Pair of AWM footballers commit to play college ball
Pair of AWM footballers commit to play college ball
Pollard and Whiting to take next step
WM School District Billy Elmore has his first two college football signees in the books.
The second-year West Memphis head coach saw seniors Kylin Whiting and Courtney Pollard ink with Arkansas Baptist and Northwest Mississippi Junior Colleges respectively.
At 6-foot-2, 300 pounds, Pollard will sign with the defending junior college national champion Northwest Mississippi Rangers. He'll most likely anchor the team's defensive line.
'He plays best at 290, which is where (Northwest) wants him to be when he gets there,' said Elmore, whose 2015 Blue Devils returned to the Class 7A state playoffs in 2015. 'Courtney has such great explosion off the ball that I think they'll want him to play noseman in their system.'
Pollard was a first-team allconference selection and an all-state pick in 2015. He registered 23 solo tackles, 15 assists and 10 tackles for lost yardage.
'I'm just happy to be able to play football some more, but to be able to play for a national champion…that's just a blessing,' said Pollard.
'(Northwest) came to watch me work out and signed me on the spot.'
Elmore said the Northwest coaches think Pollard will be able to play on the Division 1 level after his two years at the juco.
'They told me that in two years he needs to walk out of there an SEC player,' said Elmore.
Whiting, who started the first nine games at quarterback in 2015 after starting all 10 games there his junior year, signed with Arkansas Baptist, which has told him he'll get a shot at that position next fall.
Whiting completed 41 of 73 passes for 707 yards and four touchdowns in 2015 and he also rushed for 508 yards and five more TDs.
'I'm going to continue to work out at quarterback, and that's what I want to play, but it doesn't matter that much,' said Whiting. 'I visited Arkansas Baptist and I liked the campus and the environment.'
Whiting said he wants to major in architecture.
By Billy Woods
