CEDAR BLUFF – On the few visits Cedar Bluff senior lineman Corey Teague has taken to Lindsey Wilson College in Columbia, Kentucky, he couldn’t shake the feeling that’s where he needed to be.

“It’s a very small school. That’s what I like,” Teague said. “The program’s very successful (12-1 in 2019). The academics there are top-notch. It’s just like home.”

Teague officially made Lindsey Wilson his second home on Wednesday afternoon. He signed a scholarship with the NAIA Blue Raiders.

“It’s a dream come true,” Teague said. “A lot of people helped me be able to play at the next level. Unfortunately not very many people are able to reach that, but I’ve had a tremendous supporting cast around me, supporting me from day one, helping me grow as a person, as a man, as a leader and as a football player. None of this would be possible at all without them.”

“I’m excited to go get my degree and play football a little bit more.”

Like Teague, Cedar Bluff head football coach Jonathan McWhorter is excited as well.

“He’s been the ideal student athlete here at Cedar Bluff,” McWhorter said. “He’s played varsity football for five years. He played as an eighth grader. He’s been a four-year starter, started from day one as a ninth grader. He’s really been one of the cornerstones of our program for the last four years. He’ll be a big hole to try and replace on the field.

“I’m proud of the young man he is, his character and his work ethic. He’s been one of our team leaders for these last two or three years because of those attributes. He has a real high work ethic. He’s a good student, which is very important when you get a chance to further your education. If education is not important to you, then the football is not going to work out. We try to talk to our guys all the time about the importance of what this is. This is an opportunity to get an education, get a degree, and you get an opportunity to play football along with that. Corey understands that.”

McWhorter said Lindsey Wilson did a “fantastic” job of recruiting Teague. He said the Blue Raiders made Teague “feel wanted.”

“He’s been on campus three times and loved it every time he went,” McWhorter said. “It just kind of felt like that’s where he’s supposed to be. We’re just real proud of him and excited for him as he’s starting this new chapter. He’ll do well. He’ll be a good student and he’ll be a good football player.”

With his 6-foot-4, 290-pound frame, Teague said he expects to continue playing along the offensive line, where he graded out at 98 percent, allowed no sacks, committed just one penalty, caused two fumbles and had a pass break-up for the Tigers (6-5) last season.

He’s already talked with Blue Raider offensive line coach Alex Damschroeder about staying along the offensive front, but he also said he’s willing to play at defensive tackle as well, where he posted 52 total tackles last season, including three for a loss.

“Wherever I need to play, I’ll be more than happy to do whatever I need to do for everybody,” he said.

Teague has also been in contact with a couple of his new teammates as well.

“They ensured me it’s business up there. They do their work and their success shows that,” Teague said. “I’ve met with all the coaches. I’ve talked with every one of them. They’ve all told me the same thing. It’s get your degree, come win football games and do it the right way. I’m excited to get to work down there. I’m excited to see what we can do in the four years I’m there.”

Even though there’s a lot of excitement surrounding Teague’s signing, there’s also a bitterweet feeling for him to know that his high school playing days are now behind him.

“Everyone’s high school career comes to an end. It doesn’t ever seem like it, but it ends, and there’s life after that,” Teague said. “My high school career has ended, but my football career hasn’t. I’m very blessed with that, and I’m very blessed to be able to go to school the next four years of my life. It’s surreal. I’m going to miss these days for the rest of my life, but I’ll always look back on all the great memories, the great times my teammates and I had. I’ll always cherish those.”