Former Zips Recruit Ends up @ Grambling

[Captain Kangaroo]

Perry QB picks GramblingChristopher Horner/TRIBUNE-REVIEWBy Kevin GormanTRIBUNE-REVIEWWednesday, April 5, 2006Desmond Brentley never let go of his dreams to play Division I football, but the Perry quarterback had resigned himself to the notion that he would have to attend prep school to attract interest.Then, Brentley did what he knows best -- taking a step back and letting it fly. If Division I programs weren't going to recruit him, he would recruit them."When I thought about it, I figured my name wasn't out there enough," said Brentley, a two-time City League Player of the Year. "I sent out a package with my highlight tape and newspaper articles about me to schools. The response we got back was tremendous."Now, Brentley is headed to one of the most famous college football programs in the country. He signed Saturday with black college football power Grambling State University in Louisiana, the defending Southwestern Athletic Conference champions. Grambling produced Doug Williams, the first black quarterback to win a Super Bowl, and Eddie Robinson retired as the winningest coach in college football."They've got a rich history," Brentley said. "I'm excited."Under the direction of first-year coach Melvin Spears -- who replaced Williams -- the Tigers averaged 371.3 passing yards per game last season. The 6-foot-2, 228-pound Brentley put up some impressive numbers of his own at Perry, becoming the first City player to pass for 2,000 yards in back-to-back seasons and finishing with 4,344 yards and 49 touchdowns.Last fall, Brentley completed 109 of 206 passes (52.9 percent) for 2,226 yards and 29 touchdowns to lead Perry to its sixth consecutive City League title.Brentley hopes to compete for the starting job at Grambling, where Bruce Eugene set an NCAA Division I record with 140 career touchdown passes and school single-season records with 56 touchdowns, 305 completions and 4,928 yards last season."Their quarterback just graduated, and the position is up for grabs," Brentley said. "Hopefully, I can get the starting job."Brentley has added motivation. He waited on scholarship offers from Akron and Temple to gauge Pitt's interest. When the Panthers passed, Brentley was left empty-handed when the other schools pulled their offers late last fall. He planned to attend Milford Academy, a prep school in New Berlin, N.Y.Now, Brentley has circled a date on his calendar, as Grambling's tentative 2007 schedule includes a Sept. 8 game against Pitt at Heinz Field."I've got the opportunity," Brentley said. "It's just extra incentive for me. I've got to work hard. I think it's a great opportunity for me to play early.