Bonesville: The Authoritative Independent Voice of East Carolina

News & Features from ECU, the AAC and Beyond

  • Home
  • News & Features
  • Recruiting
  • Photos
  • Audio
  • Roundup
  • Comments
  • Legacy Archives

• ECU 2022 Football Schedule
• ECU 2022-23 Hoops Schedule
• ECU 2023 Baseball Schedule

— Recruiting Thumbnails —
Football: 2023 • Hoops: 2023-24

Football Recruiting Report: Loyalty, opportunity count for Alston

April 21, 2016 By Sammy Batten Leave a Comment

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin
Taijh Alston (247sports.com)
Taijh Alston (247sports.com)

Ryan Riggan was just two seasons into a tenure as head football coach at Union Pines High School near the end of the 2011-12 academic year when the parent of a graduating senior student dropped by with some information.

“He was the dad of a kid who was graduating, and he told me he had a kid moving here to live with him who was a player,” Riggan recalled. “I didn’t think a lot about it again until the first day of summer workouts when this kid came around the corner.

“I was like, ‘Holy smoke, he was right.’ Kids like that don’t fall on my doorsteps that often.”

The tall, athletic player who appeared that day was Taijh Alston, who had been living with his mother in Lumberton. But Alston moved to the Union Pines school district prior to entering high school to reside his father. Lumberton’s loss was a major gain for Riggan and the 3-A class school located just North of Southern Pines in the tiny town of Cameron.

After a stint on the Union Pines junior varsity as a freshman, Alston has been a force the last two seasons at defensive end for the Vikings. The play of the 6-foot-5, 235-pounder was so impressive during that time that programs such as Appalachian State, Charlotte, Coastal Carolina, Miami of Ohio and N.C. State extended scholarship offers in recent months.

But loyalty and opportunity led Alston to instead accept an opportunity to play for East Carolina. He made a verbal commitment to first-year coach Scottie Montgomery while in Greenville for Saturday’s annual Purple-Gold scrimmage that marked the end of spring practice.

Alston becomes the third rising senior high school prospect to join the recruiting Class of 2017 and was the first of two to do so during the Purple-Gold weekend. Greensboro Dudley cornerback Myles White also made a verbal commitment to the Pirates while attending the scrimmage festivities.

Recruiting attention had been mounting for Alston with Appalachian State and N.C. State extending offers over the last month. But Alston was sold on ECU from the minute the previous coaching staff originally extended his first major college offer last summer when Alston attended the Pirates football camp.

“I was a little surprised he decided this early,” Riggan said. “I felt like there was some time left in the (recruiting) process. But going up there he told me he was ready to make the decision. In his words, he said ‘They were the first ones to take a chance on me.’

“I asked if he was sure about it and he said he was. I said, ‘Great, tell them.’ ”

Another reason Alston chose to announce an early college choice is because he plans to graduate from Union Pines next December, so he can enroll at ECU in January 2017. That will allow him to participate in spring practice with the Pirates and hopefully compete for some immediate playing time as a true freshman at defensive end or outside linebacker.

Looming graduation losses – seven of the 10 defensive linemen on ECU’s spring roster are juniors or seniors – should certainly open up opportunities for Alston in 2017.

“Taijh wanted to go somewhere he can compete to play right away, and I know that’s been some of the conversation he’s had with their coaches,” Riggan said. “His first three steps are incredible. He comes off really fast and plays at a pretty good pad level most of the time.

“One of the biggest things for defensive linemen whenever he’s chasing a quarterback is not to not let those big (offensive line) boys get their hands on you. He does a good job keeping hands off of him, being fast and closing ground.

“I think he’ll graduate at Christmas this year and get on up to (ECU’s) campus to get that first semester under his belt. He’ll go through spring practice, the weight program and will get to eat all the stuff up there. He’ll continue to grow as an athlete. If he does that, he could have a chance (to play early).”

Alston spent his freshman year at Union Pines playing linebacker for the junior varsity. He moved into a starting role on the varsity as a sophomore when he made 54 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.

Despite being limited for several games due to concussion symptoms, Alston piled up 77 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks last season to earn first-team All-Cape Fear Valley 3-A Conference honors and second-team All-Cape Fear region status from The Fayetteville Observer.

Alston kicked off his junior season with an eye-opening performance in a 43-26 opening victory against East Montgomery.

“He had so many big plays, but the one I remember is one he didn’t actually get a sack on,” Riggan said. “But East Montgomery ran a sprint out away from his side. Taijh did a great job getting off the blocker and actually tracked the kid down. He got a hit on him (quarterback) as he turned the ball loose on the opposite side of the line of scrimmage.”

Alston isn’t likely to be the last defensive end prospect added to the 2017 class. Another in-state target at end is 6-2, 220-pound Zion DeBose from North Rowan High in Spencer.

ECU along with Appalachian State, Charlotte and Duke have offered DeBose at this stage of recruiting. He made 68 tackles – 33 of them for lost yardage – and 4.5 sacks as a junior.

Related

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin

Filed Under: FB Recruiting Class of 2017, Football Recruiting

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent News & Features

VIEW FROM THE EAST: NORTH TEXAS
The new American

Basketball News
ECU rally falls short

ECU Recruiting News
More help is on the way to ECU secondary

Basketball News
Porter leads Shockers past Pirates

VIEW FROM THE EAST: FAU
The new American

Basketball News
Pirates rally past Tulsa to snap losing streak

ECU Recruiting News
Portal delivers blue chipper RaRa Dillworth

VIEW FROM THE EAST: CHARLOTTE
The new American

Basketball News
Owls pull away from ECU in second half

Class of 2023 Early Signing Review (UPDATED)
Pirates tap transfer portal for more talent

More News & Features

ECU Schedules

  • ECU 2021 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2020-21 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2021 Baseball Schedule

ECU Recruiting

  • Football Recruiting Class of 2021
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2020
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2019
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2018
  • Football Recruiting Class of 2017
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2021-22
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2020-21
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2019-20
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2018-19
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2017-18
  • Hoops Recruiting Class of 2016-17

Past Football Schedules

  • ECU 2020 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2019 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2018 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2017 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2016 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2015 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2014 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2013 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2012 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2011 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2010 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2009 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2008 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2007 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2006 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2005 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2004 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2003 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2002 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2001 Football Schedule
  • ECU 2000 Football Schedule
  • Historical Schedules

Past Basketball Schedules

  • ECU 2019-20 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2018-19 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2017-18 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2016-17 Basketball Schedule
  • ECU 2000-2015 Basketball Archives

Past Baseball Schedules

  • ECU 2020 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2019 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2018 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2017 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2016 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2015 Baseball Schedule
  • ECU 2001-2014 Baseball Archives

Recruiting Class Profiles

ECU Recruiting News
More help is on the way to ECU secondary

ECU Recruiting News
Portal delivers blue chipper RaRa Dillworth

Class of 2023 Early Signing Review (UPDATED)
Pirates tap transfer portal for more talent

AAC Early Signing Review
New members dive into AAC recruiting wars

Class of 2023 Early Signing Review
First wave of recruits just the beginning

ECU Recruiting News
Brown finds way to ECU through portal

ECU Recruiting News
Transfer safety McDaniel destined for ECU

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates land coveted Spartanburg quarterback

ECU Recruiting News
Swift ECU recruit ‘in a class of his own’

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates win out for Georgia prep linebacker

ECU Recruiting News
Linebacker with pedigree charts path to ECU

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates find a gem in Palmetto State receiver

ECU Recruiting News
Official visit swayed North Mecklenburg star

ECU Recruiting News
Physical Georgia receiver poses tough matchup

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates project lineman Durant as center

ECU Recruiting News
ECU spotted potential in Conley lineman

ECU Recruiting News
ECU lands fleet-footed Georgia defensive back

ECU Recruiting News
‘Football town’ helps draw Short to Pirates

ECU Recruiting News
ECU targets edge rushers

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates aim high for interior line talent

ECU Recruiting News
Well stocked Pirates enter fray for O-linemen

ECU Recruiting News
ECU faces uphill battle in hunt for tight ends

ECU Recruiting News
Pirates cast wide net for wide receivers

ECU Recruiting News
Loaded Pirates still courting running backs

ECU Recruiting News
ECU targets quarterbacks of the future

Recent Web Roundups

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Friday, February 3, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Thursday, February 2, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Writer Archives

  • Bonesville Staff
  • Brian Bailey
  • Sammy Batten
  • Bethany Bradsher
  • Brett Friedlander
  • Al Myatt
  • NFF
  • Greg Vacek
  • Danny Whitford

Recent Web Roundups

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Friday, February 3, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Thursday, February 2, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Wednesday, February 1, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Monday, January 30, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Sunday, January 29, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Saturday, January 28, 2023

GREG VACEK'S WEB ROUNDUP
Friday, January 27, 2023

More Web Roundups

Copyright © 2023 Bonesville.net · Website by Seaport Webworks. · Log in · Privacy Policy