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On Nov. 10, Goshen High School senior Jamauri McClure announced his decision to de-commit from the University of South Alabama and on Tuesday, he spoke to The Messenger about his decision and future.

McClure is coming off a career season at Goshen, where the senior running back helped lead the Eagles back to the playoffs for the first time since 2019. McClure was dominant at running back, tallying 1,618 yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground along with a receiving touchdown and a kickoff return touchdown. McClure was also a leader on defense.

Highlights from Real Town Game. ⁦@DexPreps⁩ ⁦@Jdsmith31Smith⁩ ⁦@CoachMooreDC⁩ ⁦@GrindLab⁩ ⁦@YellowhammerFB⁩ ⁦@TDARecruiting⁩ ⁦@247Sports⁩ ⁦@Rivals⁩ pic.twitter.com/FYEWXo5fSw

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— Jamauri McClure (@JamauriMcclure) September 16, 2023

“I think we did pretty good overall but I just hate how it ended,” McClure said of Goshen’s season. “I wish we could have gone to the state championship. We made one of our goals (the playoffs) but we didn’t get that ultimate goal.”

McClure was an All-State and All-Messenger running back as a junior but really started to gain attention from colleges after excelling on the track team. McClure earned two state runner-up finishes during the track season. Track was a big part of his success as a senior, according to McClure.

“I think I got more physically strong. I got a lot stronger but also I got faster and my vision was better,” McClure continued. “(Track) helped me a lot. I wasn’t really that fast before but track helped me a lot with my form and stamina. It was really good for me.”

McClure is rated as a three-star prospect by 247Sports and is ranked as the No. 57 overall prospect in the State of Alabama. He holds offers from numerous colleges around the country, including Alabama State, Cincinnati, Ole Miss, Purdue, Troy, South Alabama, Tulane, UAB and many others. Ultimately, he opted to commit to South Alabama on June 25 before de-committing on Nov. 10.

“I just wanted to make sure I was making the right decision,” McClure said. “I committed (in June) and I just wanted to make sure I was going to make the right decision. That’s the whole thing.”

McClure – who is currently in the midst of basketball season – said that he doesn’t necessarily have a list of top schools but he knows what he’s looking for in his college destination.

“I don’t really have a list. There are certain teams I like more and those are who I’m really looking at,” he said. “I want to have a good coaching staff, people I can trust and talk to. Also, I want to be in a nice area that I can experience.”

McClure says he intends to pursue a degree in business wherever he ends up and he’s looking to make an impact immediately in college.

“Hopefully I can go to college and get a chance to get a starting spot,” he emphasized. “I don’t want to just stand on the sideline looking. That’s not what I’m about. Other than that, I just want to improve on my game, get better day by day.”

McClure said he hasn’t said a timetable on when he wants to commit to a school but said he will make the decision prior to National Signing Day. The early signing period for college football is Dec. 20, while traditional National Signing Day is Feb. 7, 2024.