Fork Union receiver sets first two officials

Keith Stroud (WR, Fork Union Prep, VI) - The 6' 3", 190 pound Brooklyn (NY) native turned a lot of heads in high school when he averaged over 30 yards a catch for Ft. Hamilton High.

"My son has a lot of jumping ability and explosiveness, added Keith Sr Stroud. He had 25 catches for 729 yards and 9 TD's as a senior. He has tremendous leaping ability and big hands. I have big hands and his are bigger and longer than mine."

Keith's father wants his son to work on one thing.

"I want to see him get his speed down in the low 4.3's. Right now, he runs a 4.5 flat, but he needs to get that down. Keith knows that."

Keith Stroud was named All-City, All-Barrow, and made the New York/New Jersey and New York/Long Island All-Star games as a senior.

"Keith had offers from Michigan, Syracuse, and Virginia coming out of high school, but he did not have his SAT score so I wanted him to get some structure in his life before he went to college."

Does Stroud now have his needed SAT score?

"He has not received it, and the rest of his teammates that took the test on the same date already have theirs back. My best guess is that he had a big jump in his score and they are reviewing it. I just do not know yet."

The lack of SAT score has been a factor with some schools but others it has not.

"Right now, he has written scholarship offers from Washington and Oregon. They offered him last week. Ole Miss, Temple, Toledo, N.C. State, and Purdue have also offered him."

There are several more schools who are also heavily interested.

"From the SEC, we get calls from Ole Miss, Auburn, and South Carolina. From the Big East, we get calls from Syracuse, Rutgers, UConn, Louisville, and Cinci. From the PAC 10, Oregon and Washington State just offered and California is looking at him hard. In the Big 12, Texas has been sending a lot of mail recently. Michigan just came in. They are just waiting for his SAT score. There are so many schools involved, but only seven schools have offered. The rest are waiting for his SAT score."

Which colleges are showing the most interest?

"Temple is on him real hard. Ole Miss is talking about him being their X receiver next year so they can have someone who can go across the middle, stretch the defense out and have someone to throw it to in the redzone. He has set up official visits to both of those schools. We go to Temple this weekend and Ole Miss next (weekend). Toledo, Purdue, NC State, and Auburn are also on him really hard. Coach Tuberville came to the game Friday when we played Hargrave. Keith had 7 catches for 80 something yards in that game. We just blew out Hargrave, 31-0. They did not even have a 100 total yards against us."

What did Coach Tub say to the Stroud's after the game?

"He is just waiting on Keith's score. That is all."

What does Stroud's visit list look like this Fall?

"Well, he is going to Temple to see them play Penn State. Then the week after that, we are going to Ole Miss to see them play LSU. That is their home finality. We are going to take a couple of weeks off and make a midweek visit to Rutgers. It will not be an official visit, since it is just down the road. We are going to go over there during the Thanksgiving holiday and go over there for the day and talk to their coaches and tour their facilities. The last three visits we are leaving open for now. We are getting mail from Tennessee, Florida, and Texas too. Tennessee is sending a lot of mail. They are really picking it up, so we might save a visit for them. After the Ole Miss visit, we will sit down and fill out the rest of his visits."

When can Keith transfer to a D1 program?

"Well, as soon as he gets his test score, he is set to sign. He is hoping that he can get it by December. NC State, Toledo, and Temple have already told him that his grades are good enough to get in school by December, but I want him to stay at Fork Union the whole year."

Why?

"I just want him to focus and let them prepare him to be on his on. He needs discipline. I want him to deal with a coach like Coach Shuman at Fork Union. He is one of the hardest coaches he has ever had. There are no favoritism, nothing is given to you. Everything you get, you have to earn it. I want him to survive a year at a military prep school. I think it would be good for him."

Fork Union finished the season wtih a 9-2 record.

Watch Video