Win-starved Wolves hunt victory

The above headline, too often a painful truth in recent yearsfor the Co-Lin football team, hopefully will make a change for thebetter.

Nope, the Wolves weren’t hunting for venison, caribou or mooselast season. Victories have been more elusive than an 8-point buckand too far apart the past two years. Recruiting has suffered. Theimage has suffered.

Old geezers like yours truly even remember the 1985 campaignwhen the Wolves won the state championship and the East Bowl,beating Nassau County, N.Y. The Wolves were South Division titlecontenders almost every year under former head coach Ray Ishee.There were some great teams at Co-Lin.

New head coach Glenn Davis wants to return the program to thoseglory years. Certainly, he had a taste of glory and an ampleportion of disappointment at Mississippi State University, learningfrom legendary coach Jackie Sherrill.

Davis went to Starkville from Wesson and the experience wasenlightening. “Coach Sherrill was great to me. I learned a lotabout football and how to deal with people. He’s been a class guyto me. I’ve learned a lot. He gave me a chance from coaching injunior college.”

Mississippi State’s football program remains the object of anintense NCAA investigation. Davis has been associated with severalrecruiting violations as the NCAA continues its probe intoSherrill’s program.

Co-Lin athletic director Gwyn Young said he researched thecharges against Davis and is convinced that Davis did nothingwrong. “It’s an allegation. They can say that about whoever. Justbecause somebody says something doesn’t mean we’re not going tolook at somebody’s credentials and see if they are the best fit forthe job.”

MSU has until March 2 to respond to the NCAA’s charges. In themeantime, Sherrill has retired and plans to write that book aboutthe NCAA’s persecution. Sylvester Croom has been hired to lead theMSU football team and most of the former assistant coaches havebeen swept out the door.

Davis is under contract with MSU until June 30 and his Co-Lincontract begins July 1. Certainly, Davis will be working overtimebefore then, trying to line up recruits.

Young said Davis will not be allowed to make in-person contactwith recruits. Current assistant coaches will be in charge ofrecruiting and directing spring practice.

Davis’ attorney, Mike Younger, said he was prohibited by theNCAA from commenting on the allegations. Naturally, Davis can’tcomment.

Hopefully, Davis can adapt to being a head coach and sharingthat knowledge with his assistant coaches and players. There ismuch to be learned and a lot of bases to be touched. There are somebridges to be rebuilt and some new friends to develop in the highschool ranks.

Davis said he was anxious to get started. Hit the ground runningand don’t look back.

Co-Lin’s familiar ballad in recent years has been about the poorrecruiting base among district high schools. There are a fewfootball hotbeds in Lincoln, Lawrence, Copiah, Franklin, Jefferson,Adams and Simpson Counties. There is no comparison to the Hinds,Gulf Coast and Northwest recruiting districts as far as populationand available football talent.

Natchez, the only Class 5A high school in Co-Lin’s district,should produce several college-level players every year.Unfortunately for Co-Lin, the program instead has been in disarray.It’s not unusual for Natchez to finish 0-11 and 1-10.

Co-Lin president Dr. Howell Garner realizes the shortage offootball talent in the district. He doesn’t expect statechampionships at Co-Lin but he would like to see the Wolves becomea .500 or better squad.

Certainly, there is pressure to win. Football is a hot commodityin Mississippi. Winners are cheered and the losers are virtuallyignored. Apologies are redundant.

Seated in his office Wednesday afternoon, Garner pointed out thehigh level of quality football teams in the Mississippi Associationof Community/Junior College Conference. “Some people don’t realizehow good the coaches and players are in our conference.”

Garner was the chairman of an MACJC committee which developedthe plan of promoting parity among conference schools. Three yearsago the new program was launched. Each MACJC member was allowed toprotect 22 district high school seniors from being recruited byother schools. The rest were up for grabs.

Expected to reap the most benefit were the MACJC schools withpoor recruiting districts. Now it becomes a matter of MACJC coachesknowing high school coaches from Southaven to Pascagoula. They needa reliable source to aid in the recruiting effort.

Obviously, Co-Lin hasn’t been very successful in theout-of-district recruiting. Perhaps that will change for thebetter. Contacts are important.

Write to sports editor Tom Goetz at The DAILY LEADER, P.O.Box 551, Brookhaven, MS 39602 or e-mailsports@dailyleader.com