GREENE COUNTY
On the first day of February, Greene County’s Arkiyus Wright signed his letter of intent to play football at Cumberland University in Lebanon, Tennessee.
Family and friends gathered in the school’s theater around 2:30 p.m. last Wednesday to recognize Wright’s accomplishments, and he acknowledged how blessed he was for the opportunity.
“The recruitment process has its ups and downs, but I’m grateful,” Wright said after his ceremony. “There were some days that you just know you’re going to make it out, but then there are days where you feel like you’re not, so you just have to keep working. My moment came when Cumberland called.”
The 5-foot-10, 160-pound Wright is an all-around athlete, but will most likely be playing in the defensive backfield for head coach Tim Mathis and his Phoenix squad in the NAIA division next season.
Through the recruitment process, Cumberland defensive coordinator Taurean Smith developed a good relationship with Wright. Wright acknowledged his conversations with Smith really helped influence his decision.
“The day I knew I was going to make it out was when coach Smith texted me,” Wright said. “He told me, ‘scared money don’t make no money,’ and we were able to build a bond from there because that’s what I’m usually going around town telling people. You’ve always got to take risks and that’s what I did.”
Wright didn’t just earn this opportunity overnight, though.
The former Tiger captain had an outstanding final season on both sides of the ball. He ended the year on offense with 10 receptions for 145 yards and a score while also recording 53 total tackles on the defensive side of the ball. Wright led the Tigers with four interceptions and made a big impact on special teams in his senior season.
On top of his success on the field, Wright will be graduating from Greene County with over a 3.6 grade-point average (GPA). His hard work in the classroom earned him a partial academic scholarship at Cumberland University.
Overall, Wright attributed his work ethic to those who supported him throughout his high school journey and hopes to have a successful future at the next level.
“My family and friends just kept supporting me throughout the whole process. They all knew what I wanted to do when I graduated high school,” Wright said. “My mom was cool with the decision and always checked on me to make sure I was thinking everything through. Ever since I was little, I always talked about getting to go out of state somewhere. I just didn’t think it would be to Tennessee, but it’s a start, and I’m excited.”