WALK-ONS BOOST A&T\ ARTIS DUO EXCELS
CHARLIE ATKINSON
Staff Writer
Dec 11, 1991 ``Walk-on' as defined by Webster: n. a minor role in which the actor has no speaking lines or just a very few.
Rudy and Michael Artis - two engaging brothers who grew up in Guilford County - have a considerably different definition, one that reads: n. non-scholarship athlete who pulls more than his weight. Prominent member of the team. Key ingredient. Overachiever.All are accurate characterizations of the Artis brothers - North Carolina A&T's most valuable walk-ons.
Rudy Artis, a 5-foot-9, 170-pound 19-year-old, walked on to the A&T football team a year ago. Michael Artis, a 6-1, 210-pound 21-year-old, joined him this summer. Together they are part of the reason the Aggies will challenge Alabama State at Joe Robbie Stadium on Dec. 21 in the first Alamo-Heritage Bowl.
``They both have done a fantastic job for us,' A&T coach Bill Hayes said recently. ``They make a great story.'
Indeed, like most walk-ons, their trek to the A&T football team has an unusual genealogy. Both were exceptional athletes at Southeast Guilford High School, excelling in football and baseball. Both went to college intent on education first and athletics as a sidelight.
Michael's prowess as a high school first baseman/outfielder attracted recruiting interest from several of the area's top Division I programs. But a shoulder injury curtailed his baseball career and limited him to one football season. After graduation he was so disheartened by the injury and frustrated by a winless season in football, he decided not to pursue college athletics. He chose for A&T because ``it was a family tradition,' he said.
Aggie baseball coach Herb Jackson, realizing a jewel had landed in his lap, convinced him to try out for baseball. Michael quickly became A&T's top slugger, batting .290 with six home runs in 1990 and .363 with nine home runs in 1991. He recently rejected a free agent contract offer from the California Angels.
Enter Rudy Artis, a capable middle infielder who hustled his way into the Aggie baseball lineup. Although his batting average - .230 as a freshman and .255 as a sophomore - didn't measure up to that of Michael's, he was a valued member of the team.
But Rudy got restless and starting making plans to go out for football. ``I starting telling people that I wanted to play football,' he said. ``Before I knew it, my father told coach Hayes what I wanted to do. I couldn't back out then.'
Michael was skeptical of his brother's decision at first. ``I tried to discourage him because I thought he was too small,' he said. ``I knew he had the heart. But I saw that a lot of players his size were getting hit and knocked out. That's all I could picture. But I could see that he had his mind made up so I got behind him.'
Rudy has become one of the Aggies' most dependable and durable wide receivers. Only tight end Craig Thompson and tailback Barry Turner have caught more passes this season and only Thompson is a better deep threat.
Meanwhile Michael also discovered something about himself: he too missed football.
``I realized I had some football left in me,' he said. ``Plus, I kind of got jealous because I've always been known as Rudy's older brother. He always followed my footsteps. Then people started calling me 'Rudy's little brother.' It didn't bother me but it made me want to get out there.'
He did and the Aggies have been a better team since. Michael has become the Aggies' No. 2 fullback behind James White, playing in 10 of 11 games while averaging 6.1 yards per carry.
Rudy said he realized his older brother was serious about football when they jogged six miles from campus to their home off the East Lee Street extension in southeast Guilford County.
``I knew if he was going to run with me after lifting weights and working out that he was going to play,' Rudy said. ``He had a couple of pit stops but we made it. That's when I knew he was going to get his name back to being `Rudy's big brother.' '
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