How talented was Bastrop High’s 2009 football signing class? The fact that all five are playing as true freshmen should give a pretty good indication.

As far as quantity, Bastrop has produced larger classes. But from a quality standpoint, I can’t recall a time when so many former Rams were contributing so quickly.

For all five to be contributing right away speaks highly of Bastrop’s football program as well as for last year’s senior class. This was a class that included Rueben Randle, who was rated as the nation’s No. 1 recruit for a while, and three SEC signees.

Not to trivialize their on the field accomplishments, but what makes this class special is that all five were eligible when they stepped on their respective college campuses. All five had taken care of their business in the classroom and met or exceeded the minimum test score requirements.

Sadly, too many former Bastrop athletes have signed scholarships for naught because they lacked the necessary grades to get on the field. This problem is certainly not limited to Bastrop High. It’s just been more noticeable here because so many Rams have signed scholarships and haven’t been able to take advantage of the opportunity. Hopefully, the five signees last February —  Randle and Josh Downs (LSU), D.D. Jones (Arkansas), Tai “Speedy” Alford (Southeastern Louisiana) and RaDarius “Nook” Winston (Central Arkansas) — have started a new trend.

A look at how some former Rams fared on the field Saturday:

BRAGGING RIGHTS: Alford had a tackle and a quarterback hurry in Southeastern Louisiana’s 41-10 loss to Stephen F. Austin. Although the Lions (6-4, 4-2) missed an opportunity to remain tied for first place in the Southland Conference, Alford has earned SLC bragging rights for Morehouse Parish.

Alford’s Lions own victories over Winston’s UCA Bears and Rogers Loche’s Northwestern State Demons.

BRAGGING RIGHTS II: More local bragging rights will be on the line when cornerback Marshay Green and Ole Miss collide with LSU on Saturday in Oxford. Kickoff is set for 2:30 p.m. on CBS.

Green and Randle could find themselves matched up one-on-one.

Green had two tackles, a stop in the backfield and broke up a pass as the Rebels hammered Tennessee 42-17 on Saturday. Former Pine Bluff Dollarway star Jesse Grandy rushed three times for 22 yards for Ole Miss.

SOLID EFFORT: Cornerback Edward “Bud” Patterson notched a career-high six tackles in Grambling’s 47-33 victory over Texas Southern.

Next up for the G-Men is the annual Bayou Classic tilt vs. Southern on Saturday, Nov. 28 at 1 p.m. in the Superdome.

DEDDRICK JONES was in on three tackles, one for negative yardage, as Southern Mississippi defeated Marshall 27-20. The win makes the Golden Eagles (6-4) bowl eligible for the eighth consecutive season.

TRAY HARDAWAY recorded a team-high eight tackles, one tackle for loss and forced a fumble in New Mexico’s 24-19 loss to Brigham Young.

ROGERS LOCHE logged seven stops in Northwestern State’s 28-21 loss at the hands of Nicholls State.

RANDALL MACKEY and the East Mississippi Community College Lions will play Arizona Western in the Mississippi Bowl on Sunday, Dec. 6 at 2 p.m. at Indian Stadium in Biloxi.

East Mississippi received the bowl invitation on Tuesday. The Lions (10-1) are ranked No. 5 in the nation, while the Matadors (9-1) are ranked No. 6.