Championship Series schools when he arrived with former Ole Miss wide receiver Nick Brassell.
Stephens said Brassell could be seen on the field either at receiver or defensive back or on in the return game.
“He’s done everything we’ve asked including carry the water right now,” Stephens said. “He’s already taken five classes here at EMCC and made A’s in all five of them. I couldn’t be more proud of that kid.”
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