Alabama Stars Add Cleburne County Back
NCAA Coaches Cleared To Attend Annual All-Star Game
Cleburne County High School running back and wide receiver Rocky Hayes has been added to the Alabama roster for the 25th Alabama-Mississippi All-Star Football Game scheduled to kick off Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association Director Alvin Briggs announced Monday.
Hayes, who is replacing Hoover’s Caleb Sims, is expected to report today with players and coaches for the team check-in. Each squad will have 40 high school seniors.
Head coach for Alabama is Jere Adcock of Decatur. Larry Weems of Meridian is Mississippi’s head coach. Alabama holds a 17-7 edge in the series that will be played in Montgomery for the first time in the game’s history. The game was held from 1988 through 2010 at Mobile’s Ladd-Peebles Stadium
Hayes, a cousin of former Alabama Crimson Tide stalwart Tyrone Prothro, rushed for 1,312 yards on 152 carries in 11 games this season and scored 11 rushing touchdowns. He also caught 12 passes for 217 yards and two scores and had 507 yards and four touchdowns on 15 kick and punt returns to finish the 2011 season with 2,036 all-purpose yards and 16 touchdowns.
Sims had been added to the team last week replacing American Christian receiver Parker Barineau.
In other Alabama-Mississippi Game news Monday:
COLLEGE COACHES CAN ATTEND GAME: Unlike recent years, college coaches will be able to attend this year’s game at Cramton Bowl. According to Greg Sankey, Associate Commissioner of the Southeastern Conference office who requested NCAA clearance for coaches to attend, he has confirmed it is permissible for Football Bowl Subdivision coaches to attend the game.
“This determination has been based on the information provided to the SEC office by the AHSAA and Mississippi High School Athletic Association and has been reviewed with NCAA national office staff,” he said.
“Of primary importance in reaching this decision are the efforts made by the AHSAA and MHSAA to exclude “third parties” from the conduct, sponsorship and promotion of this event. The changes made to place this under the sole purview of the involved state high school athletic associations is of central importance to this decision. NCAA Bylaw 13.1.7.9.4 governs these activities in addition to the applicable restrictions on contacts that normally apply.”
AHSAA Executive Director Steve Savarese applauded the decision.