By Rocky Stanley / The Independent
LLOYD — In football, there’s always a place for a player who loves contact.
In Terry Waugh’s case, the next destination is Pikeville College.
Greenup County’s hard-hitting senior safety signed a letter of intent Tuesday with the NAIA school as family, teammates and friends watched at GCHS.
Pikeville College’s football coaching staff was also well represented.
Waugh, 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, received All-Area honors as a defensive back last season and was also effective as a ball carrier.
“Terry’s a tough kid,’’ said Pikeville head coach Joe Johnson. “I’m not sure he’s blessed with blazing speed, but he will fight for the extra yard and do what you ask him to do.’’
Greenup County changed head coaches last year and Mike Copley said not every player bought into his “wholesale changes.’’ But Waugh was among the exceptions.
“He took to the schemes and has been a true leader for us,’’ Copley said.
For example, when Greenup County suffered a midseason injury at quarterback, Waugh volunteered to fill the void.
“He said, ‘Coach, I will take care of it,’” Copley recalled. “The very next game, we had 400-plus yards with him running the offense. Everything Terry did, he did it with an attitude of what was best for the team.’’
Waugh served as Greenup County’s “Wildcat” on defense.
“He’s what we called our ace in the hole,” Copley said. “If somebody on the other team was hurting us, we moved Terry over there. He’s the kid everybody tried to run away from.’’
Johnson said Waugh could possibly play offense or defense for the Bears, who finished 3-8 last season.
Waugh becomes Copley’s first Greenup County player to receive a college scholarship. Copley previously coached at Pikeville High School when Johnson was an assistant coach at Pikeville College.
“Mike does as good a job as any high school coach I’ve been around as far as promoting his kids and getting the maximum from their potential,’’ Johnson said.
Waugh, who carries a 3.2 grade point average, likened having his college decision out of the way to a burden being lifted from his shoulders.
“I’d like to thank our coaches for getting me ready to play,’’ he said. “I’m a competitor. I don’t like to lose.’’
Waugh does like the growth he sees in the Bears’ program and noted Pikeville’s motto as “The City that moves Mountains.’’
“They have invested a lot of money (in building),’’ he said. “I think it will be a good place for me.”
