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(Last Updated 2/20/01; Go to Main Page)
Horn Commits
Next to each recruits name in parentheses is the recruit's Rivals star and national rankings at their position. To the right of each commit's description are the schools from which the commit reportedly received offers. "Very early commit" means that the recruit committed in June or earlier (these commits usually won't have had time to collect as many offers as others).
Justin Blalock (5-1)- 6'4", 325, 5.0,
OG - Fla, Mich,
OU, Mia,
FSU, Neb, ND, A&M,
OH St, UCLA, Ark &
others
Sonny Davis (4-NR) - 6'1", 320, 5.0, DT- Gulf Coast CC, Miss
(Austin Lanier, TX) - in high school, USC, OH St,
UCLA and A&M
Larry Dibbles (4-8) - 6'3-1/2", 270,
4.65, DE - Lancaster, TX - OU, ND,
Mia, FSU,
UCLA, Penn St, Alab, Tenn,
OH St, A&M, USC, Neb,
Col, Mich,
Mich St, LSU, K St &
others
Clint Haney (3-23) - 5'11", 190, 4.4
Ath- Smithson Valley, TX - very early commit, Col and
TTech
Albert Hardy (4-4) - 5'11", 215, 4.55,
RB/FB - Galena Park, TX - Fla, Alab,
LSU, Mich, Penn St,
Neb, Col,
UCLA and OH St
Aaron Harris (4-4)- 6'0", 230, 4.62
MLB, North Mesquite, TX - Fla,
FSU, OU, USC,
LSU, Mich,
OH St, A&M and others
Tully Janszen (4-29)- 6'3", 245, 4.75
DL - Keller, TX - early commit, OU, A&M and
others
Marquis Johnson (5-3) - 6'3", 195,
4.49, WR, Champaign Centennial, IL - Mich, Ill,
Fla, Penn St, Mich St, Wisc, Pur, Alab,
Tenn, Pitt,
Col
Marco Martin (4-10)- 6'3", 312, 4.75,
DT - Mia, FSU,
Tenn, Fla,
USC, Neb, Syr, Ga Tech, Clem, A&M &
others
Edorian McCullough (5-3) - 5'10",
180, CB/Ath - Mia, OU,
Fla, Neb, A&M,
LSU, Mich, Mich St.
Mattew Melton (3-18)- 6'0", 197, 4.41,
S, Tyler John Tyler, TX - A&M, Purdue and Arizona
Dustin Miksch (2-82)- 6'0", 167, 4.35,
WR - Round Rock Westwood, TX - very early commit, don't know offers
Marcus Myers (3-28)- 6'3", 215, 4.55,
LB - Pflugerville Connally, TX - early commit, A&M, TTech and OK St.
Bryan Pickryl (5-2)- 6'6", 225, 4.6,
DE - Jenks, OK - OU, UCLA,
Mich, Mia, Mizzou,
LSU, Neb, ND,
Col, Tenn, A&M and
others
Chase Pittman (4-7)- 6'4", 270, 4.9
, DL, Shreveport Evangel Christian, LA - OU,
LSU and A&M
Brian Robison (3-43)- 6'3", 248, 4.65,
LB/DL - Splendora, TX - early commit, LSU and UH
Lyle Sendlein (4-31)- 6'4-1/2", 295,
4.9, C - Scottsdale Chapparral, AZ - very early commit -
Fla, Mich, ND, Penn St
& Others
Garnet Smith (4-7)- 6'3", 216, 4.58,
OLB, Arlington Lamar, TX - OU,
Fla, K St, Mia,
Neb, Tenn,
UCLA, USC, Alab, A&M,
Aub and Ark
Kasey Studdard (4-11) - 6'2",
275, 4.8 ,OC/OG/DT, Littleton Highlands Ranch, CO -
Col, Mia,
Neb, Wash,
Tenn, USC
David Thomas (4-7) - 6'3", 210, 4.65,
TE - Wolfforth Frenship, TX - early commit, OU,
LSU, Pur, A&M, OK St and TTech
Robert Timmons (4-20) - 6'2", 205,
4.46, WR - Flower Mound Marcus, TX - Ga Tech (early offers from
Mia, FSU,
Tenn, USC and others)
Neale Tweedie (4-4)- 6'5", 260, 4.9,
OL - Allen, TX - early commit, ND, Mich,
OU A&M, UCLA,
Mich St, Clem and many others
Brett Valdez (3-25)- 6'3", 310, 5.1,
OL - Brownwood, TX - very early commit
Michael Williams (4-5) - 6'4", 225,
4.6 - OLB, Lindale, TX - OU, USC, A&M, TTech,
Minn, Ark, W Va
Rodrique Wright (5-2)- 6'4-1/2", 330,
5.0 - Alief Hastings, TX , DT- OU,
Neb, Tenn,
Mich, Mich St, OH St,
Wisc, Penn St, A&M and many others
Selvin Young (4-5)- 5'11", 193, 4.36
- Jersey Village, TX - OU,
Col, UCLA,
LSU, A&M, USC, Mich St, Miss St, K ST, Ark,
AZ, TCU
Vincent Young (5-1) - 6'5", 205, 4.4
- Houston Madison, TX - Mia,
FSU, LSU, K St, Ark &
Others
RED indicates schools that were both AP Top 10 this year and finished in the top 10 in Recruiting in either '01 and '02 (Rivals).
BLUE indicates schools that brought in top 10 classes in either '01or '02 (Rivals) and not ranked in AP top 10 this year.
GREEN indicates schools that finished in the AP Top 10 this year and not ranked in top 10 classes in '01 or '02 (Rivals).
BIOS
OG, Plano East, TX, 6'4", 325, 5.0 - Widely regarded the top offensive guard in the country (e.g., Rivals #1 OG), Blalock is a truly dominating mix of power and quickness that registered 228 tackles and 67 sacks during his career. Blalock was offered by nearly every bigtime program Rivals notes of Blalock, he "has an upper-body that looks like a body-builder, but also moves well and is a smash-mouth run blocker." On top of that, Justin is really on the ball -- he's got a good test score and, moreover, appears to be pretty sharp in interviews and e-mails I've seen. He was highly praised by coaches in the US Army National All-Star game. Rivals Geoff Ketchum said that Blalock might be the Horns' second best offensive player right off the bat (behind V Young), and said "At the National All-Star Game in San Antonio, Blalock was the best of a strong group of offensive lineman on hand and every defensive lineman there said he was just a beast between the tackles. A dominating run blocker, he should compete for a starting job in 2003." In high school, Blalock played left guard, what he called "swing tackle", and even defensive tackle in short yardage situations. Student Sports attended every summer Nike Camp, and named Blalock to its All Camp Team, stating that Blalock was "the most dominant offensive linemen we saw all tour. Not just huge but quick and strong and showed great feet in the line drills." The Insiders rank Blalock at the #2 offensive lineman in the country (#1 OG) and Blalock possesses "a combination of size, strength and intelligence, he simply overpowers defenders.. . Tremendous drive and explosion off the ball." Jeremy Crabtree said Blalock is a little bit better run blocker than pass blocker right now, but that largely stems from his dominating run blocking ability: "If there is a better run blocker in the nation, then he must belong in the NFL right now. Blalock simply gets after it on every play. He is able to destroy the defender in front of him and does the little things that most good linemen don't do yet - he makes it up to the next level. That's something that is rarely seen in a high school prospect. Most players are satisfied with getting the pancake block, but not Blalock. He crushes one guy and then moves to another." Crabtree added that Blalock "uses his massive legs and upper body to lay a lick on the defender across him on every play. And when he pops you - he definitely has plenty of explosion. . . . Simply put, there isn't a better guard in the nation when it comes to explosion and pop." Crabtree noted that Blalock will have to work on his recovery techniques when he gets to college. Plano East Coach Scott Phillips told Dave Campbell's Texas Football that Blalock was the finest lineman he has ever coached. Justin's cousin, Justin Goodwin, played offensive line at Michigan from 1999-2001. Blalock wants to major in business or sports marketing. 2001: First Team USA Today All-American. Blalock graded out at 95 percent this season with 134 "de-cleaters"on an offensive line that allowed less than 10 sacks this season. Selected to play in the US Army All-American Bowl. DCTF First Team Super Team. 2000: Earned all-district and all-area honors as a junior after registering 130 de-cleaters. 1999: Justin was a second-team all-district performer as a sophomore who recorded 151 pancakes and helped lead Plano East to an 11-3 record and the Texas 5A Division II state quarterfinals that season Physical stats and other sports: BP 400, Squat 525 , Power Cleans 450 and a 27" vert. 4.72 shuttle at the Nike camp. Blalock ran his 5.00 40 yard dash time at the Nike camp. After the Nike Camps, Blalock said "I'm still searching for the ever elusive 4.9 in the 40. I think I can get it, seeing as the conditions weren't that great at the camp. With all the great tips the Nike staff showed us, it shouldn't be too far off." Going into his senior year, Blalock said "I had a personal best of 144 feet in the discus and 61-5 officialy in the shotput. I threw 63-11 on a foot foul in one meet and 65 feet+ out of bounds at the regional meet." Blalock threw a 63-6 during the first part of his senior year. Blalock can dunk a basketball. Commit to Texas: Blalock committed to Texas (22nd commit, 12/20/01) over Fla, Mich, OU, Mia, FSU, Neb, ND, A&M (first to offer in Sept '00), OH St, UCLA, Ark and others (all offered). Blalock said "I went on visits just to finalize some things. But this is the place I wanted to be. It just felt right at Texas. Texas has been the school that I've liked forever." Blalock added "It's a great school, a great program, but had no idea how close the players were. That really impressed me and helped me with my decision." He added "The bond between the coaches, players and everyone associated with the program is like an extended family. The hospitality I received on my visit made me want to be a part of the program. Coach Brown seems really personable. He gives his time to anyone who needs it and is sincere. You can talk to him openly and he is like a father figure." Blalock has an SAT score WELL above NCAA minimums, and looked very hard at the academics of the schools courting him. Link to Rivals Profile of Blalock -- Link to Pic of Blalock -- Link to Pic of Blalock -- Link to Pic of Blalock -- Link to Pic of Blalock -- Link to Pic of Blalock -- Link to Pic of Blalock -- Link to Pic of Blalock -- Link to Pic of Blalock (#78) -- Link to Pic of Blalock (#78) -- Link to Pic of Blalock (#78) -- Link to Pic of Blalock -- Link to Pic of Horn commits (then) at US Army Bowl (Blalock at back left) -- Link to Pic of Horns at US Army Bowl (Blalock at back row left) -- Link to Pic of Blalock -- Link to Pic of Blalock (right) and Cody Douglas -- Link to Pic of Blalock -- Link to Pic of Blalock at US Army Bowl (2nd from left in back row) -- Last pic 1 second later -- Last pic 1 second later -- Link to Pic of Blalock Signing on LOI Day |
DT, Mississippi Gulf Coast JC (originally Austin Lanier, TX) 6'3", 325, 5.0 - Widely regarded as one of the top returning JUCO DL prospects, Davis plans to enroll at Texas, with which he originally signed in 2000, in the Spring of 2002. In high school, "Big Wolf" (teammates said his face looks like a wolf) was considered the top DL in Texas. Davis was a two-time All-CenTex selection. Reportedly great explosion off the snap, with the ability to move sideline to sideline. Geoff Ketchum recently (summer of 2001) said "Few defensive linemen at any level have the type of raw talent that Davis possesses. Despite his size, the 6-3, 325-pound Davis displays amazing quickness off the ball and makes a living in his opponent's backfield. As far as physical ability goes, Davis measures off the charts. He's as strong as a bull and possesses the type of athleticism that allows him to make plays up and down the line of scrimmage as a run defender. For the most part, Davis demands a double team from the offense at all times." When Davis was coming out of high school, Ketchum said "His ability to explode off of the snap is a thing of beauty. His strength is apparent and he does a great job of using his punch to create separation between him and his opponent. Also, when Davis was in on offense, he was a devastating blocker. If he were to focus on that side of the ball, he would be a top 10-15 players in the state as on offensive lineman. He just possesses so much athleticism that he can do anything on the field that he wants . . . " His HS coach at Lanier coach Wade Johnston told Inside Texas in April of 1999 that Davis is an "impact player who has all the tools." He also said that Davis is "the best defensive linemen I've coached or seen on film." Johnston also said "With his size he's the quickest big guy I've ever seen. Apparently the Texas coaches have indicated that out of all their evaluations he's one of the quickest off the ball that they've ever recruited. And I can agree with that. His quickness off the ball is something. When the ball moves, he's gone. In fact, he looks like he's beating the snap sometimes he's so quick. And he's got tremendous footwork, he can change directions real easily without losing balance. He's got a great sense of knowing where the ball is. He still needs some work in reading the play and using his hands but he's been able to dominate in high school with his natural abilities. He's got tremendous lateral movement as far as chasing the ball down and his move off the ball puts him in a real advantage on the pass rush. He has a great intensity as far as his working out and he likes to play the game. He enjoys being out there and practicing and he just loves the games. His motor turns on and stays on the entire game. But athletic talent-wise, his quickness with his size puts him in a class of his own. There aren't many guys that can move like he does." Oddly, Johnston said of Davis: "He also catches the ball as well as anyone I've ever seen and the kid can throw. We never used him to pass but we had practiced it. The guy's got a great arm. I mean, he can throw as good as any quarterback I've ever had." Johnston als said "One thing he does is that he comes in and watches film all the time. When he has some time off he comes in and asks to look at film so he really enjoys watching football and studying the game." Although Anderson didn't qualify coming out of High School, he has turned it around academically at Gulf Coast CC, and part of that is due to the attitude change that came with having a daughter: "Having my daughter (Sun'kaiha) has helped me grow up. You grow up real fast when you have someone other than yourself to take care of. She's going to know that her daddy was a success. I call every day when I'm away and talk to her. I know that everything that I do is for her." Davis is excited to come back to Austin, not only to play for Texas, but to also be closer to his daughter. 2001: 2000: Honroable mention All-Conference 1999 (senior year in HS): Davis recorded 72 tackles: 25 solo tackles & 47 assists, 2 fumbles caused, 6 tackles for negative yardage, 12 pressures, 4 sacks and was named Parade All-American, AP Honorable Mention All State, Austin American Statesman All Central Texas and All-Central Texas for the third straight season. Sonny was 1st Team All District Defensive Line for three years in a row! Incredibly, Davis played at TB also for Lanier, and had a 48 yard TD run against Travis, and a 46 yard run against Reagan. He also made the American Statesman All Decade team for the 1990's. He also made All-District as a TE and graded 95% + in eight games. 1998 (junior year in HS): Davis recorded 95 tackles and 15 sacks. Davis has outstanding athleticism for a big man (he can two-handed slam a basketball). 1st Team All District Defensive Line Physical stats and other sports: As a junior in high school, Davis benched 380 pounds, sqautted 510 and had a 26" vertical leap. Incredibly, he was clocked at 4.89 at 310 pounds. Commit to Texas: Davis has remained committed to Texas (1st commit) since he went started attending junior college in the Fall of 2000. Davis said "It's like when I was in high school, I'm committed to sign with them and that's what I plan to do. I talk with the coaches and they want me back. They said that I would be starting right now. They have been very supportive." Even though he had committed early in high school, he already had offers from USC, Ohio State, UCLA and A&M. Sonny did not sign an LOI with Texas and, if in August '02, he can't transfer to Texas in Austin because of academics, he will try to get in elsewhere. Link to Alliancesports Profile of Davis-- Link to Pic of Davis -- Link to Pic of Davis -- Link to Pic of Davis |
DE, Lancaster, TX, 6'3-1/2", 270, 4.65 - Dibbles is an absolute specimen, and has NFL strength and quickness already as HS player. Interestingly, Dibbles is ranked as the top DL in the nation by ESPN (Lemming), while classmate Rodrique Wright is ranked as the top DL by Rivals. In fact, the 6'3-1/2" 270 pound behemoth actually plays a lot at MLB, as well as DL. When he played on the DL, he played DE on the outside shoulder of the TE in Lancaster’s 5-2 scheme, but he never gets to take on the TE alone: “I take them straight up but it’s never a one on one thing, I get a lot of double and triple teams. It’s a challenge every play.” Lancaster Head Coach Doug Black said “He’s pretty much unblockable. If people want to run at him and test him, then they’ll lose that battle. He’s the real deal.” Black added "Larry is a physical player that is very aggressive and very active. He stays after it every play and never lets up. His biggest asset is his pass rush as he does a great job of putting pressure on the quarterback. We plan on moving him around this year so that teams can't find him. Larry is such a great athlete that teams run away from him when they knew where he was. We will play him at DE, DT, ILB and NG this year. Larry has great balance, he is impossible to knock off his feet." Black also said "His competitiveness and desire to succeed will make him great at the next level." Dibbles team mate David Hardy said of Dibbles "He’s very intense. He plays with a lot of emotion. He leads us in getting pumped up. It’s incredible. The dude is strong. I have seen him take on three guys and clog up a hole, and then the running back would bounce outside, and the whole defense falls on him. Larry didn’t make the tackle, but he made the play.” Bobby Burton said "The most promising aspect of Dibbles’ total package is his initial quickness off of the snap of the ball. It is eerily reminiscent of some great defensive linemen, and that hard-charging first step is something that coaches can’t teach. When he lines up in a down stance and makes his move off of the ball, it is as quick, if not quicker, than anybody you’ll see. . . Dibbles has an extremely well developed and powerful lower body. He made a play on the goal line, shirking one blocker and exploding low into the ball-carrier that showed just how much strength he has in his lower body. And he has the frame to continue to get bigger and bigger, both in his upper body and his lower body." Despite being a very good student and likeable guy, when Dibbles talks football, the gameface pops back on: "I just want to go ahead and dominate on Friday nights, and any of those guys who have me ranked No. 2 anywhere, I am going to try to change those guys’ minds and do a few things that impress those guys and get No. 1 in their opinion also.” Regarding playing LB, Dibbles said “I like to show my versatility and help the team. It’s always fun to move around. It’s instinct to me, I just play it. I like it when I get to hit people and make them hurt.” Dibbles further noted "Most teams run away from me. I like to dominate and frankly looking at me is a scary sight." Dibbles put up monster numbers of sacks his last two years and noted "We play some of the best teams in the state. I play against a lot of potential D-1 offensive linemen so it's very competitive." Dibbles said that he patterns his game after John Randle and Warren Sapp: "Both those guys have the ability to play anywhere and be effective. I¹ll line up all over the field this season‹defensive end, outside linebacker, inside linebacker and as a standup backer in the middle. I want to show people that I can line up all along the front seven and have the speed and ability to play anywhere." Tom Lemming said Dibbles "is a devastating pass rusher with long arms, big-time closing speed and outstanding body control. He's also a very aggressive player who goes all out in practice as well as in game situations, and I believe his combination of explosive speed and strength will enable him to become an All-American at either the defensive end or defensive tackle positions once he gets to college." Dibbles told Inside Texas that he was recruited to play DE, but coaches could "pull some tricks with me on the inside and the outside. . . . With my weight and speed, I can do anything in the front four." He said that, if necessary, the transition to DT in college would not be that difficult: "If coached to do it, I'll do it and be good it. . . If I can contribute at defensive end, I'll do it. If I can contribute at defensive tackle, I'll do it." Dibbles father (also named Larry Dibbles) played at TCU and was a DE drafted by the Minnesota Vikings. Dibbles said “I want to major in mechanical engineering. If I’m going to go down there and play for four or five years I might as well come out with a degree that’s worth something and take advantage of the situation.” Nicknamed "Dibs." 2001: First Team USA Today All-American. Dibbles tore cartlidge in his knee in his second game (which he thought was a bruise until late in the season) and played the whole year on it and got up to 280 for a while because he couldn't work out to stay in shape. Dibbles had 103 tackles, 28 sacks, eight forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries as a senior, including 8 sacks against Grapevine and 6 sacks against three other teams. "I went out and fought hard. I wish had never gotten hurt." Dibbles was disappointed that he couldn't have played healthy to improved on his great junior year form, but is looking to make his mark next year at Texas. Although he dropped a bit in the rankings playing hurt, Dibbles said of playing next year “It’s kind of like a quote that I heard was when someone says something bad about you that isn’t true, you just have to live on and prove them wrong. That’s what I’ll have to do." Selected to Play in the US Army Bowl National HS All-Star Game. 2nd Team DCTF Super Team. 2000: 142 tackles, 22 sacks, 32 tackles for a loss, 15 quarterback hurries, 8 caused fumbles and 6 fumble recoveries. 2nd Team All-State. 1999: Earned all-district honors as a sophomore after recording 17 sacks. Physical stats and other sports: BP 445, Squat 620 and 34" vertical. Dibbles ran a 4.7 handtimed (adjusted 4.58) at the Oklahoma camp. 29 reps on the 185 BP at the summer Nike camps. Dibbles works out mainly in the weight room on what he calls “The Big Four”: bench press, bench incline, power clean and squat. He placed fourth in the shot put at the Class 4A state meet last season despite throwing with a broken big toe, which he smashed when he dropped a 35-pound plate on it. Dibbles’ state meet throw of 55 feet, 11.5 inches was well below his winning regional throw of 60-3. Placed fourth at the Texas 4A Championships in the shot put as a junior of 55'-11 1/2". Commit to Texas: Dibbles committed to Texas (22nd (after Anderson and Malone de-commits), 12/25/01) over OU, ND, Mia, FSU, UCLA, Penn St, Pur, ASU, A&M, USC, Cal, Neb, Col, Mich, Mich St, LSU, W Va, Ga Tech., K St, Iowa St, Mizzou, Kan, Ok St, Ark, Alab, Ariz, Tenn, Col St, Iowa, Oh St, and Wisc (all offered). Dibbles said "I knew that I wanted to go to a school that had great academics, could offer me playing time and would be able to compete for a national championship. If I didn't think I could play with the very best, I shouldn't be playing football. The way I see it, the better my surroundings are and harder I'm forced to work, the better I'm going to be." Dibbles said "From the outside looking in, it looks like a nice Christmas present for me and Texas." Dibbles said of his visit to Texas ". "It was an extraordinary visit. Most of the guys that visited Texas that weekend that were uncommitted [Wright, Young, Hardy, Dibbles, Blalock and Leitko] had been with me the week before when I visited Oklahoma. It gave us a chance to have something to compare it to. It's always good to meet guys from around the state and country that are like you. We really got along on the visit and had a good time together," Dibbles said. "The players at Texas are not a bad peer group. Nobody is arrogant. It seemed like a good trip for all of us." Dibbles is a good student and looked closely at academics. He said that Princeton was the top academic school, Miami had the best football team at the time, but that Texas was the best mix of both. He also said: "In the state of Texas, it just doesn't get any better than UT. It is the best combination of football and academics. It has the total package." Dibbles added "There is no other college program in America like The University of Texas right now. I really think that says it all. Coach Brown is straight-forward to his players. He looks at his players like his own children and makes sure they are happy." Regarding Texas' other impressive DL recruits, Dibbles told Inside Texas "Competition is part of the game. If I didn't feel I could compete, I shouldn't be playing the game. If you throw me in with a bunch of talented guys, the more I will shine." Dibbles finally said in February "“I’d leave for Austin today if I could,” Dibbles said. “I’m just ready to go out there and see how I compete with the other big guys. It’s Texas. What else can you say?” Dibbles is fully qualified. Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link to Alliancesports Profile of Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Dibbles lining up at MLB -- Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link ot Pic of Horns at US Army Bowl (Dibbles third from left in the rear) -- Link to Pic of Horns in US Army Bowl (Dibbles third from left in the rear) -- Link to Pic of Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Dibbles and Marquis Johnson -- Link to Videoclip of Dibbles beating OT Rob Smith (Tenn commit) to force a TFL by Studdard in the National High School All-Star Game -- Link to Pic of Dibbles (#6) -- Link to Pic of Dibbles at US Army Bowl (back row left) -- Last pic 1 second later -- Last pic 1 second later |
Ath/RB, Smithson Valley, TX, 5'11", 190, 4.4 - Haney is a very quick and elusive back that came into his own the 2nd half of his junior year, after the senior RB went down with an injury. On his position at Texas, Haney said "I'll do anything they want me to. I'll play running back, I'll line up in the slot, I'll play defense, block kicks, whatever they want." His coach (Larry Hill) said "He can catch the ball real well out of the backfield or he could line up in the slot and play wide receiver and even though he hasn't played there, he could play on defense as well. Alliance's Geoff Ketchum said: "As a running back Haney is a threat to score every time he gets his hands on the ball. He's at his very best when he can get to the corner and rely on his raw speed and explosiveness. Of all the backs I have seen in Texas this year, none have the ability to get to the corner as fast as Haney. Although his bread and butter is his ability to get to the outside and then turn on the jets, Haney is also a very capable inside runner that runs is tough to tackle because of his ability to dart in and out of holes. . . . Haney looks very comfortable as a receiver and does a great jobs of catching the ball with his hands and turning up-field. . . . He'll remind a lot of people of current Longhorn running back Victor Ike, except that Haney looks far more comfortable as a receiver at this stage of his career than Ike did while he was at Austin Bowie." Uncles, Rusty Fuller (SMU) and Kenny Fuller (Texas Tech), played college football. Haney wants to major in business at UT. 2001: Haney showed why Texas offered him, turning in a monster senior season. Haney rushed for 2,046 yards (289 carries) and 28 TDs, including at least 100 in his final 12 games, to lead the Rangers to the Class 4A Division I championship game. (I know he had a lot of receiving yards, too, but I don't have those statistics). Haney also averaged 24 yards per punt return. He lead his Smithson Valley team to the 4A finals and a narrow 42-35 loss to Denton Ryan but, even in the Championship Game, had 136 yards on 24 carries with 3 TDs. Haney was a last minute replacement in the US Army Bowl National High School All-Star game, and he ended up making two big first down catches and made some tackles on special teams. Haney said of his experience, "I think it was good because I got a taste of what it's going to be like next year," Haney said. "It really helped my confidence because I was playing with the best players in the country." 2000: Haney had 1,665 yards and 19 total touchdowns (6.25 ypc), despite not taking over as RB until the senior RB went down with an injury. He also caught 9 passes for 205 yards and 4 TDs. Lead his team to the state quarterfinals. Physical stats and other sports: Haney ran two consecutive sub-4.40 40 yard dashes at the Texas camp in June 2001. Haney ran the 40 in 4.26, 4.27 and 4.29 seconds at Texas A&M. He timed in the low 4.4, high 4.3 range the following day at Texas, but only because the Longhorns coaches used a different timing method (entire body across the finish line, as opposed to first foot across at A&M. The Texas method is used at the NFL's annual scouting combine). He also did very well in their shuttle drills. Hes just a terrific athlete. Commit to Texas: Haney committed very early to Texas (6/11/01, 5th commit) over Colorado (offer), TTech (offer), Clint's childhood fave team was Nebraska and his brother is a WR at Texas Tech. Haney was offered by Texas within 24 hours of leaving Texas' summer camp (its against the rules to offer a player at camp). After receiving the offer, Haney said "You don't want to sound too excited. But I told him that I wanted to be a Longhorn and that I wanted to commit. It was the greatest feeling. I called and told my parents and my dad couldn't believe it. He was speechless and my mom just started crying." Haney added "I chose UT because it is close to home and a wonderful program. The Longhorns are a great team that has great coaches and tradition. The program is one big family and that was something that was very high among my personal values. Coach Brown is a guy you can talk to. I look at him as a father figure who is very open and honest with his players." Haney is fully qualified. Link to Pic of Haney -- Link to Pic of Haney -- Link to Alliancesports Profile of Haney -- Link to Pic of Haney -- Link to Pic of Haney -- Link to Pic of Haney -- Link to Pic of Haney -- Link to Pic of Haney -- Link to videoclip of Haney from 4A Semifinal Game -- Link to Pic of Horns at US Army Bowl (Haney is bottom row right) -- Link to Pic of Horns at US Army Bowl (Haney is bottom row right) -- Link to Pic of Haney -- Link to Video of Haney Catching Pass on All-American Travarous Bain from Vincent Young in the US Army Bowl National HS All-Star Game -- Link to Video of Haney catching pass on William Blackmon from Vincent Young in US Army Bowl National HS All-Star Game -- Link to Video of closeup of Haney bringing in pass thrown behind him in the US Army Bowl National HS All-Star Game |
RB/FB, Galena Park, TX, 5'11", 215, 4.55 - Hardy is a powerful RB with the kind of frame that could allow him to play either tailback or fullback at the next level. Many recruiting services rank him as a FB, and have in the national top 5 at that position. A member of Superprep's Elite 50 players in the nation, Hardy can hit the hole fast on quick hitters, has good mobility and can really run over people. He has powerful legs, and a low center of gravity that lets him shift with little effort. Galena Park coach Mike Coker said "Albert, is the best back I’ve ever coached or coached against…if seen a few." Coach Coker told Inside Texas that "Not only does [Hardy] lead by example, he's a vocal leader. He takes charge and he wants to win. He's everything you want in a student and in a player." Coach Coker says that Hardy provides what college coaches are looking for: "Everybody is looking at the big backs, the guys that can wear down a defense and can provide protection. He's a money-time, game-day player." Hardy said "I am more of a power guy that loves to run people over," said Hardy. "I have a little juke but I run more like Eddie George. I can block and catch too." Prepstar says "He is a very physical runner with the speed to run away from competition. He sees the field well and has a solid instinctive understanding of how to exploit his blockers. Albert appears to enjoy contact and to dish out more than he receives is a trademark. A technically sound back, he has only one career fumble before this season." Nicknamed "Brano." 2001: Rushed for 1,538 yards and 10 touchdowns. Third-team all-state and first-team, All-Greater Houston and all-district. Selected to Play in teh US Army Bowl National HS All-Star Game, where he played fullback (for the first time) and blocked and caught very well in that new role. 2000: Rushed for 1,855 yards (led the Houston area) on 285 carries and 18 touchdowns as a junior at the tailback position. Included in that total was 9 runs for 50 yards or more. Also caught 10 passes for 103 yards. Lead all Houston-area Class 4A performers in rushing yards and points (118). First Team All-State. Offensive MVP of his District. 1999: 509 Yards rushing as a sophomore FB. Physical stats and other sports: Squat 500, BP 350 and power cleans 325. Hardy definitely passes the eyeball test and Hardy's coach included 3 minutes of Hardy working out on the highlight reel he sent to colleges. Coach Mike Coker told Inside Texas, that at LSU camp last summer, Hardy timed at aroudn 4.56 (at 218 pounds). Hardy wants to spend the next year getting that time into the low 4.5s. Coker also told Inside Texas that Hardy tries to keep at a playing weight of 215 pounds by condidition and speed-specific training work, including "starts, plyometrics and elastics." Commit to Texas: Hardy committed to Texas (19th commit, 12/17/01) over Fla, Bama, LSU, Mich, Penn St, Neb, CU, UCLA and OH St (all offered). Hardy proudly stated "I'm sittin' on top of the world. I'm a UT man. I had it in my heart (to commit to Texas) but I just needed that extra push and that extra push was the players and the recruits coming in. He also said "it was just a gut feeling I had. I knew I'd go to a school and feel right…and that was what I felt at Texas. I liked all the players and they are recruiting well. They get good athletes each year." Hardy told Geoff Ketchum "A lot of people told me not to come to UT because of Cedric Benson. They didn't think I could do it. But, I'm not the type of person who will back down from a challenge. I think I can go in and compete and earn playing time with him. We'll make a great combo." Hardy added "I think I can grow to have a good relationship with (running backs) coach (Bruce) Chambers. As a tailback, it's the most competitive place for me to go." Hardy said "Texas is a wonderful place. The city is beautiful and there is a great family atmosphere. I wanted a chance to play and follow in the footsteps of the great Texas running backs. Coach Brown knows what he's talking about and is very honest with his players." Hardy is fully qualified. Link to Alliancesports Profile of Hardy -- Link to Pic of Hardy -- Link to Pic of Hardy -- Link to Pic of Hardy -- Link to Pic of Hardy -- Link to Pic of Hardy (No. 37) -- Link to Pic of Hardy -- Link to Pic of Hardy -- Link to Pic of Who I Think Is Hardy -- Link to Pic of Hardy -- Link to Pic of Hardy -- Link to Pic of Hardy -- Link to Pic of Hardy -- Link to Pic of Hardy -- Link to Pic of Hardy -- Link to Pic of Hardy (Jr Year) -- Link to Pic of Hardy (Jr Year) -- Link to Pic of Hardy (Jr Year) -- Link to Pic of Hardy (Jr Year) -- Link to Pic of Hardy (Jr Year) -- Link to Pic of Horns at US Army Bowl (Hardy bottom row left) -- Link to Pic of Horns at US Army Bowl (Hardy bottom row left) -- Link to Pic of Hardy -- Link to Pic of Hardy (middle), Lorenzo Booker and David Ricard -- Link to Pic of Hardy and David Ricard -- Link to Video of Hardy Catching pass from Young in the US Army Bowl National HS All-Star Game -- Link to Video of Hardy (playing fullback for the first time) blocking All-American AJ Davis outside clearing a path for Lorenzo Booker to score in the US Army Bowl National HS All-Star game -- Link to Pic of Hardy -- Link to Pic of Hardy -- Link to Pic of Hardy at US Army Bowl (bottom row right) -- Last pic 1 second later -- Last pic 1 second later |
MLB, North Mesquite, TX, 6'0", 230, 4.62 - Widely considered one of the top 5 inside linebackers in the country. A true middle LB when Texas needs that the most (with DD's graduation), Harris brings a very rare blend of quickness, power, intelligence, instinctive play and aggressiveness, which caused him to headline the LB wish lists for the country's elite schools. When asked to describe his play, Harris said "I love to play the game of football. I can cover the field and I try to be a vocal leader. I hit hard - at least I think I do." Because of his size, aggressiveness and playmaking ability, he is often compared to Mike Singletary. North Mesquite Coach Steve Bragg said "He has the ability to make plays from sideline to sideline. It is hard to find guys that run that well. He is a great athlete and has a good feel for the game." North Mesquite's odd 5-2 scheme puts a lot of pressure on LB's to make the correct reads on which gap to play and when to try to shoot it. Even when Harris was a junior, fellow North Mesquite Coach Buster Leaf said "He's an extremely smart football player. He makes all the calls for us. He just knows what to do out there." Harris modestly added "I just let the guys know where they need to be and then I attack the ball. I just try to make the play." Harris has dominated since his sophomore year at North Mesquite, and even started at MLB his junior year over then senior Randall Webb (an A&M player) who was thereafter moved to safety (Harris humbly denies he started "over" his older friend Webb). Interestingly, Harris recalled a humrous story from 3 years ago: “In the spring of my sophomore year Josh Buhl said I couldn’t start here" because of Harris' size. Harris is now bigger than than the diminutive Buhl (who is now a LB at Kansas State). Harris wants to major in Education, and eventually wants to be a teacher and a coach. Nickamed "Big A." 2001: Harris was chosen to play in the Army 2001 National HS Football Game, where he had a sack/safety and a big hit, and was a Ridell All-American LB nominee. He was named as the Texas HS Defensive Player of the Year by the Texas Sports Writers Association. Named the Dallas Morning News All-Area Defensive Player of the Year. Has 147 tackles, four fumbles caused, four interceptions and four fumble recoveries, despite missing the last game and a half of regular season play with an ankle sprain and playing at about 70% in the one North Mesquite playoff game. This quote from Harris in October of 2001 explains the joys of playing when you're a highly rated recruit (compared to 2000, when he was just a junior): "Everyone is trying to keep me away from the ball. My tackles have declined to about 50 from over 60 at the same point last year. Every play they have someone assigned to me and every time I look up there’s a big guy in my face . . .A lot of teams are trying to cut block me. Three guys tried to cut me against Rowlett last week”. DCTF First Team Super Team. 2000: District Defensive Player of the Year. Harris had 188 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 pick returned for TD, 2 fumbles caused, 2 fumbles recovered and 3 deflected passes. Harris was instrumental in the Stallions' 2000 playoff run in Class 5A Division I (they reached the State quarterfinals). 1999: District Defensive Player of the Year. 91 Tackles. Physical stats and other sports: VL 31", Squats 415 and benches 285. Harris ran his 4.62 40 yard dash time at a Nike Camp. Harris also plays baseball (third base) , but won't during the spring of '02 so he can concentrate on strength and conditioning. Commit to Texas: Harris committed to Texas (17th, 12/2/01) over Florida, FSU, OU, USC, LSU, Mich, OH St, A&M (good friends with Aggie LB Randall Webb) and many others (all offered). Harris said "I've always liked Texas, and that probably helped me make the decision . . . I want to win championships. And I liked the players that I met at Texas. . . I watched all of their games and like their style of defense. I've met DJ and just to play next to him is going to be exciting. He can take some of the pressure off of me and hopefully I will eventually take some of the pressure off of him. That's going to be hard for other teams to deal with." Harris said ""It was the best thing for me. I just felt in my heart that Texas was the best fit." Harris was both optomistic and realistic about his chances to make an impact at LB as a true freshman: "I do want to come in and hopefully make an impact. One of my main goals is to play as a freshman and hopefully start. But, I have a lot of work to do to get there. . . I need to learn the defense and the calls. Coach Reese says that's the most important thing that I need to do. I need to learn their techniques. I'm also working with a personal trainer to improve my speed and quickness." Harris also added "Texas has great tradition and family atmosphere. I feel like I will be able to fit in with the team right away and that made a big impact on my decision. Coach Brown seems to be really personable. He knows how to talk to young people and serves as another father figure. He is a successful coach and recruiter." Harris said of Brown "He brings up topics that other coaches don't. This summer on the unofficial visit, we were sitting in his office and he was talking about his [starting] defense is all black guys. He was saying that somebody told him his team looked like Grambling. He was just joking, but nobody else talked about race. He talks about race relations and he doesn't play the race card when it comes to playing time." Harris is fully qualified with an SAT score well above NCAA minimums. Link to pic of Harris -- Link to Pic of Harris -- Link to Pic of Harris -- Link to Pic of Harris (#9) -- Link to Pic of Harris -- Link to Alliancesports Profile of Harris -- Link to Horns at US Army Bowl (Harris is back row right) -- Link to Horns at US Army Bowl (Harris is back row right) -- Link to Pic of Harris -- Link to Videoclip of Harris tattooing TA McClendon at the US Army Bowl National All-Star Game -- Link to Harris sacking Tyler Palko for a safety in the US Army Bowl National All-Star Game -- Link to Pic of Harris -- Link to Pic of Harris -- Link to Pic of something Harris should get used to: being interviewed by ESPN -- Link to Pic of Harris -- Link to Pic of Harris at US Army Bowl (front row left) -- Last pic 1 second later -- Last pic 1 second later |
DL, Keller, TX, 6'3", 245, 4.75 - Janszen is a very good athlete for his size with quick explosion off the ball but, what really stands out, is his motor and intensity. He's a player that relentlessly pursues the ball over and around however many players necessary to get to it. Janzen described his strengths as "my aggressiveness and speed off the ball." Janszen plays DT, TE and H-Back for Keller HS. Alliancesport's Geoff Ketchum said of Janszen "Look up the words relentless in the dictionary and you'll find Mr. Janszen. It's almost trite to say that his motor is always running because his energy level on the field soars past any cliché I can spout off. More than that, he's a very good athlete. He's extremely quick off the ball and has very good speed. In fact, on the field, Janszen always looks like he's running downhill. Regardless of where the ball is, Janszen is finding a way to get to it. There were times last year when he would chase down a receiver or ball carrier 25-30 yards downfield. His athleticism allows him to make plays sideline-to-sideline and endzone-to-endzone." Ketchum added "Overall, there are going to be a lot of comparisons made to last year's recruit Lance McFarland. Well, I'm much higher on Tully at this point of the process than I was with Lance. He's bigger and certainly has position set in stone. This kid is a lineman's lineman and he's not a player you would want to play against." Superprep said "Janzen reminds us of former Sooner DL Kelly Gregg. Not the biggest guy around, but extremely quick, tough and tenacious." After signing day, Ketchum said "The biggest compliment that I can give Janszen is that Texas fans need to thank their lucky stars that he's on their team and not on anyone else's. The 6-4, 250-pound Janszen plays with a motor that never stops and brings the same type of mean streak to the field that Valdez does. There's nothing pretty about Janszen's game as a defensive lineman. He just comes at you with everything he has on every single play and with his strength and determination. He simply breaks his opponent's will." Janzen was ranked by some services as a top 100 player in the country before his commit. Hw was overlooked early on by recruiting services, but not by coaches -- OU had offered him back in March of '00 (and Venables recruited him very hard) with A&M offering soon thereafter. Janszen said he was recruited to play DT, but could play anywhere the coaches wanted him to when he gets to Texas. Janszen is indifferent to whether he plays next year, and sees some benefit to redshirting. Janszen's dad (Mike) played LB and DL for SMU in the Hayden Frye era. After football, Janszen wants to pursue a career as a large game outfitter or in wildlife management. Nicknamed "Ice Man." 2001: DCTF Second Team Super Team. 72 Tackles and 7 sacks. 2000: 92 tackles (36 solo), 15 sacks and 24 QB hurries. Made All-District as a junior. Physical stats and other sports: BP 310, squat 465 and 33" vert during his junior year of HS. Won fastest "Big Man" (over 235 pounds) in the Texas camp in the summer of '01 in tennis shoes (forgot his cleats and the run was on grass). Commit to Texas: Janszen committed to Texas (8/2/01, 12th commit) over OU (offer) and A&M (offer). Janszen said of the Horns "Everyone made me feel like I was a part of the team while I was there and made me feel like I was one of them. I just felt very comfortable with the players that I spent time with. . . . Texas just felt like the right place." Janszen told Inside Texas "I liked OU but I didn't feel comfortable around the players. I liked the (Oklahoma) coaches, but at UT, the coaches took me in and treated me like part of the family. They are genuine, hometown guys. And when I went out to eat with the players, they didn't act like football players but like normal guys. I liked the fact that they didn't have a big ego about playing football at Texas. I just liked the way everybody was down there." Janszen added "I liked the players and fell in love with the coaches. They treated me like a son. The program seems to have a home-style atmosphere. I really like the way Coach Brown treats his players. He invites them to his home and believes they can get their job done. He treated me like a son during my visit and took me under his wing." Janszen is fully qualified. Link to Pic of Janszen -- Link to Alliancesports Profile of Janszen |
WR, Champaign Centennial, IL, 6'3", 195, 4.49 - Widely regarded as the best pure athlete in the midwest this year, Marquis is a fantastic athlete that has just played football for a year (junior year and a half and varisity football for just one year (concentrated on basketball before that). Marquis is a great mix of a blazing fast athlete with excellent body control and a fearless streak. Prepstar said Johnson "One college recruiter who recently viewed tape of Johnson said that the 6-4 190 pound speedster could play for anyone in the nation. Johnson has 4.5 speed and he compares favorably to former PrepStar Dream Team wide receiver and current Michigan State Spartan, Charles Rogers. Marquis is a terrific athlete with power, speed, athletic ability and super leaping ability. " Rivals 100 said Marquis was one of 10 WR nominees for the Riddell HS player of the year award and has "nice combination of size and speed. One of the Midwest's finest wide receivers." Marquis told Supreperp "I can run away from defenders. I'm always keeping them on their heels because they never know what I'll do. I've only been playing football for two years so I need to work on my speed and footwork." Prepstar also said "Big Ten area football fans are asking why Texas is recruiting in Illinois. Directly stated many recruiters feel that Johnson is better than anyone in the Southwest this year." Regarding his attitude at Centinnial HS, Johnson told Jason Suchomel: "I want the ball in my hands. I’m a competitive player and I want to score. I want the ball in my hands when everything is on the line. I want my team to win and I do what it takes. I still have more to learn but I’m getting there. I’m learning every day in practice and getting better. I have a great coaching staff. They’ve helped me and my team has helped me too. Sometimes when things aren’t going right, I let off a little steam and the team is right there." Marquis also said "I’ll do whatever it takes to get in the end zone. I’m still pulling tricks out of my pocket that I didn’t even know I could do." Nicknamed "Quis." 2001: Parade All-American. First Team All-State. Selected to Play in the US Army Bowl National HS All-Star Game. Caught 42 passes for 907 yards and 11 touchdowns and averaged 20 yards on three reverses against constant double-team coverage 2000: caught 45 passes (862 yds) and had 11 TD's, even though it was only his first year of varsity football and he was doubled on every play. 2nd Team All-State. Physical stats & other sports and other sports: 39" vert. 215 BP. 23' long jump. Ran a 4.1 shuttle at a combine in the summer of '01. Basketball shooting guard/small forward for three years on the varsity and averaged 17 points per game as a senior until he hurt his knee in January. Prepstar said "He has recorded an amazing 42" no-step vertical jump!", but he has also recorded lower vertical leaps at various camps. Commit to Texas: Marquis (15th commit, 9/28/01) committed to Texas over MI, Ill, Fla, Penn St, MI St, Wisc, Pur, Ala, Tenn, Pitt, Col and others (all offered). Johnson also said "I love their offense. They really run a pro-type offense. It's a dream offense for a wide receiver." When asked if he was worried about competing with Texas' talented WR corp, Johnson said "No, because of course there will be competition everywhere, especially in the Big 12. I am not afraid of competing at all." ""I liked the fact that the wide receivers (at Texas) are all real close. They all go everywhere with each other. They're fun to hang out with. Coach Brown is also a nice guy, someone you can talk to." Johnson also said about UT's current WRs: "I can learn from them. By the time it’s time for me to step in, I’ll be ready and I’ll know what to do. It’s pretty hard to come right in and learn everything. It’s not a problem at all, with those guys, because you can’t become a great receiver without learning from great receivers." Marquis also said "It’s a real great privilege to play for a national power like Texas. Football is what the fans crave. There’s all kinds of pressure, and I feel like I can live up to that.” He added "“Coach (Mack) Brown is like a father. Everyone just looks up to him. When he enters a room, no one says anything. I look as it as we are one big family. That’s why they are winning — they love each other like brothers.” Marquis said his parents always liked Texas, but left it up to him. Quis added "I feel like I will be leaving a family to join another family. Texas felt like home and it is where I want to spend the next four to five years of my life. The tradition of the school is great and there are just great people throughout the state. Coach Brown is like a father figure. You need that when he go away from home for the first time." Johnson said further "I see myself being a successful Texas Longhorn alum. If it doesn’t work out in the pros, graduating from The University of Texas is also one of the best things in the world. I guess I see myself as a successful person still helping out the program." In early January, Johnson suffered a partial ACL tear which was surgically repaired, and Johnson was expected to be ready for the 2002 season. Re the injury, Johnson said "That was the scariest moment for sure. I’ve got time to get it back but it may take a while, but I’m going to get even stronger though. It’s the way a person looks at it. You’ve got to really strive to make it better. I’m in a situation where I’m going to fight so hard that it’s going to be stronger than before. Who knows, it could end up being for the better." Johnson is fully qualified. Link to Pic of Johnson -- Link to Pic of Johnson -- Link to Alliancesports Profile of Johnson -- Link to Pic of Johnson -- Link to Pic of Johnson -- Link to Pic of Johnson -- Link to Pic of Horns at US Army Bowl (Johnson in black jersey back row) -- Link to Pic of Horns at US Army Bowl (Johnson in black jersey back row) -- Link to Pic of Marquis Johnson and Dibbles -- Link to Pic of Johnson -- Link to Clip of Johnson catching a pass in the US Army Bowl National All-Star Game -- Link to Pic of Johnson -- Link to Pic of Johnson -- Link to Pic of Johnson at US Army Bowl (black jersey) -- Last pic 1 second later -- Last pic 1 second later |
DT, Mesquite, TX, 6'3", 312, 4.84 - Martin is one of the more intriguing recruits Texas has ever landed. Believe it or not, he started tailback . . . at 6'4", 300 pounds. Martin is big, quick fast -- fast for a RB or a LB, not a DL. In fact, he was furious when he ran a 4.84 at a Nike Camp, as he had consistently been timed in the 4.6's before the camp. He shifted between DT and DE his senior year, but even then, his coach toyed with the idea of playing him at LB and RB. Rivals noted the obvious: "Martin is a physical freak of nature, possessing outstanding speed, quickness and overall athletic ability." Marco said "I did mostly running back last year, just some this year. I'm really quick off the ball and athletic... I run a 4.7 to 4.8 and bench around 400." Marco told Superprep "I have speed and quickness. I'm aggressive and I seen nothing but the ball on the field. I want to get my forty to a 4.5 and I also want to work on my movement." Mesquite Coach Steve Halpin told Inside Texas "He's very low key. He doesn't draw attention to himself. He's just a team player. He does a good job and cares for his teammates. He's a good person. He has a lot of character and his talent speaks for itself." Marco tore his ACL and MCL in his final game (see below), but already had his it surgically repaired (January '02) and is rehabbing hard. The doctors said that with proper rehab, it should not be a problem (in fact, two of Texas' top NFL players in the past few years, Casey Hampton and Wane McGarity, suffered similar injuries). Marco is redshirting and the rehab regimen has actually got him to do something he really didn't have to do before -- hit the weightroom hard. In fact, Marco has already slimmed down in the first month of rehab and is in better shape than he was during the season (the big guy didn't have to watch his weight as much to dominate in HS). Marco said "I'm going to come back stronger and faster than I was" after 19 months of reahp berfore his redshirt freshman year in '03. Coach Halpern added "its not going to be easy, but I feel confident that he will." 2001: Parade Magazine All-American. An Achilles injury bothered Martin for the first half of the season, but he really came on after healing up in the second half of the season. However, his knee was injured on a truly cheap looking chop in the 4A State Championship game against San Antonio Taft. However, Martin got the last laugh as he collected his Championship ring (Mequite won 14-13). DCTF First Team Super Team. Through the end of October, Martin had 96 tackles, 8 sacks and 26 TFLs. 2000: As a RB, Martin ran for 866 yards (7.5 ypc) and 6 TDs. Even though he didn't play a lot of defense, Martin still managed to make 16 tackles, two sacks, two fumbles recovered, two tackles for loss and one caused fumble. Physical stats and other sports: BP 370, Squat 640, and Power Cleans 390. 28.1" vertical, 4.63 shuttle. Marco ran a 4.84 in a camp over the summer and consistently clocks in teh high 4.7s and low 4.8s. Commit to Texas: Martin committed to Texas (20th, 12/19/01) over Mia, FSU, Tenn, Fla, USC, Neb, Syr, Ga Tech, Clem, A&M and a whole host of other schools (all offered). Martin said that he wanted to go to a close school so his mom could watch games, and also noted that"Texas is the perfect school to go to because of the recruiting class." Noting the Horns unbelievable 2002 class, Martin noted "that's what I want to do - play with other great players." Martin also said that, after his injury, "it was Coach brown that called me and really comforted me. He told me some stuff that made me feel really wanted. He said that they wanted me at Texas before I was injured and that they wanted me just as much after the injury. He let me know that they really wanted me at Texas and that made me feel good." Marco added "I had known for a while that Texas was a school I had really liked. Plus, it's close to home and my mom can watch my games without having to go to the trouble of flying." Link to Alliancesports Profile of Martin -- Link to Pic of Martin -- Link to Pic of Martin -- Link to Pic of Martin -- Link to Pic of Martin -- Link to Pic of Martin -- Link to Pic of Martin (No. 48) -- Link to Pic of Martin (No. 48) -- Link to Pic of Martin -- Link to Pic of Martin -- Link to Pic of Martin -- Link to Pic of Martin getting illegally chop blocked -- Link to Pic of Martin and Coach Halpern |
CB/Ath, North Garland, TX, 5'10", 180, 4.3 - Edorian is ranked by almost every service as one of the top 2-3 CB's in the country. He is one of the fastest and most elusive players in the nation who has dominated in high school at both RB and CB. Bobby Burton said of McCullough: "I got a chance to watch Edorian in person against South Garland earlier in the year. He made a play at cornerback that may have been one of the best plays I've ever seen a cornerback make. On a bubble screen, he sidestepped his receiver, came out and popped the RB underneath the chin. It caused a safety and guy was knocked out for 3 minutes." When asked what his strengths were, Edorian didn't tell Rivals speed but, instead, said “agility, the ability to change directions quickly, foot coordination.” Interestingly, he actually plays fullback for North Garland, but told Rivals "it’s not like a regular FB since we run the wing-T. It’s actually more like a TB in the I-formation even though I don’t have a lead blocker. Also, a lot of the time when I don’t get the ball I’m running fakes into the line. . . we run traps and hit the hole faster since the FB is closer to the line of scrimmage. Otherwise, it’s not that different." Edorian told Rivals that, on defense “we primarily play man coverage with a free safety. We’re given the freedom to play either on or off the receiver although most of the time we play off. In our two-deep zone, I play up on the WR. When I play on the receiver, I like to use my hands and steer him inside to the safety.” McCullough told Rivals: "I like to be physical. That’s the thing … you’ve got to be physical and not let him win. The way I look at it, if I’m physical with the receiver nine times out of 10 I’ll win." North Garland Heach Coach David Farris told InsideTexas: "He can run, he's physical and he's competitive. He's been playing man coverage ever since he's been here. That's pretty much all we do. He has all the tools he needs." Coach Farris also said ""Defensively, he didn't do much this year because nobody ever threw the ball at him." Edorian is a year older than most high schoolers his age, but was cleared to play by the UIL. Edorian wants to major in business. 2001: First Team All-District at both RB and CB. In the regular season (before the playoffs), on offense, McCullough had rushed for 1,755 yards on 241 carries (7.28ypc) and 16 touchdowns. He also caught 5 passes for 70 yards and had 90-yard KO return. In November 2001, McCullough said "At cornerback I have about 15 tackles on the year but teams don't throw in my direction much." He ended up with 36 tackles and 3 pass breakups. 2000: District MVP, named All-District at both RB and CB and rushed for 1,250 yards on 101 carries and19 touchdowns. Also had 20 catches for 345 yards and 1 TD. Physical stats: 250 BP, 380 Squat, 32" vertical. 3.7 Shuttle. Edorian is a major track star, making varsity as a freshman. In May of 2001, McCullough won the 100 m Texas State title with a time of 10.32 (has run a 9.96 wind-aided). He also came in second in the 200m (22.00) and his team came in second in the 4x100m relay (2nd place at State meet with 40.54). Edorian's fastest 200m is 20.95 (another 20.89 wind-aided). He was the high point scorer (22 points) at the Texas 5A Track & Field Championships. Commit to Texas: Edorian committed to Texas (26th, 1/21/02) over Mia, OU, Fla, Neb, A&M, LSU, Mich, Mich St. and others. Edorian said about his visit to Texas: “I knew before I visited there this weekend that that’s where I was going. It’s where I’ve always wanted to go. They knocked my socks off. But, I knew I was going there. The players and I got along great.” Edorian also said "My heart was telling me to go to Texas. Like I said, I’ve always been a Texas fan and I really liked their players. Plus, everybody there just acts like they’re family and cared about each other." Edorian added "I grew up a Texas fan and always dreamed of playing for the Longhorns. I really like playing cornerback and the coaches told me I would have an opportunity to play there right away. Texas has a great family atmosphere and Coach Brown treats his players well. He also gives his players a chance to successful and serves as a father figure." Edorian has an SAT score well above NCAA minimums but needs to work a bit on his grades (he will need an increase in one or the other to qualify and he is working very hard on it). Edorian had early academic problems but has worked very hard to succeed. Football Coach Joe Allen said "He has come a long way, and now, is really just a model student. A lot of kids use sports to stay out of trouble, and he has used it to get stronger and stronger in the classroom." Edorian said "I strive to be the best, on the football field, in track and in the classroom. That is what I try to tell other people, is you have to be the best in the classroom first." Link to Rivals Profile of McCullough -- Link to Pic of Edorian -- Link to Pic of McCullough -- Link to Video of McCullough (Inside Southwest Recruiting) -- Link to Pic of McCullough after signing with Texas -- Link to Pic of McCullough of McCullough signing -- Link to Pic of McCullough signing LOI -- Link to Pic fo Edorian signing LOI -- Link to Pic of Edorian signing LOI -- Link to Pic of McCullough |
S, Tyler John Tyler, TX, 6'0", 197, 4.41 - Melton is a good combination of playmaker and athlete that plays both WR and FS for TJT. Alliancesports said that Melton "is one of the top defensive back prospects in the state of Texas. . . . Melton has the ability to play any spot in the secondary and that type of versatility has teams across the country drooling over the prospect of landing this outstanding young defensive back." Melton said that Texas "likes me because of my versatility and my aggressiveness. I'm a guy that can come in during blitz packages and cover the slot as well as any cornerback. I'm also a very aggressive player against the run." Melton said that in college, he probably will play"strong safety or corner. I believe I’ll be able to make the necessary adjustments.” After viewing him at the A&M Nike camp, Jeremy Crabtree said "One of the more impressive prospects this past weekend at the Texas A&M Nike Camp was Tyler (Texas) John Tyler standout Matthew Melton. He looked very impressive in the one-on-one drills and more than hung his own against the state’s best receivers and skill position players. He came away catching the eye of Rivals100 and the numerous coaches that were there in attendance." Melton also said "“I’m an aggressive hitter with good jumping ability. I like playing centerfield and making the big plays.” Melton is a National Honor Society member and sports a high GPA and test score well above the minimums necessary for qualification. Matt's grandfather, Elmer Redd, was an All-America running back at Prairie View A&M and the offensive coordinator at the University of Houston (1970-86). Melton wants to be a Mechanical Engineer. 2001: Rung up 60 tackles, 14 pass breakups, three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. Matt also rushed six times for 112 yards and had a TD reception as a wideout. 2000: all-district, all-region,a ll-state honors, all-state academic. 92 tackles, five INTs (one returned for a TD) and five fumble recoveries (one TD), 4 fumbles caused, 9 deflected passes, 5 TFL's, 2 sacks and one blocked extra point. Also had added seven receptions for 89 yards and rushed for a pair of TDs. Physical stats and other sports: BP 315 (position record at TJT), Squat 420 and Vert Leap of 36.5" at Nike Camp. Melton ran his 4.41 at A&M's mini-camp on turf. Melton also runs for TJT's 100m relay team (fastest 100m dash team is 10.75) and runs the 110m and 300m hurdles. Commit to Texas: Melton committed (16th, 10/17/01) over A&M, Purdue and Arizona (all offered). Melton said "It was down to Texas and Texas A&M and I just felt more comfortable at Texas. I sat down with my parents and talked it over and decided to make my commitment." Melton added "Texas is the best program in the United States and Mack Brown is a great all-around coach and father figure. I really enjoyed my visit and it just felt like the right place to go. Coach Brown is a players coach and he doesn't put too much pressure on his players. I think that helps them be successful." Melton is fully qualified. Link to Alliancesports Profile of Melton -- Link to Pic of Melton -- Link to Pic of Melton -- Link to Pic of Melton |
WR, Round Rock Westwood, TX, 6'0", 167, 4.35 - Miksch is one of the fastest receivers in the state. Miksch was extremely impressive in camp, getting open on every CB that tried to cover him. Highly regarded Houston Madison CB Donald Burgs said Miksch was the toughest WR at the camp to cover and "was really good. He was hard to cover and he has really good speed. He has good hands, too." Miksch says "I think I have good speed. I need to work a little on my routes to get crisper. I feel I have a little of everything receiving the ball, I guess, as far as leaping ability and good hands." Geoff Ketchum said that Miksch's "quickness is what allows him to get in and out of his breaks as well or better than any receiver in the Lone Star State. In fact, the only person I’ve seen in the past few years from Texas that is as polished as Miksch is in his route running is current Longhorn BJ Johnson. His ability to separate from defenders is simply outstanding and it’s the part of his game that really separates him from his peers. The only thing Miksch really lacks is a little more weight and upper body strength. Of course, with the depth that the Longhorns have at wide receiver, he’ll likely be able to red-shirt in 2002 and be ready for serious playing time as a red-shirt freshman. . . . At this point, Miksch looks at the very least like a player who is really going to be a great intermediate route receiver that can work inside and out of the hash marks." Dustin's father, Ronnie, was a wide receiver at UT who lettered in 1977-78 and his uncle, Randy, lettered in 1977. Dustin's grandfather, Leroy, lettered in basketball at Texas A&M from 1951-53 and was a two-year starter at forward for the Aggies. 2001: Second-team all-district honors as a senior after recording 29 receptions for 400 yards and three touchdowns. 2000: 46 receptions for 676 yards and 5 TDs. All-District. Physical stats and other sports: Miksch won the fastest man contest at the Texas camp (edged out Clint Haney) with a 4.35 40 yard dash. Miksch also won the fastest man competition at the A&M camp the week before, running a 4.40. He ran the exact same time (4.40) at the Nike Camp in College Station (fastest time in camp) on the same track the month before. He also jumped 37.5" inch vertical at the Nike camp. Has also run a 10.53 100m dash. On a wet field at the Nike Camp, Miksch ran a 4.26 shuttle, and improved that to a 4.10 at A&M's mini-camp. In the Spring of 2001, Miksch ran a 40.0 300m hurdles and long jumped 22'3". Miksch said "Track helps me with speed, endurance, quickness and keeps me in shape." Commit to Texas: Miksch committed very early to Texas (6/14/01, 7th commit) over Purdue, Notre Dame, A&M, Nebraska, Oklahoma and many other schools. Dustin's father Ronnie lettered at Texas in 1977-78. Miksch said "I've always gone to the games and I would get chills when the players would run out onto the field. I've always been a Longhorn fan." Miksch added "My father went to UT and I loved the coaches and everything about the program. Coach Brown cares about his players and is an honest person." Miksch is fully qualified. Link to pic of Miksch -- Link to Alliancesports Profile of Miksch -- Link to Pic of Miksch -- Miksch's Fox 7 Profile (includes game by game stats) -- Picture of Miksch at Coin Toss -- Picture of Miksch on Sidelines -- Link to Pic of Miksch Making Catch in big win over Westlake -- Link to Pic of Miksch eluding tackler in big win over Westlake-- Link of Pic of Miksch catching deep pass -- Link to Pic of Miksch on Sidelines -- Link to Pic of Miksch on Sidelines |
LB, Pflugerville Connally, TX, 6'3", 215, 4.55 - Marcus is a very athletic LB and the son of former Texas Tech RB Rufus Myers. He really began to catch the UT coaches eyes when the big Myers dashed off some 4.5 times at UT's camp. Myers coach Matt Monzingo also said Myers' future is at linebacker because "he's got a great nose for the ball. He's really good at sniffing out where the play is going and he's very aggressive. With his size and speed, he's got the whole package to be an outstanding linebacker." Alliance's Geoff Ketch said "one of the first things that really sticks out about Myers is his ability to run and make things happen as an athlete. There were more than a few moments last season when Myers showed National Top 100 type of ability." Ketch adds that, even though he switched over from offense, Myers is very aggressive (big sticks) but is still inconsistent as a LB. Ketchum concluded "Upside is the key word with Myers because he certainly has a lot of it. His athletic ability and raw skills are terrific. The more I watched of Myers, the more I liked him. I couldn't help but to think about how good Myers might be once he gets a little more coaching and a little bit better feel for the position. . . . the talent is there and he has as much or more upside as any linebacker in the Lone Star State. As a physical talent, Myers reminds me a lot of current Longhorn Marcus Wilkins, except that Myers is clearly a better high school player than Wilkins ever was. With a great senior season, Myers could really rise in the national and state recruiting rankings." Ketchum added that Myers showed some growing pains learning a new position (MLB) in HS and that "He has ideal size, speed, quickness and athleticism, but he's still learning the trade as a linebacker. With good coaching and some time to develop, he could be a star. At the moment, he's not quite there, but the obvious upside is. It's clearly a case of not what you're getting when he reports, but you might have by the time he graduates." Myers is also an academic standout, posting a 4.59 GPA and an invitee to the Naval Academy seminar for potential cadets in the summer of 2001. Myers said "I wouldn't say that I'm happy to go to class, but when I'm there I'm going to sit in the front and do my best. Education is always harped on in my family." 2001: Had 69 tackles, a sack, an interception and one fumble recovery in 2001. Myers also rushed 25 times for 102 yards and caught four passes for 39 yards and a TD 2000: 88 tackles, four sacks, an INT and four pass breakups Physical stats and other sports: Ran a 4.5 at the UT camp, and performed very well. Marcus also played basketball (power forward), two-years of baseball (outfielder) and ran track (sprints). Commit to Texas: Meyers committed to Texas (6/27/01, 9th commit) early over A&M, TTech (offer), OU, OK St(offer) and Northwestern (offer). Myers said "I kind of felt like Texas probably wanted me the most. The UT coaches were real nice to me and they met my mom and my dad at the camp . . .This allows my dad, my family and my friends the chance to watch me play close to home." Myers added "It's the best of both worlds. It's a school that offers a great education and the football program is outstanding." Marcus added ""I thought Texas was the best fit for me. After weighing education, I knew playing for UT was my best option. It's close to home, so I will have a chance to play in front of my family. Coach Brown is an honest person. He seemed like he wanted me and called often. That showed me he was interested. The program has great family atmosphere and is dedicated to winning. I really think they have something special." Marcus is fully qualified. Link to Pic of Marcus Myers -- Link to Pic of Myers -- Link to Pic of Myers -- Myers' Alliancesports Profile |
DE, Jenks, OK, 6'6', 225, 4.6 - Pickryl is widely regarded as one of the top 5 DE prospects in the country and the top overall player in the state of Oklahoma (he also made Superprep's Elite 50 players in the nation). A tall very quick player who is a talented and relentless pass rusher, who can contribute immediately in that regard. Pickryl's advantages on the field aren't hard to figure out: he is simply quicker, faster, smarter and more agressive than almost every other defensive end. He is so quick, that UCLA was recruiting him as a LB/DE (even at 6'6"). His coach (Alan Trimble), who has had several highly ranked kids come out of Jenks powerhouse program raves about Pickryl's physical ability: "Pick is one of the most amazing athletes that we have ever had here at Jenks. He is so gifted. He is 6-6 and he can chase running backs down from sideline to sideline." Rivals says re Pickryl: "Simply put, Pick can take over a game. He has long arms, perfect frame for more weight and a motor that doesn't stop. " Jenks Coach Trimble even compares Pickryl favorably to OU All-American LB and former Jenks graduate Rocky Calmus "For his position he may be even more elite than that. I mean, he's 6-5 with great speed and he's a great pass rusher. . . He's a tremendous athlete." Trimble added "He plays so big. He’s so agile for his height and you just can’t block him. He’s an amazing athlete and can accelerate like they do on Saturday. . . I believe he will leave here as one of the best players to ever play for Jenks. He is a fantastic athlete for his size and runs as well as a much smaller player. Brian can change direction and is one of the finest pass rushers that we have had at Jenks." He also said ""I think he's got more potential than any kid we've had." (note: these comments are even more impressive when one realizes that Jenks is one of the biggest Div I-A pipeline HS in the country, with recent recruits in the last few years going to OU (Calmus, Kejuan Jones, Callens, Klink, McCoy, Carter, Pinson, Brumble), ND (Wisne (NFL), Beckstrom, Mahan), Neb (Lohr) and several others to smaller schools. Mack Brown said of Pickryl: "he’s really fast. He has a really good first step. The same quickness and strength with Chase (Pittman) and Larry Dibbles and they’re bigger. Bryan’s a little bit light right now so he’ll take the weight program to continue to improve his strength, especially against the run. He has great speed and quickness on the pass rush." Geoff Ketchum surprisingly called Pickryl the top defensive player in UT's class, and said "The 6-6, 230-pound Pickryl is the best pass rushing defensive end that Texas has landed since possibly Tony Brackens first walked on to the 40 Acres. A relentless player, Pickryl only needs to add some more weight to his frame and he's going to be one heck of a college player." While Pickryl is currently a little on the thin side, he lost a lot of weight earlier in the season when he had a case of Mono (he had gotten up to almost 240 in the preseason before he came down with mono) and also tore his labrum early in the season. Pickryl played through both (had shoulder surgery on Dec 10, 2001 and requires 3 months of rehab time) and said re the labrum tear: "It allowed my arm to dislocate for the rest of the season and was kind of touch and go. I wasn’t really 100 percent, but we won our sixth straight Class 6A championship, which is a state record, so everything worked out just fine.” Pickryl downplayed how badly the injury effected him -- his shoulder was disclocated some 35 times during the season, and Pickryl would have to take himself out of the game and painfully pop it back into place on the sidelines before re-entering to do battle. He did admit after the season that pain was extreme, when it popped out he "could feel rolling around on the front of my collarbone," and he said "I'd drop my shoulder ... and it would kind of have a jolt and pop back in." Trimble noted that it was almost impossible to effectively pass rush with one arm, Pickryl had to rely almost entirely upon his quickness to be effective, and he certainly was that. Pickryl tore his Labrum Sept 21 against Broken Arrow, and Broken Arrow head coach Rick Jones said "he raises his arms and blots out the sun. You're never away from him, because he's so fast. You run away from him, but he's fast enough to chase you. The night we played him, he was all over us." In November, Trimble also said "Bryan is an unbelievably smart kid. He gets that scouting report and knows their tendencies and knows what to look for. He made a play this week against Muskogee in which they ran the option away from him, and he tackled the quarterback for a one-yard loss. He knew there wasn't a bootleg threat and that they never ran a reverse. He ran a pretty athletic quarterback down like he was parked by the side of the road. He has a natural knack for playing defensive end. Some guys don't do well when you put their hand on the ground, but Bryan did fine. About February, he made a personal commitment to be even better. He dedicated himself to the weights, put on about 15 to 20 good pounds, started writing down goals and became more focused. He's really channeled his efforts towards his college playing days." Pickryl said "My strong points would be my speed and intensity as well as my instincts in knowing what the offense is going to do. I am an experienced player with the opportunity for improvement." Pickryl told Superprep "I'm able to see what's happening quickly and use my speed to beat an opponent. I like to prepare myself for the enemy. I like to think of myself as fast and explosive. I hit 'em hard but I need to bulk up." Regarding his position at Texas, Pickryl said "They'll start me out at defensive end. It depends on how much bigger I get in the next couple of years. I could be moved inside, but I do like to play outside right now." Pickryl actually played WR his sophomore year, and was moved to DE when the DE starter was injured . . . when Pickryl was only 6'4", 200 (he did surprisingly well). Pickryl wants to major in computer or civil engineering. Nicknamed "Pick." 2001: The Oklahoman's State Defensive Player of the Year. Despite missing part of the early season with mono (which weakened him throughout the early season) and playing with an injured shoulder (torn labrum) throughout the season (was operated on 12/10/01), Pickryl had 82 tackles (57 solo), 7 sacks and 2 blocked kicks. At the end of the State Championship game in December 2001, Pickryl fought through the usual double teams and chip blocks to get a key sack and a batted pass late in the fourth quarter to help seal Jenks' 6th consecutive (incredible) 6A Oklahoma State Championship. Pickryl played at both DE and TE in '02 and had 162 yards receiving and 3 TD receptions (including a 72 yarder). 2000: Missed half of 2000 (5 games) due to a torn tendon, but still had 53 tackles, seven sacks, two blocked kicks and two fumble recoveries in helping to lead Jenks to its 5th straight 6A Oklahoma State Football Championship. Physical stats and other sports: VL 32", Sqat 450, Bench 320. Pickryil was on the basketball and track teams until the spring of his junior year, when he gave them up to concentrate on football. Commit to Texas: Pickryl chose Texas (18th commit, 12/3/01) over OU, UCLA (dad was Bruin grad), Mich, Miami, Mizzou, LSU, Neb, Notre Dame, CU, Tenn, A&M and others (all offered). "I just felt it was the best decision for me. I like what I see for my future there." After his commitment, Pickryl said "I said all along that the academics would play a huge role. Texas has a great football program, but they also have one of the top 10 engineering schools in the nation. That to me was just as important as football.” He added "I chose Texas because it had the best combination of athletics and education. I also love the city and have family down in Austin. Coach Brown is a really personable coach who knows what he's doing. He has taken UT to the Top 10 and I know he is somebody I can put my trust into and work hard for." Bryan and his parents researched 20 different colleges, speaking with many Engineering Deans before making his choice. Pickryl said that his friends and family were thrilled with the decision to attend Texas, but "[b]ut there are those OU fans walking around campus. I think I was likened on the radio to that guy in Afghanistan that was an American fighting against America. But I'm excited about coming to Texas and winning some national championships." Bryan is fully qualified and has an SAT score well above NCAA minimums. Key is that Pickryl will enrol in the Spring of '01, giving him extra time to attend practice and permitting him to not count against Texas' 25 ship limit for the class of '02. Pickryl is already on campus. Link to Pic of Pickryl -- Link to Pic of Pickryl -- Link to Pic of Pickryl -- Link to Pic of Pickryl -- Link to Pic of Pickryl -- Link to Pic of Pickryl -- Link to Pic of Pickryl -- Link to Pic of Pickryl (#99) -- Link to Alliancesports Profile of Pickryl -- Link to Videoclip of Pickryl (from Inside Southwest Recruiting) |
DL, Shreveport Evangel Christian, LA, 6'4", 270, 4.9 - One of a long line of superstars from Shreveport's legendary Evangel Christian HS, Pittman has the kind of talent that would stand out no matter what HS he attended. Ranked in the top 100 players in the country by several services, Chase was pursued early by all of the big programs. A big framed kid loaded with power and with great mobility, Chase is one of the top ranked DL's in the country. Chase is just a great physical specimen, at 270 pounds with a 34" waist and a 440 BP. Tom McCann of Countdown to Signing Day said of Chase, "Chase is a selfless defensive lineman, taking on 2-3 blockers at a time while teammates make plays." Every Horn fan remembers Chase's brother Cole, the talented and very popular DL that died in a tragic auto accident. Chase will graduate in December and enroll in January so that he can participate in Spring practice. 2001: Teammate Chris Bowers got a lot of sacks that he credited to being unblocked while Chase was getting double-teamed. 63 tackles, 14 TFLs, 6 sacks. Played a bit of TE in 2001 and even caught a TD pass. 2000: 37 solos, 10 TFL's and 7 sacks in only 6 games (because of a bulging disc in his neck), despite every team running away from him. All-State, All-City and All-District. Physical stats and other sports: BP Max 440 and 32" vert during the summer after his junior year in HS. Has run a 4.79 40 yard dash. Bench pressed 185 pounds 36 times at a Nike camp. Commit to Texas: Chase committed to Texas (9/16/01, 13th commit) over OU, LSU and A&M (all offered). Like other players at Evangel Christian, Chase committed in church. Pittman said "Coach Brown is what I think is also the best coach in America. I already am convinced that Texas is the best team and school around. I'm just so proud that I'm going to get the opportunity to play at Texas and help carry on what my brother started. It's always felt like family. Even before what happened with Cole. But now it's my home away from home." Chase said further "Texas feels like home and a place where I need to be. The program has great coaches and tradition. Coach Brown is really laid back, upfront and honest with his players. He is very personable and encourages his players to be the best they can be." Chase added about his visit and commit to Texas: "it wasn't really the easiest choice I had to make. I was really reluctant. I was worried about how I was gonna react with my brother not being there when I got down there." Chase's dad Mark, added, "he wants to bless his brother, but I want Chase to be Chase, and Chase is pretty good at that, at just being Chase." Chase Fully qualified and is already on campus (Spring enrollee). Link to Pic of Pittman Benching 440 Pounds with Dad Spotting -- Link to Pic of Chase and girlfriend, Britni -- Link to Alliancesports Profile of Pittman -- Link to Pic of Pittman -- Link to Pic of Chase and parents at Cole Pittman Memorial -- Link to Pic of Pittman -- Link to Video Clip of Pittman catching a pass |
LB/DL, Splendora, TX, 6'3", 248, 4.65 - Robison is a big, explosive kid who will likely grow taller and bigger his senor year of high school. He plays LB, halfback and even kicks for Splendora. Robison's coach told Inside Texas "He could grow out of that, and (Brian's) aware of that but he wants to play linebacker. In my opinion, he hasn't quit growing yet. I think he'll get a lot bigger, both taller and heavier." Prepstar said of Robison: "Few players can match his size, speed and expressiveness from the LB position. He may grow into a DE on the next level." Robison said "“I tackle really well. If you have a pile of kids, when I get there the pile moves. When I come to tackle you, I come with a full head of steam. A couple colleges say if I go up there, I could go down to a defensive end, but a lot of colleges like me at linebacker. But with my size, I’m open to either. Whatever helps the team.” Robison wanted to commit early to Texas so he could concentrate on the Junior Olympics. Brian's father, Jimmy, played linebacker on Ranger Junior College's National Championship team in the 1970s. Brian's cousin, Casey Jones, played offensive guard at Texas Tech (1994-96). Brian's nickname is "Freight Train." 2001: Second-team all-state and first-team all-district. Registered 98 tackles, 20 TFLs, eight sacks and four pass breakups. 2000: 121 solo tackles (school doesn't tabulate assists), 16 TFLs , 9sacks, 6 fumbles caused, 5 fumble recoveries, 8 pass breakups, 1 FG block and 1 INT. Robison says he broke his hand in the first game, which caused him to drop several INT's during the season (while he wore a cast). Honorable Mention All-State. 1999: Had 125 tackles, 6 sacks, 6 pass breakups, 1 INT and 3 recovered fumbles. Physical stats and other sports: 39" vertical leap. Robison also benches 380 and squats 500 (the summer after his junior year). Ran a 4.52 shuttle. Robison broke the AAU track record for his age group for the discuss, with a throw of 200' 4-3/4", and was named the outstanding male athlete at the AAU junior olympics in Norfolk, Va at which re reset the discuss record (202', 7") came in 2nd in the shot and 6th in the javelin. Has thrown the shot 62' 7" and the javelin 172' 10". Robison also plays basketball (power forward) and baseball (pitcher). Commit to Texas:< |