CALEDONIA — The Itawamba Community College football program found Caledonia High School to be an ideal one-stop recruiting destination.
As a result, four of the 29 seniors on the Caledonia High football team will get a chance to continue their careers at the next level.
On Wednesday, quarterback Spencer Unruh, running back Zion Ford, wide receiver Jamel Thomas, and kicker Caleb Comer joiner linebacker Kody White (Lyon College) and tight end/H-back/linebacker Russ Smither (Delta State) in signing National Letters of Intent as part of National Signing Day.
Unruh helped lead Caledonia (5-6) to its second appearance in the Mississippi High School Activities Association (MHSAA) Class 4A playoffs in the last three seasons. He threw for 2,306 yards and 31 touchdowns and had a 62.1-percent completion percentages. Unruh also rushed for 252 yards and four touchdowns. Unruh, who also is a member of the school’s baseball team, said football was his focus for nearly all of the
recruiting process.
“It gives it even more excitement to know that you will be able to play with for four years of high school, and even some middle school,” Unruh said. “It feels great (to be able to keep playing with Ford, Thomas, and Comer) because they know my style of play and I know their style of play, so we already have that connection.”
Unruh and the Confederates were so successful because they had a variety of weapons. Ford was at the top of the list, as he rushed for 954 yards and 10 touchdowns. He caught 49 passed for 552 yards and six touchdowns.
“Hopefully I proved I am an outgoing player who can make plays when I need to,” Ford said. “I try to make plays in pressure moments to help steady my team even more.”
Thomas was an even bigger threat in the passing game, catching 63 passes for 1,093 yards and 19 touchdowns. He spent the last year-and-a-half at receiver after moving from the secondary.
“The depth chart is all I was worried about,” Thomas said. “I put a lot of work in over the summer, and during the season I did what I had to do.”
Comer, who also is a member of the school’s boys basketball and boys golf teams, kicked 58 extra points and made 4 of 5 field goals. He said it is a “dream come true” to get a chance to kick in school. He felt he might have a chance to realize his goal, but he never was sure.
“We all wanted to go to ICC,” Comer said. “We talked to each other throughout the process and kept asking what was on each other’s minds. After I found out Zion and Jamel and all of them had committed, I definitely decided that was where I wanted to go.”
Smither, who is from Cleveland, moved to Caledonia from Cordova, Alabama, prior to the start of the 2016-17 school year. He proved to be an effective weapon at tight end and at H-back. He said he, too, found a great fit at Delta State, which runs a similar offense to Caledonia’s. Smither said his father played football at Delta State and his mother went to school there.
“Delta State was recruiting me as a junior,” Smither said. “Coach (Joel) Williams and my dad coached together, so we’re really close to them. My dad is really close to all of the guys because he played there. They kept tabs on me and they have seen film on me.”
White rounded out the perfect fits with his decision to go to Lyon College, a NAIA school in Batesville, Arkansas. White said he visited the school Tuesday and discovered it was the right place for him. After shoulder issues as a junior and other medical problems prior to his senior season, White said he was grateful for the opportunity to get a chance to extend his career in a program that had “Adapt and Overcome” posters and messages painted on the wall in the football team’s facility.
“The school has very high academic standards, so I know I will get a great education there,” said White, who decided Wednesday morning he was going to Lyon College. He plans on studying education in hopes of becoming a teacher and a coach. “They are probably going to start me at linebacker and then move me to a H-back type or fullback.
“I felt pretty sure somebody was going to take a chance on me and the opportunity finally came. It is a great opportunity.”
Caledonia coach Andy Crotwell said it is a source of pride to have so many players continue their careers. He anticipates a few more will get a chance to play in the coming weeks.
“I think they’re all mature kids that are no stranger to hard work and will be willing and anxious to meet the challenges of playing college football,” Crotwell said. “I encouraged them to choose places where they felt like they best fit in and would best utilize them and they could see themselves being successful with. … I think every one of them found a place that will utilize them to the best of their talents. I think they all made good decisions.”
Crotwell said having four go to the same school will make it easier if he has a free Thursday to take in a junior college game and he wants to catch up with some of his former players.
“I know ICC is excited to get the guys we have,” Crotwell said. “I spoke with Delta State, and they’re excited about Russ. I think Lyon has a good feel for where Kody has a higher ceiling. His home is probably at fullback, and I think he will be a really good one.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @cdispatch.com
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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