Almost like he never left.
It has been three years since Gandy was a fixture at East Limestone High’s football facilities. He left the program after starting most of his freshman season to devote more time to basketball, and before this spring, he had not put on a helmet since.
Just imagine if Gandy had not left.
At 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds, Gandy has grown into a body that fits the Division I cookie-cutter mold for a wide receiver or safety. And even though the rising senior has gotten bigger, the athleticism has not changed. Gandy, who has a wide wingspan and large hands, has been clocked at 4.4 in the 40-yard dash with a well above average vertical jump.
Thus the unusual hoopla outside the Capshaw community about Gandy’s return to football.
Despite missing the past two seasons, Gandy is emerging as one of the area’s top football prospects.
“I’ve never had a player like him,” East Limestone coach Jeff Pugh said. “The guy is an incredible athlete. He definitely can go up and get a football.”
After an impressive spring that ended with a nice highlight reel in a win against West Limestone, Gandy, who plays wide receiver and safety for the Indians, has popped up on the radars of several college programs. He received invitations to multiple summer camps, and coaches from Samford, Chattanooga and South Alabama showed up on East Limestone’s campus. Pugh also was contacted by Auburn.
This summer, Pugh has remained in contact with several small to mid-level Division I programs — including Troy and Jacksonville State — and he believes Gandy’s first committable offer is coming soon.
But here’s the problem: The highlight film Gandy can send college programs is limited. He also didn’t attend a summer college camp because of AAU and other basketball obligations.
The lack of information available on Gandy could hurt his football recruitment. Or then again, maybe not.
Finding hidden gems
College programs signing late bloomers does happen. In Alabama, former Wenonah receiver DeRunnya
Wilson is a perfect example.
Like Gandy, Wilson played football as a freshman in 2009, but didn’t return until his senior season. Wilson starred on Wenonah’s 2012 playoff team, pieced together a nice highlight reel and eventually signed with Mississippi State.
Gandy, who has a 3.8 grade-point average, hopes his story has a similar ending.
“Being away from football for two years, the amount of contact I’ve gotten from colleges has shocked me,” Gandy said. “Some schools have recruited me as a wide receiver, and others as a safety. I’ve also been told that cornerback could be a possibility.”
Because Gandy didn’t attend a summer college camp, a recurring theme in his recruitment is coaching staffs want to see more film. With new East Limestone assistant coach Michael Brown implementing a spread offense, Gandy should get opportunities to piece together highlight footage.
If Gandy lives up to potential and plays well this season, technology is on his side. With the Hudl film sharing software that most area football programs use, college coaches instantly have access to any highlight reels created.
The right sport
Gandy already has a reputation as a standout basketball player. As a junior last season, he averaged 20 points and 6.8 rebounds while leading East Limestone to the Class 5A Northwest Regional semifinals. He was a first-team selection on The Daily’s Class 4A-6A all-area team, and an all-state honorable mention.
But as 6-4 hybrid shooting guard, Gandy’s height hurts his stock as a Division I basketball prospect.
Gandy’s height is not an issue on the football. In fact, coupled with his speed and athleticism, it makes him an ideal fit as a wide receiver or safety in most college systems.
According to Gandy, finding an opportunity to play a Division I sport isn’t why he returned to the football field.
“Honestly, I missed playing, especially on Friday nights,” Gandy said. “The past two years, I had gone to every East Limestone game, even when they played at Auburn. The entire time, I wished that I had been on the field. I didn’t want to finish my senior year with any regrets, so I came back.
Gandy made the decision after being approached by a group of classmates.
“During basketball season, we asked him if he would play, and he said already wanted to,” East Limestone quarterback Brick Pugh said. “He’s the best athlete in our school, so he’s definitely going to make us better. He’s such a big target, all you have to do is throw the ball in his direction and he’s going to make a play.”
It didn’t take Gandy long to fly out from under the radar. Word about Gandy’s performance in East Limestone’s spring game quickly spread across social media, and the Indians’ offensive makeover has been a hot topic in Capshaw ever since.
Gandy also has caught the attention of other area high school programs. Several area coaches who saw East Limestone at 7-on-7 camps this summer raved about Gandy’s potential.
“The East Limestone kid is a really, really good athlete,” Lawrence County coach Rich Dutton said. “He’s big, fast and has great hands. You can tell he has the ability to be a really good player.”
That potential, and Gandy’s sudden college football recruitment, is creating a unique storyline at East Limestone with plenty of buzz.
Whether or not the story ends with a Division I scholarship remains to be seen, so while the plot plays out … “I’m just enjoying my last year of high school,” Gandy said. “All of the recruiting stuff, and everything else that’s happening out here with football, I’m enjoying it and I can’t until we get the season started.”
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