Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, August 4, 1995 TAG: 9508040041
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Karim Thompson hadn't heard from the University of Pittsburgh in months before the phone rang one afternoon in late July.
Next thing he knew, Thompson had a football scholarship in hand and was canceling plans to enroll at Fork Union Military Academy.
``I was really surprised by the whole thing,'' said Thompson, the first Northside player to rush for 1,000 yards in coach Jim Hickam's 20-year tenure.
Thompson had his second straight 1,000-yard season last year, when he rushed for 1,330 yards and was named first-team All-Timesland as a tailback.
Thompson attracted some Division I-A interest while he was at Northside, but he had not met NCAA eligibility standards by Feb.1, the national letter-of-intent date.
He actually made the required standardized-test score on a January test, but did not receive the results until March, at which time most schools had used up their scholarships.
``Virginia Tech kept on talking to me,'' said Thompson, a 6-foot, 175-pounder, ``but I never thought that was a sure thing.''
As a result, Thompson decided to go to Fork Union, where he had the fastest time - 4.4 seconds for 40 yards - at a May 7 tryout camp.
``When the Pitt coaches called, they said they had a scholarship open for a tailback,'' Thompson said. ``One of their other tailbacks isn't coming back to school.''
Normally, a late recruit could count on being redshirted, but Thompson has been told he might play this season.``I was counting on getting a scholarship after a year at Fork Union,'' he said, ``but it feels a little more special to come right out of high school and get one.''
by CNB