University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Hendrix and Batiste Sign Football Free Agent Deals
5/2/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
May 2, 2007
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Southern Miss offensive lineman George Batiste and defensive back Caleb Hendrix have signed free agent contracts with the Kansas City Chiefs and the New York Jets, respectively.
Batiste, a third-team All-American by CollegeFootballNews.com, and Southern Miss' first two-time first-team All-Conference USA offensive lineman, was a four-year starter for the Golden Eagles. He also was named first-team All-Conference USA by CollegeFootballNews.com, the No. 2 offensive lineman and the No. 16 player in C-USA. He was one of the main cogs in the Golden Eagle offensive line that was among the Top 20 teams nationally for the past three years for the fewest sacks allowed. He made 50 consecutive starts in his career and helped pave the way for Southern Miss' first 1,000-yard rusher since 2002.
The Golden Eagles rushed for over 2,000 yards for the first time since 1987 and set a school record for most yards of total offense in a season with 4,635 yards. Batiste only allowed one sack over the past two years and 4.5 over his entire career. This past season, he finished with 25 pancake blocks and a combination of 85 cuts and knockdowns. During his career, he finished with 47 pancake blocks and a combination of 242 cuts and knockdowns.
Hendrix was a three-year starter at cornerback in the defensive secondary for the Golden Eagles. This past year, he finished with 50 tackles, including 42 solo stops. He had two sacks, five tackles for loss and led the team with 13 pass breakups and tied for the team lead in interceptions with four. A third-team All-Conference USA selection in 2006, Hendrix led C-USA in pass breakups and was No. 10 in interceptions.
Southern Miss finished 9-5 in 2006 and won the Conference USA East Division Championship. The Golden Eagles made their ninth bowl appearance in the past 10 years in the GMAC Bowl, defeating Ohio University, 28-7, marking their third-straight bowl win.
The Golden Eagles return 40 letterwinners for the 2007 season, including 15 starters from a year ago. Southern Miss opens its season on Sept. 1 when they host Tennessee-Martin at M.M. Roberts Stadium at 6 p.m.
