Former Moss Point linebacker Josh Chestang plans to be a part of history in February.
Chestang, who graduates Friday night, announced Wednesday his intentions to join the first recruiting class for the new football program at the University of South Alabama, verbally committing to play for the Jaguars.
The Jags will play a limited schedule in 2009 before gradually working up to college football's top level in 2013. They plan to sign 15 players in the early signing period in November and 30 more on National Signing Day in February.
"I look at this as a blessing,"
Chestang said. "It's an honor to be one of the first guys committed to play at South Alabama. It's very special."
As a two-star athlete at Moss Point, Chestang was one of the key members of a Moss Point defense that led the way to the 4A South State title game in 2007 and a key member to 4A's fourth-best boys' track team. Chestang was selected as to The Mississippi Press' All-Area football team, recording 70 tackles, 23 quarterback hurries, six sacks and five forced fumbles his senior season.
Chestang originally signed to play at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, but improved his grades this spring to gain attention from Division I programs. The Moss Point coaching staff then got the word out that Chestang would be eligible to Division 1 schools, and South Alabama was one of the first schools to ask him if he would join its program. Chestang will also run track at South Alabama but will not be on scholarship.
"I didn't know I would be eligible for a Division 1 school and I chose Perk to be on the safe side,"
Chestang said. "I got my test scores back and it showed I could go to a Division I school."
"USA came into the picture and showed a lot of interest in me."
Location, the possibility of running track, the campus and the honesty of first-year coach Joey Jones piqued Chestang's interest in South Alabama.
Jones, a Mobile native, was hired to take over the program earlier this year after spending one season at Birmingham Southern. He was a star wide receiver recruited by University of Alabama legendary coach Paul "Bear"
Bryant.
"Coach Jones is a good guy, a wonderful guy,"
Chestang said. "He was straight up about the program and said, What you see is what you get.' He gets all of my respect."
"I feel USA will be a great place for me over the next four or five years."
Chestang said he has not decided yet if he will enroll at the university for its summer semester on Tuesday or wait until the fall semester and train at Moss Point High School.
Regardless of what decision he will make, Chestang's mother, Janice, said her son's commitment comes as pleasant news.
"This is his biggest graduation present,"
Janice Chestang said.
