Repeat All-Tidewater Player of the Year mulling college choice

VIRGINIA BEACH

So now what?

During an illustrious four-year varsity career, Salem High School running back Kevin Whaley had a clear destination each time he grasped a football: the end zone.

He made it there often, along the way collecting a load of awards and leaving the record books in tatters.

But while on the field Whaley often left defenders flailing, he is just as elusive about his college choice with his high school career now finished.

“I’m still kind of open,” said Whaley, the Abe Goldblatt All-Tidewater Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. “But it’s going to be soon.”

Whaley, South Hampton Roads’ all-time leading rusher, has scholarship offers from more than a dozen college programs, including Marshall, Maryland, Michigan State, Penn State, Virginia and Virginia Tech. He took his first visit – to the University of Connecticut – on Dec. 1 and is likely to take more trips after the holidays.

Whaley has no clear favorite, and he hasn’t whittled his list much since the preseason. Perhaps the only school to drop off was Northern Illinois. Whaley hasn’t heard from that program since its head coach’s recent retirement.

Whaley already has qualified academically to play in college, according to SunDevils coach Robert Jackson.

Whaley excelled at running back, defensive back and as a kick returner at Salem. It’s no secret what position he wants to play in college.

“I believe I’m a running back,” said Whaley, who also has heard from recruiters about playing defensive back and kick returner.

Just where Whaley plays in college depends on who’s asked.

Under NCAA guidelines, college coaches are prohibited from talking about recruits until after they’re signed.

At running back “rarely do you see a negative yardage play when the ball’s in his hands,” one college assistant coach said. “He has a toughness, and that toughness would be good in somebody’s secondary.”

Asked what he’s looking for in a college, Whaley replied: ''A big school, great place to be, great people, great program, great coaches.”

Great just about sums up Whaley’s high school career.

A 5-foot-11, 175-pounder, Whaley finished as South Hampton Roads’ career leader in rushing yards and single-season and career points. He’s the second consecutive player to win back-to-back All-Tidewater Player of the Year awards, following Landstown’s Percy Harvin in 2004 and ’05.

Whaley’s 5,420 career regular-season yards shattered the previous mark of 4,500 set by Mike Majette of Princess Anne in the 1990s.

Just as impressive were Whaley’s durability and consistency. He never missed a game, gained 100-plus yards in 29 of 40 regular-season games and rushed for 200 or more yards four times.

During the past two seasons Whaley helped the SunDevils finish 20-0 in the Beach District and win an Eastern Region Division 6 championship.

His senior season ended with a loss to Oscar Smith in the region title game, capping a year in which each defense’s game plan was to stop Whaley.

Salem started the season with a largely inexperienced offensive line and a new quarterback. Whaley had seven 100-yard games, including a season-high 232 yards against Green Run.

Despite that loss to Oscar Smith, Whaley calls the season a “great year.”

“I was just going out there to have fun and be me,” Whaley said. “I just wanted to go out there and win and make everybody better on the field.”

Now, for his next stop. ...