(courtesy of Ann Green, The Greenville News)
No phone calls to each other after today.
That was the rule that cousins Renaldo Gray and Armanti Edwards put into play this week because they are quarterbacks on opposing teams in one of the biggest rivalries in Division I-AA.
Gray, Furman's junior starting quarterback, and Edwards, the Appalachian State freshman phenom who won the starting job early in the 2006 season, will set aside family ties for a few days.
They'll take up where they left off immediately after the game Saturday.The two are from Greenwood, and both wear No. 14 on their jerseys.
A three-year age gap separates them, but in their childhoods, they lived just five minutes apart. Their mothers, Verncilla Gray and Deborah Anderson, are sisters.
Both players earned their prep football stripes under the tutelage of longtime coach Shell Dula at Greenwood High.
"We were close when we were growing up. I didn't have any brothers, so he and a couple of my other cousins were like brothers to me. I called him 'Money,'" Gray said, explaining that the word kind of sounds like Armanti.
They remain close.
"I talk to him at least three or four times a week," Gray said. "We always talk on Saturdays after our games, and we always talk on Fridays before our games."
Furman coach Bobby Lamb said of the phone calls, "We get all the Appalachian scoop from Renaldo, and I'm sure they get all the Furman scoop from Armanti."
Only not so much this week.
Because of the age difference, Gray finished his high school football career in 2002 and Edwards in 2005, so their prep football careers didn't really overlap.
"This will be our first time ever playing against each other. It means a lot," Edwards said.
"We're both 4-0," Gray said, referring to the Southern Conference records that the two teams bring
into this weekend's matchup. "It just adds fire to the game."
It would be easy to miss the family resemblance.
Both quarterbacks are 6 feet tall, but Gray weighs 230 and packs between 60 and 65 more pounds on his frame than his cousin.
"Renaldo is a big, big young man. With Armanti being 165 pounds, you can't hit him with a handful of rocks," said Lamb. "I told Renaldo that I wish they'd trade out a little bit, get Renaldo some of
Armanti's quickness and give Armanti some of Renaldo's beef."
Dula described the differences in their games in high school.
"Renaldo's strength was his strength and power," Dula said. "He rifled the ball. He was very physical. Armanti had such touch on the ball and probably threw the easiest ball I've ever seen to catch. He threw a soft pass. Renaldo was more of a gunner and had touch when he had to."
Added Dula, "Renaldo was so physical, and Armanti was elusive. He'd make people miss, where Renaldo got more out of running over them. Renaldo was more of an option quarterback."
Dula noted that the last five quarterbacks at Greenwood High were recruited by Division I teams and pointed out the role that Greenwood's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Chris Liner, played in the development of Gray and Edwards.
Gray moved up through Furman's quarterback development system and took over the starting job after a successful stint as backup to Ingle Martin, who was drafted by the Green Bay Packers.
Gray fought through a foot injury sustained the week before the 2006 season opener. He had a breakout game against North Carolina in mid-September. Then Gray had a setback, exiting the
Coastal Carolina game with a high ankle sprain. He missed the past two games, but is slated to return to the starting lineup of the No. 8-in-the-nation Paladins this week.
Edwards, who took over the starting job from former Byrnes High standout Trey Elder after two games in the 2006 season, has six starts with the defending national champion Mountaineers (currently ranked No. 1 in the nation).
He already has the record for most passing yards by a freshman (1,248) and total offense (1,755 yards).
Edwards hurt his knee last week against Georgia Southern in a game that went to double overtime before the Mountaineers secured the win. But he downplayed the injury. "I'll be able to play," he said.
Appalachian State coach Jerry Moore said of his young quarterback, "At this point in time in his career, I like what our players think of him. He's real quiet. That's the good thing about us being no huddle. He doesn't have to say anything."
Gray said he didn't really offer his cousin much advice as he assumed leadership of the Mountaineers.
"I couldn't tell him anything he doesn't already know. Just be confident," Gray said.
Gray said he and his cousin will have plenty of family support in the stands Saturday.
"I don't know who will sit on what side," said Gray. "My mom will have her Furman gear on top, but she'll have No. 14 for App State where nobody can see it."
There will be no need for the cousins' traditional phone call after the game Saturday. They'll take care of it in person.
"We'll definitely talk after the game because we'll have a lot of family there. We'll go back to being cousins instead of enemies," Gray said.