by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LonnPhillips
CORY HUFF JR
(SAFETY)
2021 JUNIOR YEAR STATS (3 Games)
29 TACKLES (22 SOLO)
-9.7 TACKLES PER GAME
5 PDs
3 TFLs
1 SACK
1 INT
Already posting 9.7 tackles per game only 3 weeks into the season, forcing turnovers, sacking quarterbacks, breaking up passes, as well as making plays in the backfield, 2023 DB Cory Huff Jr is currently a versatile playmaker with a strong future ahead of him.
How strong?
The Chester Nimitz safety is now one of the fastest rising 2023 prospects out of the fertile football bleeding grounds of Houston, Texas, not only excelling on the field as a starting safety for Nimitz High, Cory also raises his game on a regular basis alongside Coach Grant's 7 on 7 squad Team Fury.
Witnessing Cory Huff Jr play a game isn't just about watching someone make plays, fulfill their on-field roles and execute to the best of their abilities:
Cory Huff Jr wants you to remember his name after every snap. He's not playing for stickers on a helmet or stars from a website....he's playing for history.
And thus far, he's succeeding:
Nearly decapitating opponents with high octane, clean, shoulder-led hits, showing off his dazzling side to side range and tracking ability by way of his masterclass interception vs Mayde Creek, while pulling off 8 & 9 solo stops during outings of 10 & 12 total tackles, Cory Huff Jr has been the brightest spot on what has been a trying opening 3 weeks for Chester Nimitz.
Riding waves of adversity, from a season-ending injury to an 0-3 start, there is no mountain too tall for Cory Huff to scale.....no challenge will ever make him back down....no matter how many national recruiting services are paying attention or not, every game day is the Super Bowl for Huff Jr.....and isn't that how the best always played the game?
Don't take my word for it, check out what his DBs Coach Earl Westbrooks has to say about the illustrious young talent:
COACH WESTBROOKS: Huff is by far the best player I’ve coached in my years of coaching.
I preach to my wife all the time on how he’s a program changer.
Since day one, I knew Cory was special.
When I met him, he said it with no hesitation "put me on the best WR" and that was rare to hear that coming out of a sophomore's mouth.
People from the outside looking in want see the work that Cory put in.
This summer Cory joined the Fury 7on7 team and that may have been the best move he could have done.
The Fury Coaches and I have a good relationship. We talk once a week not only about Cory, but about how to help the kids out.
Coach Grant has been a big factor on Cory recruiting and that’s why I advise everyone to play for Team Fury because, like they say, "it takes a village".
Aldine has a reputation of good talent going to waste lately, as well a tough place to play because your challenged with so many obstacles off the field, but the thing about Cory is he understands the assignment and he knows what he wants out of it.
This is a kid that came to SAC camp all summer while playing 7on7 for Team Fury and going to college camps.
What more could you ask for???
It’s my honor to coach him and I wish him nothing but great success.
Now.....here at LSU Odyssey, you know we love a diamond in the rough prospect, you know we love an underdog story, you know we have an eye for true talent....so, with all those factors in mind, we had to get to the bottom of just who Cory Huff Jr is and what motivates him most:
LONN: Look at these numbers through 3 games already for your junior year: 29 tackles, 22 as a solo artist, 5 passes broken up, 3 tackles for loss, an interception, a sack, so...my first question: You're an explosive player, you play safety, corner, nickel, you're even known to play receiver, what makes you one of the true talents of the 2023 class?
CORY: I'm giving it my all every play, no matter where I'm at. I'm on every single special teams (unit) we got, I just give 100% every single play....because I know other players, they might start on offense, start on defense and they don't want to take it 100% on special teams, but that's just my opportunity to do it: to prove I'm better than the next man.
LONN: Well and special teams is the perfect place to practice knocking people out, man, you are probably next to Tackett Curtis as the most violent hitter of the 2023 class, at least that I've seen. As far as jumping out on film, you're one of the most savage hitters I've seen from 2023, where does that come from?
CORY: Oh man, okay my sophomore year in the beginning I got hurt, I really hurt myself in the weight room doing squats. I fractured my hips, so that's......when I got back, knowing I've been out for a long time, I hit the weights hard: power cleans, squats, all of that...I hit the weights hard. And then it felt like it just transferred on to the football field, like I wasn't just doing it for nothing....it helped me out.
LONN: You're coming from Texas' 7 on 7 leagues, playing for the Texas Fury with Coach Grant, Coach Levy, playing with QB Mabrey Mettauer, Jalen "J2" Menny, Charlie Pollard, Levy Jr, a bunch of extremely talented young guns, that's how I came to know you, actually. How has playing 7 on 7 transferred to your games for Chester Nimitz High School?
CORY: 7 on 7 helped me cover better, definitely cover better. When you're in a game, if you don't cover good, everybody you're playing against is good. If you're not at the top of your game, you're gonna be someone's highlight play. Working with Team Fury and Coach Grant, man that might've been the best thing to happen to me in my career...because they really got me to where I'm at right now, honestly.
LONN: That's high praise and I mean, you're practicing against great quarterbacks like Mabrey, practicing against elite receivers from Texas high schools and all over the country, and that leads me right to this question: What was your experience like when you went to some of those LSU camps and practiced against some of the best?
CORY: LSU was like....LSU it was like a dream....when I first went in for my first camp, they gave me a helmet that had my last name on it, I was like.....(breathes deeply)...there were butterflies in my stomach. But as soon as the first drill came, first one on one, it all just went away. It was like...it was just natural. It was just natural. It was like I was supposed to be there.
LONN: What were some of the moment you had in Baton Rouge?
CORY: I remember I was at safety for the first 10 or 15 minutes of one on ones, with the 2023s. I was doing the one on ones and I went twice, but it was like....I was over there and I was looking for some real competition.
So that last 20 minutes, I went over there with the seniors and the 22s. It was definitely more competition over there, but it was just making plays.
Every time I made a play, it was always acknowledged.
LONN: You met Coach O, I saw your photos with him, but who were some of the other coaches you met as well?
CORY: Coach Thomas (former LSU Legend Dwayne Thomas, now DBs analyst working under Corey Raymond) I remember being acknowledged by him.
LONN: Dwayne reminds me of your type of profile, a versatile DB and a hard hitter. That's very cool, it's obvious LSU are interested. You have Coach O's number, you just collected an offer from the Naval Academy, you have an official visit invite from Texas set up this Saturday, who else have you been in contact with?
CORY: I was talking to Utah today and Syracuse, I was talking to Coach Brookins at Northern Iowa. I was also talking to Texas and University of Houston.
LONN: Who's been pushing the most for your offer currently?
CORY: I think Syracuse have. And that was because I was talking to their defensive coordinator a lot, Coach White.
LONN: Tony White? Doooooood, I like him!
CORY: It was after my last game when I seen him follow me, text me and I saw he was talking to Coach Grant and Coach Williams, the defensive coordinator at my school.
LONN: You are being heavily watched right now, my man. It's gotta be a great feeling after your injury as a sophomore & the shortened season, now you've started 2021 with a clean slate.
CORY: I was talking to the Defensive Coordinator at my school and I was like "you know it feels good to start a year off where I can run full speed and not feel a single pain. I haven't felt like this in a long time, it's like I'm letting off all the stuff I knew I had in me. I was seeing players do that thing last year and I know I can do the same thing, but you know, everybody get their set of cards....but I just feel like it's my time now.
LONN: It's gotta feel like, when you're delivering your big hits...almost like you're giving 'em two-seasons-worth of punishment to make up for lost time...
CORY: You know Team Fury during the off-season, they helped me out a lot. But yeah man, I gotta make up for the time I lost 'cause of the injury.
LONN: What type of effort will it take to put your name up at the top of the 2023 class? It'll take a lot but I've seen it happen in a quick fashion before.
CORY: I honestly feel like I can't wait to play against Spring and Westfield.
I know they have good players, Division I players at their school. I know I'm gonna show up, I've been waiting for this. And I also feel like once I get that first big offer, they'll keep coming. And if they don't, that's fine too, because I know I'm gonna show up when my team needs me the most.
LONN: What are your plans for your recruitment process and where do you wanna go most?
CORY: I love Georgia. I love Georgia. I could give you 5 schools, but Georgia would be #1. I haven't even been in contact with them, but that's just where I feel I'd like to be. Syracuse and Utah, those two for sure and Texas and U of H.
LONN: Did the UGA performance on defense vs Clemson put them higher up your list?
CORY: It did, it really just made me really just feel better about them. But Georgia's almost been like a...since childhood, it's always been Georgia & LSU. I've always wanted to go there since I was a little kid.
LONN: Finishing with your family: Cory, how does your mother inspire you?
CORY: Growing up, I'm blessed to have my father in my life, now you know, growing up my Mom always always made a way for me. I never went without anything 'cause of her. She would go out of her way to provide for me: new football cleats, I never went without anything with her in my life, ever.
LONN: How has your father inspired you?
CORY: My father, he's turned his life around and with him doing that, it just pushed me to go harder. I know if he could do it, anybody can.
HUDL HIGHLIGHTS
by LONN PHILLIPS SULLIVAN
@LonnPhiliips
Copyright 2021 Uninterrupted Writings inc
SHOUTOUTS: Coach Grant and Team Fury, without whom this article may not have happened, and of course....
TO CORY HUFF JR:
You are an incredible young titan and ball-hawk, it's been an absolute privilege getting to know you as a person and as a player!
It'll be a pleasure to follow your career as it continues to explode!
We know you have great things in your future coming!!!!
We can't wait to see what happens next on the field when Nimitz plays this Friday!
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