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DEL.ICIO.USStephenson LB prepares to begin classes at Tennessee
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Stephenson all-state linebacker Nigel Mitchell-Thornton is ready for the college game, but first he’ll get a taste of what it’s like to be a college student.
Mitchell-Thornton, who committed to Tennessee early in the fall and has stood firm on his commitment despite a messy coaching change, left for Knoxville Sunday with a packed SUV and three family members riding along to help him unpack. He’s enrolling early at Tennessee and will attend his first college classes on Wednesday.
“I’m looking very forward to it,” he said. “I’m looking forward to meeting all of the coaches and getting a start on my college life.”
Mitchell-Thornton (6-3, 220) had 119 tackles in 2008 and never wavered on his commitment, even after former coach Phillip Fulmer was forced to resign and later replaced by Lane Kiffin. He said he knew his decision was the right one when he met Kiffin a few weeks ago when he took his official visit to Knoxville.
Mitchell-Thornton visited while Kiffin was getting his first in-depth look at the UT campus.
“He never really got a chance to see the campus until that weekend,” Mitchell-Thornton said. “Right after he was hired, he was out hitting the recruiting trail right away before he got a chance to see the whole campus. He hit the road running and was working hard right away. That’s pretty stand-up.
“I really got the feeling this is the man I really want to play for.”
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By Just a Fan
January 7, 2009 1:43 AM | Link to this
Hey can you all do a story on all the guys in GA who are mid year enrollees. Gotta be pretty together students to pull that off in GA. Mitchell-Thornton will bw one of the best from Stepehson and they have had some great players. Everybody underrated this kid but has more college upside than some of the other top LB’s in GA.