Cotton Debuts as Meade Coach

By: Keith Mills

Lance Clelland makes his debut as football coach at Meade High School in Odenton, and he'll have some help when the Mustangs open their season tomorrow against Franklin. Raymond Cotton Jr. will start at quarterback. A 6-foot-4, 215-pound senior, Cotton moved into the area two months ago from Mobile, Ala., with an imposing reputation and an impressive resume.

Raymond Cotton Sr., who has spent the last 23 years in the United States Coast Guard, was transferred to Fort Meade in July. His son, one of the nation's premier quarterback prospects, has already committed to play next year at Auburn University.

A year ago at Faith Academy in Mobile, Cotton threw for more than 1,500 yards and 17 touchdowns, and scored eight touchdowns on the ground. He also has been a regular on the nationwide camp circuit, impressing coaches at the EA Sports Elite 11 camp. He is considered one of the top 15 high school quarterbacks in the country.

He will no doubt make the transition a bit easier for Clelland, a former all-state tackle at McDonogh. Clelland graduated in 1996 and then played at Northwestern University. He returned to Baltimore to assist Dominic D'Amico at his alma mater before taking an assistant's job at Dartmouth.

Issue 3.36: September 4, 2008