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The University of Mississippi Athletics
2001 Ole Miss Football Signees
2/7/2001 | Football
Feb. 7, 2001
| Name | Pos. | Hgt. | Wgt. | Hometown (School) |
| Jason Armstead | B | 5-9 | 160 | Moss Point, Miss. (High, Gulf Coast C.C.) |
| RaTavious Biddle | B | 6-1 | 180 | Decatur, Ala. (High) |
| Tony Bonds | L | 6-3 | 290 | Russellville, Ala. (High) |
| McKinley Boykin | L | 6-2 | 270 | Bessemer, Ala. (McAdory) |
| Michael Bozeman | L | 6-2 | 260 | Hawkinsville, Ga. (High) |
| Jimmy Brooks | L | 6-4 | 260 | Ripley, Miss. (High) |
| Bobo Brown | B | 5-10 | 215 | Madison, Miss. (Madison Central) |
| Mike Espy | B | 6-0 | 170 | Madison, Miss. (Madison Central) |
| Mike Gibson | L | 6-2 | 280 | Gadsden, Ala. (Litchfield) |
| Matt Grier | B | 6-0 | 200 | Smithville, Miss. (High, Itawamba C.C.) |
| Bobby Harris | L | 6-4 | 306 | Decatur, Ga. (Norcross) |
| Mario Hill | B | 6-1 | 200 | Meridian, Miss. (High) |
| Brandon Jacobs | B | 6-1 | 215 | Long Beach, Miss. (High) |
| Travis Johnson | B | 6-1 | 190 | Shannon, Miss. (High) |
| Eric Oliver | B | 6-2 | 200 | Jasper, Ala. (Walker) |
| Vashon Pearson | B | 6-1 | 205 | Ripley, Miss. (High) |
| Kelvin Robinson | B | 6-2 | 215 | Jackson, Miss. (Lanier) |
| Jeremy Ruffin | B | 6-2 | 200 | Meridian, Miss. (High) |
| Seth Smith | B | 6-3 | 190 | Jackson, Miss. (Hillcrest Christian) |
| L. P. Spence | B | 6-3 | 220 | Corinth, Miss. (High, Northeast C.C.) |
| Chris Spencer | L | 6-4 | 315 | Madison, Miss. (Madison Central) |
| Michael Spurlock | B | 5-11 | 190 | Indianola, Miss. (Gentry) |
| Tre' Stallings | L | 6-5 | 300 | Magnolia, Miss. (South Pike) |
| Bryant Thomas | B | 6-1 | 190 | Louisville, Miss. (High) |
JASON ARMSTEAD, B, 5-9, 160, Moss Point, Miss. (High, Gulf Coast C.C.) -- Earned PrepStar All-America, plus All-Region 23 and All-State junior college honors following sophomore season at Gulf Coast (Miss.) Community College ... Named to SCS Top 100 list as well as SuperPrep JUCO Top 100, ranking No. 32 ... Also made The Clarion-Ledger Top 25 JUCO list ... A multi-talented performer who was outstanding at wide receiver, quarterback, and on kick returns ... As a sophomore, caught 23 passes for 270 yards and a TD from his receiver spot ... Also passed for 328 yards and had 220 yards rushing while playing quarterback ... Averaged 29.8 yards on six kickoff returns, which ranked third in the Mississippi JUCO league and Region 23 ... Had one kickoff return for a TD ... Averaged 9.4 yards on nine punt returns, which was 11th in the state and region ... As a freshman, returned three punts for TDs in one game ... Coached in junior college by Steve Wright ...1998: Did not attend college ... HIGH SCHOOL: All-State and All-Gulf Coast pick while playing at Class 5A Moss Point High ... Helped lead team to back-to-back state titles ... Had over 1,500 all-purpose yards during final prep season ... Caught 34 passes for 723 yards and 12 TDs, and also returned two punts for TDs during senior year ... As a junior, caught 23 passes for 525 yards ... Coached in high school by Jerry Alexander ... PERSONAL: Son of Shelia D. Armstead ... Full name is Jason Earnest Armstead ... Born: September 18, 1979.
RaTAVIOUS "TAYE" BIDDLE, B, 6-1, 180, Decatur, Ala. (High) -- Selected All-America and All-Southeast by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report ... PrepStar All-America pick and was rated as the No. 7 player in the State of Alabama ... Named to Student Sports Top 100 National Recruits list, ranking No. 63, and rated No. 89 on Rivals National Top 100 list ... Made BorderWars.com Top 100 and All-South second team ... Named to Fox Sports Net's Countdown to Signing Day "All-South" third team ... Earned Class 6A All-State and All-Region honors as a senior, helping Decatur High to 10-2 record, regional championship, and the second round of the playoffs ... Was a member of Decatur Daily All-Area team two years ... Caught five passes for 87 yards, including a 53-yard TD reception, in 2001 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Game in Mobile, Ala. ... Made Huntsville Times Elite 11 list for State of Alabama ... As a senior, caught 29 passes for 553 yards and eight TDs ... Also returned one punt 64 yards for a score ... Career statistics included 73 pass receptions for 1,376 yards, an average of 18.9 yards per catch ... Returned three punts and five kickoffs for TDs during prep career ... Averaged close to 50 yards per kickoff return and 20 yards per punt return final two seasons ... Coached in high school by Jere Adcock ... Earned four letters in football and four in basketball ... Also lettered four years in track where he was state champion in the long jump (23-10) ... PERSONAL: Son of Angela Biddle ... Full name is RaTavious Anton Biddle ... Born: February 27, 1983.
TONY BONDS, L, 6-3, 290, Russellville, Ala. (High) -- First team All-State selection junior and senior years ... Also made first team All-Region ... Played in 2001 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in Mobile, Ala. ... Listed in Top 50 in State of Alabama ... Was Defensive Captain of team playing for Class 5A Russellville ... Was a two-way starter for two years ... Graded out at 82 percent as offensive lineman ... Allowed only two QB sacks during last two years ... Playing tackle on defense, had 86 tackles, including 58 solo hits, while having five QB sacks ... Helped lead Russellville High to semi-finals of state playoffs as team finished 10-4 ... Coached in high school by Perry Swindall ... Earned three letters in football, two in basketball, and two in track ... Threw shot and discus in track ... PERSONAL: Son of Lucy Bonds ... Full name is William Antonyo Bonds ... Born: January 2, 1983.
McKINLEY BOYKIN, L, 6-2, 270, Bessemer, Ala. (McAdory) -- Capped off his prep career by earning All-State honors for all classifications as well as Class 5A by the Alabama Sports Writers Association ... Named to Huntsville Times Elite 11 list for State of Alabama ... Chosen to play in 2001 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in Mobile, Ala., but did not play due to an injury ... Selected to SuperPrep Dixie Team and Tom Lemming's All-Southeast team ... PrepStar magazine rated him as the No. 14 defensive lineman prospect in the Southeast ... Made BorderWars.com Top 100 and second team All-South ... Named to Fox Sports Net's Countdown to Signing Day "All-South" third team ... All-Metro pick ... Also earned All-State honors as a junior ... Although he missed five games during senior season due to an ankle injury, was still credited with 74 tackles, five QB sacks, 19 QB pressures, 15 tackles for loss, and caused three fumbles as McAdory High finished 10-3, won the regional title, and advanced to the third round of the playoffs ... During junior season, had 138 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, nine QB sacks, 22 QB pressures, and caused three fumbles ... Didn't get much playing time as a 10th grader, but really came on strong after putting in valuable time in the weight room ... Coached in high school by David Powell ... Earned two letters in football ... PERSONAL: Son of Chelsea Ward ... Full name is McKinley Boykin ... Born: March 24, 1983.
MICHAEL BOZEMAN, L, 6-2, 260, Hawkinsville, Ga. (High) -- Earned Class A All-State honors as well as All-Middle Georgia in all classifications, while also rating first team All-Region at both linebacker and offensive guard ... Was Region Defensive Most Valuable Player senior year ... Won three of five awards at Middle Georgia's Offensive Line Camp ... As a senior, was credited with 180 tackles from his middle linebacker spot ... Also had five knockdowns, one pass interception, and four fumble recoveries ... Graded 88 percent and had 24 pancake blocks ... Moved from guard to center when starter broke a leg ... While linebacker was his regular spot, also played some noseguard ... Helped lead Hawkinsville High to 8-4 record and second round of playoffs during final season ... Won Iron Devil Award three straight years, an honor which recognizes the player who works the hardest and achieves the most in the weight room ... Coached in high school by Lee Campbell ... Earned letters in football, basketball, and track ... Averaged 10.0 points and 8.0 rebounds as starting center in basketball and placed in state discus in track ... PERSONAL: Son of James and Silvertine Bozeman ... Full name is James Michael Bozeman ... Born: December 9, 1982.
JIMMY BROOKS, L, 6-4, 260, Ripley, Miss. (High) -- Earned second team All-State and first team All-Division honors during senior season as Ripley finished 13-2, losing in Class 3A state championship game ... Named to The Clarion-Ledger's Top 40 List ... PrepStar magazine rated him as the Southeast's No. 16 defensive line prospect ... Selected to play in the 2001 Bernard Blackwell Classic, the Mississippi High School All-Star Game ... Was credited with 130 tackles, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, four pass deflections, and five QB sacks as a senior ... Averaged seven tackles per game during junior season ... Coached in high school by Terry Allen ... Earned four letters in football as a defensive end-middle linebacker, starting all four years ... Played defensive end first three years before moving to middle linebacker when Ripley switched to 4-3 ... PERSONAL: Son of Marilyn Collier and Jimmy Brooks ... Full name is Jimmy Ray Brooks, Jr. ... Born: February 6, 1983.
SYLVESTER "Bobo" BROWN, B, 5-10, 215, Madison, Miss. (Madison Central) -- Made The Max Emfinger USA Today.com All-America first team as an I-Back after closing out an outstanding prep career with a Class 5A state record 7,130 yards rushing ... Also selected to Student Sports All-America first team ... Earned Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC) All-State team honors and was named Class 5A Offensive Player of the Year ... Made The Clarion-Ledger's Top 40 list ... A Dandy Dozen selection ... Made SuperPrep Dixie Team and Orlando Sentinel All-Southern honorable mention ... Made Max Emfinger.rivals.com Nifty 150 Bluechips list ... Earned first team All-State and All-Metro honors during senior season as selected by The Clarion-Ledger ... Also recognized by The Clarion-Ledger with All-State and All-Metro honors as a sophomore and junior ... Rushed for 57 yards on seven carries in the 2001 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in Mobile, Ala. ... During senior season, rushed for 2,652 yards on 345 attempts, scoring 32 touchdowns ... His 2,682 yards as a junior is also the Class 5A state record ... Had over 400 yards in one game ... Helped lead Madison Central to 15-0 record and Class 5A state championship junior season and 10-3 mark senior campaign ... Since beginning football in the seventh grade, rushed for over 12,000 yards in competition ... Did not miss a game or starting assignment for any reason during that time span ... Simply played through the injuries ... Won state powerlifting title, capturing the 198-pound state crown with a three lift total of 1,415 pounds ... Coached in high school by Mike Justice ... PERSONAL: Son of Sylvester and Mary Brown ... Full name is Sylvester Jerome Brown, III ... Born: August 20, 1982.
MIKE ESPY, B, 6-0, 170, Madison, Miss. (Madison Central) -- Was on SuperPrep Elite 50 list and All-America team, as the national publication ranked him the nation's No. 6 wide receiver prospect ... Named to Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report All-America and All-Southeast teams ... Orlando Sentinel All-Southern first team pick ... Ranked No. 4 on The Clarion-Ledger's Ten Most Wanted List in Mississippi and Dandy Dozen ... Rated as Mississippi's No. 2 overall player (behind high school teammate Chris Spencer) by SuperPrep magazine ... Was on Max Emfinger.rivals.com Nifty 150 Bluechips list, one of only 11 wide receivers selected ... Made Tom Lemming's Top 25 Wide Receivers list at No. 17 and was rated No. 7 in the Southeast Region by PrepStar magazine ... During senior season, was Clarion-Ledger All-State, All-Metro, and All-Division pick ... Also made Mississippi Association of Coaches Class 5A All-State first team ... Made Prep Star Top 125 Dream Team prior to senior season ... Made BorderWars.com Top 100 and second team All-South ... Named to Fox Sports Net's Countdown to Signing Day "All-South" second team ... Caught five passes for 67 yards, including an 11-yard TD strike, in 2001 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in Mobile, Ala. ... Madison Central Wendy's High School Heisman ... Rated Best Receiver last three years ... As a junior, rated second team All-State, All-Metro, and All-Division, and was named a preseason All-American ... Considered one of the state's best receivers and kick returners ... Caught 114 passes for 1,972 yards in high school and scored 31 touchdowns, including three on returns ... Scored two TDs on punt returns ... As a senior, had 42 receptions for 754 yards and 10 TDs ... Also had over 500 yards in punt returns ... Caught 36 passes for 800 yards junior year and 32 for 364 yards as a sophomore ... Had 3,372 all-purpose yards during career, including over 1,400 as a senior ... Holds all Madison Central receiving records ... Helped lead Jaguars to 15-0 record and Class 5A state championship junior year and 10-3 mark during senior campaign ... Coached in high school by Mike Justice ... Earned three letters in football, three in track, and one in basketball ... Helped Madison Central track team win 2000 Class 5A state championship ... Runs the 100, 200, and 400, while also being involved in relays ... Earned Best Overall Award in track ... Citizenship Award ... Spanish Club member ... PERSONAL: Son of Mike and Sheila Espy ... Full name is Michael William Alexander Espy ... Born: November 29, 1982.
MIKE GIBSON, L, 6-2, 280, Gadsden, Ala. (Litchfield) -- First team All-State selection who rated as the Alabama Class 3A Lineman of the Year for the 2000 season by the Alabama Sports Writers Association ... Played in the 2001 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in Mobile, Ala. ... Gadsden Times Defensive Player of the Year ... All-Region 6 pick who was also Defensive Player of the Year in the region ... Team captain as well as the team's Most Valuable Player ... Made Gadsden Times "Dirty Dozen" list five times ... During his senior season when he helped Litchfield to a 9-4 record and the semi-finals of the state playoffs, was credited with 145 tackles, including 16 quarterback stacks, which led the area ... Also had four fumble recoveries, including one for a touchdown, while returning one pass interception for a score ... Coached in high school by Danny Kimble ... Earned four letters in football, three in basketball, and three in track ... Averaged 12.5 points and 14.0 rebounds on the hardwood and ran the anchor on the 4 x 100 relay team, which placed third in the state meet ... Other honors include the Captain Award and the Senior Award ... PERSONAL: Son of Michael Gibson, Sr., and Tonya Carter ... Full name is Michael Lashwn Gibson ... Born: March 1, 1982.
MATT GRIER, B, 6-0, 200, Smithville, Miss. (High, Itawamba C.C.) -- Named second team junior college All-America by the J.C. Gridwire following sophomore season at Itawamba (Miss.) Community College ... Also picked up All-State and All-Region 23 honors ... Was credited with 71 tackles, including 54 solo hits, while playing at ICC and also intercepted four passes ... During sophomore season, ranked sixth in the MACJC in punt returns with a 13.8 average, returning six punts for 83 yards with a long of 29 yards ... His 29.2 yard kickoff return average ranked fourth in the MACJC as he returned 11 kickoffs for 322 yards with a long of 50 yards ... Earned Most Valuable Player team honors ... Earned two J.C. letters, starting both years at strong safety ... Coached in junior college by Jay Miller ... HIGH SCHOOL: Rushed for over 2,200 yards during senior year as Smithville High went 14-0 and won Class 1A state championship ... Played running back and linebacker in high school, earning All-State and All-District honors ... USA Today honorable mention All-America ... Earned five letters in football, five in baseball, and one in basketball at Smithville ... Coached in high school by Dwight Bowling ... All-County selection in baseball ... PERSONAL: Son of Vivian Nails Grier ... Full name is Matthew Collins Grier ... Born: August 30, 1981.
BOBBY HARRIS, L, 6-4, 306, Decatur, Ga. (Norcross) -- A SuperPrep Dixie Team member who also earned All-County honors while playing in Georgia's highest class, 5A ... Was Player of the Month twice in his region and earned Atlanta Journal-Constitution Player of the Week once ... After playing both offense and defense as a junior, concentrated on offense during senior season and didn't give up a quarterback sack ... Graded out at 84 percent with 46 knockdown blocks during senior season ... Was credited with 68 knockdown blocks on offense during two-year career ... Was still used some as a pass rush specialist on defense as a senior, picking up four and one-half QB sacks ... Had six QB sacks during career ... Coached in high school by Keith Malouf ... Earned two letters in football, one in basketball, and two in track ... Was named permanent Captain in football ... Threw the discus in track ... Was Honor Roll student and had perfect attendance record ... PERSONAL: Son of Patricia Harris-James and Robert Wingo ... Full name is Bobby Akeem Harris ... Nickname is "Duck" ... Born: June 15, 1983.
MARIO HILL, B, 6-1, 200, Meridian, Miss. (High) -- First team All-State selection of the Mississippi Association of Coaches and The Clarion-Ledger while playing for Class 5A Meridian High ... Played in Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in Mobile, Ala. ... As a senior, caught 41 passes for 723 yards and 14 TDs ... Also returned one kickoff and one punt for scores ... Saw some action at tailback and had eight tackles and two pass interceptions while seeing situational duty on defense ... Had 54 receptions for 700 yards and nine TDs as a junior and four catches for 168 yards and one TD during sophomore season ... Helped lead Meridian to 9-3 record during final campaign ... Coached in high school by Bill Sartin ... Picked up three letters in football and two in track ... Ran the sprints and was on the 4 x 100 relay unit that made the state finals ... PERSONAL: Son of Marie Hill and Sylvester Simon ... Full name is Mario Sanchez Hill ... Born: January 23, 1982.
BRANDON "JAKE" JACOBS, B, 6-1, 215, Long Beach, Miss. (High) -- Earned Sun-Herald All-Coast honors ... Member of The Clarion-Ledger Top 40 list ... WLOX-TV Pizza Hut Player of the Week selection as well as Sun-Herald Player of the Week ... Rushed for 920 yards on 144 carries and scored 10 TDs, while catching 20 passes for 225 yards and one TD during senior season ... Had 308 yards rushing on 28 carries against Bay St. Louis, earning Optimist Club Player of the Week honors ... Started last two games of year at linebacker and defensive end, recording 18 tackles, three QB sacks, and one forced fumble ... Long Beach competes in Class 5A as an Independent ... As a junior, rushed for 1,107 yards on 168 carries and six TDs ... Team played in 1998 Domino's Gridiron Bowl and 1999 Shrimp Bowl ... As a senior, received Iron Man Award on team ... Was selected as Most Outstanding Offensive Back junior and senior seasons ... Coached in high school by Sean Harden ... Earned three letters in football and two in track ... Won Sprinter Award in track ... PERSONAL: Son of James "Jake" and Josephine Jacobs ... Full name is Brandon Tremayne Jacobs ... Born: November 3, 1982.
TRAVIS JOHNSON, B, 6-1, 190, Shannon, Miss. (High) -- A first team All-State defensive back selection of The Clarion-Ledger as well as a Class 3A first team All-State pick of the Mississippi Association of Coaches ... Member of The Clarion-Ledger Top 40 list ... Named to All-Region team by the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal as well as Lee County Player of the Year ... Selected to play in the 2001 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in Mobile, Ala. ... Rates as one of the best pure athletes to ever play at Shannon High and helped the Red Raiders to a 12-1 record during senior season ... On defense, started every game at free safety as a senior ... Also started at wide receiver before being switched to quarterback for the last four games when regular starter Ken Topps broke a leg ... Caught 36 passes for 691 yards and 10 TDs through nine games before the move to quarterback ... Completed 18 of 31 passes for 276 yards and two TDs ... In the last four games at QB, ran for over 100 yards in each game, ending with 426 ... On special teams, returned three kickoffs and one punt return for TDs ... As a sophomore, led the state in pass interceptions with 11 ... Coached in high school by Mike Scott ... Earned letters in football, basketball, baseball, and track ... Averaged over 23 points in basketball, has drawn professional scout attention in baseball as a pitcher-shortstop, and runs the sprints in track ... PERSONAL: Son of Carrie Caradine ... Full name is Travis Treymane Johnson ... Born: June 22, 1982.
ERIC OLIVER, B, 6-2, 200, Jasper, Ala. (Walker) -- Super All-State selection, which recognizes the top 22 players in all classifications in the State of Alabama ... Also made the Class 5A All-State team as well as All-Region and All-Metro squads ... Played in 2001 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in Mobile, Ala. ... Helped lead Walker High to 11-2 record senior season and 12-1 junior campaign when team won Area championship ... On offense, had over 1,600 all-purpose yards as a senior, while also playing cornerback and safety on defense ... Was credited with 90 tackles, including 66 solo hits ... Had two pass interceptions, eight knockdowns, one tackle for loss, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries ... Coached in high school by Bubba Davis ... Earned four letters in football, four in basketball, and three in track ... Used as a sprinter and as a middle distance runner ... PERSONAL: Son of Barbara Oliver ... Full name is Eric Eugene Oliver ... Born: December 25, 1982.
VASHON PEARSON, B, 6-1, 206, Ripley, Miss. (High) -- Selected first team All-State in Class 3A as well as Offensive Player of the Year by the Mississippi Association of Coaches ... Also named first team All-State by The Clarion-Ledger ... All-Division selection ... Made The Clarion-Ledger's Top 40 List ... Named Northeast Mississippi Player of the Year by the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal ... Selected to play in the 2001 Bernard Blackwell Classic, the Mississippi High School All-Star Game ... Rushed for 2,607 yards on 343 carries and 32 TDs during senior season as Ripley finished 13-2, losing in Class 3A state finals ... Averaged 7.6 yards per carry ... Had 41 carries against Shannon ... As a junior, rushed for 1,931 yards and 32 TDs ... Scored 13 TDs sophomore season, giving him 77 TDs in prep career ... Coached in high school by Terry Allen ... Earned four letters in football and three in track ... PERSONAL: Son of Janet Christian and Sam Pearson, Step-father is Johnny Christian ... Full name is Vashon Samuel Pearson ... Born: January 23, 1983.
KELVIN ROBINSON, B, 6-2, 215, Jackson, Miss. (Lanier) -- Picked up Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year honors while playing at Lanier High ... Rushed for 1,410 yards and scored 16 touchdowns during senior season ... Also had over 1,700 all-purpose yards, plus 57 tackles as a part-time free safety defender ... Coached in high school by Elbert Smith ... Earned four letters in football and track ... Also lettered one year in basketball ... Runs the 200 and relays in track ... PERSONAL: Son of Trena Robinson and Daniel Anderson ... Full name is Kelvin DeWayne Robinson ... Born: January 18, 1982.
JEREMY RUFFIN, B, 6-2, 200, Meridian, Miss. (High) -- Picked up All-America honors from SuperPrep magazine ... Was first team All-State selection of The Clarion-Ledger and the Mississippi Association of Coaches ... Was named to The Clarion-Ledger "Ten Most Wanted" list and Dandy Dozen ... Made ,b>SuperPrep Dixie team and Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report All-Southeast team ... Max Emfinger.rivals.com Nifty 150 Bluechips selection ... Made BorderWars.com Top 100 list ... Named to Fox Sports Net's Countdown to Signing Day "All-South" third team ... Played in 2001 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in Mobile, Ala. ... Playing linebacker and defensive end, had 313 tackles and 39 QB sacks as a three-year starter at Class 5A Meridian High ... As a senior, was credited with 101 tackles, including 90 solo hits, and 13 QB sacks ... Also had three pass interceptions and four knockdowns ... Coached in high school by Bill Sartin ... Earned letters in football and basketball ... Averaged 15.0 points and 15.0 rebounds in basketball ... PERSONAL: Son of Green Berry Ruffin and Tommie Jean Ruffin ... Full name is Jeremy D. Ruffin ... Born: June 27, 1982.
SETH SMITH, B, 6-3, 190, Jackson, Miss. (Hillcrest Christian) -- Multi-sport prep star who is expected to play both football and baseball at Ole Miss ... In football, earned Most Valuable Player honors in Class 4A Mississippi Private School Association ... Was All-MPSA and MPSA All-Star pick ... Also rated as Class 4A All-Conference punter as a junior and senior ... Completed 121 of 206 passes for 1,950 yards and 21 TDs during senior season ... As a junior, passed for over 2,000 yards and had 19 TD completions ... Career passing statistics were for an impressive 5,950 yards and 56 TDs ... Saw action at quarterback, defensive back, punter, and place-kicker ... Coached in high school by Dennis Thompson ... Earned three letters in football, five in soccer, five in baseball, and three in basketball ... Helped lead Hillcrest Christian to 1997 Class 4A state baseball championship as team finished 30-6 and 1998 state title as team ended 34-3 ... Also was a starting forward on 2000 overall state basketball championship team which went 33-3 ... In baseball, earned All-Metro and All-MPSA honors in 1999 and was All-Conference in 1998-99-00 ... Playing outfield-first base-pitcher, hit .434 in 9th grade, .483 in 10th, and .400 in 11th while driving in 134 runs and rapping 12 home runs over those three seasons ... Rated All-Conference honors three years in soccer and two years in basketball ... Helped lead soccer team to South State title as he was the third leading goal scorer in the state ... PERSONAL: Son of Garry and Darlene Smith ... Full name is Garry Seth Smith ... Born: September 30, 1982.
L.P. SPENCE, B, 6-2, 210, Corinth, Miss. (High, Northeast C.C.) -- Originally signed with Ole Miss in 1997 ... Has three years of eligibility remaining ... 2000 (JUNIOR COLLEGE): Despite playing his first full football season in four years, earned PrepStar All-America honors, plus MACJC All-State and All-Region 23 teams ... Finishing third in tackles in state junior college league and Region 23 as he was credited with 116 total tackles, including 88 solo hits ... Ranked No. 7 on The Clarion-Ledger's Top 25 Mississippi Junior College list ... Rated as one of the nation's top junior college players by Jeff Whitaker's Deep South Football publications ... Coached in junior college by Laurin Collins ... Transferred to Northeast (Miss.) Community College from Arkansas State ... 1999: Enrolled at Arkansas State in Spring of 1999, attending for three semesters ... Did not participate ... 1998: Did not attend college due to leg injury ... 1997: Originally signed with Ole Miss in 1997, but went to Valley Forge Military Academy in Pennsylvania ... In season-opener at Valley Forge, broke two bones in his lower leg, an injury that eventually led to four surgeries ... HIGH SCHOOL: All-State and All-District selection who was on The Clarion-Ledger Top 40 High School Recruits list ... Made Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal and Daily Corinthian All-Area teams as linebacker ... Was Best Offensive Back in Division I-3A in 1995 when he was Corinth High's Most Valuable Player ... Daily Corinthian Player of the Year in 1996 ... Selected to SuperPrep All-Dixie team ... Played in 1997 Bernard Blackwell Classic, the Mississippi High School All-Star game ... Had 113 tackles, including 88 solo hits, senior year ... As a running back, gained 1,740 yards on 184 carries and scored 18 TDs, despite playing only eight and one-half games due to an injury ... Averaged 9.5 yards per carry and 193.3 yards rushing per game ... Averaged 223.7 all-purpose yards per game ... Set Mississippi high school record for single game rushing when he had 434 yards on only 13 carries against Caledonia ... Also had 320 yards rushing against Amory ... Compiled 5,089 all-purpose yards during his 30-game career at Corinth, including 4,102 yards rushing and 451 yards receiving to average 8.2 yards per play from scrimmage ... Scored 270 career points, 41 TDs rushing, three receiving, and one kick return ... Coached in high school by Perry Murphy ... Earned three letters in football, five in basketball, and three in track ... Helped lead Corinth to 1993-94 Class 3A state basketball championship ... Averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds per game ... In track, placed third in Class 3A state finals in 200, running a 22.8 ... PERSONAL: Son of L. P. and Diane Spence ... Full name is L. P. Spence ... Born: October 23, 1977.
CHRIS SPENCER, L, 6-4, 315, Madison, Miss. (Madison Central) -- Considered one of the top offensive linemen in the nation and the No. 1 overall player from the State of Mississippi ... Named to Parade, USA Today, and Reebok's ESPN All-America first teams ... SuperPrep All-America pick who was rated by that publication as the nation's No. 2 offensive lineman and No. 30 overall prospect ... Rated first team All-America and All-Southeast by Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report ... Was on Rivals100.com, The Max Emfinger USA Today.com, and Student Sports All-America first teams ... Made Tom Lemming's Top 100 list, plus was on SuperPrep Elite 50 list and PrepStar Top 120 Dream Team ... BorderWars.com Top 100 selection and nation's No. 1 rated offensive lineman ... Also made BorderWars.com All-South first team ... Student Sports and PrepStar picked him as the nation's No. 4 offensive lineman prospect ... PrepStar Super 30 All-Southeast Region ... On Max Emfinger.rivals.com Nifty 150 Bluechips list ... Ranked No. 22 on Rivals100 Top 100 list and No. 26 on Student Sports Top 100 list ... Orlando Sentinel All-Southern first team choice ... Was selected Player of the Year in Mississippi by both Gatorade and Jeff Whitaker's Deep South Football publication ... Ranked as the No. 1 player in Mississippi on The Clarion-Ledger's "Most Wanted" list ... Also chosen No. 1 player in Mississippi by SuperPrep ... Played in 2001 Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Classic in Mobile, Ala. ... As a senior, was listed on every All-State first team and was also on All-Metro team squad ... Selected to Prep Star Top 125 Dream Team prior to senior season ... Named to Fox Sports Net's Countdown to Signing Day "All-South" first team ... Named second team All-State as a junior ... Was outstanding run blocker in high school as he was powerful and dominating at offensive tackle ... Coached in high school by Mike Justice ... Helped lead Madison Central to Class 5A state championship in 1999 as the Jaguars went a perfect 15-0 ... Team was 10-3 during senior season ...Won Class 5A Super Heavyweight powerlifting championship of Mississippi junior and senior years, and holds all the lift records ... During senior season, broke his own state record in the powerlifting competition, which is determined by combined weight lifted in three events (the squat, the bench press, and the dead lift) when he totaled 1,675 pounds ... That effort broke his own state record of 1,665 pounds set in South State competition earlier in the year ... PERSONAL: Son of Sharon Wallace ... Full name is Christopher Clarks Spencer ... Born: March 28, 1982.
MIKE SPURLOCK, B, 5-11, 190, Indianola, Miss. (Gentry) -- Earned first team All-State honors by The Clarion-Ledger as a punter and was selected as the second team All-State quarterback by the Mississippi Association of Coaches ... Was one of the state's most exciting players of the 2000 season as he passed for Class 5A state records of 3,348 yards and 35 TDs ... Also rushed for another 1,161 yards and scored 10 TDs, giving him 4,509 total yards and 45 TDs during senior campaign ... Expected to play both football and baseball at Ole Miss ... Rated No. 5 prospect on The Clarion-Ledger's Top 40 List ... Played in 2001 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in Mobile, Ala. ... Picked up first team All-America honors from Student Sports and was second team All-America pick of USA Today.com ... Selected to Orlando Sentinel All-Southern squad ... Made Max Emfinger.rivals.com Nifty 150 Bluechips list, which named him to its "quarterback/super athlete" category ... Was on Tom Lemming's Prep Football Report All-Southeast team ... SuperPrep magazine rated him No. 8 among quarterbacks in the Southeast Region ... Against Ruleville Central, set a Mississippi record when he passed for 544 yards and nine TDs in a 74-71 loss as he also completed 23 of 45 passes and rushed for 146 yards and two TDs ... Against Jackson Murrah, completed 27 of 47 passes for 457 yards and four TDS, the winning two-point conversion, ran 18 times for 157 yards and two TDs, kicked a 42-yard field goal and two extra points, and had a 61-yard punt ... Coached in high school by Rickey Taylor ... Picked up three letters in football, four in baseball, and three in basketball ... As a shortstop-pitcher in baseball, was three-time selection as team's Most Valuable Player and Best Defensive Player ... Starting guard in basketball ... PERSONAL: Son of Willie and Patsy Spurlock ... Full name is Micheal Curtis Spurlock ... Born: January 31, 1983.
CORNELIUS "TRE'" STALLINGS, L, 6-5, 300, Magnolia, Miss. (South Pike) -- Selected to SuperPrep All-America and Dixie Team squads ... Earned Class 4A first team All-State honors from the Mississippi Association of Coaches as well as first team All-State by The Clarion-Ledger ... Made The Clarion-Ledger Top 40 and ranked No. 7 on elite "Ten Most Wanted" ... Dandy Dozen pick ... Played in 2001 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in Mobile, Ala. ... Made Max Emfinger.rivals.com Nifty 150 Bluechips list ... Named to BorderWars.com Top 100, ranking No. 9 among offensive linemen ... Also made BorderWars.com second team All-South ... Received honorable mention All-Southern from Orlando Sentinel ... Was a hugh interior presence in the offensive line for South Pike ... Coached in high school by Clarence Morgan ... Earned three letters in football ... Also played center on the basketball team and ran track ... PERSONAL: Son of Robert Ray and Cynthia Stallings ... Full name is Cornelius Stallings ... Father played tight end at Southern Mississippi and for the NFL St. Louis Cardinals ... Born: January 8, 1983.
BRYANT THOMAS, B, 6-1, 190, Louisville, Miss. (High) -- Second team All-State as selected by both The Clarion-Ledger and the Mississippi Association of Coaches ... Made The Clarion-Ledger Top 40 list ... First team All-District pick and Most Valuable Offensive Player ... Played in 2001 Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Classic in Mobile, Ala. ... Made BorderWars.com Top 100 ... PrepStar pre-season All-Southeast pick ... As a senior at Class 4A Louisville, passed for 1,260 yards and 20 TDs ... Also rushed for 1,103 yards and 12 TDs from the quarterback position, giving him 2,363 yards of total offense ... Rushed for over 800 yards and four TDs during junior season, while throwing for 654 yards and nine TDs ... Helped lead Louisville to 11-2 record and second round playoffs ... Coached in high school by Tony Stanford ... Earned three letters in football, four in basketball, and four in track ... Won district title in 100 meters ... In basketball, was Most Valuable Defensive Player and earned Leadership Award as a junior ... History Award ... Citizenship Award ... PERSONAL: Son of Joseph and Belinda Burns ... Full name is Bryant Fontel Thomas ... Born: February 16, 1983.
