ACS star blossoms as Blue Hose pass rusher
Former Augusta Christian Schools standout Adam McKinney is entering his junior season as a defensive end for the Presbyterian College Blue Hose.
//
McKinney, who played quarterback during his days at Augusta Christian, has blossomed into a tremendous pass rusher. Last season, he led Presbyterian with five quarterback sacks and was among the team leaders with 37 tackles. He put up those numbers despite battling some nagging injuries for a large portion of the season.
Apparently, McKinney's efforts have not gone unnoticed. The 6-foot-3, 232-pound sack artist was named a preseason first team all-independent selection.
The list consisted of the top players in the country among all NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division 1-AA) teams.
Presbyterian next travels to Cullowee, N.C., to play Western Carolina.
Bowers is back in town
Another Presbyterian College star is still going strong. Ryan Bowers was a solid player during his days at Greenbrier High School.
Bowers was a four-year starter at safety for Presbyterian. During his senior season, he was a First Team All-American.
Even then, a professional career seemed to be just a dream.
After his senior season with Presbyterian, Bowers signed to play with the Arena Football League 2 Green Bay Blizzard. He wasted little time showing that he belongs in professional football. He led the Blizzard with 102 tackles and picked off 10 passes and returned two for scores.
He parlayed that performance into an Arena League contract, signing with the Indiana Firebirds.
He also had a stint in NFL Europe. While playing abroad with the Berlin Thunder, Bowers averaged an impressive 23.7 yards per kick return and played in the World Bowl in 2006.
His solid play has continued. Bowers, the defensive specialist for the Orlando Predators last season, helped guide Orlando to the Arena Football League playoffs in June. Along the way, he had 62 tackles and intercepted five passes.
He's back in town as an assistant football coach at Augusta Christian this fall, but expect to see him back on the field as a player soon.