Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

_s ports_ Runnim \ ;s? :?j^vs-f --1 > - I Running back Kent Hagooc football game. ... While By Kevin Sullivan The normal path for athlt school to college and then to Rick Sofield, however, tc route. He headed to the pros school and is now back in col The 26-year-old native N.J., left professional ba USC and has sieripri a or* football. IN HIGH SCHOOL, Sofi football and baseball. As led his prep team to two urn and two state championshi at shortstop, his team plac state. Sofield was drafted in 1 nesota Twins baseball org first round and began his ] graduating from high schoo In 1979, Sofield made Mi league team, and he hit playing in the outfield. T1 Sofield started. He batted games with nine home runs Sofield spent most of 1981 Twins AAA team and late Rangers AAA club. "With baseball, I worked my goal by making it in the mere are more things in life Sofield said. "I was upset, \ the business side of that sp education." JOHN SIIIKRONA, Sofie coach, told USC Head Foo Morrison that Sofield was college football career. / Columbia, and meeting Sofield signed with Carolina Altt.Ai.rtli C/V??IJ u /11UIUU511 uviiciu uttaii i football, he said he's ready t< , _ "You have to he in good g back ha| t.::iT-_- ' :.V : Kafr.-rgfc. / it* JBL^ J JB 2 H I turns the corner on a power sweep, I In wrtrtrtrtw w^r. ] B UB EBHOB JJI U I jtes is from high 'With baseball, the pros. .. ok an alternate reallZed mV 903 right after high leagues, but the lege. . . of Morristown, than baSI sebaii to attend particularly witl nt-in-aid to play , , of the sport. I 1 eld played both BducatlOFl. quarterback, he defeated seasons ips. With Sofield ed second in the professional athlet "You can't be fat 975 by the Min- lifting weights and anization in the pro career after A GOOD a help the Gamecoc nnesota's major my decision," he s< 301 in 35 games quarterbacks here he next season, Sofield is one .247, playing 131 Morrison has broi and49RBIs. the country. I playing for the "To be successf r for the Texas best talent in the "We've got gres hard. I realized Carolina, North C< big leagues, but from a11 over the c< i than baseball," )articularly with SOFIELD HAS ort. I wanted an vertising/public re school. "School is \ majoring in Ad/Pl Id's high school semesters I may b< tball Coach Joe "I am familiar considering a worked in that fiel Lfter a trip to could do much bet with Morrison, coaching baseball < Sofield said he is been playing so far. "I love Ca >play. treated me really shape to be a . spectacular," he st ppv to i P "- M'. J^11P - > $??mra| |r :: ^ j H| ' ':'<^Bfci?'1 - -' ;,. p$" I IBPl i|i i I 1 Photo by Tim Dominick leading upfield in a 1981 outfieldei I worked hard. I I by making the big *re are more things sball. I was upset, i the business side wanted an ? USC quarterback | Rick Sofield ' e for nine years," he said. ( playing center field. I'm throwing a little. ithlete, and I think I can ks, but of course, it's not aid. "We have some great at Carolina." of many new recruits ight to USC from around ul and win, we need the s country," Sofield said, it athletes from South irolina, Georgia and now >untry." decided to major in adulations in the journalism rery important to me. I'm i, but who knows, in two jin prelaw. with PR, having already f rl With a Hocft?*vo I fliini/ l M. TT4V4I M Wj A V1111UV A ? ter. I'm also considering or football," he said. ? enjoying the college life irolina. The people have well, and campus life is lid. ! eturn to Cai By Dennis Switzer The look in his eyes and the smile on his face tell it all. Kent Hagood is glad to be back at USC playing football. In his freshman year as a Carolina running back during the 1981 football season, Hagood gained 336 yards on 83 carries for a 4.0 average. Hagood quit during the season, claiming personal reasons and homesickness. He came back but quit again at the end of the season. But now that he is back. Haeood said it wasn't homesickness that caused him to return home, but a conflict with a member of the coaching staff. HAGOOD'S OLDER brother Ricky, a starting middle guard for the Gamecocks last season, was the first to tell Kent when Richard Bell was fired as head coach at the end of the season. It influenced his younger brother's return. "Ricky called me and told me the coaching staff was going to change, and I said, 'Is the whole coaching staff going to change?' and he said, 'Yeah, why don't you give it another try.'" If the staff had not changed, Kent Hagood would be at Newberry this semester. "I was going to go to Newberry; it would have been the first of Januarv. I had everything set up, but, after they changed coaching staffs, I decided I'd wait and see what the coach said. So after that, I never did get back in touch with Newberry," Hagoodsaid. During his time away from school, Hagood said he lifted weights at a gym near his hometown of Easley and played basketball almost every day. He also said he worked for about five months. Hagood doesn't expect to start next season because of the other running backs who have been playing longer than he has. "RIGHT NOW, they've got other guys that have been working a lot harder. I haven't been doing much work. They got a different coaching staff, and Morrison's going to be looking at different players. Hagood said the coaches told him they would like to see him and Tom Dendy, a running back who broke George Rogers' r adapts to coll x : : >?:*^ x?x; J?|| _ - - J8 Ins Rick Sofield, a former outfielder for the Minne start for USC as quarterback, a position he hasn't * rolina... 'If I get my chance, I want to start. But the rest of the team, they're doing a lot better than I am.' ? USC running back Kent Hagood freshman rushing record last season, in the same backfield. "If I get my chance, I want to start. But the rest of team, they're doing a lot better than I am," he said. "Coach (Frank) Sadler said something to me about it at home," Hagood said. He said he would like to put me and Dendy in the same backfield, but there are other backs that have been here, and they're going to give us competition too." Uo#t/w\rl ? "!! ' ? uaguuu win nut tose a year ot eligibility for the year of school he sat out and will still have three years to play football. "I'LL BE A sophomore when fall comes around. If I get ail my grades this time, I'll be eligible to play when fall comes," he said. Hagood said he likes the new veer offense Head Football Coach Joe Morrison is going to install. "With the veer, sometimes on a play you migni get tnree yards, and the next time four yards and the next time you might get 50 and just surprise them," he said. "If we get that working right, we'll be able to beat some of these big-time teams, especially North Carolina and Clemson," he added. Like many young football players, Hagood's dream is to play professional football, but that is not the only goal he has set for himself. "HOPEFULLY, I'D like to play pro football, but if that doesn't happen, then I'd go out into the field and find a job. Hopefully, though, it will be a fonthnii career," he said. Hagood said the new United States Football League gives him a better shot at a pro career. "I would rather like to play for the NFL, but you've got two chances now. And what comes next for Hagood? "Then get married," lie said, "I'm pre-engaged right now." lege football MipoaBEtffi^Bb ' ' ' y -Wv-v^'lv' X Wk Photo by Ruth Schooler sota Twins, attempts to make a comeback to played since high school. aa