The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

Sports

January 29, 2006

Fayetteville’s Evans commits to Marshall

By Gary Fauber

It took Josh Evans a while to finally be able to make an official visit to Marshall.

It didn’t take nearly as long for him to make a decision.

The Fayetteville offensive lineman made his verbal commitment to the Thundering Herd this weekend.

“I had a blast,” Evans said Sunday night. “I hung out with Doug Legursky (a Woodrow Wilson graduate and current Herd lineman) quite a bit. I just liked the coaches and everything.”

Evans talked to Marshall linebackers coach Shannon Morrison for the first time last April. Morrison is a former Oak Hill all-stater and a former Marshall player. Evans was also visited at the school by Herd offensive line coach Mike Cummings two weeks ago.

“I like the feeling I got down there,” Evans said. “I had a great time.”

Evans also had interest from WVU, James Madison and N.C. State, as well as Fairmont, West Virginia Wesleyan and Glenville State of the West Virginia Conference.

Wayne linebacker Trevor Marcum was one of head coach Mark Snyder’s first commitments last summer. Marcum, however, has since decided not to play college football. That makes Evans the only state native among Marshall’s commitments.

National letter-of-intent signing day is Wednesday.

n n n

Akron continues to haunt Marshall, even with the Thundering Herd in a different conference.

Mark Jackson, an offensive lineman from Brookhaven High School in Columbus, Ohio, gave a verbal commitment to Marshall this weekend. Then, after apparently talking it over with his parents, Jackson reneged on his decision.

Instead, he will be attending the University of Akron.

“I did (commit to Marshall), but then I took the commitment back,” Jackson said Sunday night.

Jackson then confirmed that he committed to the Zips.

Akron’s win over Marshall late in the 2004 season put the Herd in a must-win situation the next week against Bowling Green in the race for a Mid-American Conference East Division championship. Bowling Green defeated Marshall and Miami (Ohio) won the title.

“My mom and my stepfather think I can get a better education at Akron,” he said. “They liked Akron’s campus.”

“Another reason is one of Akron’s assistant coaches and the head coach (J.D. Brookhart) came down to my house. Marshall’s coach didn’t come over,” Jackson added. “That was another big reason.”

A 6-foot-6, 300-pound center with quick feet and long arms, Jackson was a second-team all-stater last fall.

“He played center for us. At the high school level, we were able to pull him and get him to the outside,” Brookhaven coach Tom Blake said. “He moves well and has quick feet. He can also play on the defensive side of the ball.”

Jackson’s teammate at Brookhaven, tight end Jeff Cumberland, was also considering Marshall but reportedly gave his verbal to Illinois.

— E-mail:

gfauber@

register-herald.com

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