Rumors have Vegas High star transferring

Nick Christensen

Thursday, June 23, 2005 | 9:23 a.m.

The state's top returning prep football player hasn't transferred schools, yet.

Whether Eric Jordan will move from Las Vegas High to Shadow Ridge is yet to be determined, his father, Eric Jordan Sr., said Wednesday.

"It's amazing to me that people pay that much attention to a high school kid and moving," Jordan Sr. said.

He said he's been getting several calls regarding his son's status since his younger son Joshua started practicing with the Mustangs.

On Wednesday, Shadow Ridge coach J.D. Johnson said both Joshua and Eric had enrolled at his school for next year.

"As far as I do know, he is coming to our school," Johnson said. "His mom and dad were stressed about which game they were going to be able to watch. If his brother had stayed at Vegas he would have to sit out 180 days, so mom and dad decided to keep them together and bring them all over."

Eric Jordan essentially has a choice of schools to attend because his family moved into the Shadow Ridge zone. However, since he is entering his senior year, Eric is given the choice of staying at Las Vegas High and retaining his athletic eligibility.

In three seasons at Vegas, Jordan has logged 5,009 rushing yards, third in state history behind 5,021 by Tonopah's Chance Kretschmer and the 5,280 that Spring Creek running back James Edwards has assembled in his three years so far. Jordan's rushing yards place him sixth in the state record book for career net yards. Kretschmer's 7,010 yards are first in that category.

He was a key component of the Wildcats' 2003 team that went to the state championship, but was injured before the postseason. Last year, he more or less was the Wildcats offense, rushing for 2,769 yards before Vegas lost in the state championship to Palo Verde.

Jordan was named the Sun's offensive player of the year in 2004.

His dad said that a decision to transfer would not be based on any complaints about Vegas nor about his own desire to be able to watch both his sons play at the same place on any given Friday.

Instead, he said, the decision is based on the strain the football season would have on Eric. Shadow Ridge is 25 miles from Las Vegas High, and that means a 4:30 a.m. alarm clock.

"Now we're driving 35 to 40 minutes each way, he's not getting home until 8 p.m. -- when they got home at 7 p.m. they're like 'Man, we got home early,' " Jordan Sr. said. "We're looking at his health. There's been great relationships with Coach (Chris) Faircloth and the staff there and it's just been a good place -- but we don't live there."

Because of the hype surrounding the potential move, Jordan Sr. said he and his family are going to take a vacation starting Friday.

"This kid has not had a break from sports since his eighth-grade year, and this is the last year we have with him," Jordan Sr. said. "We're going to take him away, and when we come back we'll deal with that at that point. If anybody had registered my son (at Shadow Ridge), I don't know who it is.

"I've heard (rumors that) he doesn't like the coaches, the changing offense -- and this really has to do with them getting up at 4:30 in the morning. Eric would have to get up, drive. We'll look at those things and he very well may stay at Las Vegas High School. As of right now, he's still a Wildcat."