RM's Barnes gets football scholarship offer from Duke

- RMHS offensive lineman Whit Barnes

ROCKY MOUNT - When Rocky Mount offensive lineman Whit Barnes opened his mail Thursday afternoon, he had to catch his breath.

He received a letter from the Duke University football staff offering him a scholarship to play college football for the Blue Devils - under new head coach David Cutcliffe

To say he and his parents, Russ and Martha Barnes, were on Cloud 9 would be an understatement. An opportunity to get a free college education from Duke is what they thought most of. Football took a back-burner - at least for a few moments.

The 6-foot-4, 270-pound rising senior, who sports a 4.1 GPA, was named to the NCPreps.com 3-A All-State team after helping the Gryphons to a 14-1 season last year. He assisted RMHS in setting a school record for rushing yardage and total offense in 2007.

Several more offers may come in before Barnes decides to accept Duke's. With 18 starters coming back this fall, many feel this might be the year for the senior-ladened Gryphons. Barnes and many of his senior teammates may get several offers each before the first Wednesday of February, national signing day, rolls around.

Posted by: Rocky Mount High School

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