GREENVILLE, N.C. - Laurinburg (NC) Scotland County running back Damonte Terry has decided on his school of choice to play his college football.

"I told Coach (Junior) Smith I that I'm committing to East Carolina," said Terry, "They said to fax over my transcript and they would accept my commitment."

It turns out that Terry played last season with an injury that he has now since recovered from with the help of surgery.

"What people don't realize is I played the entire year last season with a torn right MCL that happened before the season even started last year," Terry said, "It slowed down my running, but East Carolina knew that."

Terry talked to PI about the decision to continue last year instead of shutting it down for the season in 2007.

"Most people would have missed games or took the whole season off and got it fixed, but my team needed me and I did what was best for my team."

"I had it corrected in February in Scotland County," said Terry, "I'm a hundred percent, two hundred percent. That's why I'm running good everywhere I go."

Running backs coach Junior Smith has been handling his recruitment for the Pirates since day one. ECU offered back in mid April.

"Coach Smith said I was the number one running back they wanted to get. I know the things I need to work on," said Terry, "I'm up to 335 pounds on the bench now, and my squat max is up to 510. I've been through a million workouts and now all I'm going to do is just focus on my grades."

Terry, who chose ECU over interest from Illinois, Maryland, South Carolina and others, talked about some of the elements that drew him to Skip Holtz's ECU program.

"I really like the weight room, they are rebuilding their facilities around there new locker room and everything," said Terry, "It looked way different than it even did when I went there for camp to the time of the spring game. The locker room, it's off the chain now."

"I feel like the coach is building a very good team there."

The Laurinburg back put on a good show for evaluators at the Nike Camp in Chapel Hill earlier this spring and he talked about some current Pirate connections.

"I have two or three family members at ECU, said the 6-foot, 188 pound running Scotland County back, "Cousins and a neighbor from right down the road."

Is Terry's commitment final?

"Yes, I feel like I've made my final decision."

Terry says he hopes to be fully qualified to hopefully avoid having to go the redshirt

route.

"My coach is going to put me in the best position I can be in. I'm going to get my grades where I'm not going to have to miss out," Terry stated, "I'm not far from where I need to be to fully qualified."

For now Terry's biggest concern was getting over a head cold and where the fastest place was to get himself an ECU hat.

Damonte added a little something for those who would attempt to under rank or under estimate his ability.

"I don't care if I have a single star (ranking), I am just going to play to the best of my ability," said the Laurinburg star who ran for 1,221 yards and 15 touchdowns on a bad wheel, "It don't make no difference, I played the whole year hurt, but I did that for my team and I'm going to take that to East Carolina."

The Scotland County running back is inspired to have another great season this fall.

Terry's commitment brings the number to seven for football commitments for the 2009 recruiting campaign.

More as recruiting events warrent right here on PirateIllustrated.com.