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Memphis Tigers Football
News
December 20, 2006
Tigers Ink Five for 2007 Football Squad
MEMPHIS, TENN. --- Five players from the junior college ranks have signed with the University of Memphis football team for the 2007 season Head Coach Tommy West announced Wednesday. The mid-year signees will enroll at the U of M this January and will be eligible to practice with the squad this spring.
The five signees include offensive linemen Cody Stubblefield (Pontotoc, Miss.) and Terrence Echols (Byhalia, Miss.), wide receiver Steven Black (Birmingham, Ala.), punter Brent Sutherland (Brandon, Miss.) and linebacker Tommy Phelps (Roeland Park, Kansas).
“We are excited to have these guys join our program,” said West. “They fill some needs that we have in several different positions.”
Black (6-3, 208) played the last two seasons at East Mississippi Community College where he totaled 30 receptions for 481 yards and four touchdowns as a sophomore and was listed by Rivals.com as one of the top 100 junior college recruits. He was part of an EMCC offense that ranked fifth in the MACJC, averaging 312 yards of total offense per game. In his final game this season against Itawamba, Black logged 152 yards receiving and two touchdowns on five catches and was named the MACJC/Region 23 Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts. Following the 2006 season, he was named to the MACJC North All-State second team. In 2005, Black totaled 30 receptions for 225 yards and three touchdowns. Black originally signed with Louisville out of Vestavia Hills High School in Birmingham before transferring to EMCC. As a senior at VHHS, Black tallied 802 yards and seven touchdowns on 41 receptions and rolled off 126 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries. A versatile player, Black also returned 17 kicks for 468 yards and two touchdowns and was a three-star recruit and ranked as the No. 15 prospect in the state of Alabama by Rivals.com. For his career, he averaged 21.5 yards on his 87 catches and also totaled 12 career receiving scores.
Echols (6-3, 325) joins the Tigers from Northwest Mississippi Community College where he was a two-year letterman on the offensive line. The Rangers averaged 330 yards of total offense in 2006 which ranked third in the MACJC Region 23. Echols was also part of an offensive line that gave up just 22 sacks last season. Echols also helped the Rangers average over 235 yards rushing per game which ranked second in the league. Following the 2006 season, Echols was named to the MACJC North All-State team as a lineman. He prepped at Byhalia High School where he was a four-year starter as a right tackle and a defensive lineman. During his career at BHS, he won several honors, including Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and in his senior season was named the squad’s MVP. He also was a right fielder for the baseball team and threw the shot put for the track squad. Echols graduated from NWMCC in just three semesters and credits his mother and his stepfather for his success.
Phelps (6-3, 240) signed with the Tigers after playing one season at Butler County Community College in El Dorado, Kansas. Phelps helped his squad to an 11-1 record and a Region VI and KJCCC championship after ranking second on the defense in tackles with 75, including 47 solo stops. He also logged 4.5 TFL for minus 14 yards and 11 quarterback hurries on a squad that ranked fourth nationally and won the 2006 Dalton Defenders Bowl. Following the 2006 season, Phelps was an honorable mention pick to the All-KJCCC team and was a first-team Academic All-American by J.C. Grid-Wire. Phelps prepped at Bishop Miege High and spent his first season at the University of Kansas. He decided to transfer to Butler after the coaching staff at Kansas converted him to tight end following his redshirt freshman season. As a senior at BMHS, he was a finalist for the 2004 Kansas High School Athlete of the Year award after totaling 141 tackles, one interception and four sacks.
Stubblefield (6-4, 305) will enroll at the U of M after working the last two seasons as an offensive lineman at Itawamba Community College. He started as a freshman at ICC and was selected to the NJCAA Pre-Season Honorable Mention All-America list heading into his sophomore season. In 2006, he helped the ICC offense rank fifth in the MACJC in total offense with 315 yards per game. Stubblefield was a first-team pick on the MACJC North All-State team this season after his squad finished the year with a 7-2 record. He was a three-year starter at North Pontotoc High School who helped lead his team to the state playoffs his junior and senior seasons. Stubblefield did not allow a sack in high school and, as a senior, received All-Area and All-State honors. An offensive and defensive lineman at North Pontotoc, Stubblefield also lettered in track and power-lifting.
Sutherland (6-4, 200) joins the 2007 squad after punting two seasons at Hinds Community College. He started as a freshman and averaged 42 yards per punt and pinned his opponent inside their 20-yard line 16 times. Heading into the 2006 season, he was a third-team selection on the 2006 JC Grid-Wire All-America Team and was an NJCAA preseason Honorable Mention All-America honoree. This past season, he totaled 1,650 yards on 45 punts with a long of 52 yards and ranked fifth in the MACJC Region 23. Prior to signing with Hinds, Sutherland was a three-year starter at Northwest Rankin High School where he averaged 43 yards per punt. He also lettered with the Cougar soccer team while at Northwest Rankin.
Source: Memphis Sports Information Office
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