Saddled in a very tough Class 5A Region 1, the New Hope High School football team’s improvement might not have been noticed by casual fans.
But college coaches noticed, and at least six Trojans from the Class of 2022 will be playing college football next year, five on scholarship and one as a preferred walk-on.
This from a program that had one player sign a scholarship offer in each of the previous three seasons, said coach Seth Stillman, an assistant with the Trojans during those seasons.
Stillman, whose first year as head coach resulted in a 5-5 record (including a forfeit win) after the Trojans won five games combined the previous two seasons, said the key was the players buying in to what he and his staff were trying to do.
“It’s strength and technique,” Stillman said. “Things we wanted to do in the weight room. They bought into the way we were going to do things on the field and the way we were going to practice. They changed the way they played and performed, and they earned it.”
Stillman suggested that the player who next represents the changes he is working to instill in the program is linebacker Rashad Williams, who signed to play at Jones County Junior College in Ellisville.
“He’s always been a very gifted athlete,” Stillman said. “But he put in the time in practice, the time he spent working on his craft. I always knew he was going to be successful due to his athletic ability, but he has become one of if not the best linebacker I’ve ever coached.”
Stillman joked there were weeks during which Williams watched more game film than the coach did, stressing that the work was not just on the practice field and the weight room.
“He turned into a college football player,” Stillman said of the 6-foot-3, 210-pounder who runs a 4.5 40. “I think he’s a Division I football player.”
For now, Williams will play for the Bobcats.
“I feel like I can develop there, and it’s a family vibe,” Williams said. “I just want to win and play ball.”
There will be at least one familiar face playing ball with him. New Hope teammate Richard Guy, a 6-foot, 175-pound wide receiver, also signed with Jones.
“When I first stepped on campus, I felt like it was home away from home,” Guy said. “The staff and the environment made me feel very comfortable.”
While two Trojans will head for Jones, three more will be going to Booneville to play for Northeast Mississippi: offensive linemen Tymarius Jackson, Jeremiah Jefferson and Jaylon Lewis.
Jackson’s visit to Northeast was still fresh in his mind on signing day, as he only took a trip to Booneville six days earlier.
“I feel like they were a great fit, and when I went on the visit it felt exactly like home,” he said.
Jefferson said Northeast was the best place for what he sees as his future, and he also got a very positive vibe from the staff.
“The coaches showed mad love, and I believe I can prove to them that this is the sport I love,” Jefferson said.
Lewis is going to Northeast as a preferred walk-on.
“I’ve chosen the walk-on over other offers because I feel like I can have more progression at Northeast than any other school, especially playing together with my O-line brothers from New Hope,” Lewis said. “I’m happy to be a Tiger!”
Quarterback Ty Crowell will be heading south, picking East Mississippi Community College in Scooba. He decided to play for the state’s most dominant program over the past decade and he will move out from under center to do so.
“I chose EMCC because I think they will prepare and develop me to play at the next level,” Crowell said. “I am changing positions from quarterback to receiver, so I think getting faster will help me in the long run. I think it will be fun. I’m just ready to compete.”
A further increase in the number of college signees at New Hope seems likely, considering the renewed interest in football at the school.
“Our roster numbers, we were seeing around 55,” Stillman said. “We’re at 75 right now, and that’s without our baseball and basketball guys. We’re probably going to be in the 90s.
“It raises interest when they can come to a game on Friday night and see you be competitive and see how much fun it is. Then they see kids going to college and getting that credit and love on social media. They want to be a part of it, and it’s great for our program.”
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