Colonels add Syracuse wide receiver

Nathan Hutchinson
Register Sports Editor

June 18, 2009 02:27 am

— Eastern Kentucky University coach Dean Hood knows the potential benefits and also the possible pitfalls of accepting transfers from Football Bowl Subdivision schools.
“You’ve always got to weigh your options with kids as far as what happened (somewhere else),” Hood said. “Why did they leave? Sometimes there’s issues. (And you have to ask) Is it good for the team or not.”
However, when Hood recently considered adding former Syracuse wide receiver Trey Fairchild to the EKU roster, the second-year coach never had any doubts.
“With Trey, there are no (questions),” Hood said. “There’s not a negative on his character. He just wanted to transfer down so he can play more.”
Fairchild, a 5-foot-11, 185-pound native of Dublin, Ohio, did not see action last season at Syracuse and recently officially transferred to EKU.
The wide receiver had a standout high school career and in 2007 was a SuperPrep and Prep Star All-Midwest Selection. He was rated the 28th-best prospect in Ohio by Rivals.com and finished his high school career with 85 receptions, 1,448 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also rushed for 804 yards and 18 touchdowns.
As a senior, he caught 33 passes for 671 yards and six TDs, while also rushing for 249 yards and two scores.
Fairchild was recruited by Steve Russ, who at the time was the defensive coordinator at Syracuse. Russ left the Orangemen following the 2007 season to take a job on the Wake Forest staff.
Hood was at Wake Forest for seven seasons before taking over at EKU in January 2008.
Fairchild is the third transfer the Colonels have added to the roster this year.
Marcus Williams (5-foot-9, 186-pound junior safety) came to EKU from Wake Forest and Uriah Grant (6-foot-2, 265-pound redshirt freshman defensive lineman) transferred from West Virginia.

Transfer update
At this point, it looks like the Colonels will open training camp with just two quarterbacks on the roster.
Media reports had two QBs considering transferring to EKU — Chris Smith (Marshall) and Grant Gregory (South Florida), but it seems unlikely either will be at EKU this spring.
Gregory signed with Kansas State and Smith’s future is still uncertain.
Hood said at this point the coaching staff is still exploring its options and would consider adding more transfers.
“We are always on the lookout,” Hood said.
If there are no additions to the roster, the Colonels will start the season with T.J. Pryor (a redshirt freshman) and Trevor Hoskins (a sophomore) as the only QBs on the roster.
“Those are the two guys who battled all spring long and those are the guys who are going to be the leading candidates going into camp,” Hood said.