Lamel Ages hopes his next trip to The Coliseum will be a little more active than his last one.
Ages has left the Auburn football team and intends to play his final season of eligibility at Tennessee State.
''Things didn't work out like I'd have liked,'' said the 5-foot-9, 185-pound cornerback. ''I wanted to be the starter, and I didn't have the starting position at the end of spring practice.''
Ages, who played in the Music City Bowl when Auburn faced Wisconsin, expects to graduate next month and will enroll for fall classes at TSU as a graduate student after also considering UT-Chattanooga and Murray State.
''It was a very hard decision (to leave Auburn),'' he said. ''I'd been there for 4? years; I came in with all those guys. But it was something I had to do to try to further my career. I wanted to play as much as possible my last year. Playing special teams and as the 'nickel' and 'dime' back ? that's not as much as I can play.''
Ages prepped at Carver High in Columbus, Ga. ? the hometown of TSU secondary coach Randy Fuller ? and had two interceptions, 10 pass breakups and 50 tackles as a senior while rushing for 950 yards and throwing for 750.
Originally a walk-on at Auburn, Ages was awarded a scholarship prior to his sophomore season. In three years, he posted 24 total tackles with a pass breakup and a fumble recovery.
''My goal, my plan is to come there and start,'' said Ages, who counts as a cousin former Buffalo Bills defensive back Nate Odomes. ''I talked to the coaches and that's an area they could use some help in. They don't have any experienced cornerbacks.''
Although TSU lost senior cornerbacks Scott Cunningham and Deon Giddens ? both all-Ohio Valley Conference performers ? off last year's 7-5 team, the Tigers emerged from spring workouts with Aaron Strong, John Rhoden and Ahmad Smith solidified at the positions.
''(Ages) gives us some depth at a position where we lost some guys,'' TSU Coach James Reese said. ''We're going to give him every opportunity to win a position, every opportunity to compete for the position.
Maurice Patton covers TSU athletics for The Tennessean. He can be reached at 259-8018 or mopatton@tennessean.com.
Ages has left the Auburn football team and intends to play his final season of eligibility at Tennessee State.
''Things didn't work out like I'd have liked,'' said the 5-foot-9, 185-pound cornerback. ''I wanted to be the starter, and I didn't have the starting position at the end of spring practice.''
Ages, who played in the Music City Bowl when Auburn faced Wisconsin, expects to graduate next month and will enroll for fall classes at TSU as a graduate student after also considering UT-Chattanooga and Murray State.
''It was a very hard decision (to leave Auburn),'' he said. ''I'd been there for 4? years; I came in with all those guys. But it was something I had to do to try to further my career. I wanted to play as much as possible my last year. Playing special teams and as the 'nickel' and 'dime' back ? that's not as much as I can play.''
Ages prepped at Carver High in Columbus, Ga. ? the hometown of TSU secondary coach Randy Fuller ? and had two interceptions, 10 pass breakups and 50 tackles as a senior while rushing for 950 yards and throwing for 750.
Originally a walk-on at Auburn, Ages was awarded a scholarship prior to his sophomore season. In three years, he posted 24 total tackles with a pass breakup and a fumble recovery.
''My goal, my plan is to come there and start,'' said Ages, who counts as a cousin former Buffalo Bills defensive back Nate Odomes. ''I talked to the coaches and that's an area they could use some help in. They don't have any experienced cornerbacks.''
Although TSU lost senior cornerbacks Scott Cunningham and Deon Giddens ? both all-Ohio Valley Conference performers ? off last year's 7-5 team, the Tigers emerged from spring workouts with Aaron Strong, John Rhoden and Ahmad Smith solidified at the positions.
''(Ages) gives us some depth at a position where we lost some guys,'' TSU Coach James Reese said. ''We're going to give him every opportunity to win a position, every opportunity to compete for the position.
Maurice Patton covers TSU athletics for The Tennessean. He can be reached at 259-8018 or mopatton@tennessean.com.