1991

WEEK OF '-l - ~ ---

lifield Continued from lB

"I was impressed," he said . "After talking to him I really fell he could tum it around over here, so I decided to give it a try. I'm re– ally glad I did." . While Hol~field, who plays nght halfback m LU's Wing-T of– fensive attack, isn't putting up the numbers he did as a high school standout, he says he doesn't mind at all. "As long as we're winnin , just don't care," he said. "I that. I'll block, run or whatever it takes to do to win. That's w play football for, to win." There hasn't been a whole 1 F winning for Livingston foot I the past few years. Just three~~sons ago, the year Holifield gra– duated from high school, Lhe:fh ' gers were 0-11. They have been a combined 6-15-1 the two seasons smce. "I got some letters fr om U– vmgston when I was in lu h school but all of my friends me 'Man, you don't want t ' Y over there. They never win r; Hl}- lifield said. ' e He says the losing image-ha~to probably hurt Livingston in 1 (" ·:T tempts to recruit players from lhe" cast Mississippi area, but he thrn s things may be about to change. "As long as you win and havd good program th at peopl e are proud to be a part of, then you have a chance to get some of the good players," Holfield said. "I think i.f we keep winning some more of the players will want to come over here." After losing the season-opener to Ea~ t Texas 44-6, the Tigers have npped off three straight wins and now open Gulf South Confer– ence action at West Georgia Sa– turday at6 p.m. "I'm looking forward to it "Ho– lifield said. "Something g~od is hapP'!ningnere and I'm glad to be a~of it.'

By AUSTIN BISHOP The Meridian Star

LIVINGSTO;\, Ala -Sam– mie Holifield nearly quit football twice during lbe last two years. But, after meeting new LlVI.ngston u.ni:versity fcx;>tball coach Lloyd 1 co, he dectded to gtve il one more try , Both Sisco and Holifield are glad he did The former Lake High School irid East Central Community Col– lege standout has stepped right mto the offensive backfield for :LU and has made an impression that Sisco isn ' t likely to soon forget ..I don't know what we would ~o wtthout him," Sisco said. "He IS really a good punt rerurner. And good punt returner can do a lot of thing~ ... :AnH so far this season, his first at),.U, Holifield has. The 5-foot-9 192-pounder is the second leading rusher for the 3-l Ttgers with 133 yardS on rJ carries and has caught four passes for 67 yards. He's also returned six kickoffs for 146 yards, includmg one in which he layed the Arkansas-Monticello place-kicker out last week. "He runs hard, let's j ust say that," Sisco sa1d wi th a laugh. "He's got a lot of determination and ~ants to win . After spring practice we knew he was going to play. He's a player." Sisco hit1t on the nose when he said HoUield likes to win. His se– nior year at Lake High School in 1988 saw Holifield rush for 2,195 yards and score 29touchdowns as Lake went 13-0 and won the state championship. Eight of those touchdowns were on pwu returns "That was great, " Hoht:aeld said. "It was a wonderful feeling."

Sammie Holifield Out of high school Holifield signed with the University of North Alabama, a Gulf South Conference member. But Holi– field said he decided to go to East Central when he didn't score high enough on his ACT. That first season at ECCC Ho– lifield was part of a team that'went just 2-8. "I didn't like that too much at all,'' he said. "I had done all of that winning in high school an8 all of the sudden I wasn't winning any– more. I really thought hard about quitting." However, he stuck around and things improved at East Central the following year. However, with his junior college career over, he once again considered quitting. "I thought about going out to California and living with some relatives," he said. "I was really ready to give it up." But, then he met Sisco. S• HOUF1ELD

APPEARED IN :

CARTHAGI NIAN M.ORTON TRI BU.';"TN__ E__ 1'\ESHOBA DEMOCRAT NEWTON RECORD CLARION- LEDGER

SCOTT COU~TY TIMES U~I OJ\ APPEAL WI ~STOJ\ COUJ\TY JOURNAL MER I DIAJ\ STAR v

- --

---

---