Gwinnett Daily Post
8/6
North’s Kilpatrick a cut above
North’s Crawford Kilpatrick
08/06/2005
By Todd Cline
Sports Editor
SUWANEE
It was always the first thing you noticed about Crawford Kilpatrick, the towering tufts of hair, like Don King on steroids. It always set him apart, often drawing taunts and sometimes even requests to touch it.
But now it’s gone. And the North Gwinnett receiver hopes its absence will allow his talent to move to the forefront as the thing people recognize about him. He says he cut it because it was too hot and too tough to care for, but it also sent a signal to his teammates that he’s one of them, a senior ready to lead.
“I want to change,” he said. “I feel like this is a new start for me, (a chance) to start over and work hard. Just because it’s my senior year.
“(The hair) kind of did set me apart.”
What also set Kilpatrick apart were the numbers from his junior year. No receiver in Gwinnett County caught more passes (60) or had more receiving yards (925) than the 6-foot-5, 200-pounder who came into his own after moving to Gwinnett to live with his mother.
Kilpatrick moved here from Ayer, Mass., where he lived with his father, with his sights set on becoming a basketball star. But it didn’t work out the way he planned.
He left the basketball team before last season ended, parting on amicable terms with head coach Len Garner. That left football for the kid who always assumed he’d be a basketball star.
“The high school where I was at wasn’t going to put me where I wanted to be,” said Kilpatrick, who has been slowed by shoulder problems, a sprained AC joint. “I wanted to play basketball and I originally came down here to play basketball, but in football I did really well last year, I think.
“Last year made me realize that maybe football is my ticket. I figure I have more of a chance to make it in football.”
At North he found the perfect place to showcase his football skills, working in the “Air Raid” offense that Dennis Roland introduced last year.
When Roland left to take a head coaching job in college, Kilpatrick was understandably concerned. But his fears were alleviated when North announced the hiring of Matt Moore, the offensive coordinator at Hoover (Ala.) High School and a disciple of the same passing offense Roland learned under Hal Mumme.
“I was real excited when I heard we were doing the same offense,” Kilpatrick said. “I heard about how (Coach Moore) won a lot over there (as) the offensive coordinator, so I am really excited. I hope to do real good things this year.”
Moore is excited, too, by both Kilpatrick’s talent and his decision to cut his hair. The coach never told his star receiver he had to change his hairstyle, but admitted he was impressed that Kilpatrick returned cleanly shorn from a three-week summer visit to see his father.
“I think it meant something to these kids on the team, too,” Moore said. “I think they realized, ‘Hey, he’s not wanting to stand out, he’s wanting to be part of the team.’ He’s wanting to be more of a team player, that’s what it told everybody.
“Last year in the team picture I don’t think (it looked good), it looked like he was trying to be an individual. I think he’s a lot closer to this team and a lot closer to these seniors.”
Kilpatrick reminds the coach of a receiver he had at Hoover named Chad Jackson. Slated to start this season for the University of Florida, Jackson led Hoover to a state title as a senior, earning Parade All-American honors while catching 68 passes for 1,187 yards and 14 TDs.
“(Crawford is) the same type of kid,” Moore said. “We used to call (Jackson) the X-factor. When you’re sitting there drawing up your offense ... we always know there’s one spot we can go where they’re not going to be better. They may be as good, but from a talent level they’re not going to be better. I feel the same way with (Crawford).”
That’s saying something for a player who is still pretty new to big-time football. Football in Massachusetts isn’t close to Georgia’s level, but Kilpatrick made the transition smoothly and Moore thinks there’s plenty of improvement ahead.
“They did a good job with him last year and we’re trying to build on that,” Moore said. “He’s got all those tools.”
So far Kilpatrick’s only scholarship offer is from Duke, but Moore expects that to change as the season progresses. In addition to getting things done on the field — Kilpatrick runs the 40 in 4.5 seconds and is fearless over the middle — the receiver has taken care of things in the classroom, sporting a 3.0 grade-point average and scoring 1,500 on the SAT.
He likes Florida, Auburn, Georgia, LSU, Ohio State and North Carolina and isn’t thrilled none of the big-time schools have offered. But he thinks if he trusts his coach and his talent things will work out.
“It’s a little frustrating. It’s going to frustrate anyone, I just have to let it go,” Kilpatrick said. “I don’t really think about it. I want to play at the next level.
“(Coach Moore) talks about (Jackson) and I like to listen because, I mean, he got him to Florida so maybe he can help me get somewhere.”
