Jay Hughes and Robert Johnson, two gifted athletes for Oak Grove High School, in Hattiesburg, Miss., can impact a football game in an assortment of ways. Their value is being noticed by premier college programs who have offered scholarships and West Virginia is among the frontrunners for both of these promising prospects.

“I just like how they [WVU] play so fast,” Hughes said. “Everybody that’s on the team has some kind of speed.”

For Johnson, the allure of a loyal fan base and the feel of Morgantown make WVU an intriguing potential destination. “It’s a good college town“ he said. “There aren’t any NFL or NBA teams up there -- it’s just WVU football.”

The pair of teammates, who are close friends off the field, form a dynamic duo of running backs.

“It’s either me blocking for him or him blocking for me,” Hughes explained. “It’s nice, man.”

But both are equally effective on defense -- Hughes and Johnson also play corner back and Johnson can even line up at defensive end, as a pass rusher.

“No matter we’re wining or losing, we’re always going to light up the locker-room,” said Hughes, whose Oak Grove team is off to a 7-2 start.

ESPN Scouts Inc rated Hughes, a 5-foot-11, 175 pound player, the No. 88 overall athlete for the 2010 recruiting class and evaluated him with a 76 scouts grade. The recruiting service rated Johnson, who is 6-foot-1, 195 pounds, the No. 33 overall athlete for 2010, and tagged him with a 78 scouts grade.

Auburn, West Virginia, Duke, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Southern Miss and Tulsa all offered Hughes, he listed off. He noted that list has been trimmed to Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, Auburn and WVU, in that order.

But the Mountaineers could climb up the pecking order for Hughes’ eventual commitment, he said. “I would like to see somebody [from WVU] come down here for one of our games,” said Hughes, “to watch us play and meet my mom and dad.”

Johnson, on the other hand, had a list of a dozen offers and has since sorted out his list of five finalists, but in no specific order. “I’ve narrowed it down to Auburn, Ole Miss, WVU, Florida State, and Mississippi State,” he said.

Florida State is yet to materialize a written offer for Johnson, but if that happens, the Seminoles will become his top choice. “Florida State hasn’t offered yet, but they are saying they are getting close. They would be my No. 1 school.”

Back on the Sept. 12 weekend when the Mountaineers welcomed in East Carolina, Hughes and Johnson took official visits to Morgantown.

“It was real nice,” Hughes said. “I loved the Mountaineer atmosphere. There were some fans up there who knew who we were by name. I just like how different it is at WVU. The football players are some of the most popular people in the town.”

Johnson agreed: “Yeah, I loved what I saw. They showed me the facilities and dorms. Everything looked good.”

Both admitted they often talk about continuing to play football together in college. “We talk about that all the time,” Johnson said.

And almost verbatim, Hughes said, “We talk about it all the time. Wherever I go, I want him to consider.”

Hughes said WVU offensive coordinator Jeff Mullen primarily recruits Mississippi for the Mountaineers, but the coach he has most often been talking with is defensive backs coach David Lockwood. “He tells me to do whatever I want to do,” Hughes said. “He just doesn’t throw WVU at me. I like that about him.”

That kind of recruiting pitch comes in at an alternate angle towards a recruit, but for Hughes, it really makes Lockwood stand out. “It is unique compared to the other schools that are recruiting me. He is talking to me like he’d talk to his son. I like the way he handles it.”

While on his official visit to WVU, Brandon Hogan served as player host for Hughes. Hogan offered some insight into what it’s like playing for Lockwood. “He’s a down to earth guy and he’s going to shoot you straight,” Hughes said he was told by Hogan. “If I hear it from a player, obviously, he’s telling me the truth.”

Lockwood is known for developing former WVU cornerback Ellis Lankster into an NFL corner back, in just one season of coaching Lankster. “I knew about Ellis Lankster,” Hughes said of the Buffalo Bills’ late-round draft selection. “That just tells you what kind of coach he is.”

Finding a school where he would feel most comfortable at is atop the list of Hughes’ priorities. “If the coaches that recruiting me now weren’t there, would I still be OK? In college coaching, it’s a crazy deal,” he said.

Johnson said virtually all of the WVU staff has been recruiting him, but receivers coach Lonnie Galloway is spearheading the pitch for the Mountaineers. When asked what Galloway sees from Johnson’s skill set that most impresses him, Johnson immediately answered: “Speed.

“We really don’t even talk about it. He knows what I can do.”

WVU will lose receivers Alric Arnett and Wes Lyons to graduation after this season. Galloway is actively looking for replacements on the recruiting trail and made it apparent to Johnson. “He tells me he needs some help,” Johnson said.

Earning early playing time is Johnson’s main priority in picking a school and of leaving his home state for a college as far away as WVU is, he said, “I’m down with it. It’s not a problem.”

Up next for Hughes is a Dec. 4 official visit date at Duke, followed by a Jan. 15-16 visit to Mississippi State and finally a trip to Auburn on Jan. 23. He said of his commitment, “It’s probably going to be in late December. If I make my commitment, I’m still going to let the coaches know I’m going to take my visits and enjoy my self.”

Johnson said, “Everybody is waiting on me to commit. If it’s not at the end of the season, then it’s probably on signing day.”

Photo Credit: Bulldawg Junction

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