Marvin Bohannon nearly let his chance to play college football slip away.
Bohannon, a senior defensive back at Winston-Salem State, was academically ineligible for the 2006 season and he was faced with a decision. He could work harder to get back on the team or continue to let his grades slide, which would mean his football career was over.
"I had to get going or I would have never seen the field," Bohannon said.
One person who stayed on Bohannon was his mother, Peggy, a single parent who raised Marvin since he was about 5 years old.
"My dad (Marvin Sr.) was killed when I was young and my mom has been everything to me," said Bohannon, a Winston-Salem native and 2005 graduate of North Forsyth. "My mom is very strict. And she was the only parent I had growing up, so I listen to her."
Bohannon's act is so straight now he's been on the Dean's list for several semesters as a therapeutic-recreation major and has nearly a 3.0 grade-point average. He's also one of the Rams' best defensive players, and because the program will be Division II next season he will have one more year of eligibility.
While the Sept. 11 announcement by Chancellor Donald Reaves to halt the transition to Division I upset many athletes, the decision does offer an extra year of eligibility for some. Coach Kermit Blount estimates he has five players, who are listed as seniors on the roster, who could return to play next fall because of the different rules in Division II.
"I plan on graduating next December, so I'm already looking forward to next season," Bohannon said.
A lot of players are likely looking ahead to next season. The Rams are 1-8 and play N.C. Central on Saturday at Bowman Gray Stadium.
"It's been a tough season and we've lost a lot of close games," Bohannon said. "But we are hanging in there."
Blount said that seeing Bohannon mature since he first arrived in the fall of 2005 has been great to see.
"His mom has been a lot of strength in his life and she's very supportive of what we do as coaches," Blount said. "We hear from her constantly because she checks up on Marvin and you like to see that."
Bohannon is also starting to plan for life after college. Since the 11th grade he's been a lifeguard at the Fulton YMCA, and the last two summers he's taught water aerobics.
"It's a lot of fun," he said. "I'm trying to be an aquatics specialist when I graduate and, hopefully, I want to work with rehabbing people in the pool."
Until he gets back in the pool, however, Bohannon hopes to help the Rams break out of their season-long funk. He ranks eighth in tackles (35), and has one sack, four pass break ups and an interception.
"We want to try and finish off these last two games," Bohannon said.
jdell@wsjournal.com
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