Howard U: Brothers in Arms

His Dream Deferred but Not His Duty, McElrathbey Carries On

Ray Ray McElrathbey allows a moment to consider the consequences of growth. He can smile about how three years ago teenage exuberance filled his mind with football fancy. Now he sits gazing at the suburban sprawl from a friend's eighth-floor apartment in Hyattsville as a college graduate, a father, a former Clemson reserve running back, a Howard graduate student and a survivor. He's a changed man.

It's crazy, because I'm in D.C.," McElrathbey said, staring into the late-afternoon haze. "The first time I got in a plane to go to D.C., it wasn't that bad. The second time when I came back, and I knew this was the place I was going to stay for at least the next two years, it was real strange. I wouldn't put myself in D.C. No way would I put myself in D.C. That's just what life is. It's unpredictable."

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Ex-Clemson RB McElrathbey to play for Howard

Southern Pigskin writer B.J. Bennett reports that former Tiger running back Ray Ray McElrathbey will play for Howard University. McElrathbey became famous in 2006 after it was discovered he took custody of his younger brother, Fahmarr, while is mother struggled with a drug addiction and his father with a gambling problem. The younger McElrathbey will accompany Ray Ray to Washington, D.C.

It wasn't a hard decision to pick Howard because I graduate from Clemson with a degree in Sociology on August 9th and Howard has a tremendous Master's Degree program in communications," McElrathbey told Bennett in the Southern Pigskin.com exclusive interview. "Howard is also in a huge market in Washington D.C. It was a no brainer."

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Ray Ray was a reserve running back for the Clemson Tiger, but will become the featured back in Coach Carey Bailey's spread offense. The 5-11/207 back runs a 4.36 40 yard dash with 38 inch vertical. He has two seasons of eligibility remaining. Coming out of Atlanta's Mays High School, the three sport star was a Rivals.com 3 star rated running back.

Ray Ray will join Howard incoming Division IA transfers Xavier Rucker (Nebraska) and Oscar Gonzales (Auburn) on Bailey's second Bison team. The Bison season opener against Georgetown just became worth the price of admissions and Metro subway fare to Georgia Avenue.

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