This is the kind of story that happens way too frequently. A young black man focuses his energy on athletics and manages to ride his talents out of an Atlanta slum. Beyond his athletic abilities his SAT scores were high enough to get into some fairly competitive schools. He just needed a scholarship.<\/p>\n
The college that offered him a free ride wasn\u2019t some Division III school that would have offered little in terms of a resume after graduation, it was in fact the most prestigious military school in the deep south which was prepared to provide him with a commission in the US Army upon graduation.<\/p>\n
His good fortune gleamed even brighter the very first time he was allowed to showcase his athleticism <\/a>in college.<\/p>\n Miguel Starks, The Citadel, QB, 6-2, 219, RFr., Atlanta, GA That remarkable game in late October 2009 was also Parent\u2019s Day at The Citadel. It would be difficult to imagine the pride his parents felt that day.<\/p>\n
\nIn his first collegiate start, Starks was responsible for 327 yards and accounted for all five touchdowns in The Citadel\u2019s 38-28 win over Furman. He connected on 14-of-19 passes with no interceptions for 183 yards and one touchdown, while adding 144 yards on the ground with touchdown runs of 11, 5, 17 and 23 yards. Starks\u2019 four rushing touchdowns tied a school single-game scoring record, and he became the first Bulldogs quarterback since Jack Douglas in 1992 to rush for four scores in a single game.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n