The journey for 3-star running back Maurice Washington has been full of twists and turns. Now at Trinity Christian Academy in Texas, the 3-star tailback is gearing up for a month full of visits as he seeks his next step in football and academics. This weekend Washington will visit Nebraska. On January 19th, he will see UCLA and might visit USC unofficially. Then either the last weekend of January or the first weekend of February he will visit Tennessee.
The 6-1, 190-pound tailback said his January itinerary is not completely finalized yet though. My transcript from the fall is going in today, Washington said. Schools have been waiting to see my fall grades. I had a great fall. It was the most pressuring year I have ever had. I had to make up for last year.
Doing well in the classroom this past semester was a must after a spring semester in 2017 that ultimately led him to move from California to Texas. Another step in a twisting journey though high school football. Washington started his career at Kings Academy in California then decided to leave the private school and transfer to Oak Grove High School, the public school in his area, for his junior year. But that didn't work outside of football. Washington admits he basically didn't go to school last spring and found himself getting into bad situations. Because of those issues in California, Washington, whose spring was an academic disaster, moved to Texas to live when his aunt. But that didn't work out as planned either.
I was staying with my aunt at first, but she told the school she couldn't take me back and forth for everything because of work and other obligations she had to do. That's why I ended up moving in with Deion. Deion is Deion Sanders. The NFL Hall of Fame defensive back. It's been amazing, Washington said. When I moved in with him he told me he had one rule and that was that he was not going to accept anything less than a 3.5 GPA in the classroom.
With stability and a successful fall in the classroom and on the field for Trinity Christian Academy, Washington is working on finding his next step which he calls a business decision. That's what I have to figure out -- it's a business decision, Washington said. I have to look at the majors to see what fits me. I would like to find the fanbase who would welcome me the most. "Like I said it's a business decision. I dropped Ohio State off my list because of all the depth they have at running back. I'm not afraid of competition but I also don't want to get into a log jam with a lot of other great backs."
Last week before his three touchdown performance in the Under Armour All-American Game, Washington received his Tennessee offer. Washington said the offer came out of the blue and he's just now learning what he can about the Vols. I just started talking to coach (Robert) Gillespie, Washington said. We just started talking the week before the game. I really didn't know much about them. But I learned a good bit while in Orlando. I talked to coach Gillespie and I spent a lot time hanging with Alontae Taylor and Olaijah Griffin.