David Folse II

Nation’s attention on River Region

Finishing up my first month in the River Region, I can tell you one thing that I have discovered that has not surprised me.

No matter where you go in the State of Louisiana, football is king 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Big surprise, huh?

With professional football concluding next week with the Super Bowl (Go Eagles by the way), the next “phase” of the football year happens this coming Wednesday with National Signing Day.

February 2 marks the first day that prospective student-athletes can sign scholarships to play at colleges for the upcoming fall season. It’s the day that colleges replenish their rosters. The National Football League has its annual collegiate draft, colleges have this.

Collegiate football fans starving for football have turned the day into a celebration, i.e another excuse to take a day off of work and party (not that there is anything wrong with that). Booster clubs and fans of colleges from across the country will party late into the night celebrating the recruits that are coming to their school.

This year, many colleges from across the country focused their attention on this area. The River Region produced a plethora of college prospects and they will officially make their intentions known on Wednesday where they will be continuing their football careers.

A trio of athletes headline the River Region as St. Charles Catholic’s Tyrell Fenroy, West St. John’s Patrick Jackson, and East St. John’s Ryan Perrilloux celebrate their conclusion of the high school careers and the beginning of a new part of their lives.

Two of the three have already verbally committed to schools while one will keep fans in suspense until he signs on Wednesday.

Fenroy will take his talents to Lafayette and will play for the Ragin’ Cajuns and head coach Rickey Bustle. A duel threat out of the backfield, Fenroy will thrive in the pro-style offense that Bustle will look to run. It’s a great pick-up for the Ragin’ Cajuns and Fenroy will have the chance to play as a true freshman.

Perhaps the best player in Class 2A football last year, Jackson was recruited by several big schools, including LSU. Last week Jackson made it known that he intended to play for Jack Bicknell III and the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs.

This is great addition for the Bulldogs. Bicknell and his staff hit a grand slam when they got Jackson to commit to Louisiana Tech. For those fans of the Bulldogs, all I have to say is this when it comes to Jackson: Ryan Moats. Jackson is a carbon copy of the All-American tailback who starred in Ruston and could see immediate playing time his first year. A big key for the former West St. John star will be his ability to quickly adapt to the run-and-gun offense that Bicknell implements in Ruston.

Then there is the saga that we like to call “As the Perrilloux Turns.” National Player of the Year Ryan Perrilloux is officially still a verbal commitment to the University of Texas, but is in Baton Rouge this weekend on his official visit to LSU and already took a visit to Starkville and Mississpi State.

Where Perrilloux will go is still a mystery. He could still sign with the Longhorns, but the Bulldogs and Tigers are still in the running. We will all have to wait until Wednesday to find out what uniform the former East St. John quarterback will be wearing next year.

So congratulations to all the high school stars that will be signing scholarships this upcoming week. You have the chance to get a free college education and also play football on the next level. The fans of the River Parishes wish you all the luck and success in the world.