BCHS Football Players to play at college level

BELL, CREWS, MORTON, RUTLEDGE, SMITH, WATKINS and WESTBROOK

By Daniel L. Bamberg

DIAHEEM WATKINS SIGNS WITH UAB

Is it too early to refer to one of the most physically gifted BCHS senio

rs as Diaheem the Magic City Dragon?  Perhaps, but as a UAB Blazer if Diaheem Watkins’ dominance from high school carries over, there may not be a witty enough nick name to describe him.

On Wednesday, February 2 – National Signing Day, Watkins became the 3^rd division one college football scholarship athlete in 4 years.  In 2011 he will put on the green and gold of the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB).

According to Watkins the decision of where to sign wasn’t easy.  He had a variety of schools to pick from.  Memphis, Arkansas State, Troy, South Alabama, and Louisiana Tech were chasing him.  In the end it would be a school closer to home than those, which would get his personalized ink on the bottom line of a scholarship.

READ ALL SIGNINGS by clicking "The Rest of the Story" link below.

Watkins made his decision not exclusively or mainly based on location.  The strength of competition as well as the chance to contribute early proved to be major factors in his selection process.

“There is some pretty good competition in Conference USA and UAB plays the SEC a lot,” explained Watkins.  “More importantly to me was the opportunity to make an early impact.  I had a chance to look at the roster and it’s open for me to immediately compete for a spot.”

Bibb County head coach Mike Battles stressed the importance of seeing High School athletic talent become Division 1 College Football talent. 

“Success breeds success,” explains Battles.  “It started with Ben (Jones) at Georgia who is probably going to be drafted in the NFL next year, and followed with Zac (Stacy) at Vanderbilt, now Diaheem at UAB.  When the community has a chance to follow someone from one level to the next it gives them a chance to look at a kid and say, ‘that’s our guy.’  That itself brings for pride.  For our players, our kids it gives them confidence that they can do the same.  It makes it real for them.  It explains to them that if you work hard enough you can do something like play at the next level.  It is no longer a dream but a reality when you see those in your community doing it.”

Elijah Taylor is Diaheem’s father and with a smile for of enormous pride was at the signing ceremony decked out in UAB clothing nearly from head to toe.

“I think this was a great choice for Diaheem,” explained Taylor.  “I think he will be a great asset to the team and I am already getting ready to set up my hotel rooms and tickets for next season.  One of the major focuses here for my son is that he is going to stay focused.  He keeps education first and football second and as long as he keeps things in that sort of perspective the sky is the limit.”

Wendy Watkins is Diaheem’s mother.  She explains that she is excited about the scholarship but also proud of the educational choice he made in school selection.  With all of the headlines he has made over the past few seasons, with all of the hoopla surrounding him from so many schools, she explains her son has remained very humble.

“Diaheem is definitely humble,” Wendy explains.  “If my name was being written about over and over again and I was being sought after they wouldn’t be able to keep me as humble as my son has been.  He’s always positive.”

While Diaheem himself expressed that the decision to choose one of the six scholarships offers was difficult, perhaps oddly neither his father nor his mother nor Coach Battles added much of an opinion as to where he should go.  All three of these key people in Diaheem’s life offered him the same advice repeatedly.  Make the decision, which is right for you.  Apparently being a Blazer was the decision right for Diaheem Watkins and in 2011 some around the Bibb County community may trade be complimenting their orange and blue or crimson and white with green and gold.

MARVELL BELL SIGNS WITH  ALABAMA STATE 

TEVIN CREWS, ANDRELLE SMITH, J.J. RUTLEDGE and JEFFERY WESTBROOK INVITED TO WALK ON WITH ASU

Now when Bell rings it will be accompanied by a Hornet’s sting.

He has been a giant among young men throughout his High School football career.  Bibb County High School’s offensive lineman, Marvell Bell will soon be wearing the yellow and black of Alabama State University. 

On national signing day, Bell signed an athletic scholarship with the ASU Hornets at the BCHS field house in Centreville.

“I feel like this is going to be a great opportunity,” explained Bell.  “Alabama State offers a great environment.  They will be getting a new stadium soon and I am really excited about making an early impact and to continue playing.”

Bibb County High School head coach, Mike Battles stated, “Alabama State came in here and stole one.  Marvell is unquestionably a division one-caliber athlete capable of starting on most teams.  He is a dominating run blocker and I am going to look forward to watching him do the same at the next level.”

Along with Bell’s scholarship ASU also picked up 4 major “walk on” commitments from the BCHS deep pool of talent.  Tevin Crews, JJ Rutledge, Jeffery Westbrook, and Andrelle Smith signed official letters of intent to try out for the ASU Hornets in 2011.  With these letters comes the possibility of earning a scholarship, if a scholar-athlete drops off the team under any circumstance.  It also opens the door up for a potential athletic scholarship in their sophomore seasons. 

“Being with my friends and teammates will make it easier to adapt to a new environment,” explained Crews.  “There are a few stepping stones I have to get over.  I think I earned my scholarship but other factors came into play.  I am going to go in, keep God first and earn my keep.”

Rutledge, Smith and Westbrook echoed similar sentiments as Crews.  Westbrook added, “I think it benefits all of us to have one another.  Not only will they (Bell, Crews, Rutledge and Smith), be my teammates in college but also we have been teammates for a long time.  When one does bad we tell them to shake it off, get back out there are do better.  We are going to continue to lift one another up and motivate the other one.  We won’t let each other down, because we learned never to let a teammate down.”

Bibb County’s confirmed one, and very potentially five seniors which will play with ASU are going to have the opportunity to compete in the historical, Magic City Classic, an annual competition held at Legion Field against bitter rival Alabama A&M.

One other thing for Bibb County High School fans to watch is the Annual Turkey Day Classic between ASU and Tuskegee University. 

2010 graduates Cornelius and Courtney Johnson play for Tuskegee and are expected to get serious playing time next season, if not start.  This game could directly pin former BCHS teammates against one another.  

TAYLOR MORTON INVITED TO WALK ON WITH TIDE

Bibb County High School players recently selected Taylor Morton in conjunction with Diaheem Watkins for the “2010 Team Captain” award.  BCHS head coach, Mike Battles expressed during that presentation that Taylor was one of the most positive players and among the most standout overall leaders he’d ever coached.  As signing day 2010, ended in the first week of February, Morton had not signed a scholarship.  A shock to some who not only saw his abilities on the field, but knew full well of his “tremendous leadership capabilities.” 

On Friday, February 18^th Morton’s inspiring journey took a new turn, one he calls “exciting” and “a real blessing.”  The University of Alabama invited the BCHS senior to walk on at one of the south’s most storied college football programs.  Morton, though without a scholarship will be given the distinct honor of wearing the Crimson and white uniform, the classic numbered helmet, and will get to experience the excitement of Bryant Denny Stadium. 

He will show up to campus on April 16^th to complete a physical and will report to camp on May 31^st. 

“I am honored and feel very good about getting this opportunity,” explained Morton.  “It isn’t a scholarship, but as an invited walk on I will be a part of the team.  Through hard work and faith, I can earn a scholarship and potentially some playing time.”

Morton has been a source of inspiration at BCHS, not only for his outward expression of faith in Jesus Christ but, not only from his demeanor as being one of the most well liked students in his class, and not only for his athletic prowess.

Morton has been able to inspire with all of those things, but many BCHS are all too familiar with the phrase, “Never, never give up.”  This is something Taylor learned from his younger brother Trent who passed away in a tragic accident not long ago.  Morton wore Trent’s pee-wee jersey number and carried the words “never, never gives up.”  Those words became a motto for two consecutive seasons, the most winning in BCHS history.

Now Taylor Morton will move on to another level.  As BCHS alumni and fans follow Alabama State University, Georgia, Stillman, Tuskegee, UAB, and Vanderbilt the Bama faithful among the Purple Pride have another reason to cheer for the Crimson Tide.  Auburn fans rooted in BCHS might not be sold to cheer for U of A due to a hometown player becoming a part of that team, but perhaps you may hear a handful of those BCHS fans in the orange and blue shout,”RTR!”  Except they’ll be replacing the word “Tide” with the name “Taylor.”