Post by whoanellie on Aug 5, 2007 10:55:37 GMT -5
By Bob Sutton / Times-News
August 5
What you see isn’t necessarily what you’re going to get with some members of Elon University’s freshman football class.
Six of those players took part in last month’s North Carolina East-West All-Star Game.
But their versatilities meant that their collegiate positions could vary from what they did in their final outings under the high school label.
“They wanted me to play defense (in this game),” said Lance Camp, who played defensive back for the West squad. “I wanted to be a team guy. I’m playing receiver at Elon.”
Most of the freshmen arrived June 17 at Elon to take summer classes and participate in offseason conditioning with other teammates. This weekend, the entire team gathers, with the start of practice set for Monday.
As usual, the freshmen have been eager to take their East-West experiences and apply those to Elon’s cause.
“They told me I should be doing some playing time,” said receiver Sean Jeffcoat of Fayetteville Britt.
Dontay Taylor of Pikeville Aycock played linebacker for the East squad. He expects to be carrying the ball for Elon.
“That’s my best position,” Taylor said. “I’m sort of a ‘Get me in the open field’ guy and I make you miss.”
Taylor said after spending several weeks on campus this summer that the anticipation about starting a college career is growing. It makes the freshmen want to be key parts of the Phoenix right away.
“I can play if I really want it,” Taylor said. “It’s about how bad I want it.”
Jeffcoat said he would be able to play on defense based on his background.
“I could play defense, too, but they want me strictly for offense,” he said.
Camp, who played quarterback for Shelby Burns, said he embraces the move to receiver at the next level.
“Being a quarterback (in high school), I know what I need to do,” he said. “I should be playing.”
Offensive lineman Rodney Austin of East Mecklenburg made a big impression on some East-West observers during the all-star week. He said he followed the coaches’ instructions to make sure he was constantly improving.
With that in mind, Austin said he would like to make an immediate impact at Elon.
“I’m not just coming to initially ride the bench,” he said. “I signed the letter (of intent) for a reason.”
Taylor said going back and forth from Elon classes to East-West workouts was difficult, but perhaps a preview of juggling acts for a college athlete.
He and other Elon recruits pointed out that summer campus workouts at Elon were much more strenuous than the East-West practices.
“Elon’s workouts … whoa, that’s something,” Jeffcoat said.
Taylor said Elon’s newcomers should follow the examples of the seniors as leaders.
“It’s all on the seniors right now,” he said. “They know what you have to do to be successful. ... I think the freshman class at Elon is going to be big. I think we’re going to help turn it around.”
Lineman Colby Holloway of Garner and running back Lionel Shoffner of Greensboro Grimsley were other Elon recruits in the East-West game.
South Robeson coach Barry Leonard, who was Holloway’s position coach during the East-West week, left impressed.
“He’s very coachable,” Leonard said. “From what I’m hearing from him, he’s going to play on defense (at Elon).”
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