Keith Gill-1st & 10 Club- Post Meeting Wrap Up
Monday, November 4th, the 68 Ventures Bowl hosted the fourth and final 1st & 10 Club meeting of the season featuring Keith Gill, the commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference. The Sun Belt Conference (SBC) is one of three conferences with a tie in to the 68 Ventures Bowl.
Gill spoke in depth about the challenges that not just football, but all college athletics face in 2024 and beyond. Commissioner Gill has an important perspective on the topics of discussion in the world of college athletics as he was a four year letterman at Duke. Throughout his career, he has spent time at multiple universities, the NCAA, and the Atlantic10 before coming to the Sun Belt in 2019.
In his time with the SBC, Gill has overseen a period of immense growth for the conference. In 2019 the conference consisted of 12 members with only 10 of those members fielding a football team. In the years since the SBC has grown to 14 full members with a specific emphasis on regionality and rivalry. Last year alone, the Sun Belt saw 37 teams participate in postseason play across all NCAA sports. Under his leadership the Sun Belt has remained the only conference to maintain a divisional format in football, which helps the conference to maintain the rivalries and regionality that it has been built on. This decision by Gill has also created consistently interesting match ups every single week.
While touching on the hot button issues that face college athletics today, NIL and the Transfer Portal, Gill foresees more clarity and stability in the future. In terms of NIL he noted that there are three “buckets” that have established themselves, the “University” bucket, the “Legitimate Name, Image, and Likeness” bucket, and the “Collectives” bucket. He noted that all three of these “buckets” are unique and individual streams of compensation for athletes that each present their own benefits and challenges.
Overall, Commissioner Gill gave a great deal of insight into the way that the conferences are moving forward and taking the issues that college athletics are facing today head on.
The Anchor Cares Student Athlete of the Month awards were presented by WNSP 105.5 Corey LaBounty. These players were selected for their recent performance in the 2024 season. They are as follows:
Defensive Player of the Month, Bishop Burkhalter. (Sr.), Linebacker, Spanish Fort High School.
Bishop Burkhalter is a 6’ 185lb Linebacker for the Spanish Fort Toros. This season Bishop has recorded 128 tackles, 51 solo, 77 assists, 1 sack, 11 TFL’s, 5 pass breakups along with 2 recovered fumbles, one of which for a touchdown. Burkhalter also went viral this season for a stunning 1yard punt return touchdown. Burkhalter has helped lead the Toros to an 8-2 record and will face Benjamin Russell High in the first round of the playoffs this week.
Offensive Player of the Month, Shondell Harris (Jr.), Quarterback, Mary G Montgomery High School
Shondell Harris, is a 5’11” Senior Quarterback for the Mary G Montgomery Vikings. This season he has passed for 1,634 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also has 118 carries for another 756 yards and 9 touchdowns. Shondell also takes snaps on the defensive side of the ball as a defensive back. As a DB he has recorded 9 tackles, 3 TFL, and 1 sack. He has Led the Vikings to a 9-1 record and a #3 ranking in the state. This week he will face Vestavia Hills in the first round of the AHSAA playoffs.
Special Teams Player of the Month, Drew Ginsburg (Sr.), Kicker, St. Paul’s Episcopal School
Drew Ginsberg is a 5’11” kicker for the St Paul’s Saints. Ginsburg is a 3-year starter for the Saints who handles extra points, field goals, and punts. This season Ginsburg has averaged 43 yards per punt and a 4.3 second hang time. He is 26/27 on PAT’s and 8/11 on field goals this season. Ginsburg and the saints will take on Helena in the first round of the playoffs.
Lineman of the Month, Carde Smith. (Sr.), Offensive Lineman, Williamson High School.
Carde Smith is a standout offensive lineman for the Williamson High School Lions. He stands 6’6” and 287 lbs. Carde has recorded 36 knockdown blocks and 21 pancake blocks this season. Smith has verbally committed to play for the University of Southern California. Smith has helped Williamson to a 9-1 record and this week they will host Northside in the first round of the AHSAA playoffs.
Team Focus Member of the Month, Taylor Lofton.
The Team Focus Member of the Month was presented by Aaron Dais, Representative of Team Focus. Team Focus is a mentoring organization for young men without father figures in the home. This was awarded to Taylor Lofton. Taylor, who is 16, started at Team Focus at the age of 9.
