Lofty goals for Grindle

After rushing for 1,262 yards and eight touchdowns last fall, East Marion (Miss.) tailback Xavier Grindle has his sights set on higher goals for his senior season. And that process starts later this month.

"We start spring ball at the end of April," said the 5-foot-11 and 195-pound Grindle. "I look forward to getting out there and playing the sport I love and having fun with my teammates. We want to win state this year so we all have to do more and do better.

"I just want to keep working on getting bigger and faster so I can dominate the whole game. I want to keep working on my stamina so I can make the fourth quarter just like the first quarter."

Grindle collected two offers early on in his recruitment - Mississippi State and Southern Miss. He also picked up an offer from Ole Miss last week and with each passing month, more schools are starting to show Grindle interest.

"A lot of colleges have been sending me letters and inviting me to their campus," said Grindle. "So I will probably get some more offers this summer. Schools like Tennessee, LSU, Auburn, Arkansas, Nebraska and Memphis are showing interest."

Later this year, Grindle note he plans to check out some of those schools and their summer camps. He has already visited MSU, Ole Miss, USM and LSU thus far this spring.

"The camp I know for sure I am going to is Mississippi State," said Grindle. "Then I am supposed to go to camps at LSU, USM, Alabama and Auburn. So it will be a pretty busy summer."

As far as making his collegiate decision, Grindle said he has no time table for that choice but does hope to stay close to home.

"I really don't know yet when I might commit," said Grindle. "Sometimes I think about committing early but then I think about waiting until my senior year. I just want to see how may schools offer me and see what is the best fit for me. I really hope to not redshirt and I would like to play as soon as I can. That is why I am working so hard now so I will be ready to play in college.

"I also want to find the best school for me and my family. I kinda want to stay close to home so my mom doesn't have to drive so far. She told me she wants the best for me and I just want the best for her. So we will make this decision together."

And of the schools recruiting him, Grindle still holds the Bulldogs on top of his list of favorites.

"Mississippi State is still my top choice," said Grindle. "Their coaches treat me like family and it is cool up there and they have a great atmosphere.

"They were the first school that came out and offered me and that was a big deal to me. Some were suspect of me because I play (Class) 2A ball. But 2A ball has players, too. So them offering me first really sticks out to me the most."