Three Raider football players sign intent for next level of gridiron domination

RICHMOND COUNTY, N.C. — Three Richmond Senior High School Raiders signed national letters of intent to play college football during a small ceremony at the high school on Wednesday, Feb. 1, 2023.

Tyson Holloway, a 6’4” tackle, will be playing at Brown University, in Rhode Island, Jeff Linton, a 6’5” tackle, will be playing at Tusculum University, in Tennessee, and Taye Spencer, a 5’7” running back, will be playing at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory, N.C.

Coach Bryan Till said all three student-athletes have done an incredible job both academically and on the field during their time as a Richmond Raider.

“They have had to overcome several unique challenges with regard to the covid pandemic to maintain a GPA that has allowed them to have these opportunities,” he said. “It has been quite the journey for each of them to get here.”

That short four-year journey as a Richmond Raider football player is more than just practicing long hours after school, Till said it’s more important about academics and being a positive role model for the football program in the classroom.

Tyson Halloway crushes a Mount Tabor opponent during a game at Raider Stadium on August 18, 2022. (Photo by Mark Bell)

Holloway was a member of the Raider Beta Club and Senate and took a rigorous academic schedule to get the opportunity to play in the Ivy League — the second player in the past six years to earn that opportunity.

Holloway will follow the steps of Dante Miller, a 2018 Richmond graduate who went on to play at Columbia College as a three-year starter and earned First Team All-Ivy League honors as a running back in 2021.

“His discipline in his studies has shown up on the field as well,” he said about Holloway’s dedication in the classroom and practice field. “The discipline to keep training through his career allowed his body to make a fantastic change. This change made him quite the force on the field.”Jeff Linton (77) runs over an opponent during a game against Mount Tabor at Raider Stadium on August 29, 2022. (Photo by Mark Bell)

The second player at the table was Linton, who grew up to be a Raider football player competing early on in the Raider AAU teams, said Till.

“He has always been the big guy in his class and has had tons of expectations because of that,” he said. “He has never wavered from those expectations and has always understood what it was going to take to have a chance at the next level.”

Till said Linton has always kept a level head and worked hard in the classroom.

“He now has the opportunity, so few have, to continue to play in college,” Till said.

Taye Spencer runs past a defensive player during a game against Butler High School at Raider Stadium on Aug. 26, 2022. (Photo by Mark Bell)

The third player signing was Spencer who came to the Raider program as an undersized, albeit very quick freshman, according to Till.

A lot changed in four years.

“He will graduate as the strongest pound-for-pound player in our program,” he said. “Just like Tyson and Jeff, Taye has transferred the same work ethic for training in the weight room to his classes. He has had consistent success in his academics throughout his entire time at Richmond Senior. This sustained classroom success set him apart from other recruits and is giving him an opportunity at Lenoir-Rhyne.”

Although the signing day turned a new chapter for the three young men, Till said educational decisions after high school are not just about continuing to play ball.

“They are about matching your life goals with the opportunity to do something you love,” he said. “Everyone will eventually stop playing the game.”

There is a lot that goes into choosing a college to play football or just to attend as a student. Till said in any sport, a student-athlete must ask himself or herself a couple of questions. He works with each player to ensure they have the resources to make the right decisions for the player and parents.

“These are questions, as well as weighing pros and cons, that we ask all our guys to address before making a decision,” he said.

What did the game provide you that will last?

How does the school provide you with opportunities that will last but don’t pertain to the sport?

“There are also numerous guys in our program who won’t be playing football in college but who have taken discipline from this sport to allow them to make strong decisions for their career future,” he said. “This is something we want to always be a cornerstone of our program.”