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WCHS QB to Bama
WCHS senior quarterback Kyle Pennington was having a normal day a few months ago when his childhood dream came true during Spanish class. "I was just sitting there in Spanish class on March 5th and they called me into the office," Kyle Pennington from Wagerville said. "I was thinking to myself that I must be in trouble or something." The 5'10 190-pound Chatom star was not in trouble but rather was about to be told of a lifetime dream that had become reality. "My principal called me in the office. Now I have received calls from places like Tuskegee and Alabama A&M, but I never expected who he was about to tell me was on the phone. He told me that someone from the University of Alabama was on the phone. I talked to them and they told me that they wanted me to come up to Alabama as a preferred walk-on." Pennington was a star on and off the field for the Bulldogs during his four years at WCHS. During his senior season he passed for 1600 yards with 21 touchdowns while rushing for 450 yards and six more touchdowns. He also sported a 3.7 grade-point average and credited his dedication in the classroom as the driving force behind his success. "I think my hard work in the classroom is one of the reasons Alabama wanted me. They see that I will do it on the field and off the field. You have got to have the grades." The Alabama Sports Writers Association named Pennington to the All-State Honorable Mention team in 3A. He was also the Washington County Offensive Player of the Year and All-County. "I will be a preferred walk-on at Alabama. I will be going in as an athlete. They will get me up there playing multiple positions to see where I am the most comfortable. I will not have to go through the process that most walk-ons go through because I am a preferred walk-on or invited walk-on. They said I could have possibly received a scholarship but they were already full. I am fine with that. I will do whatever I need to do to get on the field." Since learning of his college destination in March, he has been working hard to get ready for the grueling workouts that are in store for him when he gets to Tuscaloosa on July 26. "I have been working out everyday with my trainer Tom Moss from over in Chatom. We have been running every Saturday. I run bleachers everyday. I am doing a bunch of jump roping to improve my speed. I am running a 4.58 (40-time). "I am at 190 (pounds) right now and would like to reach 200 before I get up there.
"There haven't been very many people from Chatom to play for Alabama. Kip Williams and Dobie Bowman are the only two I know of. I am going to try to make a difference. The whole town is excited. Everywhere I go people are asking me about it. I always wanted to go to Alabama. I sent them tape after tape and they finally took a look it and called. It is a dream come true."
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