CALEDONIA — Spencer Unruh’s plan for the summer was to stay busy.
While others might have kicked back and relaxed, the Caledonia High School standout wanted to use his “vacation” to put himself in front of as many college coaches as he could to raise his recruiting profile.
Attending a Manning Camp in Thibodaux, Louisiana, and camps at Louisiana Tech, Samford, Alabama-Birmingham, Pearl High (Jim Harbaugh), East Mississippi Community College, Itawamba C.C., and Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C. helped Unruh accomplish his goal.
Now, all the 6-foot-4 ½, 180-pound quarterback has to do is back up his offseason efforts with a solid senior season. If Unruh does that, he is confident he will receive the scholarship offer he wants to play football at a four-year school.
“I am glad my parents were able to take me to as many as we went to,” Unruh said. “I really set out to get my name out there. I think I did it. I had more college coaches contact me since the end of the summer. I guess I did get my name out there.”
Unruh said he has received scholarship offers from Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C., Itawamba C.C. Northwest Mississippi C.C., and Jones County Junior College. He said he has taken unofficial visits to Northwest Mississippi and JCJC. He said he hopes to receive offers from four-year schools so he can set dates for visits.
Caledonia High football coach Andy Crotwell believes it is just a matter of time before that happens.
“He has had a good summer,” Crotwell said. “He has had an opportunity to show what he can do to a number of schools. All of the two-year schools love him. Every one of them that has contacted me about him, they all rave about him. They all have virtually said the same thing that they really like him, he is a very good football, we want to offer him, but we are fairly confident that before the season is over he is going to have some four-year offers in hand.”
Last season, Unruh threw for 1,1992 yards and 10 touchdowns (five interceptions). He had a completion percentage of 52.1. He also rushed for 214 yards and matched junior running back Zion Ford with eight touchdowns.
As a sophomore, Unruh threw for 1,628 yards and 13 touchdowns (11 interceptions). He had a 53.8 completion percentage. He rushed for 175 yards and five touchdowns.
Crotwell said a “case of the drops” by some of the Confederates’ receivers early in the season plagued the team. But he said Unruh, who is a right-hander and also is a member of the school’s baseball team, threw a lot of great balls last season and ran the offense well. He said Unruh matured in the offseason and worked deeper into the playbook to understand the offense. He is confident that work will pay off.
Unruh also believes the Confederates have the potential to have a strong season. In 2014, the team went 6-6 and advanced to the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 4A playoffs. Last season, Caledonia went 5-5 and didn’t make the playoffs.
Having an experienced and athletic quarterback with a strong arm could be the edge Caledonia needs to return to the playoffs. Unruh feels he has gotten stronger physically and that the has improved his arm strength. He said some of college coaches who watched him in the summer commented on those skills.
“A lot of them said I have a quick release,” Unruh said. “They all told me I have to put on more weight. I think that will come once I get there and that is the only sport I am playing.”
Even though Caledonia is in one of Class 4A’s strongest divisions (Region 4) with two-time reigning state champion Noxubee County and Louisville, Kosciusko, Houston, and Leake Central, Unruh feels good about Caledonia’s chances. He likes the fact he is one of 27 seniors who will counted on to set the example. He also knows Ford, who rushed for a team-high 910 yards and had eight touchdowns, will play a key role in an offense that should be even deeper. Ford also led the team with 38 catches for 405 yards. He tied for the team lead with three touchdown catches.
“It really helped me out a lot having all of these weapons around me,” Unruh said. “We have a good chunk of the line coming back from last year, so that should help me out a lot.”
With so many experienced players returning, Unruh knows the team will have plenty of leaders to make sure everyone stays on course. He said they are all united behind one goal.
“It is really the group,” Unruh said. “Having 27 seniors, a lot of us have played two even three years, so I would say as a group there is more pressure.
“Coach tells us we have a chance to be really good this year. I think everybody bought into that and worked hard in the offseason. I think we have a really good chance this year.”
Caledonia’s ability to control tempo will play a role in its fortunes. Crotwell said the Confederates hope to play at a faster tempo on offense, so Unruh will have more responsibility to make sure the offense is in the right set and that everyone knows the play. He is confident having a third-year starter like Unruh at quarterback will enhance communication and chemistry.
“I think he is going to have a very good year,” Crotwell said. “He is going to be a great asset to our team, even more so than in the years past.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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