Agurs to camp at App State

One area that the Appalachian State football coaching staff is looking to add help at in the class of 2008 is defensive back. With the intentions of signing three or four players at the position, it's a given that the coaches will be scouring the east coast in search of players.

In this day in time, it is also a given that prospects themselves will be searching out potential schools that fit them. At this early stage in the process that is exactly what North Mecklenburg High (Charlotte, N.C.) cornerback Byron Agurs has done.

"My dad has been talking to coaches at Appalachian State and N.C. State about me coming to camps," Agurs said. "I think he spoke with coach (Shawn) Elliott about two weeks ago and coach Elliott was talking to him about me coming to their senior camp on June 17.

"So, I'll be going to that camp for sure and then I am going to the D-1 Football Camp at UNCC (June 25-27). I haven't sent any tape to any schools but I am trying to get a highlight tape from my coach so I can do that. Once I get that I'm going to send it to App State, NC State, Winston-Salem State and maybe Chapel Hill."

Agurs, who is 5-foot-8, 170-pounds, said he took a visit to the ASU campus a little over a month ago and the Boone, N.C., school left a pretty strong impression on him.

"I was actually on campus at App State for a diversity fair and stayed the night with another student," he said. "I really liked the campus and I've got a lot of interest in ASU. They have a pretty good football program, obviously, and I am planning on majoring in business and marketing and they have a good program in that as well.

"It's closer to home and I like the mountain setting a lot. I just like the campus a lot better than some of the others. It gets cold up there, but it wouldn't bother me too bad."

For many, Agurs may be considered too small, but what he lacks in height he makes up for with speed.

"I run the 40 in 4.49 seconds," the rising senior said. "So I'm decently fast and I have really good makeup speed. I really like to go for interceptions and I'm not afraid to take a chance to get one either. I don't always just go for the tackle. I'm trying to make a play and go for the ball as well.

"I think if there is one thing I need to work on though it is playing man coverage. I don't like being left out there on an island to cover someone, but I can still make plays in it. I do have the speed to makeup if a guy gets by me. I just think I need to get better at it. I'm the most comfortable playing in a Cover 3 or Cover 4. I'm just not as experienced at man as I am the others."

In terms of Agurs' speed, the senior-to-be has shown that hard work pays off when trying to improve upon areas that may be lacking.

"I ran track to help with my speed and I worked with OrthoCarolina and they helped me with my technique and both of those improved my speed a lot," he said. "Before last season I was running the 40 in 4.79 seconds and after I ran track and worked with OrthoCarolina I got that down to the 4.49. So, it helped a lot."

Currently, Agurs says he will attend camps and prepare himself for a big season in his senior year with the hopes of earning scholarships.

Agurs benches 260 pounds, squats 350 and cleans 230. He also carries a 3.0 GPA in the classroom.