JUSTIN STROZIER

(Image source: scout.com)

 
 
 

Tracking the Stars of the Future

Football Recruiting Report
Monday, August  11, 2014

By Sammy Batten


Mom knew best for Strozier

Forced to play, Georgia wideout quickly learned to love the game of football

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By Sammy Batten
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Justin Strozier grew up around a father with experience as a college football player. But it was actually a mother's influence that started Strozier on the road to gridiron success in spite of his own protests.

The 6-foot-2, 170-pounder emerged as one of the top receivers in the Georgia prep ranks last season for Woodland High School in Stockbridge. It was during a junior year in which he collected 58 catches for 933 yards and 13 touchdowns that the East Carolina Pirates took notice and by May of this year extended a scholarship offer. Strozier took an unofficial visit to the ECU campus June 20 and gave a verbal commitment to the Pirates three days later.

"I felt I had a good connection with the receivers coach, Coach (Dave) Nichols,'' Strozier said earlier this week about his pledge to the Pirates. "When I went up there to visit, I also got along real well with the head coach, Coach (Ruffin) McNeill. I just had a real good overall vibe up there. I felt it was a place I could spend the next four years.''

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Strozier cast his lot with ECU over offers from Georgia State of the Sun Belt, Big Ten Conference member Indiana and American Athletic Conference newcomer Tulane. He becomes the third wide receiver to join the Pirates' recruiting Class of 2015, following the May commitments of Colby Gore from Little River, SC, and Taz Richardson of Mauldin, SC.

Growing up in the heart of Southeastern Conference country ensured Strozier was exposed to football at an early age. Plus, his father had been a college player at Savannah State.

But when it was first suggested to an 8-year-old Strozier that he might want to give football a try, he resisted.

"I didn't want to play,'' Strozier said. "I think my Mom was tired of me sitting around the house. She said, 'I've seen you running in the yard. You're fast. You're going to get out there and play football, or do something.

"So, my Mom forced me to play. But I ended up loving it once I got out there.''

Strozier gradually developed into a receiver good enough to not only make the Woodland High varsity as a freshman, but to earn a starting job as well. The 2011 season last just two games for Strozier, however, after he suffered a year-ending broken wrist.

A healthy Strozier returned to action as a sophomore to make 45 catches for 605 yards and four touchdowns to earn all-region honors. He followed up with an even bigger junior season while earning a berth on the All-3-AAA Sub-Region "A'' squad despite missing two games due to a split finger that required stitches. Strozier was also selected to the Henry Daily Herald's All-County team.

One of the highlights of Strozier's junior season — and one of just two wins for Woodland — came in the next-to-the-last game against Dutchtown on November 1. The Wolfpack trailed 21-20 late in the fourth quarter and was facing a fourth-down-and-23 play when Strozier stepped up with a big play.

"Our quarterback threw the ball up and I caught a 35-yard fade route, and got out of bounds,'' Strozier said. "We were able to kick a field goal to win the game, 23-21. It was the biggest catch of my career so far.''

Strozier is expecting to make more of those kind of big plays and increase his statistics significantly as a senior under Woodland's new head coach, Steve Davenport. Interestingly, Davenport is the former head coach at the very college where Strozier's father played, Savannah State.

"I'm ready to have a great season this year,'' Strozier said. "Coach Davenport has really changed up our offense. We're running more of a Baylor-style offense now. I think I'll be getting the ball way more than I did last year.''

Strozier considers himself a perfect fit for the outside receiver position in East Carolina's "Air Raid'' offense, and he hopes to make an early impact in Greenville.

"I'm explosive off the line and I'm really a deep threat receiver,'' Strozier said. "I feel like I'm a good fit for their offense because they like to throw the ball a fair amount of the time. The coaches told me I'd get a shot to play early, but I had to earn it. I'm looking to earn that, so I'm going to be working hard until I get there.''

Although he may visit some other schools before signing day, Strozier said his commitment to ECU is solid.

"I'm pretty sure East Carolina is where I want to be,'' he said. "I had a great feeling up there, and they are a team on the rise, too.''

The Pirates signed seven receivers in the 2014 class, although at least one of those, Dre Massey from Mauldin, SC, isn't expect to enroll at ECU this fall. So, with only All-American Justin Hardy and Cam Worthy graduating from the receiver corps after the 2014 season, the verbal commitment by Strozier should have put the Pirates close to fulfilling their quota of receivers in this recruiting class.

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08/15/2014 05:12 AM