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Jerome Culp Signs with Newberry College

Culp's next stop: Newberry College

By Travis Jenkins tjenkins@onlinechester.com

Great Falls football coach Kenneth Schofield liked to refer to defensive lineman Jerome Culp as "a stopper".

Culp's next stop will be at Newberry college.

The 6'3, 290 pound Culp signed recently to play for the Newberry College Indians.

Culp was one of the key pieces of a Red Devils defense that yielded less than 10 points and fewer than 140 yards per game. Those numbers were a big part of Great Falls' run to the state title game.

"I thought Jerome had a tremendous season for us," Schofield said. "He was bigger, stronger and faster than the people lined up across from him. He forced offenses to do different things. He made them play right into our hands."

Culp was a versatile player for Great Falls, playing defensive tackle, center, guard, offensive tackle, tight end and fullback last season. He'll be focusing on one position at Newberry.

"I'll be a defensive tackle," Culp said. "They like how I play the position."

Newberry had an eye on Culp most of the year but were really sold when Schofield sent them tape on his stand-out. Culp had a chance to visit the school and liked what he saw as much as Newberry coaches did.

"I liked the size of the school," Culp said. "I liked the class size. The campus has a good atmosphere. It reminds me a lot of Great Falls."

Culp also likes the talent Newberry is adding. The Indians signed a pair of North-South All-Stars and Shrine Bowlers. They also signed Simpson Miller, a running back from Chesterfield that Culp is very familiar with.

It wasn't long ago that Culp's football future was somewhat in doubt. As a sophomore he suffered a knee injury that cost him most of a football season and all of one basketball season. Culp said the injury actually made him a better player. Schofield agreed.

"That he went from a knee surgery to squatting 555 pounds (as he did in a recent strength meet) is a testament to his work ethic," Schofield said.

Culp said he'll fondly remember his time at Great Falls, particularly his team's trip to the state title game this year. He said his family plans to come see him play at Newberry. Coaches have told him that if he works hard, he could earn a starting nod this coming season.

Culp is undecided on a major.

Great Falls High School Alma Mater

With a song and a cheer let us sing

To the dearest of all Alma Maters.

Fortune and truth may she have,

Prosperity always!

Forget Her no never, no nev' er

She will always live long in our memories.

Here's to the dear Great Falls High,

The greatest, grandest, best of all

Our Alma Mater.

Read The Red Devil Reporter Here

Red Devil Football Team Read Below!!!

I have told some of you players individually, but all of you need to hear this:

You are vastly improved over the TEAM that lost to Lewisville early in the season. You are developing into a Contender for big things to come. Offensively, and defensively, you have continued to grow and develop. And your strongest asset, is your DISCIPLINE, which is showing up more each week. You are listening to your coaches, and adjusting during the games as things change. Being COACH ABLE, and LISTENING, are two things that kept some of our GOOD teams in the past from being GREAT TEAMS.

WHAT'S DIFFERENT?

1. You play TOGETHER, communicate with each other and SUPPORT each other, even when things go wrong, which is much different from the teams of the past who were loaded with STARS, but played as STARS, instead of AS A TEAM, and which ultimately lost to TEAMS that PLAYED AS TEAMS.

Part of this is like I said above, you are: COACH ABLE, LISTENING , and PROGRESSING.

That doesn't guarantee that this TEAM will attain ANY further VICTORIES, but it does prove that you are CAPABLE of WINNING as many more games as you TRULY BELIEVE that you can win, even if you fall behind DURING the games.

2. You have gained a lot of CONFIDENCE, and BELIEF IN EACH OTHER...the CROWD at home always stays behind you, STAYS LOUD, and will FOLLOW you "en masse" to the Lewisville game...and You can be more SPECIAL than any TEAM we've seen around here since 91...IT'S REALLY ALL UP TO YOU...

3. You have continued to GET BETTER each week, since the first Lewisville game, and to show more UNITY, pumping each other up, and encouraging each other...offering constructive advice to each other.
( All of you players were UP at the sidelines, watching the game, and yelling encouragement, regardless of whether you were actually participating in this game, and congratulating the players that were, as they came off the field.)

4. You are not DEPENDENT on 1 STAR, but are TALENTED in many areas, with YOUNGER players getting more involved each week, and others cross-training at various positions, adding to more DEPTH at most positions, which helps with STRONG play at the END of games when most other teams are WEARING DOWN.

KEEP UP THESE TRENDS AND BIGGER THINGS can HAPPEN!!!!!!!

FIRST THINGS FIRST, THOUGH, and take care of business this week with Chesterfield at home...don't be looking ahead.

as for me, I BELIEVE...


YOU KEEP BELIEVING AND BIGGER THINGS WILL HAPPEN!!!!!!!(signed) Bobby Lyles "The Devil Himself"

Do you have a old program? We would love to scan it in to share with everyone.

This program was provided by Millard Smith and is the program of the September 21, 1956 football game between Great Falls and Fort Mill.