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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
©2014 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.
Recruiting Class of 2015 Thumbnail Sketches...
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 |
