By By Rocky Higginbotham/The Meridian Star
JAN. 22, 2001
For the past three seasons, Jeremy Ruffin and Mario Hill have been a dynamic combination on the football field for Meridian High School.
The same could soon be happening at Oxford's Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.
Ruffin, one of the state's most sought-after recruits, announced Monday morning that he intends to play his college football at Ole Miss.
Ruffin, a 6-foot-3, 197-pound linebacker and defensive end, said Ole Miss recruiters have him pegged as an outside linebacker and possibly a safety.
Meridian High head coach Bill Sartin said he still thinks Ruffin will play the outside linebacker spot in college. Ruffin, who is currently a terror in the post for the Wildcat basketball team, played this past season at around 205 and Sartin thinks he could be much bigger.
Ruffin's quickness and relentless speed was a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks during the past three seasons.
He once had four sacks in a game as a sophomore, and went on to record 38 quarterback sacks during his three-year career when he racked up more than 400 tackles.
Ruffin also made official visits to LSU and Alabama, and said he won't be going elsewhere after spending the weekend in Oxford.
At Ole Miss, Ruffin could re-join Hill as teammates. Hill, Meridian's standout wide receiver, announced last week that he intends to play for the Rebels.
The duo will also join up one more time as prep stars. Ruffin and Hill were both selected last week to play for the Mississippi squad in the Mississippi/Alabama Shrine Classic all-star football game, which will be held June 16 in Mobile, Ala.
Ruffin said he's looking forward to playing with and against some of the state's other big names in Mobile and at Ole Miss.
Rocky Higginbotham is the sports editor of The Meridian Star. E-mail him at rhigginbotham@themeridianstar.com.