Tersoo Uhaa had no doubt the day would come. The senior at Riverside Military Academy has stated that a career in the NFL is his ultimate athletic goal. Wednesday, after a standout prep career, he committed to make the next step.
Uhaa, a 5-foot-9, 200-pound running back and linebacker, has accepted a scholarship offer from Furman University and verbally committed to play for the Division I-AA Paladins next fall.
With offers from Army and Virginia Military Institute also available, Uhaa said he was swayed to Furman during an official visit to the school’s Greenville, S.C., campus. When assistant coach Steve Wilson visited Uhaa on Wednesday at Riverside’s campus in Gainesville, he decided "to make it official, face-to-face."
"I went for a visit when (Furman) played Elon and I saw their offense. It’s almost exactly the same as what we ran (at Riverside), and I think I’ll fit in perfectly," Uhaa said of the Paladins’ multiple-look spread scheme. "And the campus there and the stadium were just immaculate."
Uhaa was a starter at fullback for the Eagles before moving to tailback and rushing for more than 1,200 yards in 2007. He also was also a standout at linebacker for Riverside, but said Furman plans to use him on offense.
Uhaa, who carries a 3.5 grade-point average and is the high-ranking cadet at Riverside, said Furman’s proximity to his Stone Mountain home, as well as the recruiting approach used by the Paladins’ coaching staff, helped seal his decision.
"First off, it’s close to home and everybody that got to see me play in high school will get a chance to see me play in college," said Uhaa. "Furman began showing interest at the beginning of the season and they’ve just stayed very consistent, calling me every week and letting me know they want me."
Uhaa and Riverside teammate Ewin Holyfield were recently selected to compete in the GISA All-Star game, which will be held 1 p.m. Saturday at Mount de Sales Academy in Macon.
Furman is coached by former Commerce High standout Bobby Lamb and has carved out considerable recruiting inroads in Northeast Georgia. Last year, the Paladins pulled in Flowery Branch defensive lineman McKenzy Opio and Buford wide receiver David Hendrix. Other local products on the 2007 Paladins roster included John Castleberry, David Menocal and Andrew Thacker of Gainesville, and Mark Standridge and Masharn Austin of Buford.
The Paladins finished 6-5 this year and have reached the Division I-AA playoffs in three of past four seasons.