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July 9, 2006
JSU FOOTBALL: Cost of Winning
Scholarship shuffle part of Comegy's rebuilding plan
By David Brandt
david.brandt@clarionledger.com
New JSU coach Rick Comegy's program-building strategy has forced players to fight for scholarship money as well as playing time.
If Jackson State's Tomarcio Levy didn't fully grasp the economics of college football before last spring, he does now.
That's because a few months ago the new JSU coaching staff hit the junior defensive back with some difficult news.
Levy was welcomed back to the team for this year- but was told his scholarship would be cut by 33 percent. Levy said his aid dropped from about 75 percent of expenses to 50 percent.
It wasn't a moment he remembers fondly, but the Callaway High School graduate decided to stay at JSU.
"Any time you get your money taken from you, it isn't fun," Levy said. "But I tried to be a big boy about it. Maybe this will make me better and I'll earn my money back. The new coaches are winners and I have to respect that, cause we didn't do too much winning last year."
In the first year of the Rick Comegy era at Jackson State, changes have come by the boatload. In February, the Tigers signed a monster 55-person recruiting class, sending a clear message.
Comegy and crew aren't interested in long-term rebuilding. Winning now is the goal.
"Our job is to find the best athletes we can find, so we signed as many as we could get - high school, junior college and transfers," said Comegy, who was hired in December after James Bell coached the Tigers to three consecutive losing seasons. "That doesn't mean we weren't interested in the kids we already had. Many of them will help us a lot. We just had to continue to make this program better."
Schools like Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Southern Miss, which play at the NCAA's highest level (Division I-A), are allowed to have up to 85 football players on scholarship at a time. Those scholarships are fully funded and cannot be partialed out.
At the I-AA level, at which JSU competes, schools can have 63 fully funded scholarships per year, but the aid may be partialed out to as many as 85 players.
Levy says he understands why his scholarship was cut. JSU won just two games last season and lost nine. The Tigers are in dire need of new talent and attitude.
That meant new scholarship money had to be found, which in turn meant Levy and several other returnees saw their money reduced.
Comegy said no one was cut from the squad but some players who had their money taken away chose not to return. He said several others who chose to return will struggle to find playing time this fall.
No hard feelings. Just business. Right?
"I don't care if they bring in Emmitt Smith - I always think I should be on the field and am worth the money," Levy said. "But I think this new coaching staff is in my best interests to make our team better and me a better player."
While JSU drew national attention by signing 55 players, recruiting coordinator Gregory Ruffin said only 26 to 28 new players will be on campus and in uniform this fall.
Many of the freshman signees opted for junior colleges or failed to make high school grades or test scores needed to meet the NCAA's initial academic eligiblity requirements for freshmen.
"A lot of people kind of went nuts when they found out we signed 55 guys," Ruffin said. "But we knew there would probably be some that wouldn't qualify. That's OK, though, because those guys that ended up going to JUCOs understand that we're interested in them, so when their junior year comes around they'll still be thinking about Jackson State because we showed them love before their freshman year."
The roster isn't completely set, either. Ruffin said he's still talking to a handful of Division I-A transfers.
Among those who will be eligible are running back Jamal Pittman (transfer from Ole Miss), linebacker Daniel Brooks (Tennessee), athlete Carlos Simpson (Cincinnati), quarterback Jimmy Oliver (Pearl River Community College) and defensive back LaBrose Hedgemon (Notre Dame).
"There were a few guys we lost (from the recruiting class) that disappointed us," Comegy said. "A few receivers especially, but all of our really big transfers are still coming."
Brooks said through summer workouts and 7-on-7 practices, he's seen little friction between new players and returnees.
But he admits there's probably a few hurt feelings.
"That's how it goes sometimes," Brooks said. "When (Steve) Spurrier went to South Carolina, I heard they shook it up pretty good over there. I'm sure something like that is happening here."
But since there's less than 30 new faces on the roster instead of 55, there's plenty of opportunity for returning players.
Nearly every starter from last year with eligibility remaining returns, including running backs David Kennebrew and Olandus Rodgers, quarterback Kethone McLaurin and receivers Jaymar Johnson, Jeremy Handy and Jordan Beard. Defensive returnees include Vincent Dancy, Marcus Smith and Levy.
"No one was really scared when the new coaching staff came in," Johnson said. "It actually made me want to work a little harder. Most of the guys knew this was a change for the better."
The main difference for some returnees is a lighter wallet and more competition for playing time.
While losing scholarship money stings, the prospect of winning more football games this season is a much more comfortable idea.
"If we go 9-2 this year instead of 2-9, this was all worth the trouble," Levy said. "Winning will hopefully make everything else take care of itself."
July 9, 2006
JSU FOOTBALL: Cost of Winning
Scholarship shuffle part of Comegy's rebuilding plan
By David Brandt
david.brandt@clarionledger.com
New JSU coach Rick Comegy's program-building strategy has forced players to fight for scholarship money as well as playing time.
If Jackson State's Tomarcio Levy didn't fully grasp the economics of college football before last spring, he does now.
That's because a few months ago the new JSU coaching staff hit the junior defensive back with some difficult news.
Levy was welcomed back to the team for this year- but was told his scholarship would be cut by 33 percent. Levy said his aid dropped from about 75 percent of expenses to 50 percent.
It wasn't a moment he remembers fondly, but the Callaway High School graduate decided to stay at JSU.
"Any time you get your money taken from you, it isn't fun," Levy said. "But I tried to be a big boy about it. Maybe this will make me better and I'll earn my money back. The new coaches are winners and I have to respect that, cause we didn't do too much winning last year."
In the first year of the Rick Comegy era at Jackson State, changes have come by the boatload. In February, the Tigers signed a monster 55-person recruiting class, sending a clear message.
Comegy and crew aren't interested in long-term rebuilding. Winning now is the goal.
"Our job is to find the best athletes we can find, so we signed as many as we could get - high school, junior college and transfers," said Comegy, who was hired in December after James Bell coached the Tigers to three consecutive losing seasons. "That doesn't mean we weren't interested in the kids we already had. Many of them will help us a lot. We just had to continue to make this program better."
Schools like Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Southern Miss, which play at the NCAA's highest level (Division I-A), are allowed to have up to 85 football players on scholarship at a time. Those scholarships are fully funded and cannot be partialed out.
At the I-AA level, at which JSU competes, schools can have 63 fully funded scholarships per year, but the aid may be partialed out to as many as 85 players.
Levy says he understands why his scholarship was cut. JSU won just two games last season and lost nine. The Tigers are in dire need of new talent and attitude.
That meant new scholarship money had to be found, which in turn meant Levy and several other returnees saw their money reduced.
Comegy said no one was cut from the squad but some players who had their money taken away chose not to return. He said several others who chose to return will struggle to find playing time this fall.
No hard feelings. Just business. Right?
"I don't care if they bring in Emmitt Smith - I always think I should be on the field and am worth the money," Levy said. "But I think this new coaching staff is in my best interests to make our team better and me a better player."
While JSU drew national attention by signing 55 players, recruiting coordinator Gregory Ruffin said only 26 to 28 new players will be on campus and in uniform this fall.
Many of the freshman signees opted for junior colleges or failed to make high school grades or test scores needed to meet the NCAA's initial academic eligiblity requirements for freshmen.
"A lot of people kind of went nuts when they found out we signed 55 guys," Ruffin said. "But we knew there would probably be some that wouldn't qualify. That's OK, though, because those guys that ended up going to JUCOs understand that we're interested in them, so when their junior year comes around they'll still be thinking about Jackson State because we showed them love before their freshman year."
The roster isn't completely set, either. Ruffin said he's still talking to a handful of Division I-A transfers.
Among those who will be eligible are running back Jamal Pittman (transfer from Ole Miss), linebacker Daniel Brooks (Tennessee), athlete Carlos Simpson (Cincinnati), quarterback Jimmy Oliver (Pearl River Community College) and defensive back LaBrose Hedgemon (Notre Dame).
"There were a few guys we lost (from the recruiting class) that disappointed us," Comegy said. "A few receivers especially, but all of our really big transfers are still coming."
Brooks said through summer workouts and 7-on-7 practices, he's seen little friction between new players and returnees.
But he admits there's probably a few hurt feelings.
"That's how it goes sometimes," Brooks said. "When (Steve) Spurrier went to South Carolina, I heard they shook it up pretty good over there. I'm sure something like that is happening here."
But since there's less than 30 new faces on the roster instead of 55, there's plenty of opportunity for returning players.
Nearly every starter from last year with eligibility remaining returns, including running backs David Kennebrew and Olandus Rodgers, quarterback Kethone McLaurin and receivers Jaymar Johnson, Jeremy Handy and Jordan Beard. Defensive returnees include Vincent Dancy, Marcus Smith and Levy.
"No one was really scared when the new coaching staff came in," Johnson said. "It actually made me want to work a little harder. Most of the guys knew this was a change for the better."
The main difference for some returnees is a lighter wallet and more competition for playing time.
While losing scholarship money stings, the prospect of winning more football games this season is a much more comfortable idea.
"If we go 9-2 this year instead of 2-9, this was all worth the trouble," Levy said. "Winning will hopefully make everything else take care of itself."
