Athlete Spotlight: Trey Golston

Someone eavesdropping on Evans football coaches Friday might have assumed they were discussing a truck.

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Solid body. Good motor. Not afraid to do the dirty work and invite the occasional collision.

The 2008 Trey Golston.

Butler Community College liked the sales pitch enough to sign the Knights defensive lineman to a full football scholarship.

Golston drew comparisons to a similar model, Statesboro defensive tackle DeAngelo Tyson, who signed with the University of Georgia.

"When we played Effingham County (a 34-28 Knights' win), the referee came up to me after the game and he said he had never seen an individual take over a ball game like that," Evans coach Marty Jackson said. "He said if DeAngelo had (Golston's) motor, that it wouldn't be fair on a football field."

If Golston had the grades, he also may have ended up at a Football Bowl Subdivision school. That is Golston's plan for life after Butler Community College, a Kansas school.

He played recreation league football in fourth grade when he lived in Texas for a year. He'd like to return and play for the state's flagship university.

"I've always liked how they've played football in Texas," Golston said of his dream of playing for the Longhorns. "Football is really taken seriously out there."

Golston was the third Knights defensive lineman to sign a college scholarship. Teammates Mykel Green (Morehouse College) and Tim Tillman (Alabama A&M) both signed on Feb. 6.

Golston's signing was another reminder of the void Evans coaches are left to deal with in 2008.

"I got spoiled," Knights defensive line coach Bill Madigan said. "I had more fun coaching that group than anybody."

The trio created a headache for opposing offenses. Those who liked to line up and run the ball up the middle, like Effingham County and Statesboro, found the task especially tough.

Golston recorded 11 solo tackles against Effingham County.

"Running back comes my way and cuts back, I know Trey would be there to make the tackle," Tillman said.

Golston led the Knights with 71 tackles, four sacks and a fumble recovery.

Ben Rouse was second on the team with 29 tackles.

And Golston put up those numbers despite constant double- and triple-teams.

"Trey was a monster," Jackson said. "He had quite a motor, man."

The 6-foot, 250-pound Golston said Butler's coaches have told him he would play defensive tackle.

"Then again, it's college," Golston said. "And most people usually don't end up where they were playing. But most likely I'll be a defensive tackle."

Golston will be headed to one of the nation's top junior college programs. The Grizzlies were the 2007 National Junior College Athletic Association champions, and coach Troy Morrell was the 2007 NJCAA Coach of the Year.

"They had 14, 15 kids this year commit to (Division I) schools," Madigan said. "He's in the right atmosphere."