August-2009

 

Updates In High School Football

 

 

 

Jenks ordered to forfeit nine football games from 2008

 

JENKS, Okla. (AP) — The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association has ruled Jenks High School must forfeit nine games from the 2008 season after a student-athlete was ruled ineligible.

Documents obtained from the school by the Tulsa World show the football and track athlete was ruled ineligible because his guardian maintained a permanent residence in North Carolina while leasing property in Jenks. The OSSAA also ruled he was ineligible because he was ineligible at his previous school due to unpaid fees.

The student's name was redacted from the documents.

The OSSAA ruled Jenks must forfeit nine football games from the 2008 season and that the football and boys track team would be placed on a one-year warning.

Jenks officials say they plan to appeal the ruling.

 

 

QB guru Clarkson's camp helps prepare prepsters for stardom

When Steve Clarkson was a quarterback at Wilson High in Los Angeles and San Jose State in the late 1970s and early '80s, he saw other quarterbacks as the enemy. These days, his foe is the proliferation of the spread offense.

"The one thing you find with high school quarterbacks in the spread is they're hard to evaluate whether they'll ever be able to play on Sundays," Clarkson says. "They don't have fundamentals. They've been in a system for three or four years where they never have taken a dropback. The spread is great for producing points but not necessarily for long-term quarterback development."

Clarkson lasted a season as a third-string quarterback with the Denver Broncos, but his career as the nation's best-known quarterback guru keeps growing.

He was a manager of a Black Angus restaurant when he began working in 1986 with high school quarterbacks on the side. His first pupil, Perry Klein, set California high school records and played briefly for the Atlanta Falcons. These days, it is hard to find a young, accomplished quarterback Clarkson hasn't tutored. He's worked with Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Cassel and Matt Leinart. Before Terrelle Pryor broke into Ohio State's starting lineup last season, he worked with Clarkson. His biggest protégé this season is Matt Barkley, who's making a push to start as a freshman for Southern California.

Clarkson, 47, wrapped up his Super Seven quarterback retreat last month on Maui. Next year's version of Pryor could be Phillip Sims of Oscar C. Smith (Chesapeake, Va.), one of the elite quarterbacks at the camp. Sims, who has said he'll sign with Alabama, led his school to the Virginia Division 6 title last season as a junior.

"With Phillip, he's just a big strong powerful kid," Clarkson said. "Like Pryor, with his arm, you had to teach him that he didn't need a big windup, that less is actually more. He wasn't very consistent. As we progressed and he picked up that first step, he was unbelievable."

Like Pryor, Sims was more accustomed to the spread offense. Unlike Pryor, he's considered more a passer. Last season, he passed for 3,167 yards and 38 touchdowns.

"I have been one of the worst running quarterbacks," Sims said. "I've always been a quarterback who throws out of the pocket, but I think I matured a lot at the camp in my passing. You have to get set to throw, and I was holding the ball too low. It's a bad habit that I get into and that I'm trying to correct. A lot of it is muscle memory that you have to overcome through practice."

Clarkson brought in big guns for instructors, including Joe Montana (whose son Nick was a camper), Warren Moon and Leinart. Former Fab50 CEO Joe Dickinson is also an instructor.

"I don't think you get starstruck, because you don't have the time," Sims said. "Everybody there was in Hawaii for a reason. If I'm working with a fifth-string quarterback from New Mexico State and he knows what he's talking about, then I'm listening."

Another of the campers at the Super Seven, Andrew Manley of Leilehua (Wahiawa, Hawaii), says the chance to make friends with and learn from other quarterbacks was one of the camp's biggest pluses.

"It's not so intense as far as competition," Manley says. "They're just there to help."

And that is one of the biggest lessons Clarkson wants to get across. Once he quit seeing other quarterbacks as enemies, he was able to learn something.

"I wish I could have given my contemporaries more credit," Clarkson said. "I could have had a longer career."

 

 

 

OSSAA officials seek resolution to sensitive issue

 

Poor Ed Sheakley. The OSSAA's (Oklahoma Secondary Schhols Athletic Association) new executive secretary inherited one of the most controversial and divisive issues the organization has ever faced.

Public school vs. private school.

Sheakley and Tulsa Public Schools athletic director Stephanie Spring, who will lead a 17-person committee to study the issue, spoke at a Tulsa Sports Charities luncheon Wednesday at Fair Meadows. All they've got to do is find a solution that will please every public, private, Christian, magnet and charter school, which, of course, is mission impossible.

"It's one of those topics where you are not ever going to make everybody happy," Spring said.

During a question-and-answer session that spilled past a 1 p.m. deadline, Sheakley veered off the subject and into a Jerry Maguire moment. It wasn't exactly "he had me at hello." It was more along the lines of he had me at Dairy Queen.

Understand that Sheakley heads the governing body of Oklahoma high school athletics. And there he was telling everyone in attendance that sports has gotten out of whack. (Or, in his words, "too far to the right.")

Remember back in the day, indicated Sheakley, when Little Leaguers were content to wear T-shirt jerseys and hats with "Dairy Queen" on the front? Now they dress like Major Leaguers.

Sheakley got on a roll.

He questioned whether 10-year-olds ought to be going to faraway states and playing for "world" championships.

He said he wished we could let kids be kids and (gasp!) advocated
we give kids their summers back so they can get jobs or go on vacations or chase sweethearts.

Sure, sports is important. But Sheakley would like to put sports in perspective and "get back to the fundamentals of, it is just a game."

Said Sheakley, "Everybody wants to play for a ring. What's wrong with just playing for Blackwell High School?"

Nothing, of course. And, after reading Sheakley's words, aren't you convinced he'll try to do the right thing — whatever that is — when it comes to defusing the public vs. private stink bomb?

Step No. 1 for the OSSAA was forming a committee that will attempt to find, if not a right answer, then maybe the fairest answer. One plan tossed about prior to the formation of a committee was one that would have bumped all private schools to the state's largest class.

"I couldn't go to sleep at night knowing I put Corn Bible in 6A football," Spring said.

Corn Bible isn't big enough to be a burr under anyone's saddle. But public schools contend many non-public schools wield a competitive advantage. It's not a new complaint, but it got a fresh coat of paint when public schools began asking different questions about private school success in football and basketball.

Do a higher percentage of students compete in extracurricular activities at private schools? Is it fair that private schools can select students, or cap enrollment, when public schools must take every student in their district? OSSAA classifications are determined by enrollment.

Sheakley said the committee will discuss whether there is a competitive imbalance. Representatives of public and non-public schools will serve on the committee, which will meet for the first time Aug. 5 and will be in no hurry to reach conclusions.

"I don't want to rush into anything," Spring said. "This is a very sensitive subject."

Sheakley said eight states employ enrollment multipliers that are used to place private schools in higher classes. Make it seven, instead. Sheakley said Georgia dropped a multiplier because it wasn't working.

"Just because something worked in other states, it may not work in Oklahoma," he said. "You've got to tailor it to fit your needs."

Spring said the OSSAA won't be kicking out private schools. That's not how you treat members of your association, and it also would be the fast lane to a courtroom.

So, best guess on how it all ends? "I think it will work out fine," she said, adding that there will still be some unhappy people.

Spring and Sheakley said decisions will be made with the best interest of kids in mind and warned there will always be inequities, even among public schools.

"My dad told me a long time ago that life isn't fair," Sheakley said. "But it sure is good."

And maybe it was better when kids wore Dairy Queen hats at Little League games.

 

 

Fab50's Gardner shines over fellow Michigan QBs at Elite 11 event

 

One of this year's great debates got a dose of clarity this week.

Who is the best quarterback in Michigan? If the EA Sports Elite 11 is any indicator, Fab50's Devin Gardner will get the nod over fellow Fab50 Robert Bolden and Joe Boisture.

All three quarterbacks have had their moments at various camps. Boisture came out on top after the Midwest Elite camp, and Bolden made his statement at the Champaign Nike camp. Rivals.com recruiting analyst Barry Every named Gardner the top quarterback at the Elite 11.

"His combination of size, athleticism [and] arm strength stood out," Every said. "More importantly, he really took to the coaching. You can tell he is striving to be the best. He is getting the type of coaching at that event that he will get at the college level, and he responded really well.

"The comparisons to Vince Young and Terrelle Pyror are legit. He throws the ball better than them at the same stage. Camp instructor Matt James told me the three dual-threat quarterbacks at the event, Garnder, Bolden and Barry Brunetti, are the best three they have ever had at the Elite 11."

Bolden finished third in Every's Elite 11 rankings, while Boisture came in 12th (there were 12 participants at the camp). But Gardner is truly is the driver's seat now. If there is one thing in this debate that analysts and fans agree on, it is Gardner's superiority in games. The Michigan commit could separate himself from the other two even more this fall.

Recruiter of the week: Kirby Smart, Alabama

This one is a tough call. Florida's Kenny Carter went up to Georgia to grab Rivals100 running back Mack Brown and also added Neiron Ball. Oklahoma's Bobby Jack Wright landed Rivals250 prospect James Haynes, Aaron Colvin and should be given as assist for Haynes' teammate Trey Franks, who also committed to Oklahoma recently. UCLA's Tim Hundley beat out the rest of the country for Rivals100 prospect Tony Jefferson.

Alabama's Kirby Smart, however, landed two Rivals250 prospects in the past seven days. The first commitment came from Columbus (Ga.) Brookstone tight end Brian Vogler, who had offers from Oklahoma, Miami, Florida State, Auburn and many more. The second Rivals250 prospect lives in Auburn's backyard – Opelika (Ala.) running back Corey Grant. The 5-10 prospect sported offers from Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, Tennessee and many more.

Class of 2010 team recruiting rankings released

The Texas Longhorns stand on top of the Rivals.com team recruiting rankings.

LSU, Florida, Oklahoma and Alabama round out the top five. Stanford and BYU are the front-runners for the surprise classes of the year, coming in at Nos. 11 and 15, respectively.

ETC.

Wisconsin is on a roll with four commitments since July 21. Milwaukee Marquette's Michael Trotter leads the way. The 6-0 safety is one of the best tackling defensive backs in the Midwest. The Badgers also added Warren Herring, Cody Byers and Jeff Lewis, a running back from Marquette's archrival, Brookfield Central High School. Bryce Gilbert, Lewis' teammate, committed to Wisconsin in May. Marquette and Brookfield Central play each other on Oct. 9. That will be a great look into the future for Badgers fans.

T.J. Stripling is the highest-rated prospect to commit during the past week. The nation's No. 28 prospect gave his word to Georgia. The Bulldogs also added Rivals250 prospect Nickell Robey.

Though Alabama landed a Rivals250 prospect from Auburn's backyard, the Tigers made their own mark this week. Four-star wide receiver Antonio Goodwin is heading to The Plains. The Tigers also added Kenneth Carter and Chad Slade.

Akron is mixing it up with the big boys as the Zips landed a pair of commitments this week in three-star linebacker Chase Hoobler – who had offers from Boston College, Indiana and Louisville – and defensive back Seth Cunningham, who chose the Zips over Cincinnati, Iowa and North Carolina.

Update on 2012 Fab50 RB Travis Elliott

 

Travis was selected to the Rivals ultimate 100 where he made the all combine team in Atlanta,GA.He received the strongest man award by bench pressing 135 lbs 42 times.
He was also invited to the Rivals Top Prospect camp in Norman,OK via his performance at Atlanta.
Elliott also attended the National Athletic Testing System (NATS) combine in S.Lyon,MI this summer and his NATS rating ranked him 16th in the country of all grades 9-12.Travis is listed on the NATS web page as a top performer for 2009.
He is also ranked by NIKE SPARQ.
Elliott currently benches 320 lbs,runs a 4.64 40 and is 5'10" 205 lbs going into his sophomore season.
The young sophomore will be tested often this season as his team the Ryle Raiders plays three games against defending state champions and two more against state runner-ups.(FT.Thomas Highlands and Simon Kenton)

 

 

 

WINNINGEST HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAMS IN AMERICA

1.Valdosta Wildcats Georgia 829-188-34

2.Washington-Massillon Tigers Ohio 774-226-35

3.Male-Louisville Bulldogs Kentucky 771-291-35

4.Little Rock Central Tigers Arkansas 766-281-48

5.Mount Carmel Red Tornado Pennsylvania 755-273-59

5.Highlands-Fort Thomas Bluebirds Kentucky 755-222-26

6.McKinley-Canton Bulldogs Ohio 750-305-42

7.Parkersburg Big Red West Virginia 735-270-33

8.Mayfield Cardinals Kentucky 731-235-32

9.Hampton Crabbers Virginia 729-236-45

10.Ada Cougars Oklahoma 721-281-24

11.Easton Red Rovers Pennsylvania 720-312-54

12.East St. Louis Flyers Illinois 716-200-45

12.Muskegan Big Red Michigan 716-254-43

13.New Britain Golden Hurricane Connecticut 713-289-51

14.Brockton Boxers Massachusetts 712-336-64

15.Berwick Bulldogs Pennsylvania 705-293-43

16.Pine Bluff Zebras Arkansas 700-295-51

17.Tilghman-Paducah Blue Tornado Kentucky 698-279-25

18.Lawton Wolverines Oklahoma 694-311-34

19.Clinton Red Tornado Oklahoma 691-245-38

20.Amarillo Golden Sandstorm Texas 682-389-22

20.Danville Admirals Kentucky 682-206-34

21.Steubenville Big Red Ohio 678-295-34

22.Lawrence Chesty Lions Kansas 677-228-40

23.Steelton-Highspire Steamrollers Pennsylvania 676-387-58

24.Harlan Cyclones Iowa 675-262-48

25.Plano Wildcats Texas 673-287-47

26.Williamsport Millionaires Pennsylvania 672-397-58

27.New Castle Red Hurricane Pennsylvania 665-352-69

27.Haynesville Golden Tornado Louisiana 665-257-31

28.Temple Wildcats Texas 664-284-52

29.Ansonia Chargers Connecticut 663-244-55

30.North Medford Black Tornado Oregon 653-217-34

31.Fostoria Red Men Ohio 652-385-48

32.Pioneer Pioneers Michigan 649-275-41

33.Greensburg-Salem Golden Lions Pennsylvania 644-320-34

34.Philadelphia Central Lancers Pennsylvania 642-349-61

35.Owensboro Red Devils Kentucky 641-339-30

36.Champaign Central Maroons Illinois 640-283-41

37.LaGrange Graingers Georgia 639-282-31

38.Thomasville Bulldogs Georgia 636-288-46

39.Arcola Purple Riders Illinois 634-294-40

40.Gainesville Red Elephants Georgia 633-264-23

41.Huntingdon Bearcats Pennsylvania 629-307-39

41.Highland Park Hornets Texas 629-257-27

42.Sandusky Blue Streaks Ohio 627-333-42

42.Bellaire Big Reds Ohio 627-304-53

42.Lincoln County Red Devils Georgia 627-223-23

43.Pottsville Crimson Tide Pennsylvania 625-454-46