SHS

From page 7

Clemons, who had 57 tackles for SHS last season, has noticed the many Mississippi players agreeing to slip across the state line into Tennessee and become Tigers.

"There is a lot going on right now," Clemons said. "It's a trend that I'm starting."

Clark, the Starkville Daily News Player of the Year, rushed for 1,268 yards on 176 carries and 23 touchdowns for the Jackets last season.

As Clemons and Clark decide to head north, linebacker Zach Edwards moves even further in that direction as he signed with the University of Louisville.

Edwards called it a "dream" to play at Louisville and hopes to impress the new coaching staff enough where he can play right away.

"I thank the University of Louisville for giving me the opportunity," Edwards said. "Today has been a very good day. I picked Louisville because it's a very family-oriented place. It seems like it's going to get me where I want to be if I just put in the work."

Edwards was a force for SHS on defense last season with his 79 tackles and 26 tackles for loss.

SHS kicker Garin Boniol signed with Louisiana Tech, a school he had been committed to for some time, and running back KJ Lawrence said he was going to Mississippi College.

"It was the best decision academic wise," Lawrence said. "It's a good school, so if football doesn't work out down the line, I have something to fall back on. It's a good school if I can keep my grades up. They love me down there so I have a good opportunity."

Along with Jakoby Jones' surprise appearance after a successful two years at EMCC, three Jackets opted to follow in his footsteps as wide receiver Tonorris Brookins, linebacker Ty Johnson, defensive back Alexis Stallings and defensive back Zitavious Williams signed with the national champion Lions.

Others who elected for the junior college route were offensive lineman Michael Goss (East Central Mississippi Community College), defensive lineman Ryan Johnson (Northwest Mississippi Community College), tight end Atavious Jones (Copiah-lincoln Community College), defensive back Myles Stone (Northeast Mississippi Community College) and wide receiver Bernard Thomas (Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College).

"It's the beginning of the next phases of their career," coach Jones said. "It's only going to get harder, but I feel my guys are ready for it. To me, they are already next level kids anyway with character and the way they go about their business day to day and they'll be fine once they get to college."