CRESTVIEW – Chris Pickett made it official Wednesday, he’s going to play football at Troy.

Pickett, a Daily News All-Area player, chose the Trojans over Southern Mississippi.

Actually it wasn’t much of a choice.

“I kind of considered Southern Miss, but Troy with the people there, the coaches and the closeness to being here (back home to Crestview) made it a pretty easy decision for me,” he said. “I’ve been watching their program and they’ve been winning the Sunbelt (conference) almost every year for the last few years.

“Before a few years ago you wouldn’t see Troy on TV or anything like that, but they are getting more recognition now and I like that.”

The 5-foot-11, 185 pound Pickett piled up more than 1,800 yards in total offense and scored 127 points for the Bulldogs, but he’ll be playing cornerback for the Trojans.

Pickett admitted he enjoyed being the go-to guy on offense, but he knows he’ll still have opportunity to show his ball skills at Troy.

I’m going to miss playing offense,” he said. “I want that ball in my hands, but I’ve played corner before.

“I know if I get that opportunity I’m going to be able to get that ball in my hands through picks (interceptions). And I know they are going to let me return kicks and punts so that’s going to be a big deal. But I’m going to miss having that ball in my hands as much as I did when I was in high school.”

Pickett was recruited to the Trojans by former Crestview quarterback Jeremy Rowell. It didn’t take long for Rowell and Picket to click.

“Coach Rowell is real cool,” Pickett said. “I ain’t known him that long, but it’s like I’ve known him since I was a freshman. It’s like I know him like I know my coaches here I’ve been around four years.

“He’s defensive coordinator and DB coach and I’m going to be playing DB up there.”

Crestview coach Matt Brunson, who is a Troy alumni himself, believes Pickett has everything a coach could look for in a defensive back.

“Chris possesses great speed (turning a time of 4.48 in the 40-yard dash), and he’s an instinctive football player,” Brunson said. He made \ a lot of plays offensively and defensively for us.

“With his speed coach Rowell and those guys will do a great job of coaching up.”

Brunson said any time he has a player sign scholarship papers is a special day, but it might be a little extra special that Picket signed with Troy.

“It’s a great day any time you have a young man sign a Division I college, and definitely so with it being my alma mater Troy,” he said.  It’s a special place and with its close proximity to Crestview we will be able to go up and watch him play.

“And hopefully we will get to watch those guys play on TV. I think the Troy program is definitely on the rise. And I think Chris having an opportunity to play there is a big positive for football program.”