Two more Clarksdale High School seniors announced where they will be playing college football next season.
Wide receiver Josh Hollins committed to Coahoma Community College Thursday and defensive tackle Elbert Hines committed to Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock, Ark., Saturday. They are both expected to make their announcements official on National Signing Day Feb. 3.
“I just want to start off giving thanks to God for blessing me to play on the next level,” said Hollins in his announcement on social media. “I was a basketball player, didn’t even want to play football, but when I did, I fell in love. I wouldn’t be able to do this without my family, coaches and teammates. For the next couple of years, I will be attending Coahoma Community College.”
Hollins finished his senior season with 26 receptions for 426 yards and six touchdowns.
“First off I will thank God for the opportunity to play football,” said Hines in his announcement on social media. “I want to thank all my coaches for making the football player I'm is today. And second of all I will like to thank my mom for making me the man I am today. But all that said, I will be taking my talent to Arkansas Baptist College. February 3 I will be committing. Y’all keep watching down on me in heaven Grandfather.”
Hines is the son of Evelyn Hines and grandson of the late blues musician Big Jack Johnson “The Oil Man.”
Hines finished his senior season at CHS with 44 tackles, 28 solo tackles, five-and-a-half tackles per game, one-and-a-half sacks and three hurries.
The Wildcats finished 2020 with a 9-3 record, a Region 3-4A championship and a home playoff win, but they were forced to forfeit the second round of the postseason after the team had a COVID outbreak.
Both Hollins and Hines feel they have unfinished business as they hope to win a championship at the college level.
“I wanted to stay home and I felt like I would be a good part of the offense at CCC,” Hollins said.
CCC finished 3-2 in 2020 for its first winning season in more than a decade. That influenced Hollins’ decision.
“At first, I was like I would never go to Coahoma,” Hollins said. “Now, look at me.”
The COVID pandemic did limit Hollins’ options, but CCC wide receivers coach CJ Bailey noticed him and was impressed with his size.
“I think it was a problem because most schools I did reach out to, I had a chance, but due to corona, there was a limited amount of players they could select, so sometimes I was too late,” Hollins said.
Hollins said the Wildcats could have performed better during his high school years, but that is behind them. Now, he is reuniting with at least four of his high school teammates.
Defensive linemen Kaleb Brown and Zeilon Chestnut and defensive back Christopher Williams are all going into their second season at CCC after graduating from Clarksdale High School in 2020. Running back Queston Skipper, also a 2020 CHS graduate, transferred to CCC after one season at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College.
“It will be just like old times, like a big reunion,” Hollins said.
“I’ve been talking to them. We haven’t stopped talking at all. We’ve been talking the whole time. They said we’ve only got one goal. That’s to win the state title.
“I plan to be the best wide receiver coming out of Coahoma.”
Hollins said he is hoping Clarksdale High School senior linebacker De’meric Strong, who already committed to Northwest Mississippi Community College, will change his mind and play for CCC. He would also like to see senior running back Sammie Ray commit to CCC.
Hines was looking for a change of environment for his college football career before coming back home to Clarksdale.
“That is where I’m going to take my talent because home is for me, but I want to take a better opportunity than JUCO to start off a better life,” Hines said. “Then I’ll come back home, but I just chose (Arkansas Baptist College) because I felt like that will be a good start off. I just feel like going there I’ll be a better defenisive player than what I should have been.”
“I love the game of football. I wasn’t ever raised to play football, but I grew up. Seventh grade on up, I was just being a better man playing football. I love the game.”
Hines is keeping the premature end to his 2020 season in perspective as he moved forward.
“I had a great senior season,” he said. “We almost got that ring, but God does stuff for a reason, not just because he wants to. He does it for a reason. There’s a reason why.”
Hines said the Buffaloes will run a Cover 2 defense and he hopes to be successful and win that championship in college.
“It’s going to be easy just like it was in high school,” he said. “It’s just moving on to the next level to accomplish my goals.”
Hollins said his top moment in high school was catching a 99-yard touchdown reception in a spring game against Horn Lake before his junior year.
Hines’ best game was his senior night against Greenville in 2020 where he had five solo tackles, one hurdle and one sack en route to a 33-0 victory.
Both Wildcats believe their athletic future can go beyond college football.
Hollins started playing football in seventh grade as a student at WA Higgins Middle School.
“My basketball coach (Corney George) wanted me to be more aggressive and I ended up falling in love with the game,” Hollins said.
Hollins played all positions in basketball, but his strengths were at small forward and center. In addition to wide receiver, other positions he has played in football include defensive end, kicker and punter.
“It gives the team more options to move me around,” Hollins said. “Other teams that we play, they won’t be able to match me up in one spot all over the field.”
That versatility will help Hollins remain in football. He plans to major in physical education. If he does not achieve his dream of playing in the NFL, he would like to coach high school football, possibly with the Wildcats. After CCC, he hopes to play for Mississippi State, Alabama, Clemson or Ohio State.
Hollins’ favorte NFL team is the Green Bay Packers. Elgton Jenkins, a 2014 Clarksdale High School graduate, is a Pro Bowl left guard for the Packers.
“That would be like a dream come true,” said Hollins about the possibility of playing with Jenkins.
Hollins knew of Jenkins as a young kid and said he watched him come up and do big things for the city of Clarksdale.
Hines plans to major in truck driving and get his commercial driver’s license.
“I know I am because I’ve got to keep God first and I always will have faith in Him,” Hines said.
“I like to drive trucks and I love to travel and deliver stuff.”
Hines’ first option is to play in the NFL. His favorite team is the New England Patriots, but he sees himself playing for the Dallas Cowboys because of their defense.
In adition to football, Hines hopes to honor his grandfather Big Jack Johnson’s memory with a singing career.
“I’m doing good on that,” Hines said. “I would like to keep that legacy going. He’s got me on his back. He’s watching down on me, just like the Good Lord, the man above me is looking down.”
Hines said his grandfather’s favorite song was Crossroads and nicknamed his mom “Fried Chicken.”
“He used to love the way she cooked them chicken wings,” Hines said.
