Max Joyner, Jr., hasn’t
missed an East Carolina University home football game since childhood.
“I’ve missed just one game
in 30 years,’’ Joyner’s father, Max ,Sr., said last week. “He’s 17, so
since he was probably three or four or five years old he’s been to every
home game. My parents live a block from the stadium and I’m about a mile
away.
“You could say we’re an
East Carolina family.’’
Max, Jr., a talented
safety at Greenville’s Rose High School, decided to add to the family
tradition recently by accepting a scholarship to join the ECU football
program in 2008.
The Pirates extended the
offer when Joyner attended the school’s football camp in early June.
“Max is kind of a reserved
guy,’’ Rose High coach Greg Thomas said. “As a matter of fact, he didn’t
even tell me (about offer). Their coaches told me. (Offensive
coordinator) Coach (Steve) Shankweiler called me up after camp was over
and said they had offered Max.
“They talked to Max’s
father and they accepted. He’s looking forward to going over to East
Carolina next year.’’
First, Joyner will
complete what has been a stellar career with the Rose High Rampants, the
reigning four-time 4-A state champions.
Joyner has played a role
in two of those titles. After playing with the Rose junior varsity as a
freshman and sophomore, Joyner was promoted to the varsity for the
playoff run to the 2005 state championship.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder
then earned a starting job at free safety last season, making seven
interceptions. He also played some wide receiver for the Rampants.
“He was also very involved
in helping to stop the running game,’’ Thomas said. “He’s not afraid to
come up and get in the mix.’’
Thomas said Joyner could
grow into a linebacker once he enrolls at ECU.
“With his frame he can put
on some more weight,’’ Thomas said. “If things don’t work out in the
secondary, he could move up to outside linebacker. He’s a very athletic
kid, who runs well and is physical.’’
The Pirates began courting
Joyner during last year’s run to the state crown. Other schools, such as
North Carolina and Virginia, were also showing interest, Thomas said.
“A lot of people were
interested in him, but he’s always dreamed of playing for East
Carolina,’’ Thomas said. “Everything has just worked out perfectly for
him.’’
And for his family.
His father, mother and
grandfather attended East Carolina.
“I went there from 1976 to
1982, and then I went into business with my father,’’ Max Joyner, Sr.,
said. “So he’ll be carrying on a tradition. We’re very proud of Max.’’
Joyner is the fourth
player to make a verbal commitment to the Pirates for the Class of 2008.
All four are products of North Carolina high schools, and three of the
four hail from the Eastern part of the state.
In another recruiting note
involving East Carolina, quarterback Zach Frazer has decided to transfer
to Connecticut.
A highly recruited passer
from Mechanicsburg, PA, Frazer left the Notre Dame program after spring
practice. East Carolina was one of the schools he was considering for
transfer along with UConn, Cincinnati, Louisville, Miami and Rutgers.
But the 6-5, 226-pounder
opted in the end to play for the Huskies.
