Carl Whitehurst will be lending his football talents to Faulkner University as the Pleasant Home senior made it official by signing on the dotted line to play for his new Eagles team on Wednesday.

Whitehurst, at 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, played at linebacker for PHS, and even some at full back, especially during his last season.

During the signing ceremony, Whitehurst said it was like a dream come true when he put ink to paper to make it official. He is the first from his school to sign an athletic football scholarship.

When asked why Faulkner, which is located in Montgomery, Whitehurst said it was just the right fit.

“It just felt a lot like Pleasant Home,” he said. “It’s like a family up there. It had the same family atmosphere as we do here.”

The senior linebacker visited Faulkner three times early in February. It was his last visit that sealed the deal for him.

“Everybody was really friendly and welcoming,” he said.

Whitehurst said he believes he can bring with him a strong foundation of playing the game the right way.

“Just fundamentals,” he said. “Coach really teaches us fundamentals.”

In 2013, PHS didn’t have such a good football season.

Whitehurst said he’ll remember the good plays he made on the field, along with his last game.

“The whole last game was really memorable,” he said. “We had a bad season, but everybody still supported us. The fan base was real strong.”

Whitehurst has been playing the game of football since he was in the peewee league. The thrill of making a good play is one of the main reasons why he loves the sport so much.

“The reason I love football is the feeling you get being under those Friday night lights,” he said. “I can’t wait to see how I do under those Saturday night lights.”

Additionally, Whitehurst said he wanted to thank PHS coaches Cody McCain, Ron Yates and Lamar Gibson for all of their help in his high school career.

Carl is the son of Phillip and Leigh Anne Whitehurst of Andalusia.