Several former Greenwood-area players are having productive seasons for their respective college teams in 2019.
Redshirt junior safety Tyler Glass has played in all 10 games for the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks, who are 4-6 with two games remaining. Glass, a former Greenwood High Bulldog, has recorded 69 total tackles (36 solos, 33 assists) for the Warhawks, who host Coastal Carolina Saturday and close out the regular season on Nov. 30 at Louisiana Lafayette.
Glass played in two games last season but earned a redshirt as he was sidelined for 10 games with an upper body injury. Before heading to Monroe, Glass played his sophomore season at Copiah-Lincoln Community College and played at Gulf Coast Community College as a freshman.
At Louisiana Lafayette, former GHS product Bennie Higgins is wrapping up his senior season as a starting defensive end. He has tallied 15 solo stops, six assists, five tackles for loss and two sacks for the Ragin’ Cajuns, who are 8-2 overall and entertain Troy this weekend before closing the regular season against ULM.
Higgins (6-0, 280) started all 14 games as a junior, recording 58 total tackles (18 solos), seven stops for loss and 41/2 quarterback sacks. He played in 11 games for Lafayette as a sophomore in 2017, picking up 12 total tackles, three stops for a loss and forcing a fumble.
At Stetson University, former Bulldog Tarren Smith is concluding his senior campaign for the Hatters, who are 6-4 overall and play at Morehead State Saturday. Smith, who plays linebacker, has 12 solo stops and 15 assists for Stetson, which is located in Deland, Florida.
Smith saw action in nine games as a junior, five as a starter. He suffered a knee injury that caused him to miss some playing time. He finished with 28 tackles as a junior. Smith played two seasons at Hinds Community College upon leaving Greenwood. As a sophomore, he was credited with 40 tackles. He had 28 stops as a freshman with one sack.
At Mississippi State, former GHS Bulldog Marquiss Spencer, a 6-4, 285-pound defensive end, has 18 solo stops and 12 assists with 41/2 tackles for loss and a sack for the 4-6 Bulldogs, who host Abilene Christian Saturday. Spencer has seen action since his freshman campaign in 2016. He was injured last season, playing in only four games.
Two other former Greenwood Bulldogs had their seasons come to an end recently. Rico Owens, a junior running back, did not play in Delta State’s regular season finale against Mississippi College Saturday. The Choctaws came out on top 37-13 to end with a 6-4 record.
Owens, a junior running back, led the Statesmen with 631 yards and eight touchdowns on 97 carries. He also had 12 receptions for 104 yards. He had a season-high 149 yards on nine carries against Shorter on Nov. 2.
Jalen Bedell recently garnered second-team accolades from the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges for his sophomore season at Copiah-Lincoln Community College.
Bedell, a 6-foot-1, 305-pound defensive lineman for the Wolves, had 30 tackles with 41/2 tackles for loss, two sacks and a fumble recovery.
