Lebanon star signs full scholarship with Liberty University

BY ALLEN GREGORY
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER

An unusual thing happened to Kevin Widener this summer. In retrospect, Widener calls the June 29 meeting “surreal.”

The Lebanon High School senior was headed to the University of Maryland with his father for a football camp when he decided to stop at the campus of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va. Liberty head football coach Danny Rocco had some good news.

“I really don’t know much about Liberty before that day but I got call saying it would be in my interest to stop by the Liberty football office for a talk,” Widener said. “I was kind of shocked when [Rocco] offered me a full scholarship.”

The 6-foot-4, 260-pound Widener made his verbal commitment to Liberty before the 2009 season started. He realized the gravity of his scholarship after Lebanon senior Lucas Smith broke his leg in the second game.
“Right after that happened with Lucas, I realized how quickly everything could be taken away,” Widener said. “It feels good to seal the deal with Liberty.”

Widener said he also heard from coaches at Marshall, Vanderbilt and Richmond. He actually toured the Richmond football complex after cutting his planned three-day visit to Maryland short and heading back to Liberty.

“I called my mom and told her to meet us in Lynchburg,” Widener said. “We took the tour and loved the campus.”
Widener participated in National Signing Day ceremonies Wednesday at Lebanon. He said he felt a mix of elation and relief after coming a step closer to his goal.

“I’ve wanted to play at the Division I level since I started playing sports,” Widener said. “It was kind of shocking and surreal when I get the offer at Liberty, but I’m excited about it.”

Widener, who expects to be red-shirted his first year, said he was recruited as a tight end.

There was also reason for celebration at Graham High School Wednesday. Alex Marrs, a three-year starter at center, signed with the University of North Carolina where he will have preferred walk-on status.

“Playing Division I ball has been a lifelong dream, but it didn’t become a reality until two weeks after football season,” Marrs said. “I’ve worked hard to reach this point, and I hope to earn my way up to a scholarship.”

The 6-foot-2, 235-pound Marrs took the same unique route as his cousin, T.J. Marrs, by developing his skills as a deep snapper. T.J. Marrs was invited to walk-on at the University of Tennessee by former head coach Phillip Fulmer in 2009, and is currently a redshirt sophomore. T.J. Marrs has also been honored for his academic achievements at UT.

“We didn’t have a long snapper at Graham in my sophomore year, and our coach wanted me to try it,” said Alex Marrs, an All-Group AA selection “I practiced every day with 100 snaps and didn’t stop until I hit the target.”

The Marrs cousins often worked out together as they chased the same elusive dream.

“We just worked until we got the form right … any way to play at the Division I level,” Alex Marrs said. “The work has paid off.”

The back story for Alex Marrs is similar to Widener’s. After visiting the North Carolina State campus in Raleigh over the summer, Marrs planned to visit relatives in Savannah, Ga. Then fate intervened.
“I had some time to kill so I decided to tour UNC,” Marrs said. “I fell in love with the school and the facilities.”

Alex Marrs, the son of Graham head coach Doug Marrs, is the latest in a long line of Graham athletes to play college football. That list includes Robert Henry, T.J. Carper and Josh Halsey at Marshall. Graham senior Darius Carper signed Wednesday to play at Concord.

Marrs also considered walking on at Virginia Tech and Virginia.

“It’s a big relief to get this over,” Marrs said. “There was a lof of pressure.”

At Tennessee High, Bradley Tallman signed with Virginia Tech Wednesday as a recruited walk-on.
Tallman said he received interest from a variety of schools, but chose Virginia Tech because he will have the opportunity to work at his high school position of fullback.

“I went to all of Tech’s home games this season except one,” Tallman said. “I like everything about the campus and program, and I can’t wait to get up there and start working.”

Tallman said he was also enamored with Tech because of the challenge of competing in the NCAA Division I ranks.

“The players are so big and the game is so fast at that level, but I just want to get up there and get the job done as a fullback,” Tallman said.

John Ellis Davis of THS signed with Morehead State Wednesday, while teammate Alex Taylor signed with Carson Newman.
agregory@bristolnews.com (276) 645-2544.