Adrian Murrell, a Mountaineer football player in the early 1990s, was the guest speaker at the annual Howard/Lincoln Scholarship Banquet Sunday.
“At age seven, I told my parents that it was a vision of mine to be part of the NFL,” he told attendees.  “The road to get to the NFL was as winding as taking Route 50.”
Remembering watching Major Harris playing for WVU, Murrell felt his desire to be a Mountaineer became even more decisive as a stepping stone to the NFL.
“I received an invitation to visit WVU,”  he told the audience after saying that he was previously leaning toward attending Washington State or USC, Murrell said.
He said that while visiting the Morgantown school, Don Nehlen told him if he came to WVU, he’d have a chance to play.
“I saw the other players who were recruited, and I didn’t know if I would be able to play or even get out on the field,” he said.
But, he signed a letter of intent to play in Morgantown.
According to Murrell, it was during this time that he “prayed to the Father to find out if there was still a way to become part of the NFL.”
Seeing little action on the playing field as a freshman, Murrell began to shine as a Mountaineer for the following two years.
Murrell stated that after leaving WVU, he knew he was “getting closer to my ultimate goal.”
Then there was a bump in the road.
Hoping to be in at least the second round draft to the Washington Redskins, Murrell said he was picked by the New York Jets in the fifth round.
“I enjoyed the run as a pro, and I will put my stats up against any player,” Murrell said, referring to his time with such teams as the Washington Redskins, Arizona Cardinals, and Dallas Cowboys.
Speaking to those attending the banquet, particularly to the members of the Keyser High School football team that were in the audience, Murrell wanted to “encourage you young men.”
He gave them several pointers on how they could “strive to achieve.”
“First of all, put God first, be obedient to your parents, and keep your dreams always in front of you,” Murrell said.
As part of the program, four graduating KHS students were named as the 2008 recipients of the Howard/Lincoln Scholarships.
The four are Chantal Brooks, Jamar Taylor, Joseph Redman, and Brittany Price, and they will all be attending Potomac State College.
Also recognized during the banquet were the students who were former students at the Howard and Lincoln Schools.
They joined together to sing the Howard High School alma mater, one line saying, “Tis Howard High School that we love, just one more step from there is Heaven above.”
The members of Howard/Lincoln Scholarship committee consist of Amanda Barnett, Freda Rolls, David Coleman, Karen Rolls, William Linhart, Kimberly Rolls, and Harry Coleman.