Shiverdecker chooses Carson-Newman

Faced with the uncertainty of the junior college route or waiting for the University of Kentucky to come up with a better offer, the Alcoa High School star announced a verbal commitment to Carson-Newman College . The 2006 Mr. Football will sign with the Division II Eagles on national signing day Feb. 7.

"God chose (Carson-Newman) as the place for me to go," Shiverdecker said. "It’s a real nice campus. They’ve got new facilities. I talked to my family, and it’s a really Christian program.

"It (recruiting) has been stressful. I prayed about and prayed about it, and it’s where He chose for me to go."

The Wildcats were thought the front-runners for Shiverdecker’s services. Kentucky recruiting coordinator Randy Sanders visited the All-American back this weekend. When the Wildcats suggested the Tornado All-State burner first try the junior college route, Shiverdecker said he chose to go with the Eagles.

"They (the Wildcats) said maybe I’d have to go to junior college and come up there next year," he said.

Shiverdecker rushed for better than 2,000 yards in 2006, including a 900-yard total in five postseason games, as the Tornadoes won their third consecutive Class 2A state football crown in December. In one of the season’s most dominating performances, Shiverdecker ran for 238 yards and five touchdowns on nine carries in a semifinal win over Smith County.

The 2005 BlueCross Bowl most valuable player had 199 of the yards and four of the scores by halftime.