Local Sports
Alabama’s Grant ready to impress home-state crowd in Mississippi
TUSCALOOSA — Just like every other high-profile college football prospect, Terry Grant felt a little pressure coming out of high school.
But Grant wasn’t just feeling pressure from the teams that were recruiting him. The Lumberton, Miss. native was also feeling it from the community.
“People would call me all the time saying ‘you need to got to MSU’, or ‘you need to go to SMU,’” Grant said. “Everybody wanted me to go to play for their favorite team.”
After talking things over with his family, Grant eventually decided to go against the grain and chose the program he thought best suited him. And despite all the constant pressure from friends and neighbors about staying in the state of Mississippi, Grant decided the best place for him to play football was at the University of Alabama.
Apparently Grant made the right decision. As a red shirt freshman this season, Grant is the Crimson Tide’s leading rusher with 727 yards through eight games.
“Choosing Alabama never was a hard choice,” he said. “I knew this is where I needed to be. It was the right decision.”
The decision to play football at Alabama may not have been a hard choice for Grant, but that doesn’t mean it’s been easy for his friends at home to accept. And since the No. 21-ranked Crimson Tide are making their way to Starkville, Miss. Saturday morning to play Mississippi State, Grant’s friends at home are letting him know how they feel.
“Yeah, I’m getting a lot of phone calls this week,” Grant said. “Some people are letting me know they’re supporting me, and some others aren’t wishing me too much luck. It’s all in fun.”
Whether it’s all in fun or not, Grant doesn’t want to find out what his friends at home will have to say if Alabama loses Saturday. That’s why he intends on making the most of his homecoming.
But playing in his home state isn’t the only thing motivating Grant this week. He also wants to help Alabama fans forget about the Tide’s 20-yard rushing performance against LSU.
Alabama will face another tough defense this week at Mississippi State, but Grant is confident the Crimson Tide can rebound with a good performance.
“That leaves a bad taste in your mouth,” Grant said. “And the only way to get that bad taste out is to go out and get a win. What we have to do is let things come to us.
“From what I’ve heard, (Mississippi State) is very tough on defense. But I think we’re more than capable of having a good game. Everything should fall back into place this week.”
- Local Sports
-
- PREP BASEBALL: Addison sweeps pair from Jackets
-
JUCO MEN'S BASKETBALL: Over the hump
- PREP BASEBALL: Miscues doom Bearcats against Panthers
- PREP BASEBALL: Cullman Co. tournament washed out by rainfall
- PREP BASEBALL: Defending champs advance to semis
-
PREP BASEBALL: Fraley takes coach’s advice, shuts down Holly Pond
Karl Ammonite has been preaching a few things since taking over as West Point High’s baseball coach.
He got a resounding amen from his starting pitcher on two of them Monday afternoon.
Trevor Fraley struck out 11 batters in a three-hit complete-game performance as West Point defeated Holly Pond 11-1 in the opening round of the Cullman County baseball tournament at Hanceville High.The Warriors (6-2) advance to face Fairview today at 6 p.m. in the semifinals.
“One of the things I preach is focus — baseball is 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical,” said Ammonite, who is in his first year as West Point’s coach. “(After the first inning) He regained his composure and fought back well in every inning thereafter." -
PREP SOFTBALL: Bats come to life in sixth, Broncos rally past Eagles
Steve Miller told his players it would eventually happen. A big offensive inning was going to come.
As it turns out, the Holly Pond High softball coach was right.
Holly Pond pounded out six runs in the bottom of the sixth, using that rally to beat Vinemont 9-4 Monday afternoon. - PREP ROUNDUP: Sissom fans six, Saints knock off Holy Family
- PREP ROUNDUP: Fairview stays hot, sweeps pair on road
- Bearcats finish 4-1 on Mississppi trip
- More Local Sports Headlines
