JEFFREY REINHART jreinhart@LNPnews.com
Former Conestoga Valley standout Ty Bynum, the Lancaster-Lebanon League’s all-time leader with 2,327 career receiving yards, has earned a full ride to the University of Rhode Island.
The two-time Associated Press Quad-A First-Team All-State selection spent last fall at Milford Academy in New Berlin, N.Y., where we played wideout and returned kicks and punts for the football team, and, more importantly, took care of business in the classroom and became eligible for URI.
“I’m ready to go,” said Bynum, who will enroll at URI on Wednesday, major in kinesiology, and practice with the Rams during spring ball. He will be listed as a true freshman.
“Milford Academy was a big plus for me,” Bynum said. “I took care of my school work, and I got to play football against bigger and stronger guys. So I’m ready to go.”
Ironically, it was another former Lancaster County football personality who recruited Bynum.
Former Millersville University coach Joe Trainer, who resigned his post with the Marauders on Dec. 21, and took a job as defensive coordinator and associate head coach at URI under new head coach Darren Rizzi, spent the last two weeks chatting with Bynum.
When the 6-1, 185-pound wideout made an official visit to URI last weekend, the Rams offered a full scholarship and Bynum accepted.
“It certainly is a great opportunity for Ty,” CV coach Gerad Novak said.
Bynum, who helped Milford Academy go 12-1 last fall, had made a verbal commitment to accept a full athletic scholarship offer from Temple, but Owls’ officials told the former Buckskins’ standout that they had already given out their maximum scholarships.
So Bynum looked into URI, which competes in the Colonial Athletic Association.
Rizzi plans to install a spread offense, which enticed Bynum.
“I love what they’re doing,” Bynum said. “They’re going with the spread offense and they’re going to throw the ball. They said they see me making an impact early on. And since they have a new coach, they’re basically starting at ground zero. So hopefully that will give me an advantage.”
Bynum’s final two seasons at CV were unforgettable.
As a junior, he hauled in 70 passes for 1,229 yards and scored 10 touchdowns.
And in his senior season, he caught 70 passes for 1,098 yards, scored 19 touchdowns, and led the Bucks to the Section 2 championship with a 7-0 record, and into the second round of the District 3 Quad-A playoffs.
