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
Love finds a bond at ECU

April 9, 2017 By Sammy Batten Leave a Comment

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin
Trey Love (Photo source: Scout.com)

Kennedy Tinsley hasn’t seen a lot of Trey Love, since he only assumed the position of head football coach at Greensboro’s Southeast Guilford High School in February.

But the exposure has been enough for Tinsley to understand Love is a young man with great potential.

“I had already heard a lot of about him, and I had coached against him last year when I was at Eastern (Guilford as an assistant),” Tinsley said. “But when I got here he jumped out at me because of his athleticism and size. I’ve been coaching him in track, so I’ve seen how explosive he can be. All that has made me anxious to get him out on the football field. I can already see the making of a special player there.”

Tinsley’s assessment is obviously shared by the former and current East Carolina coaching staffs, both of which offered him a scholarship following a stellar sophomore campaign at Southeast Guilford. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound defensive end accepted the offer from the current staff March 14 to become the third member of the Pirates’ recruiting Class of 2018.

Love, who also had an offer from Charlotte, had been sold on the Pirates for some time. But he decided to pull the trigger and make a verbal commitment after visiting campus for a Junior Day activity.

“As soon as I got there, I felt a connection for me and my mom,” Love said. “They treated us like family. I loved their facilities and there was just a bond with the coaches. I felt like I wanted to be coached by them.”

The opportunity to play major college football is something Love has been thinking about since his recreation days. Even at that early stage, coaches were already telling Love he had the potential to reach that level.

“I was already bigger than most of the players at that age,” Love said. “A lot of people were telling me I could be great and I could go far with football. So I started believing and working toward achieving that dream.”

Upon his arrival at Southeast Guilford, Love played linebacker and fullback for the junior varsity most of his freshman year. But late in the year he was called up to the varsity to work as a fullback. Love made his varsity debut that season, rushing three times for 12 yards in two games.

It was after that freshman year that Love had his first encounter with a college coach when former Wake Forest cornerbacks coach Derrick Jackson dropped by to see him.

“That’s when I really saw myself playing college football,” Love said.

Moving into a starting role at defensive end as a sophomore, Love delivered 53 tackles and six quarterback sacks. He continued to be used in short-yardage situations and contributed 124 yards and a touchdown rushing on 24 carries.

The 2016 season saw Love rack up 75 tackles and seven sacks to earn first-team All-Metro 4-A Conference and second-team All-Area honors from the Greensboro News & Record. He also earned an invitation to the prestigious U.S. Army All-American Junior Combine in January. The combine, in San Antonio, TX, featured 600 of the top high school underclassmen.

“It was a great opportunity to be able to talk to other top players, and test myself against that kind of talent,” Love said. “It was serious stuff.”

Right before Love left for Texas, Southeast Guilford decided to make a coaching change and dismissed veteran Fritz Hessenthaler, who had compiled a 100-72 overall record in 14 seasons.

Enter Tinsley, a Greensboro native and former North Carolina player, who was hired in early February. Tinsley was a four-year letterwinner for the Tar Heels between 2006-09 as a fullback and linebacker. He had spent the previous six seasons as an assistant at East Guilford.

“Working with him has been really hard in a good way,” Love said. “Plus, I’m blessed to be able to work with a coach who has been where I want to go. That’s why I look up to him.”

The two are working together currently on the track where Tinsley is coaching and Love is competing in the discus and shot put, as well as the relay events for Southeast Guilford.

East Carolina has recruited Love to play defensive end, where he hopes to develop like his NFL heroes, J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney.

“I watch their highlight reels and how they practice,” Love said. “They are talented and they work hard. I would be great to do what they do. They are some of the best players, and that’s what I want to be.”

Love is expected to attend ECU’s spring game on April 22, and says he’s a solid commitment to Pirates.

“Right now I feel pretty solid,” he said. “I really like East Carolina a lot and I see myself fitting in there.”

Click here for Recruiting Class of 2018 Thumbnails…

Click here for Recruiting Class of 2017 Thumbnails…

Related

Tweet
Share
Share
Pin

Filed Under: FB Recruiting Class of 2018, Football Recruiting, News & Features, 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