STARKVILLE — Ricky Woods was a proud coach Wednesday.
The Starkville High School football coach saw 10 of his players sign National Letters of Intent on Wednesday on National Signing Day, including three with Division I schools and seven with junior colleges. Wide receiver A.J. Brown signed with Ole Miss, defensive tackle Kobe Jones signed with Mississippi State, and defensive lineman Lorenzo Dantzler signed with Southern Mississippi to complete the Division I trio. Defensive lineman Maleke Bell and running back Avery Brown (East Mississippi Community College), quarterback Montario Montgomery and wide receiver Rontavis Clark (Itawamba C.C.), tight end Parker Lemm (East Central C.C.), defensive back Terrance Grayer (Mississippi Delta C.C.), and defensive back Aretavious Hendrix (Mississippi Gulf Coast C.C.) completed the signing class.
“It’s good for what they’ve done for Starkville High School football, Starkville High School, and the Starkville community,” Woods said. “They’ve worked hard to get to where they’re at academically and athletically.”
Dantzler, who gave a verbal commitment to Louisiana Tech, re-opened his recruiting the day after Starkville High won the Mississippi High School Activities Association Class 6A State championship in December. He committed to the Golden Eagles two weekends ago. He stayed with his decision even after head coach Todd Monken left the school to become the offensive coordinator for the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Jay Hopson was hired.
Like many recruits, Dantzler is glad the process is over so he can again focus on playing football.
“It’s a lot of stress off my mind,” Dantzler said. “For a lot of recruits, I know it’s a lot of stress on their mind. They were ready for this day, and I was ready for this day, too, to sign the papers and officially become a Golden Eagle.”
Dantzler had 53 tackles (19 for loss) and a team-high 13 sacks this past season.
Montgomery said ICC was the only school to show interest in him during the season, but Holmes C.C. offered him a scholarship late in the process. He said he considered both schools, but he said ICC was the right fit.
“Their offense,” Montgomery said of when asked what set ICC apart. “I like the way they’re doing things. I like their style of play.”
Montgomery said he always has dreamed of being a top recruit, but he never believed he would play at the next level, so signing a National Letter of Intent was the result of the hard work he put in the last few years.
Montgomery threw for 2,777 yards and 28 touchdowns and rushed for 323 yards and nine touchdowns to help lead Starkville to the state title.
“I think he made a really good choice because they’re going to throw the ball,” Woods said. “He’s not a runner, he’s a thrower, so I think he made a good choice. He’ll do well because Montario is really, really smart and very coachable.”
Starkville let each player announce his decision in a room filled with family, friends, students, teachers and media, giving them a few moments in the spotlight.
“It’s something special for this senior group,” Montgomery said. “This senior group has been through so much since seventh, eighth, and ninth grade. Now that we’re signing to play college football, that’s a huge stepping stone for us.”
Dantzler said he hopes all seven of his teammates who signed with junior colleges will get an opportunity to play at a four-year school.
“It’s amazing because I want all my teammates to make it big,” Dantzler said. “We’re going to do big things at the next level just like we’ve been doing here at Starkville High. It should be no pressure on us.”
Follow Dispatch sports writer Ben Wait on Twitter @bcwait
Ben Wait reports on Mississippi State University sports for The Dispatch.
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