RECRUITING: Feeling Encouraged

Tupelo (Miss.) quarterback Chris Garrett can sympathize with Jarrett Lee

by Daniel Mingea III
Tiger Rag Recruiting Analyst

LSU fans exited Tiger Stadium last weekend with their fingers crossed hoping the class of 2009 would provide them with a quarterback capable of leading their team to big wins in games such as the one they had just witnessed. And then there was a quarterback sitting in the stands anxiously awaiting his opportunity.

Tupelo High School product Chris Garrett (6′4, 222) took in the Tigers’ loss to the Crimson Tide this past weekend and claimed although it was a tough loss to swallow, he did notice some positives within the team.

“It was a great atmosphere, I can tell you that,” Garrett exclaimed. “They (LSU) played hard and I thought they put forth a lot of effort. I’m not saying LSU is better than Alabama this year, but we had more mistakes than they did and I think that is why we lost the game.

“I think if you take away the four interceptions it would have been a different ball game,” Garrett continued. “With that said, I do not think you can put it solely on one person. If (Jarrett) Lee would have played better it may have been a different outcome, but it is still not entirely his fault.”

Garrett can relate to having a bad game as his team lost to Olive Branch last week 45-34. It was Garrett’s first game back since suffering a concussion a little over three weeks ago. The four-star quarterback claimed it was a loss his team could place on his shoulders.

“I was held out of two games because of my concussion,” Garrett explained. “The second game was more for precautionary reasons though. I came back last week and threw for 379 yards and two touchdowns with another two rushing touchdowns.

“But, I also threw four interceptions,” Garrett added. “I take the blame for that loss. That one was on me. I don’t think the concussion had anything to do with how I played. I was just so ready to play after being out for two weeks. I just have to correct the mental mistakes.”

Garrett looks to bounce back on Friday night as his Tupleo squad (8-3) will battle Northwest Rankin High School (9-2) in the first round of the playoffs. Garrett said that would be the word of advice he would extend to the Tigers’ quarterback Jarrett Lee as both of their seasons are far from over.

Chris Garrett (Photo courtesy of Inside NE Miss. High School Sports)

“If I would have seen Lee after the game I would have told him to keep his head up,” Garrett stated. “I would have said there are three games left with a chance to play in a big bowl game. The season is not over yet and to just have fun out there while you can because you never know when it might come to an end.”

With that said it is a little difficult for Garrett to hold back his excitement for next season and focus on the playoffs because he sees a wide open opportunity awaiting him at the next level.

“It’s really exciting knowing I have a good chance of coming in and playing right away,” Garrett admitted. “I’m just going to come in the spring and work my tail off and we’ll see what happens. So it’s pretty exciting.”

What was just as exciting was who he saw at the Alabama game on Saturday afternoon.

“I sat behind Chris Faulk for the whole game,” Garrett informed. “I saw Joshua Williford, Stavion Lowe, and I talked to Russell Shepard for a while. I also saw Trent Richardson, Rueben Randle, and Chris Davenport. I guess I saw pretty much everybody.

“I was looking at Faulk and Williford and they are both huge guys, Garrett concluded. “That kind of made me feel safe when I thought about having those guys protecting me. That was encouraging.”