Photo: DeSoto Central quarterback gets help putting his hat on from his mother while dad looks on after signing for the University of Memphis Wednesday afternoon. (Bob Bakken/desotocountynews.com)
SOUTHAVEN, Miss. — DeSoto Central High School quarterback Eric Perry officially signed his letter of intent to play college football at the University of Memphis, marking a historic milestone for the Jaguars program.
According to DeSoto Central head coach Will Wolfe, Perry is the school’s first Division I FBS signee since 2016 and only the fifth player in program history to sign at that level.
“The numbers don’t lie,” Wolfe said during the ceremony. “I can sit up here and talk about how great Eric is all day long… Eric’s career, he passed for over 4,000 yards. He rushed for almost 3,000 yards. He accounted for 72 touchdowns.”
Wolfe emphasized the rarity of a high school player securing a Division I spot in the current era of college athletics, citing the challenges posed by the Transfer Portal and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals.
“For a high school player in today’s age… it is extremely rare,” Wolfe said. “It’s a big deal for a young man to come out of high school and go ahead and go Division I.”
Perry, a dual-threat quarterback, initially committed to Auburn but ultimately decided to flip his commitment to the Tigers with a change in coaching staff. He cited the proximity to home and family connections as primary factors in his decision.
“It’s my parents’ alma mater,” Perry said regarding his choice of Memphis.
Perry also noted his strong relationship with the Memphis coaching staff, specifically mentioning running backs coach Lee Marks, as a key reason for his commitment.
Despite uncertainty regarding the head coaching position at the university, which has still not been settled as of Wednesday afternoon, Perry expressed confidence in the staff and excitement about his future at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium.
“We can’t really put into words what Eric has meant to this program, to this high school, and to me,” Wolfe said. “It has been a pleasure. Very rarely do you get to coach someone as talented as this.”
Perry has completed his high school requirements so he will be entrolling at Memphis next semester.
Bob Bakken provides content for DeSoto County News and its social media channels. He is an award-winning broadcaster, along with being a reporter and photographer, and has done sports media relations work with junior and minor league hockey teams. Along with his reports on this website, you will find this veteran media member providing sports updates on Rebel 95.3 FM Radio.
