Northeast CC replacing majority of football starters for second straight year
Photo: The 2024 Northeast Mississippi Community College official team picture. (Michael H. Miller/Northeast Public Information)
Aug. 28, 2024 – The Northeast Mississippi Community College football team enters the 2024 campaign in almost the exact same scenario as it was in this time one season ago.
Only four players with starting experience linger for the Tigers this fall. Northeast had just seven returning first-stringers going into last year and still pieced together a 6-3 overall record with a final national ranking inside the top 20.
The opportunity for incoming freshmen to make an instant impact is available with many open slots in the lineup. That is especially true for the defense where safety Mykel Randall is the sole starter back on that unit.
Randall (Ocala, Fla.) appeared in all nine contests for the Tigers and registered 23 tackles. He had five pass break ups and three interceptions, including the game clinching pick with less than a minute remaining in Northeast’s thrilling rivalry win over Itawamba Community College.
The Tigers signed 10 newcomers to fill the gaps at defensive back. Three of them are from the Memphis metro area in Khaled Rawls (Lake Cormorant), Kenneth Robinson (Rosa Fort), JD Washington (Center Hill) and Rondarious White (Lake Cormorant).
Jayden Parker (Fort Valley, Ga.) arrives at Northeast after taking a redshirt at Wingate (N.C.) University. Broderick Alexander (Corinth) was part of the Tigers’ rotation at cornerback last season.
Tre’Marcus Webb (Auburn, Ala.) was selected to the 2023 Opelika-Auburn News Large Schools All-Area team. Jacourey Miller (Hamilton) was a Mississippi Association of Coaches (MAC) Class 2A All-State honoree as a senior.
“We felt like we had to go out and recoup that back end,” said Northeast defensive coordinator Sean Cannon. “We wanted to try to go out and identify some speed. We’ve seen flashes of that in practice. I feel like those guys are working hard.”
The Tigers have produced an All-American at linebacker in each of the past two years. Triston Newson and Keaton Thomas, who are now respectively at the University of Missouri and Baylor (Texas) University, both had 100-plus tackles in a single season while at Northeast.
The next promising candidates to follow in their footsteps could be one of the trio of Rickey Banks, Ryan McCall and Jameson Mosley. They remain together as teammates after graduating in mid-May from Madison Central High School.
Banks, who participated in the prestigious Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Game, and McCall were MAC Class 7A All-State standouts. The trifecta combined for more than 300 takedowns, 24 tackles for loss and 12 sacks during their final prep campaign.
“They played a lot of meaningful football there in a lot of big games,” said Cannon. “We’re hoping the high level of competition that they played will equate to the junior college game.”
Trison Booker (DeSoto Central) suited up in the Bernard Blackwell North-South All-Star Game in 2022. Kyshawn Kimble (Center Hill) and Coby Owens (Saltillo) give the Tigers some necessary depth in the middle of their formation.
DJ Burnett (Lafayette), Octavian Gillespie (Shannon), Jordan Pratt (Houston) and Carlous Robinson (Senatobia) got better by taking a majority of the reps in spring training. Gillespie and Robinson had double-digit tackles for Northeast as freshmen.
Terrell Washington (Lynchburg, Va.) provides some leadership for the Tigers up front. The Hampton (Va.) University bounce back is a former Virginia High School League (VHSL) Class 3 All-State recipient.
Brandon Watkins (Houston) tied for a team-best three sacks during the previous campaign. Chris Gilliland (Northpoint Christian) and Kenneth Yates (West Point) are expected to take on bigger roles this year.
“I look at all the d-linemen as starters,” said Cannon. “Those guys have got to play, especially early in the year. Who goes out there first, I don’t really care because everybody’s going to get in the game.”
Northeast boasts two athletic signal callers in Caden Greer (Kosciusko) and Jeremiah Harrell (Tupelo). Greer guided the Whippets’ offense for two seasons and earned first-team all-division accolades.
Harrell, who was his division’s co-MVP, is one of five Tigers that played in the 2023 Bernard Blackwell contest. He threw for just under 5,000 yards with 59 touchdowns compared to only 11 interceptions between his junior and senior campaigns.
“Caden and Jerm are similar style quarterbacks,” Northeast offensive coordinator Steadman Campbell said. “They’re pass first guys, but if it breaks down and something’s not there, they’re not afraid to tuck it and run. They do a good job extending plays. We’re extremely confident in both of them.”
Their protectors on the line are a mixture of older and younger talent. JaTaveyon Fagan (Florence, Ala.), who competed in Alabama’s North-South All-Star Game, and Arkansas Tech University transfer Alfred Washington (Pensacola, Fla.) have emerged at the tackles.
Neil Sledge (McDonough, Ga.) and Cameron Stancil (Madison Central) were everyday starters for the Tigers last autumn. Fellow sophomores Jacob Hemphill (Starkville Academy), Seth Ross (Lafayette) and Omarius Winfrey (Grenada) were key backups.
“We expect them to have big years up front,” said Campbell. “That’s a position that from the high school to the college level is so different. There’s so many nuances and calls. I know coach Davis does a great job with them.”
Running back is Northeast’s deepest spot on the field for the third consecutive campaign. Antonio Kennedy (Choctaw County), Keion Mays (Independence) and Chris McMillian (Fort Valley, Ga.) all reached the end zone at least once as rookies.
McMillian, who was rated as a three-star prospect by recruiting services On3 and Rivals, led the way with 411 all-purpose yards and three scores. Kennedy posted 260 yards on a team-high 70 rushes with three touchdowns.
“We’re going to need all three of them this year,” Campbell said. “Chris and Keion are a little different than Kennedy as far as skill set. They’re comfortable with the offense. It hasn’t taken them much to pick up the new stuff that we’re doing.”
The Tigers made eight additions to their roster this offseason between tight end and wide receiver. TJ Brown (Booneville) and Jaydon Allred (Amory) are the lone holdovers at those locations.
Makyi Reed-Jones (Lafayette) was a 2023 Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal Large Schools All-Area pick with 47 catches, 779 yards and nine touchdowns. JT Beasley (Saltillo), Hastin Nelson (Baldwyn) and Kaleb Shumpert (New Albany) are all local products that could help Northeast.
Will Stokes (Madison, Ala.), who is the cousin of Pro Football Hall of Famer Terrell Owens, is transitioning from running back to wideout after leaving Tuskegee (Ala.) University. He totaled 51 touchdowns his senior year, which is fifth most in Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) history.
“That’s a group that gets coached well,” said Campbell. “We’ve got some options there. I think the biggest thing with those guys is just getting into a rhythm. We’ll just kinda see who plays the best when the lights are on.”
Grant Fleming (New Hope) is in his second season at long snapper. He turned into a two-way athlete for Northeast with five catches in its last three matchups, including a touchdown in the victory versus Coahoma Community College.
Freddy Lopez (Ripley) should be a valuable weapon for the Tigers on special teams. The MAC Class 4A All-State awardee and division MVP set a school record with a 51-yard field goal connection.
Greg Davis becomes the second head coach to direct Northeast for a decade along with the late W.B. “Bill” Ward. His staff features defensive backs coach Cedric Shell, defensive line coach Cordell Upshaw, wide receivers coach Cole Rotenberry, Campbell and Cannon.
Three of the Tigers’ first four contests are at home beginning with visits from East Central Community College and Southwest Mississippi Community College. The division slate starts in week three at Mississippi Delta Community College.
