Schools 
Brandon Hamilton’s senior year has been a whirlwind of excitement that finally settled down on Wednesday morning when he signed a letter of intent to play football at Rice.
Hamilton, who was selected to first team all-district 12-5A, rushed for more than 1,500 yards and scored 26 touchdowns, becomes the fifth featured running back from Copperas Cove in the last seven years to receive a Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) scholarship.
He joins the likes of Donald Buckram (UTEP, 2005), Troy Vital (Idaho, 2007), Brandin Byrd (North Texas, 2009) and William Randolph (Texas A&M, 2010). Both Vital and Byrd were two-year varsity starters.
“It means that I have had great coaching and excellent teammates. ... None of us [last few RBs] could have done what we have done without our teammates playing well and doing their jobs,” he said.
Hamilton didn’t talk to any of the former FBS backs, though. He made the decision on his own.
“I didn’t really talk to them because that’s all opinion,” he said. “I have really tried to keep to myself and stay level-headed. I got a lot of advice about Texas State versus Rice, but in the end it was my choice.”
Next up on the list of running backs for Copperas Cove is Chans Colbert and Vondareaz King.
“We have been blessed,” said Cove coach Jack Welch. “To see young people get to go to college to do what they love is just icing on the cake.”
