March 27, 2003

FURMAN PICKS UP VANDERBILT
WIDE RECEIVER GRANT BRIGHAM

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Furman head football coach Bobby Lamb announced today that Vanderbilt wide receiver Grant Brigham is joining the Paladins' program.

The addition of Brigham, a 6-foot, 175-pound product of Birmingham, Ala., and the younger brother of rising Furman senior tailback Hindley Brigham, gives the Paladins 16 newcomers for 2003. Last week Furman announced the signing of defensive lineman Lutrell Alford from Gainesville, Fla.

"We're certainly pleased to add Grant Brigham to our team," said Lamb on Thursday. "We recruited him hard out of high school and are obviously very close to his family with Hindley already here. Grant is a quality receiver who can also return punts, and that¹s a need we have to address this year with the graduation of Bear Rinehart."

Brigham, who will enroll at Furman this summer, will be immediately eligible due to NCAA transfer rules. He played in eight games for Vanderbilt last year as a true freshman and caught thee passes for 39 yards and returned 11 punts for 47 yards.

A 2002 graduate of Mountain Brook (Ala.) High School, Brigham caught a school record 55 passes for 838 yards and 10 touchdowns in helping his team to a 10-2 record and 6A state playoff appearance his senior year. In addition, he also ran for 223 yards and 11 touchdowns on just 26 carries and returned 12 kickoffs for 320 yards and a touchdown. He was named first team All-Metro Birmingham, first team Super All-State by the Alabama Sportswriters, PrepStar All-Southeast, and SuperPrep All-American. Rated as the 34th best wide receiver in America in 2001, he also played in the Mississippi/Alabama All-Star Classic.

2003 FURMAN FOOTBALL NEWCOMERS

Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Yr. Hometown/Last School
Lutrell Alford DL 6-2 273 Fr. Gainesville, Fla./Eastside H.S.
Wallace Artis DE 6-4 240 Fr. Calhoun Falls, S.C./Calhoun Falls H.S.
Grant Brigham WR 6-0 175 So. Birmingham, Ala./Vanderbilt Univ./Mountain Brook H.S.
Turner Burton DE 6-3 235 Fr. Birmingham Ala./Mountain Brook H.S.
Clifton Dortch LB 6-0 200 Fr. Decatur, Ga./Chamblee H.S.
Cedrick Gipson TB 5-8 200 Fr. Summerton, S.C./Lakewood H.S.
Reggie Goolsby OL 6-1 278 Fr. Monticello, Ga./Monticello H.S.
Renaldo Gray QB 6-0 213 Fr. Greenwood, S.C./Greenwood H.S.
Ryan McKie WR 5-11 180 Fr. Simpsonville, S.C./Hillcrest H.S.
Gary Nelson LB 6-0 200 Fr. Stone Mountain, Ga./St. Pius Catholic School
Taylor Ownbey FB 6-0 235 Fr.-Tr. Cumming, Ga./West Virginia Univ./South Forsyth High School
Rico Scott S 6-0 195 Fr. Columbia, S.C./Ridge View H.S.
Scott Shuford OL 6-3 270 Fr. Charlotte, N.C./Independence H.S.
Patrick Sprague WR 6-0 175 Fr. Birmingham, Ala./Mountain Brook H.S.
Andrew Thacker CB 6-0 185 Fr. Cumming, Ga./Gainesville H.S.
Andrew Thornburg OL 6-2 265 So.-Tr. Snellville, Ga./Air Force Academy/Brookwood H.S.