Bonesville Mobile Alpha Rev. 2.1a*
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Right answers seal deal with QB By
Sammy Batten Recruiting Class of 2016 Thumbnail Sketches... Reid Herring headed to Greenville last weekend ready to make a verbal commitment to play for the East Carolina Pirates. But first the Raleigh, NC, quarterback had two questions to ask ECU's new offensive coordinator, Dave Nichol. Herring got the answers he wanted in the tete-a-tete with Nichol prior to the Pirates' annual spring game at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. In return, East Carolina received the first pledge for its football recruiting Class of 2016. The 6-foot-3, 172-pound Herring ultimately chosen the Pirates over offers from two Atlantic Coast Conference schools, Boston College and Miami. “I went into the weekend thinking I was going to commit,'' Herring said Monday evening. “But first, I had a just a couple of questions for Coach Nichol.'' And those questions were? “I wanted to see the depth chart, know who they were recruiting and know for sure I'd have a chance to compete for the starting job,'' Herring said. “And I also wanted to know if I were to get hurt that they'd still honor my 0(scholarship) offer. “He (Nichol) pretty much answered those before I even asked them.'' Herring is part of a strong rising senior class of quarterbacks in the North Carolina high school ranks that also includes Oklahoma commit Austin Kendall of Cuthbertson High, Chazz Surrratt from East Lincoln, Dylan Parham of Southeast Raleigh (N.C. State pledge) and Jamie Newman of Graham (Wake Forest). Newman and Surratt also received offers from ECU. But Herring is the one who has shown the most interest in the Pirates since receiving their offer in April 2014. He's made multiple unofficial visits to Greenville over the past year and became more excited about playing in ECU's “Air Raid'' style of offense. “It (offense) was very appealing,'' Herring said. “It's what we do here at Millbrook. I've watched what Shane (Carden) has done and that was really eye opening.'' Carden, of course, just completed a star-studded career running the most prolific offenses in ECU history over the last three seasons. Though he certainly hasn't put up Carden numbers yet, Herring has built an impressive resume at the prep level in two years as the starter for Millbrook. Taking over the starting job as a sophomore, Herring passed for 2,149 yards in leading Millbrook to a 10-4 record and berth in the third round of the state 4-AA playoffs. A year ago as a junior he completed 166 of 292 passes for 2,100 yards and 17 touchdowns for an 11-3 squad while earning all-league honors at quarterback and punter. Herring, whose father Scott played for North Carolina in the 1980s, has been producing as a quarterback since his first week he stepped on an organized football field as an 8-year-old. But he had to endure a few days at tight end first. “One day during that first week me and another player just decided to switch one day at practice,'' Herring said. “I think they realized I had a pretty strong arm, and from that point on I've been a quarterback.'' When asked about his best attributes as a quarterback, Herring gave the perfect answer for a future ECU quarterback. “Probably my football IQ,'' he said. “I have very good knowledge of the game. Plus, I have pretty good arm strength and accuracy.'' Herring has also been putting his “good arm'' to use on the baseball field for Millbrook as a pitcher and shortstop the last two seasons. He is toying with the idea of giving both football and baseball at try at East Carolina. “I've talked to Coach Nichol about it, but not (baseball) Coach (Cliff) Godwin,'' he said. “So I'm not sure about that yet. I'll probably have to think about that a little more. But I would definitely say it's a possibility.'' In the meantime, Herring will finish off his junior season of baseball and start building toward a strong senior year of football. “It feels like there is a weight off my shoulders now,'' Herring said. “Now I can completely focus on getting better and stronger.'' PAGE UPDATED 04/21/15 02:59 AM. |
