Football: Western Branch QB transferring to Hargrave Military

Western Branch will be without its star quarterback this fall, as Kevin Newsome plans to play his senior season at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham.

His father, Kevin Sr., confirmed the move this afternoon, saying his son wanted to "continue to improve at quarterback so he'll be in a better position to step in and help somebody as soon as possible when he gets to college."

Newsome, rated the No. 4 dual-threat quarterback in the nation by Rivals.com, has committed to play his college ball at Michigan. Over the past two seasons, Newsome threw for 2,156 yards, rushed for 798 and piled up 39 total touchdowns for the Bruins.

Also an elite track athlete, Newsome (6-3, 217 pounds) has a rare blend of size, speed and power.

"If he keeps developing, with the physical make-up he has, it wouldn't surprise me to see him be one of the top-10 picks in the NFL draft someday," Hargrave coach Robert Prunty said. "He has a Lebron James-type body for football. We are very excited to have him. Ecstatic."

Newsome will play on the post-graduate team, where almost all of the other players will have finished high school and are using Hargrave as a prep year before heading to top college destinations.

"You've got to be very good to play for me as a high school kid," Prunty said. "He realizes he has a lot of talent, and he wants to focus on that. It's a move that will make him better."

Newsome's switch from Western Branch to Hargrave, though, might not be his last move. Former Bruins coach Lew Johnston, a close family friend of the Newsomes, said colleges have continued to recruit the talented quarterback even after his Michigan commitment.

Virginia Tech, a team Newsome grew up rooting for, is among those suitors.

"I thought when he picked Michigan, he jumped the gun a little bit, and I was disappointed," Johnston said. "I told him that."

Johnston is not a big fan of Wolverines coach Rich Rodriguez, who told Newsome he was "their guy" and then continued to recruit several other top quarterbacks. Michigan received a second QB commitment just days after Newsome's pledge.

"We're very close, and I've told him I'd like to see him stay closer to home," Johnston said. "I'm not going to push it, but there's something about playing in your home state."

Johnston said Newsome was enamored of former Tech quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers, now with the Minnesota Vikings, and likely would've chosen the Hokies if Rogers were still in Blacksburg.

But Tech is trying to convince Newsome to get to know current quarterbacks coach Mike O'Cain. The Hokies' Hampton Roads recruiting ace, assistant Curt Newsome, has stayed in steady contact with the family.

"All they're asking is please don't discount us," Johnston said. "Just give us a chance and give Coach O'Cain a chance. I think they've at least got his attention, and a willingness to continue pursuing that."

Newsome, Johnston said, might attend a one-day recruiting camp in Blacksburg in July. Neither Newsome nor his father wanted to comment on any potential re-opening of his recruitment.