Laney's stable of talented athletes might soon get even Fuller.

That seems the logical next step after South Aiken standout Calvin Fuller showed up on campus this week.

That is not something the Laney team will discuss right now, though.

"All I can say is he is currently not a member of this team," Laney coach Lemuel Lackey said.

Lackey could not provide further details and referred questions regarding Fuller to Laney principal Dr. Hawthorne Welcher, Sr., at practice on Thursday.

"The young man has registered here," Welcher, Sr., said when reached by phone Thursday evening. "That's all I can say now."

Fuller did not want to discuss his status after leaving the Lucy Craft Laney Memorial Stadium field house Thursday evening.

"I'm just going to school here right now," Fuller said. "We haven't decided on football. We'll talk about all that later."

Fuller - a Dream 16 selection this year - was sidelined by school policy while facing criminal domestic violence charges stemming from two cases of simple assault from an incident that involved the mother of his child on August 7.

Fuller had back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing seasons at South Aiken. He played quarterback his sophomore year and running back last year. The 6-foot-2, 190-pounder has 26 career rushing touchdowns and had been a team starter since his freshman year.

Fuller had little contact with his team after the incident, but he remained in school while waiting for his day in court. He requested a jury trial on Aug. 20.

He was in the stands for Laney's dramatic 13-7 home victory this year against Strom Thurmond.

"If that's what Calvin Fuller wanted to do and what he needed to do I wish him the best," South Aiken coach Robert Wrightenberry said. "I wish Calvin the best. I do. That's all I can say. That's all I know how to say."

Fuller, a senior, said this summer he did not have any college scholarship offers primarily because he was in the process of improving his academics. He said he was making good progress.

Those offers were not likely to come while he was no longer playing. That was not going to be anytime soon at South Aiken.

"All our kids signed an athletic policy that states specifically the repercussions about being charged with a crime," Wrightenberry said. "He could not return until the charges were dropped or he was found innocent. That's South Aiken High School athletic policy."

The next step should Fuller join the team at Laney is to apply to the Georgia High School Association for eligibility. Laney plays host to Swainsboro tonight and is off next week.

The mid-year transfer of a talented South Carolina standout to Laney has some precedent going back to 2004. All-state cornerback Wayne Canty left Silver Bluff while facing the prospects of not finishing his senior year due to a violation of team rules.

He enrolled at Laney and soon became an impact running back. Canty elevated an already very good team to championship-caliber status. Laney fell to Charlton County in the state semifinals.