Feb. 6, 2002
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford has signed 10 players to national letters of intent for the 2002 season, Bulldogs Head Coach Bill Gray announced Wednesday.
Samford, who finished 5-5 in 2001, won four of its last five games with Gray as its interim head coach. Gray was named head coach on Nov. 26. The Bulldogs begin the 2002 season with three new coaches and return several playmakers and record-setters that earned I-AA All-Independent honors in 2001, including WR Aryvia Holmes, DB Robert Evans and LB Derrick Wheeler. Spring practice begins Feb. 25.
"While the spots that were vacated were few in number, we met some needs with quality players in this class," said Gray. "We improved our speed with guys that can really run, and we got a couple of players whose size and good feet will really help us along the offensive line. We signed several offensive players, but going in we felt like we could afford to do that because of good depth on defense.
"We were fortunate to sign our top prospect at several positions, and we expect that there will be several guys who will come in and push to play right away."
With only eight seniors departing from the 2001 team, Samford signed quality over quantity for the 2002 season. The Bulldogs inked a total of 10 players hailing from Alabama, Florida and Mississippi. Offensively the Bulldogs get four wide receivers, two offensive linemen and a quarterback. The Bulldogs' defensive class includes one linebacker, one defensive back and a defensive lineman. Below are capsules on Samford's 2002 signees.
C.J. Burdette, WR, 6-2, 190, Pinson Valley HS, Birmingham, Ala. - A captain of Pinson Valley's football and basketball teams, Burdette was an All-Metro and All-Star Honorable Mention selection. A versatile athlete, Burdette caught 32 passes for 586 yards and six touchdowns along with returning six punts for 52 yards. As a senior, he snagged 44 receptions for 781 yards and eight touchdowns, along with 70 yards of return yardage on punts. In basketball Burdette was also an All-Tournament selection in the Oneonta Christmas Tournament. Off the field and the court Burdette was named a Scholar Athlete of the Week by The Birmingham News and is a worship leader at his church.
Matt Crum, OL, 6-3, 280, Russellville (Ala.) HS - One of two offensive line signees, Crum was the Russellville offensive team captain and the recipient of his team's Best Offensive Lineman Award. He was a Class 5A First-Team All-Area and All-Region 8 selection as a senior. Off the field Crum was FCA president and a member of the National Honor Society.
Blake Davidson, QB, 6-3, 200, Hoover (Ala.) HS - An Honorable Mention All-Metro and All-State selection as a senior, Davidson threw for more than 2,000 yards and 26 touchdowns while completing more than 60 percent of his passes. Prior to an injury late in the 2001 season, Davidson earned Player of the Week honors from The Birmingham News, Dr. Pepper and ABC 33/40 and the Over the Mountain Journal for his performance against Hewitt-Trussville. Following his effort against Vestavia Hills, Davidson also earned Player of the Week honors by the Over the Mountain Journal, the Birmingham Touchdown Club and Pat Patrick Promotions. A member of the Gridiron Great All-Star Team, Davidson won Hoover's Captain and Football Top Gun awards.
Cortland Finnegan, DB, 5-9, 165, Milton (Fla.) HS - Finnegan comes to Samford from a hotbed of football talent where he earned First-Team All-State, All-Northwest Florida and 3A District Player of the Year honors. Milton High's team captain and 2001 Most Valuable Player, Finnegan caught 22 passes for 403 yards as a receiver. He also averaged 6.4 yards per rush and scored 11 touchdowns rushing, averaged 14 yards per punt return and scored twice on returns. As a defensive back he recorded 115 tackles and intercepted five passes in 2001.
Quentin Griffin, WR/DB, 5-9, 180, Stanhope (Ala.) Elmore HS - A two-time All-County and All-Metro selection, Griffin was voted Elmore's Most Valuable Player in 2001. A versatile athlete who could play on either side of the ball for the Bulldogs, Griffin compiled 457 yards rushing and 492 yards passing for 949 yards of total offense in only four games as a senior. Montgomery's Quarterback Club also named Griffin the Best Athlete in Elmore County in 2001.
Bradley Hyche, WR, 5-10, 185, McAdory HS, Bessemer, Ala. - Another multi-position athlete in high school, Hyche finished his career with 1,963 rushing yards, 704 receiving yards, and his 37 career touchdowns (30 rushing, seven receiving) broke Bo Jackson's McAdory record for touchdowns in a career. In 2001, Hyche tallied 604 total yards and finished the season as an Honorable Mention All-State, Second-Team Super All-Metro and Second-Team All-Metro selection. Additionally, he was rated as the #10 prospect by the Birmingham Super Senior Metro, as one of the top 250 prep prospects by Street and Smith's and included in The Birmingham News Best of the Rest list.
Kevin Pughsley, OL, 6-4, 280, Madison (Miss.) Central HS - A four-year starter for Madison Central, Pughsley helped his team to the Class 5A District 2 championship for two consecutive years. During his sophomore season in 1999, he earned Capital City Conference Honorable Mention honors and as a junior he was a member of the All-Metro Second-Team. Pughsley began his senior season as a Top 40 prospect in Mississippi, and did not allow one sack in 2001 en route to membership to the All-State Second Team.
Doc Rivers, WR, 5-6, 150, Eufaula (Ala.) HS - An extremely elusive and versatile athlete, Rivers accumulated 1,200 total yards of offense as a senior. As a receiver he snagged 25 passes for 428 yards, but opponents found his speed and quickness most threatening on returns, where he averaged 35 yards per punt return and 44 yards per kickoff return. Rivers was Eufaula's team captain and Offensive Most Valuable Player in 2001, and he finished the season with memberships to the All-State and All-Metro teams and the Dothan Super 12.
Danny Stevens, DL, 6-0, 260, Baldwin County HS, Mobile, Ala. - Stevens finished second on the team in tackles with 66 stops, including 11 for losses, along with three quarterback sacks, four caused fumbles and one interception as a senior en route to Baldwin County's Defensive Most Valuable Player honors. He also earned membership to the All-County team and was selected to the All-Region Second Team in 2001.
Steve Tennin, LB, 6-3, 200, Briarwood Christian, Birmingham, Ala. - Tennin joins six other Briarwood alums on the Bulldog roster for 2002. He recorded 164 tackles as a team captain in 2001, and his awards and honors are numerous. A Birmingham Super Senior, Tennin is a two-time All-Region selection who also earned All-County and All-Metro honors in 2001. Tennin will most likely play an outside linebacker for the Bulldogs and could contribute in his first season.
