Prodigy
Boss
July 9, 2002
JSU football team loses 2 key components
By Mark Alexander
Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer
Jackson State will be without starting receiver Michael Goss and backup quarterback John Flen when it opens the season Aug. 31 at Southern Miss.
Goss, an 11th-round selection by the Boston Red Sox in June, will miss the season to play professional baseball. Flen is transferring to Tuskegee.
"It's going to be tough," JSU offensive coordinator Darrell Asberry said. "I don't know how I'm going to replace (Goss). I guess one of those young guys is going to have to step in. He wants to play football real bad. We talked about it and I told him he had to look at what was best for him.
"I was hoping (Flen) was going to come back, but I don't think that's what he wants to do. He could've helped us out this year."
Goss, a junior from Louisville, led the Southwestern Athletic Conference in kickoff return average (28.9 yards per return) and also had 19 catches for 254 yards and three touchdowns. There's a possibility Goss could return to play football at JSU in 2003, Asberry said.
Goss recently signed with Boston and is currently playing for the Lowell Spinners in Lowell, Mass., a Class A team in the Red Sox system. He couldn't be reached for comment.
Flen, a sophomore from Avondale, Ga., split time with Brian Green last season as Robert Kent's backups. Flen emerged as the No. 2 quarterback this spring while Green sat out with an injury.
Flen, who saw limited action a year ago, threw for 239 yards and three touchdowns in the spring game.
"I looked at it like a business move," Flen said. "Looking at it, Kent's got two more years and I've got three more years. And one year wasn't going to cut it. I didn't feel like sitting around and waiting.
"I hate to leave Jackson State. I made some good friends while I was there, and it's no disrespect to the coaches. I just felt like it was time for me to go."
JSU's other quarterbacks include Green and incoming freshmen Jeremy Lee of Harrison Central and Elijah McDonald of Morton.
JSU football team loses 2 key components
By Mark Alexander
Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer
Jackson State will be without starting receiver Michael Goss and backup quarterback John Flen when it opens the season Aug. 31 at Southern Miss.
Goss, an 11th-round selection by the Boston Red Sox in June, will miss the season to play professional baseball. Flen is transferring to Tuskegee.
"It's going to be tough," JSU offensive coordinator Darrell Asberry said. "I don't know how I'm going to replace (Goss). I guess one of those young guys is going to have to step in. He wants to play football real bad. We talked about it and I told him he had to look at what was best for him.
"I was hoping (Flen) was going to come back, but I don't think that's what he wants to do. He could've helped us out this year."
Goss, a junior from Louisville, led the Southwestern Athletic Conference in kickoff return average (28.9 yards per return) and also had 19 catches for 254 yards and three touchdowns. There's a possibility Goss could return to play football at JSU in 2003, Asberry said.
Goss recently signed with Boston and is currently playing for the Lowell Spinners in Lowell, Mass., a Class A team in the Red Sox system. He couldn't be reached for comment.
Flen, a sophomore from Avondale, Ga., split time with Brian Green last season as Robert Kent's backups. Flen emerged as the No. 2 quarterback this spring while Green sat out with an injury.
Flen, who saw limited action a year ago, threw for 239 yards and three touchdowns in the spring game.
"I looked at it like a business move," Flen said. "Looking at it, Kent's got two more years and I've got three more years. And one year wasn't going to cut it. I didn't feel like sitting around and waiting.
"I hate to leave Jackson State. I made some good friends while I was there, and it's no disrespect to the coaches. I just felt like it was time for me to go."
JSU's other quarterbacks include Green and incoming freshmen Jeremy Lee of Harrison Central and Elijah McDonald of Morton.
