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Wake-Up Call: Fayson ready to start over

Tribune file photo by BILL WARD (2005)

In 2005, Jarred Fayson was a star quarterback as a senior for the Hillsborough Terriers.

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By JOEY JOHNSTON | The Tampa Tribune

Published: April 15, 2009

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• Hillsborough Prep Report

The Wake-Up Call greets you each weekday with news, views and a few Tampa Bay area sports offerings to anticipate for the day and night. We encourage suggestions and contributions.

Good morning!

Jarred Fayson has waited a long time – forever, it seems – to get back on the football field. It's almost time. Saturday, Fayson will compete in the University of Illinois' spring game. Then he can look to the fall, when he is expected to be a heavy contributor at wide receiver for Coach Ron Zook's Fighting Illini.

Fayson is almost there.

It has just taken a lot longer than he ever expected.

Fayson, an all-state quarterback at Hillsborough High School, originally signed with the University of Florida and got some playing time with the Gators' 2006 national-championship team. But he entered UF with a guy named Tim Tebow, so his quarterback dreams quickly shifted to wide receiver.

Dissatisfied with an increasingly limited role, Fayson left UF after the 2007 season (he caught 12 passes, three for touchdowns). He landed at Illinois, where he sat out the transfer season, waiting and watching – and watching some more when the Gators won another national title in January.

Now it's almost Fayson's time to shine.

Zook is enthused.

"If Jarred keeps doing what he's doing, he'll get plenty of [playing] time,'' Zook said.

"He's talented and physical and has what you're looking for.''

Fayson's presence figures to remove pressure from Illinois WR Arrelious Benn, the Big Ten freshman of the year in 2007.

"Jarred will be the best thing that ever happened to me as far as opening up opportunities,'' Benn said. "We need to be two of the guys taking control of the offense and putting points on the board.''

Fayson displayed his talent last week in a scrimmage. He had five receptions for 60 yards – including a 27-yard touchdown – and also scored on a 4-yard run.

The spring game is Saturday. The first regular-season game – Sept. 5 against Missouri – is four months away. Then Fayson will be back on the field.

At long last.

Remember Donnie Scott?
Former Tampa Catholic catcher Donnie Scott set the state's single-season baseball home run record with 19 in 1978. The mark was later tied by Frankie Figueroa of Miramar Florida Bible in 1996 and Tommy Parrott of Merritt Island in 1999. Now someone else is knocking on the door. Orlando First Academy junior right fielder Jose Dore has 15 homers – with five regular-season games and the playoffs still remaining.

McCray honored at FSU
Florida State University sophomore Moses McCray (Hillsborough) was named the Most Improved Player at his position (defensive tackle) following spring football drills with the Seminoles.

Milledge to the minors
The Washington Nationals (0-7) sent leadoff man Lastings Milledge (Lakewood Ranch) to Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday. Milledge is batting .167 with no extra-base hits, one walk and 10 strikeouts.

Former Ray Elijah Dukes (.381) is expected to become the everyday center fielder.

Sheffield gets a start
Mets OF Gary Sheffield (Hillsborough), one home run away from 500, is scheduled to start in right field tonight against the Padres. Sheffield, who signed in New York after being released by the Tigers, has had a pair of pinch-hitting appearances.

Baseball doubleheader at USF today
Tuesday's rain prompted a baseball double-header today with USF against Florida International at Red McEwen Field. The Bulls (22-11) will start left-handers Teddy Kaufman and Matt Reed. First game begins at 1 p.m. It's a chance to catch the ongoing saga of Bulls sophomore OF Ryan Lockwood (Jesuit), who has reached base in 76 consecutive games.

UT baseball's Father & Son Clinic
The University of Tampa's baseball program will hold a "Father & Son Clinic'' on Sunday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost is $75. For information, contact Spartans assistant coach Frank Maldonado at (813) 486-6952 or e-mail him at fmaldonado@ut.edu.

Big East tennis in Tampa
The Big East Conference men's and women's tennis tournaments begin Thursday at USF. The USF men, seeded No. 3, begin play on Friday at noon against No. 6 St. John's at the school's Varsity Courts. The men's championship match is Sunday morning at 9. The USF women, also seeded No. 3, await the winner between No. 6 Louisville and No. 11 St. John's on Friday at noon at the Andros Dorm Courts. The women's championship match is Sunday morning at 9. The USF women's team, which has made the Big East championship match three consecutive times, won the tournament in 2007.

Beach volleyball on Siesta Key
The Fiesta on Siesta Key – a multi-pronged beach-volleyball tournament between the SEC schools and other colleges – is Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sarasota's Siesta Key Beach. The SEC tournament features Florida and the league's other nine schools (Vanderbilt doesn't sponsor volleyball).

The Collegiate Beach Volleyball Challenge features USF, Florida State, UCF, Miami, Stetson, Jacksonville and Florida Atlantic, among others. For more information, log onto www.fiestaonsiestakey.com.

Veit hired for Philadelphia's MLS team
Former USF assistant athletic director Tom Veit was named president of Keystone Sports and Entertainment, the ownership group of MLS Philadelphia 2010, the new team entering Major League Soccer. Veit is reunited with Nick Sakiewicz, the organization's CEO. They worked together with the Tampa Bay Mutiny, an MLS team when the league formed in 1996.

Birthday wishes
Happy birthday to Cincinnati Bengals WR Andre Caldwell, the former Gator and graduate of Jefferson High School. Caldwell, entering his second season with the Bengals, turns 24 today.

The Answer Man
Here's the answer to Tuesday's trivia question:
Johnny Damon is the only Yankee player to steal three bases in a game against the Rays (April 26, 2006). In fact, while playing with the Royals, Damon also had a three-steal game against the Rays in 2000.

Wednesday trivia
Here's our daily sports trivia question, featuring a Tampa Bay/Florida spin. Try your luck by commenting below.

With the hiring of Isiah Thomas at Florida International University, the state's Division I men's basketball programs now have two former NBA head coaches in their ranks. Who is the other one and where did he coach in the NBA?

Check for the answer in Thursday's Wake-Up Call.

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