Cox Has All-Star Potential
8/27/1999 8:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 27, 1999
by Jerry Lundquist, Richmond Times-Dispatch
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- This is for people who like to draw to inside straights and put their money on 50-1 shots: Renard Cox for all-Atlantic Coast Conference.
A few years ago that would have been unthinkable. A junior at Richmond's Huguenot High School, Cox was not eligible for football. He was an academic casualty who was wasting his life away.
"I watched practice. I went to games but couldn't play. It wasn't fun," Cox said. "It was hard."
Now, in his second and final season at the University of Maryland, Cox could be on the verge of something great. His coach, Ron Vanderlinden, yesterday called Cox "our best cornerback."
Teammates, such as defensive tackle Delbert Cowsette marvel at Cox's determination. "A super-hard worker," Cowsette called Cox. "He's determined to be the best. I think he's going to surprise a lot of people."
Given where he's been, Cox might surprise himself. This was a young man of some talent about to waste it. He didn't study. His grades were poor. It wasn't until a trip to the Penn State football camp and a season of not suiting up that
the 6-0 189-pounder finally understood he better get his priorities in order.
"I wanted to go to college. I knew football was the only way I'd get there, and [Huguenot] Coach [Richard] McFee was very persuasive," Cox said.
Having played only one varsity season, and his grades in shambles, Cox was on nobody's recruiting list. For the next two years, he played for equally obscure Lackawanna Junior College in Scranton, Pa., after McFee sent coach Mark Duda a tape of Cox. Duda liked what he saw.
This was, after all, an all-district player. Cox had the goods. It was up to him to deliver.
Two seasons at Lackawanna, where he was honorable mention all-conference, led Cox to College Park. Vanderlinden thinks Duda, a former
Maryland player, was most instrumental. Kentucky, Michigan State, Pittsburgh and Wisconsin also had Cox in mind, but he opted for Vanderlinden's rebuilding program "because I always dreamed about playing in the ACC and wanted to be close to home."
His parents, Sandra and Frederick Collier, are little more than two hours away by car. Last year, they saw Cox make a difficult transition.
"Like most junior college players, he gave us an average season," Vanderlinden said. Cox was
more critical. "I had to be re-taught everything. Break old, bad habits," he said. "It was real tough. They expect so much from you on every play. And everything was a lot faster."
This summer Cox dedicated himself to football. He stayed at Cowsette's apartment and spent the daylight hours running, lifting and getting into the best possible shape.
In a secondary that Vanderlinden admits has been his biggest concern, Cox has emerged as a big-time player just when it appeared time was running out on him.
"He's a cool guy . . . who pulls no punches. He doesn't hold anything back," Cowsette said. "Once he got here and saw what could happen, what was out there for him, he hasn't let up. I think he can make all-ACC and make it to the NFL. It's up to him."
Cox knows his friends back in Richmond might get a chuckle at that. Then again, maybe not. "I want to prove to myself I can be a great athlete," Cox said. "There's still a long way to go."
Touting the Terps
Coach: Ron Vanderlinden, 5-17 in two seasons, but always the optimist. "We're right on schedule."
Players to watch: Junior running back Lamont Jordan, who says he wants to carry the ball more after averaging 17 a game a season ago. Vanderlinden: "Lamont is a communication's major. He likes to talk a lot." Tight end John Waerig, whom Vanderlinden calls "the ACC's best blocker, bar none."
Primary problem: Coming up with a quarterback from among a sophomore, redshirt freshman and true freshman. Vanderlinden still hasn't made up his mind. Keep an eye on the newcomer, Latrez Harrison from Atlanta.
© 1999, Richmond Newspapers Inc.
