By Al Muskewitz
Ohatchee’s Ennis heading to Nicholls State, Piedmont has 3 to sign, Alexandria’s’ Tucker signs with Lindsey Wilson
OHATCHEE — Chris Findley knew the first time he saw Eli Ennis touch the football he had something special in his program.
Any time he ever needs reminding of that, all the Ohatchee football coach has to do is scroll through the videos he keeps on his phone.
It was 2016 and Ennis was playing on the Indians’ junior high team. The clip on Findley’s phone shows the then-seventh grader running through the opposing defense to return a kickoff for a touchdown, shedding would-be tacklers and then leaving everyone in the dust.
Findley looks at that clip from time to time to remind him just how special a player he’s had.
Like a proud papa, he brought it out again Wednesday on the occasion of Ennis becoming Ohatchee’s first Division I football scholarship signee when the two-way star signed with Nicholls State.
“He’s obviously a special, special talent; we noticed that from the time he walked through the doors in the seventh grade,” Findley said. “He’s always had the talent, but he’s matched it with his work ethic. He deserves every bit of this and I know he’s going to succeed at the next level also.”
Ennis was the Indians’ quarterback the last two years and a punishing defender his entire career. He ran the ball like a linebacker/safety, as much his trademark as his flowing Troy Polamalu-style hair that is sure to give him a leg up with some savvy NIL influencer.
He’s listed as a safety in the Colonels’ 23-player signing class, its largest since 2016.
What was surprising was teams were really late on him. He only got hooked onto Nicholls after his material made its way to Colonels defensive coordinator Tommy Rybacki, a former Jacksonville State linebacker and later graduate assistant under Greg Stewart, the husband of Ohatchee’s current principal, Angie Stewart.
It wasn’t certain if the clip in Findley’s phone was in the package.
The Colonels have been quietly involved for about a month and Ennis sealed the deal Monday after visiting the campus over the weekend. He also had interest from JSU (under its previous coaching staff) and Faulkner.
“I haven’t understood it,” Findley said. “He has everything that you’re looking for. He’s 6-1, 210 pounds, runs a legit 4.5 40. He makes every play you want to see a guy make, both sides of the ball. I’ve not understood the lack of offers, but we’re glad it’s worked out.”
PIEDMONT SIGNINGS: It was a big day of signings at Piedmont.
Austin Estes, the MVP of last year’s Calhoun County Baseball Tournament and a major contributor on the Bulldogs’ 2021 state championship football signed to play both sports at Delta State. He visited the D-II school Friday and committed Sunday.
“We got on him late and we just got lucky,” Delta State coach Todd Cooley said.
Bulldogs defensive back Omarion Foster also signed with Delta State for football and linebacker Landon Smart, a finalist for the Class 3A Lineman of the Year, is going to Davidson.
“I think the sky’s the limit for Omarion,” Cooley said. “He’s got a lot of range and is a really, rally smart kid. We were lucky to get him and Austin together to come here.”
The Bulldogs will have a formal celebration of the signings in March.
