Morgan State: Immediate playing time for Gentry?

Brian Gentry is a physical receiver with speed.

It's not all that often that incoming freshmen are expected to come in and produce immediately in their first year of college competition. And for good reason.

Making the successful transition from high school to college isn't easy. In many instances, 18-year old athletes aren't ready to deal with the psychological ups and downs associated with living up to lofty expectations.

Brian Gentry, who signed with Morgan State earlier this year, embraces the challenge. The former East Forsyth wide receiver possesses an inner drive which pushes him to deliver beyond expectations. Even as a college rookie, there's no denying how the Bears view him as a coveted prospect who can make his mark this fall.

Gentry, 6-feet-3, 200 pounds, runs the 40-yard dash in 4.45 seconds, but equally important are his 37-inch vertical leap, sure hands and physicality. His skill set will allow the Bears to move him around in different formations to create favorable match-ups for Morgan State's offense.

A look at Morgan State's web site makes it clear what the expectations are for Gentry, who played in the East-West All-Star Game last month. On the website, Gentry is a described as an additional big target with exceptional breakaway speed who will contend for immediate playing time.

Gentry was a three-sport athlete
at East Forsyth High School (NC).

“As a receiver, I feel like I have an advantage over anyone who guards me,” said Gentry, a two-time all-league pick in the Piedmont Triad 4-A Conference. “I don't say that to sound like I'm cocky. But I've learned how to use my size and speed to get open and make plays.”

Gentry was recruited by Wake Forest and UNC Charlotte, but decided that Morgan State would be the best for him. “There was a strong connection there, which really got my attention,” he said.

During his time at East Forsyth, Gentry, who also played basketball and ran track, produced noteworthy numbers over the past two seasons. During that stretch, he had 1,400 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns, which included 17 scoring receptions.

As a junior, Gentry wasted no time in putting his game-breaking skills on full display. In his first two games of the 2013 season, he scored six touchdowns, which included four TD catches and one scoring pass.

Even though much is expected of Gentry, he's not taking anything for granted. He fully understands that gaining the full respect of his coaches and teammates is all about performance.

“I'm coming as an underdog and I'm starting out all over again (to prove myself),” he explained. “There's a lot to learn. Being the underdog is something I'll have to get used to because I'm so accustomed to being on the field all the time. The key for me is to keep working. I'm looking to play right away.”

Although Gentry has chosen to attend a school that's 370 miles from his Kernersville, NC home, he'll get his opportunities to play in his home state during his career. Since Morgan State is a member of the MEAC, he'll return when the Bears visit North Carolina Central and North Carolina A&T.

Hawkins has family ties with East Carolina football

Dedrick Hawkins covers a lot of ground at the safety position.

Editor's Note: This article appears in The Chronicle SportsWeek section

for Thursday, August 13.

On recruiting visits, an athlete's perception of a school's environment plays a vital role on which school the athlete will choose. Such was the case for Glenn defensive back Dedrick Hawkins, a three-time All-Piedmont Triad Conference pick.

Hawkins entertained offers from Lenoir-Rhyne, Mars Hill and The Citadel,but opted to look elsewhere. Eventually, he narrowed his choices to UNC Charlotte and East Carolina, two schools that didn't offer scholarships. It didn't matter to him that he would have to try-out as a walk-on.

“For me, the atmosphere is so important,” said Hawkins, a 6-feet-3, 195 pounds safety. “I chose East Carolina because of the high level of competition. Being in that kind environment will help to bring out the very best in me.”

Hawkins will try-out at ECU as a walk-on.

East Carolina has played in eight bowl games over the last nine seasons. Another plus is that Hawkins has an older brother, Josh, who plays for the Pirates. The elder Hawkins is a senior and two-year starter who ranks among the top cornerbacks in the country.

A year ago, Josh Hawkins, also a Glenn graduate, was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award, the Heisman Trophy equivalent for defensive backs. Four years ago, Josh Hawkins made East Carolina's roster as a walk-on. This year, he's listed by several national publications as a pre-season all-league pick for the American Athletic Conference.

“We've never played on the same team before, so I'm looking forward to having a great experience,” said the younger Hawkins, who recorded six tackles in the East-West All-Star Game. “I look at what Josh did and realize that we both come from the same background. 

“So, I feel like I can make it just like he did. Josh has always told me to follow in his steps, but in doing so, to leave a bigger footprint.”

Given the family connection, one might assume that older brother would have a huge influence on the younger brother's choice of schools. Dedrick explained that he never felt any pressure to play college football with big brother.

“Josh didn't try to recruit me,” said Dedrick, an All-Northwest pick and former Crosby Scholars president who had a 4.0 weighted grade-point average in high school. “I never felt like he tried to influence my decision one way or the other. He always told me to follow my heart.”

Dedrick Hawkins is best suited to play safety. He has the range to cover from sideline to sideline and the ball awareness that's critical for the position. With his size and speed (4.54 seconds in the 40-yard dash), he's strong enough to provide solid run support and fast enough to cover receivers, running backs and tight ends.

“I've learned from Josh how important it is to stay on top of my studies and not get sidetracked,” said Hawkins, who plans to major in Computer Science. “To be at my best, it's important for me to work diligently and not take any days off. I have to keep striving to keep getting better at what I do. ”

Will Huntley play both ways at Guilford College?

Kedlin Huntley makes big plays on both sides of the football.

Just by looks alone, you might not figure Kedlin Huntley to be a football player. Standing 5-feet-8 and weighing 160 pounds, he looks more like someone who plays basketball, baseball, or soccer.

With Huntley, though, appearance means absolutely nothing.

During his time at West Forsyth, Huntley, who graduated in June, delivered monster performances as a ball-thief cornerback and big-play specialist on offense and special teams. He was named Central Piedmont Conference Special Teams Player of the Year for 2014. As a defender, he made the All-Northwest team and was a two-time all-conference pick.

Huntley will play football at Guilford College this fall. Given his high school resume, it's going to be interesting to see where the Quakers put Huntley. There's no denying his value as a man-on-man pass defender. As a junior at West Forsyth, he had 69 tackles with 14 pass break-ups and 4 interceptions in a season in which the Titans went 12-2 and advanced to the second round of the Class 4-A state playoffs.

Huntley is at his best in open space.

Offensively, Huntley is a genuine game-breaker. Although his 4.59 seconds clocking in the 40-yard dash is better than adequate for his position, it's his ability to read blocks and make would-be tacklers miss that make him an exceptional talent.

In open space, he's a difficult match-up for any defender to handle. In watching him on video and in person, there's no question that Huntley has “competitive” speed. During an actual game, you're not likely to see him get caught from behind very often.

Also keep in mind that he's just as lethal as a kick return artist. Given the package he provides, there doesn't seem to be a ceiling on what Huntley might accomplish as a collegian.

A good case in point was this year's East-West All-Star Football Game. Huntley was chosen as a cornerback for the West team. But once practice sessions started, it didn't take long for the coaching staff to decide to employ Huntley strictly as a slot receiver. He scored the first touchdown of the game for the West on a 1-yard sprint around the left side and he caught a crucial third-down pass for 12 yards which kept that scoring drive going.

“Guilford recruited me as a defensive back, but it wouldn't bother me to play on the other side of the ball,” said Huntley. “I enjoy the challenge of finding ways to get into the end zone when I have the ball in my hands.”

As an incoming college freshman, Huntley understands that while he's reached a higher level of competition, he'll have to start at the bottom of the totem pole. In his mind, it's not a daunting task. It's all part of the process of establishing himself as a college athlete.

“My prime focus is to earn as much playing time as I can in the secondary,” he said. “In practice, I'll compete against players who are older and more experienced. That's the big challenge and I feel like I'm more than ready for it.”