AREA ALUMS
AREA ALUMS AT THE NEXT LEVEL
WANYA MORRIS Alcorn State University
CHARL’TEZ NUNNERY Lakeland University
JEFFERY JOHNSON Tulane University
Brookhaven High, Redshirt Senior Offensive Lineman 6-foot-2, 290-pounds
Lawrence County, Senior Quarterback 5-foot-11, 196-pounds
Brookhaven High, Junior Defensive Lineman 6-foot-3, 295-pounds
Morris and the Braves didn’t play in the SWAC spring season of 2021, but they’ll be one of the favorites to win the league this year. Morris played for Tommy Clopton at BHS before continuing his career at Southwest Mississippi C.C. for current Ole Brook head coach Tucker Peavey. Morris graduated in May 2021 with a bachelor’s in Criminal Justice. Alcorn opens the season on Aug. 28 in Atlanta at the MEAC/ SWAC Challenge. ESP College Gameday will be there as the Braves take on North Carolina Central. Alcorn hosts Northwestern State in the home opener Sep. 11 in Lorman and closes the season at Jackson State on Nov. 20.
Lakeland University was only able to play three games in its Spring 2021 season, but the Muskies finished 3-0 and Nunnery was a huge reason why. In a 62-14 rout of Wisconsin, Lutheran Nunnery threw four touchdowns and finished with 336-passing yards and 102-rushing yards. After playing at LC for then head coach Jaymie Palmer, Nunnery has gotten better every season for the NCAA Division III Muskies. He’s a long way from Monticello, as Lakeland is located in Plymouth, Wisconsin. In the three games played earlier this year Nunnery averaged 110 rushing yards per game and threw for 700 yards and scored a combined 13 touchdowns via the air and ground.
Johnson has trimmed down and is looking to again anchor the middle of the Green Wave defensive line. In 2020 he started every game for Tulane and finished with 33 tackles, 6.0 tackles for a loss, 3.5 sacks and two fumble recoveries. Several publications have tabbed Johnson as a preseason AllAAC selection. Tulane has made bowl appearances in all three seasons that Johnson has been part of the team. Johnson and the Green Wave open the season with a marquee matchup as the host the University of Oklahoma on Sept. 4 in New Orleans. On Sept., Tulane will travel to Oxford to face Ole Miss.
J.J. JONES University of Charlotte
COKER WRIGHT University of Southern Mississippi
GRANT JACKSON Mississippi State University
Brookhaven High, Junior Defensive Back 6-foot-1, 175-pounds
Brookhaven High, Sophomore Offensive Lineman 6-foot-4, 282-pounds
West Lincoln, Redshirt Freshman Offensive Lineman 6-foot-6, 310-pounds
Coming out of BHS, Jones signed with the University of Southern Miss along with his high school teammate Trace Clopton. They along with Johnson were part of a loaded senior class for then head coach Tommy Clopton. Johnson played in six games for USM and then transferred back to Co-Lin. He initially signed with Louisiana Tech, but then came back to Wesson to play another season for the Wolves. Charlotte opens their season on Sept. 3 when they host Duke. On Nov. 13 the 49ers will visit Ruston to take on Louisiana Tech.
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GRIDIRON 2021
The 2020 season didn’t go well for the Southern Miss program as a whole and specifically for Wright. An ankle injury cut his season short as surgery was needed. The renewed energy around the program that’s come with first year head coach Will Hall has everyone in Hattiesburg expecting more for the Eagles in 2021. Wright has showed great versatility in his freshman season of 2019 as he can play any spot along the line. Southern Miss opens the season on Sept. 4 at South Alabama and plays the home opener the following week on Sept. 11 against Grambling State. On Sept. 25 the Golden Eagles will play the defending national champion Alabama Crimson Tide in Tuscaloosa.
The big former West Lincoln Bear made his MSU debut last season as a true freshman, playing in three games for the Bulldogs. Jackson picked the Bulldogs over offers from Florida State, Missouri, Southern Miss, Tulane, UL-Monroe, UL-Lafayette, Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech, Memphis, South Alabama and others. He committed in June before his senior season to former MSU coach Joe Moorhead and stuck with the Bulldogs after Moorhead was released and Mike Leach was hired. The first Division I signee in WL history, Jackson and MSU host Louisiana Tech on Sept. 4 in the season opener and LSU on Sept. 25 in their SEC opener.
