Third school is the charm for Stephens at Morehouse

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Posted 1:45PM on Thursday, October 9, 2003

ATLANTA - Keith Stephens realizes his college football career should be over. Stephens was a member of Georgia's 1998 freshman class. Many members of that recruiting class were fifth-year seniors last year. If Stephens had followed a traditional college career path, he also would have completed his athletic eligibility by last year. Instead, he is a 22-year-old junior at Morehouse College. Stephens will return to his Columbus, Ga., home on Oct. 18 when Morehouse (1-5 overall, 0-3 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) plays three-time defending SIAC champion Tuskegee (2-2, 1-1) at Memorial Stadium. Morehouse is off this week. Stephens' unusual path to Morehouse included a short stint as a walk-on at Alabama after he left his scholarship at Georgia, impatient for a chance to start or even play. Stephens left Georgia following the 1999 season, when he did not play enough as a redshirt freshman to earn a letter. A coaching change at Alabama helped to frustrate Stephens' efforts to earn a scholarship. He spent two years out of school, including one year spent stacking lumber for Home Depot. Then came the unexpected career revival at Morehouse. Aware that his window of opportunity would have closed if not for the fact he spent the last two years out of school, Stephens says he is grateful to have his third opportunity. ``To get in a great school with a football scholarship, it's a blessing, because I stopped playing football two years ago,'' Stephens said. At 6-foot-3 and 370 pounds, Stephens began the season at Morehouse as the starting right guard on Coach Willard Scissum's offensive line. Two weeks ago, Scissum moved Stephens to the defensive line, and Stephens will make his first start at defensive tackle Saturday. ``Keith seems to be more at home on the defensive line,'' Scissum said Wednesday. On either side of the line of scrimmage, Stephens still has too much bulk to stay on the field for a full game. ``Keith has the potential to be a really good lineman, but he still hasn't caught up with the tempo of the game,'' Scissum said. ``He's still getting into football shape.'' In the opening month of the season, Stephens has ``played like a guy that hadn't played in two seasons,'' Scissum said. Even so, Scissum says Stephens can make a difference for the Maroon Tigers. ``Keith has tremendous potential, and when he gets in better shape, he will be tougher mentally, too,'' Scissum said. Conditioning also was a factor for Stephens when he was listed at 320 pounds at Georgia. While still an assistant coach at Alabama, current Georgia assistant coach Neil Callaway recruited Stephens when Stephens was an all-state player in at Shaw High School in Columbus. ``I liked him and thought he could play,'' Callaway said. ``I think the biggest concern was the weight.'' Scissum worked with Callaway at Alabama. Scissum says he remembered Callaway's positive opinion of the big lineman. Scissum offered the scholarship when he learned Stephens was living in Atlanta and still had two years of eligibility. Stephens says he assumed that when Alabama fired Coach Mike DuBose after the 2000 season, he would never have his current opportunity. ``I was supposed to be on scholarship with Coach DuBose when I made second team, but Coach Fran (Dennis Franchione) threw that out,'' Stephens said. ``I stopped playing. This is just a blessing that this is happening for me now.'' Scissum says Morehouse also was blessed. ``Keith can definitely help our team,'' Scissum said.