Interest Continues to Pick Up

Offers keep coming in for Coffeeville High School running back Lee Chambers. With his latest offer, he's up to 10.

Lee Chambers Profile Page:

"The teams that have offered me are Mississippi State, South Carolina, Southern Miss, Alabama, Florida State, Louisville, Ole Miss, Michigan, Miami and Tennessee," said the nationally recruited youngster. "Michigan was the last offer."

He's also received a number of calls and visits to his school.

"Michigan came by Tuesday. Tulsa came by Wednesday. The head coach from Southern Miss, Coach (Jeff) Bower, came by Wednesday. He and (assistant) Coach (Derrick) Nix," noted Lee. "The South Carolina coach came by the track meet in Pearl. (MSU head) Coach (Sylvester) Croom and (MSU assistant) Coach (J.B.) Grimes came by the school the Monday I had the track meet. Miami will be in Friday.

"Coach Nix has called. Coach Grimes called. (South Carolina assistant) Coach Gillespie called. The Miami coach called me."

There's no wonder so many coaches are expressing such high interest in Lee. He may be the most athletic player in a very deep Mississippi crop of players. He recently participated at the Scout.com All-American combine held at Oxford and did fairly well despite a hamstring pull. His true numbers, though, are more in tune with what he tested at an Iowa State camp last summer.

Lee, who was measured at 5-11 and 202 pounds at the camp, ran a 4.38 forty, vertical leaped 40 inches, had a broad jump of 10' 1.2", ran the shuttle in 4.19 and did the 3-cone in 7.20. Those times would have put him among the top 2 in three categories, and 5th and 8th in the other two at the Oxford combine.

But when I called Lee the offers, visits, calls and testing wasn't what was on his mind. He was more concerned about a rumor that he had heard from a coach that had called him. He would have called me but his cell phone was stolen.

"There is a rumor going around that I have made my mind up. And I've been wanting to get the information to you so you could set people straight," said Lee. "But my cell phone got stolen and I haven't been able to get in touch with you.

"I was talking to one of the other coaches and he had heard that I was going to South Carolina. That was the rumor. But it's not true. I haven't committed to anyone."

Although he hasn't made a commitment, he has narrowed his list down to five. And one of those stands at the top of his list.

"My favorites are Mississippi State, Southern Miss, South Carolina, Miami and Louisville," said Lee. "You can put Mississippi State high."

Although this has nothing to do with recruiting, before I got off the phone with Lee, I asked him if he was still losing weight or had he started gaining it back. At the Scout.com combine he weighed 165 pounds, which was about 30 pounds less than his football weight.

"My mother saw my weight on the internet and has me eating more. She's now making sure I eat breakfast every morning and also making sure I eat when I get home each night," explained Lee. "And I'm getting my weight back. I weigh between 178 and 180 now. Before, I was always so tired."

Now, the only ones who will be tired are the opposing players trying to catch Lee as he runs with the football.

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Gene Swindoll is the publisher of the Dawgs' Bite, Powered by GenesPage.com website, the source for Mississippi State sports on Scout.com sports network. You can contact him by emailing .