Storey, Hogs sign financial aid deal

Charleston quarterback Ty Storey looks to pass against Glen Rose during Saturday night's Class 3A state final at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.
Charleston quarterback Ty Storey looks to pass against Glen Rose during Saturday night's Class 3A state final at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock.

Highly regarded quarterback Ty Storey of Charleston has signed an athletic financial aid agreement with Arkansas.

Storey, who will be a high school senior this season, signed the agreement at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

Athletes who plan to graduate high school early and enroll in January can sign a financial aid agreement with a school as of Aug. 1 and before national signing day in February. The agreement allows unlimited communication between the recruit and the school. It does not bind the recruit to the school, but it binds the school to the recruit.

Only a national letter of intent binds a prospect to a school.

Storey, 6-3, 217 pounds, 4.92 seconds in the 40-yard dash, is rated a four-star prospect and the No. 18 pocket-passer in the nation by ESPN. He orally committed to Arkansas on June 24, 2013.

"It just feels good to go ahead and put the ink to the paper," Storey said. "I've been committed forever, it seems like, and to finally get to kind of make this official, it feels really good."

Storey led the Tigers to the Class 3A state championship as a junior. He completed 18 of 31 passes for 378 yards and tied a state championship record with 6 touchdowns in a 42-19 victory over Glen Rose in the final. He passed for 4,241 yards and 52 touchdowns for the season.

Storey completed 328 of 503 passes for 4,397 yards and 46 touchdowns the previous season when he was named to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's Super Sophomore team. Only Rhett Lashlee of Shiloh Christian (4,546 in 1999) has thrown for more yards as a sophomore in Arkansas high school history.

Storey, who chose Arkansas over scholarship offers from Alabama, Auburn, Arkansas State and others, has been active in trying to recruit other prospects to Arkansas. He said he believes signing the financial aid agreement will help send a message to other recruits who may be considering the Razorbacks.

"That is kind of what this is all about," Storey said. "It also kind of loosens the rules on getting to talk to the coaches, and I am really excited about that. There are a lot of pluses that go with signing this early."

Other recruits are expected to follow suit.

Offensive lineman Zach Rogers, 6-2, 300, 5.09, of Carrollton (Texas) Hebron plans to sign an athletic financial aid agreement with Arkansas on Thursday, and Fort Smith Northside defensive lineman Daytrieon Dean, 6-3, 260, 4.89, is expected to sign an athletic financial aid as well but hasn't set a date.

Three high school recruits -- quarterback Rafe Peavey, receiver Jared Cornelius and cornerback Chris Murphy -- signed financial aid agreements and enrolled early last season at Arkansas.

Sports on 08/03/2014

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