Cory Boyd What a great guy!

[gamecockhub]

After watching an interview with him on WLTX all I can say is we are really going to miss his heart and drive.One cannot help but be impressed with how he has kept himself on track and with good sense and what an exemplary young man he is! Not only is he a great player but one hell of a man. Congrats on your graduation and wishing you nothing but the best!!! We are better for your having past this way!!!
:woo: :woo: :woo: :woo: :clap: :clap: :clap: :wink: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Spurific]

Cory will always be an Gamecock Legend.

[elgincock]

C. Boyd is without a doubt one player that I will follow as he plays in the pros. Anyone know who will wear number three next year?

[Singaporecock]

Let's hope everyone remembers Cory Boyd. I hope we all remember what good can come out of giving someone a second chance and that we don't totally write someone off because they screw up once. Cory has done a hell of a job turning his life around. Congrats to him.

[ihateclemson]

He was grinning from ear to ear when he was walking across the stage today. It was pretty neat to watch a guy like him with what he has gone through graduate. Congrats Cory!

[CockyInSeattle]

Cory will always be one of my favorite Gamecocks. I grew from a boy to a man while attending The USC, and made my own share of mistakes along the way. I've said this before, it is not the mistakes that you judge a man by, but how he reacts and recovers from those mistakes.

Those of you that haven't watched the interview, go to:

http://www.wltx.com/gamecocks/default.aspx

and click on "Cory Boyd: In His Own Words." He says some very nice things about USC. This fine <b>graduate</b> of The University of South Carolina will represent our school well wherever he goes. He makes me proud to be a Gamecock. If someone says "Heart of a Gamecock" the first two names that come to mind are Boyd and Brewer.

And Cory, if you're reading this, if you're ever in Seattle, my home is your home, just in case you got addicted to southern bbq. My house is the only place to get real BBQ in Seattle :thumbs:

[Snake]

Cory Boyd | Journey worth taking

Despite numerous challenges, USC running back jukes his past - and other obstacles - to earn his degree

By JOSEPH PERSON - jperson@thestate.com (jperson@thestate.com)

http://media.thestate.com/smedia/2007/12/18/07/883-boyd-071218.embedded.prod_affiliate.74.jpg (http://media.thestate.com/smedia/2007/12/18/07/496-boyd-071218.standalone.prod_affiliate.74.jpg)


Cory Boyd shares a lighter moment Monday with other graduating teammates, including Blake Mitchell, back left. Boyd is the second member of his family to earn a college degree.

During the best of times, Cory Boyd figured he would play a couple of seasons at South Carolina and follow his childhood dream to the NFL.

During the worst of times, Boyd thought about packing his stuff, leaving school and returning to the crime-ridden projects in north Jersey he had hoped to escape.

Neither scenario included Boyd staying at USC long enough to finish his degree.

But the emotional leader of the Gamecocks stuck it out four-plus years, capping a tumultuous USC career Monday when he received a diploma during commencement exercises for December graduates at the Colonial Center.

About 20 friends and family members from Boyd’s hometown of Orange, N.J., were in attendance to see Boyd become the second member of his extended family to graduate.

But the 22-year-old Boyd leaves USC with more than a degree in hospitality management. He says he now has a better understanding of life management.

“Jersey sent a young boy, and Carolina is sending out a young man,” Boyd said. “I appreciate everything that I went through here and the development of making me who I am today. I hope I never will be forgotten.

“It was a long journey, but I’m sad that it had to come to an end.”

Boyd arrived in Columbia in 2003 as the less-heralded tailback in a recruiting class that included Demetris Summers, a Parade All-American from Lexington. He lasted three years longer than Summers, who was dismissed following the 2004 season after failing multiple drug tests.

Boyd played for two head coaches and three position coaches, and he led USC in rushing in each of his final two seasons. The 6-foot-1, 220-pounder joined Stanley Pritchett as the only players in school history to finish their careers with more than 1,000 yards rushing and receiving.

But Boyd nearly went the way of Summers.

He missed the 2005 season — Steve Spurrier’s first in Columbia — while suspended for a violation of university policy. Boyd also was involved in three incidents that drew the attention of police, although he was not charged in any of them.

Boyd said the year he was suspended, when he practiced with the scout team and was not allowed to suit up for games, afforded him ample time for soul-searching.

“It was enough to make me sit back and re-evaluate myself,” Boyd said.

“Like, ‘What am I doing? I worked so hard to get out of the situation and the environment that I was in, and now I’m turning and making this environment somewhat similar to what I was fighting to get out of.’ ”

Boyd grew up in a rough section of New Jersey on the outskirts of New York City. Before his 12th birthday, Boyd had been stabbed in the side and watched a 19-year-old cousin die from a gunshot wound to the head.

He was forced to develop a tough exterior at a young age, a protective shell that grew harder midway through his USC career following the death of his mother, Crystal Boyd, in the spring of 2006.

Boyd considered transferring to a school closer to home. But having already lost a year to suspension, he decided to remain at USC, where he returned to the team for the ’06 season and “played off of frustration and anger.”

While those emotions might have helped Boyd run through would-be tacklers, the perpetual scowl he wore off the field served to further his reputation as a bad character.

“I felt as though the world owed me something, and that wasn’t the case at all,” he said. “Walking around looking evil and looking like you’ve got a chip on your shoulder, it makes you look terrible and bad in the public’s eye. My coaches started telling me about perception. Everything’s about perception.”

Running backs coach Robert Gillespie and others encouraged Boyd to go to class and try to smile more often. Always popular among the Gamecocks faithful because of his hard running style, Boyd was more engaging with media members and fans this year.

In the midst of his final season, Boyd visited a Sumter high school player who was hospitalized in Columbia with seizures caused by viral meningitis. Such hospital visits are common for teams at many bowl games across the country.

But Boyd’s 30-minute talk with Lakewood High’s Keith Cogdell was not a photo opportunity.

“He gave him a beautiful pep talk. It was just overwhelming,” said Jermecia McCoy, Cogdell’s mother. “I’m so grateful for him taking the time to visit. It really lifted his spirits and made his day.”

Boyd will play in the East-West Shrine Game on Jan. 19 in Houston, a showcase for NFL scouts. In addition to Boyd’s size and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield, Gillespie said Boyd has the intangibles to get to the next level.

“There are a lot of guys that when the going gets tough, they’re going to walk away because they have a lot to fall back on,” Gillespie said. “But he wants to succeed. There isn’t much for him to go back to, so he has to keep fighting. ... I think he’s going to be special in whatever he does.”

Boyd does not plan to go back to the seven-story apartment complex in Orange where much of his family lives. His dream is to build a home for his grandmother, Joan Boyd, with enough room for the rest of his relatives.

“Some people just want to live in a big house by themselves. I had that American dream of moving my whole family out of the projects because we were all just packed amongst each other,” he said. “To spread us out would definitely shake up the family tree.”

Boyd admits he was shaken initially by the season-ending, five-game losing streak that cost the Gamecocks a bowl berth. But his time at USC has given Boyd an appreciation of the bigger picture.

“It hurt because I definitely wanted one more game with the teammates I played with this whole year,” he said. “I still look back and try to figure out, where did we go wrong? I can’t put my finger on it. But it was a nice journey.”

http://www.thestate.com/sports/story/260833.html

[Slacker USC]

I'll really miss Cory. He's probably one of my favorite Gamecocks of all-time, and I hope he continues to have a presence around our alma mater.

Best of luck in the NFL Cory, we'll be pulling for ya on Sundays!

[Blake]

put cory boyd behind a good offensive line and he would of gotton 1500yrds this year. Kinda feel bad for Blake and Cory, if we would of had any kind of line for them they would of put up huge numbers.

But they helped us change and have been a big part of our program.

[Gamerooster]

We can all be proud that Cory is a Gamecock.

All the best to Cory and the other players who graduated.

[FoghornLeghornCock]

When we look at the bodies of our players we see grown men and wonder why they sometimes act young and stupid. College is a transition period giving kids a chance to find themselves. No doubt Cory leaves with many lessons learned, probably the most lasting will be about life and what is important and what should be discarded. It is a shame some of our other players did not find their way like Cory did and left USC. I am probably most proud that Cory earned his degree at USC. He came much further than most of us did in what he accomplished.

[willy]

Cory will always be an Gamecock Legend.


We hail thee Corey Boyd, forever to thee.

[dgusc06]

I am really pulling for Cory to do well in the combines and get drafted in a nice place. I really think he can be a good asset to a team in the NFL. Wish he could still play in the WB

[Hotspur]

Here's to you Cory. We'll miss you. Congratulations and best of luck to you. Never stop persuing your dreams.