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The University of Mississippi Athletics
Following In The Footsteps Of Greatness
5/24/2005 | Track and Field
May 24, 2005
OXFORD, Miss. -
By Katy Lonergan
Assistant Director, Athletics Media Relations
It may not have been a direct path, but John Yarbrough made it to Ole Miss for the purpose of becoming an elite hurdler. Yarbrough had visions of greatness and despite taking a roundabout path, his journey eventually led to Oxford.
As a high school athlete, Yarbrough participated in both football and track at Hunters Lane High School in Nashville, Tenn. From the outset, football was Yarbrough's first love and it became his goal to pursue football with the hopes of making it to the NFL.
"I was always a football player," said Yarbrough, who began playing the sport at the age of six. "My number one dream was to be a football player in the NFL and at the very least have football pay for my college education."
While Yarbrough received some interest from college recruiters for his football skills, his Hunter's Lane team struggled and he did not get the offers for football he was hoping for. In the mean time, he had found a good amount of success on the track and had grown to enjoy track, as well. By the time his senior year rolled around, Yarbrough had decided he wanted to participate in both sports in college.
"My love for football was always there," said Yarbrough. "Track really grew on me. I had a lot of success and that made me like it even more. I knew once I was getting towards the end of high school that I definitely wanted to do both sports in college. I was not ready to give either of them up."
Another reason track became a sport Yarbrough was very interested in was due to the influence of his older brother Linnie. The two Yarbrough's spent two years together at Hunter's Lane, as Linnie graduated when John was a sophomore. Linnie, who also excelled in football, accepted a track scholarship at Middle Tennessee and has gone on to have a very successful career as a Blue Raider. He is a two-time Sun Belt Conference champion in the 110-meter hurdles and is also the MTSU record-holder in the event.
"My brother is someone I have always looked up to," said John, who is majoring in journalism at Ole Miss. "He gave me the best advice I have received and that was to never leave anyone with the impression that I was not a hard worker. He told me to prepare to win by outworking my competitors and not just let my talent do the talking. It is something I always keep in my mind."
When it came time to sign scholarship papers at the conclusion of his high school career, despite a ton of encouragement from his brother to attend Middle Tennessee, John decided to take his game to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He earned a football scholarship, where he was slated to play outside linebacker, and was also scheduled to participate in track.
"Playing sports with John in high school were some of the best days of my life," said Linnie, who also suits up for the Blue Raiders football team at wide receiver. "I thought it would be nice to play with him in college, but he decided to step out on his own and be John. He did not want just be my younger brother and he would have had that follow him around at MTSU."
Upon arriving in Chattanooga, Yarbrough spent the first half of his freshman season as a red-shirt. After the Mocs dropped their first six games of the season, Yarbrough's red-shirt was pulled off and he played in the remaining six games of the season. He finished the 2003 football season with 36 tackles, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovered and 2.0 TFLs for minus four yards.
Yarbrough then joined the Chattanooga track team in time for the 2004 indoor season. In his first 60-meter hurdle race he had to face none other than his older brother Linnie.
"It really boosts up my competitive juices to go against John," said Linnie, the elder Yarbrough. "I knew with it being his first collegiate race he was going to be running hard. It was a big day for both us and I loved beating him, but his time will come soon enough."
Although the younger Yarbrough was not the winner on that particular day, he did have a fine indoor season as he set a new Chattanooga school record in both the 55-meter and 60-meter hurdles. Just before taking a break from track to participate in spring football, Yarbrough tore his hamstring and was limited in both sports for the remainder of the school year, although he did set the UTC record in the 110-meter hurdles in the lone race he ran in the outdoor track season. It was during this time he felt a change would be good for him.
It was a difficult decision for Yarbrough to give up his first love of football, but it was obvious the track was where he was going to make a name for himself. So he decided to set his sights on a school and coach who could really help him become a national contender. With the help of his Chattanooga track coach, Bill Gautier, Yarbrough found the perfect place to settle in Ole Miss.
"I visited several different places when I decided to leave Chattanooga and Ole Miss was exactly what I was looking for," said Yarbrough. "I came here because of Antwon Hicks and Coach Walker. I knew training along side Antwon, even if it was only for one year, would be an unbelievable asset to me and Coach Walker has a reputation for turning athletes into champion-caliber hurdlers."
Although he turned down Middle Tennessee to avoid following in the footsteps of his much adored older brother, Yarbrough decided instead to follow in the footsteps of one of the most decorated hurdlers in the NCAA as Hicks is currently a two-time NCAA Champion and five-time All-American in the hurdles. Yarbrough has no regrets of giving up football or the chance to compete with his brother, as has he has posted personal bests in his hurdle races this season and even added the 400 meters to his repertoire.
Yarbrough turned in a time of 7.53 in the 55-meter hurdles and 8.09 in the 60-meter hurdles during the 2005 indoor season. He currently owns top times of 13.98 in the 110-meter hurdles, 52.44 in the 400-meter hurdles and 48.63 in the 400 meters during the outdoor portion of the season. The up and coming hurdler credits training with the one of the most decorated athletes in Ole Miss history for his rise this season.
"Working with Antwon gives me the chance to work with a world-class hurdler every day," said Yarbrough, who qualified for regionals in both hurdle races. "He goes over the hurdles in world-class speed every time he is on the track. At first it was just a big reality check to run against him. It is hard to stay with him constantly. You really get to see up close why he is so good and so consistent.
"Antwon's speed is very deceptive. Most people don't realize how fast he is without the hurdles on the track because he has improved his speed so much since he got to Ole Miss. The thing he does better than anyone though is go over the hurdles. He has flawless technique and that is what I need to work on the most. He has shown me day after day what it looks like to be on top."
Yarbrough's brother can also see a difference in John's training in the few months he has worked with Hicks.
"Antwon has been a great partner for John," said Linnie. "Just being in the training climate he is in has made him a much more mature athlete. I can see a big difference in both his racing and his every day life."
Every time Yarbrough steps on the track he is trying to make his own footprints, whether it is getting out of the shadow of his older brother or his own teammate at Ole Miss, he is going out trying to win every race.
"Believe it or not I am trying to beat these guys," said Yarbrough. "So far I have not been able to do that, but I know if I keep working hard my time will come."
Yarbrough will get a chance for that first victory this weekend as all three hurdlers will be competing at the 2005 NCAA Mideast Regional Championships in Bloomington, Ind., on the campus of the University of Indiana. The trio has qualified for the Mideast Championships in the 110-meter hurdles with Hicks leading the way with the second fastest time entering the meet at 13.42. Linnie Yarbrough has the sixth-fastest time entering the meet at 13.70, while John Yarbrough stands in 14th place with his time of 13.98. The top five finishers at the Mideast Regional will advance to the 2005 NCAA Outdoor Championships, which will be held in Sacramento, Calif., June 8-11. Ole Miss head coach Joe Walker sees great things in Yarbrough's future.
"One of the best things about John is that he is very self motivated," said Walker. "He has the desire to make it to the next level. He is also very versatile. I think once he masters his technique, he will quickly be able to reach all of his goals."
Whether or not John Yarbrough rises above the competitors he learns from every day remains to be seen, but one thing is for sure; when his time does come, he will be taking it all in stride.
