Yellowjackets to next level: Newman, Brown, Pittman to play football in college

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Michael Newman makes a pass last fall in practice. Newman is among three Yellowjackets to get a football scholarship to Concordia College in Alabama. (Photo by Kim Murrell, SDN)

Getting a college scholarship can be a life-changing event, but for three football players its a chance to keep playing.

Starkville High School graduates, Michael Newman, Eddie Brown Jr. and Scottie Pittman received football scholarships from Concordia College in Selma, Ala.

"It feels good playing on the next level," Brown said. "Its always been a dream. We are going to go down there and try and win a championship."

Newman, Brown and Pittman played for the Yellowjackets and helped lead the team to a Class 5A State runner-up.

Concordia is a small historically black school that competes in Division II in athletics.

Newman and his teammates had been searching for a school to go to and they visited Concordia. Head coach Shepherd Skanes didn't hesitate offering scholarships.

"He couldn't see why I was having problems finding a school," Newman said. "He said I had a good arm and I was smart."

Newman who was the punter and played a little quarterback while at SHS will be the starting quarterback for the Hornets. Brown and Pittman will play wide receiver.

"It's pretty exciting that me and my boys are going to the next level and competing against top people," Newman said. "It gives me a confidence boost because I know what they're capable of. I know I can trust them."

Selma is south of Tuscaloosa and about three hours from Starkville. The campus was a big selling point in their choice of Concordia.

"It is not a very big campus but that's what I like," Newman said. "Everything is right. The people are nice and they want to succeed."

For Brown, he sees that there will be a lot of different things to do away from the football field.

"There is a lot of stuff to do recreational wise," Brown said. "Like basketball, pool and games."

SHS baseball standout Victor Johnson will be joining Newman, Brown and Pittman. Johnson will be playing for the Hornet baseball team. Another Yellowjacket baseball player, Daniel Murphree, will more than likely be joining Johnson on the baseball team.