I will tell you right now that Brandon Roller and Austin Collinsworth are both D-1 athletes... I would be very surprised at the end of their senior seasons if they didn't have a few offers on the board..:thumb::thumb:

 

And they are only going to be juniors.

I can remember' date=' it seemed like Dangerous Dempsey was on every tackle. "Like a Nightmare ", for the opposition.[/quote']

 

I think Bud himself would tell you that he was more of a lover than a fighter. Excellent safety who covered receivers extremely well and had great hands. But in on every tackle. :confused: I don't know how old you were back in 75, but you memory isn't very good if you remember Dangerous Dempsey in on every tackle.

Given that several of the likely starting LBers for Highlands in 2008 did not start for the 'Birds last year, I think it's premature to say they are the best in the state. The 2007 group was certainly something special... hopefully this year's bunch can continue the trend!

I will tell you right now that Brandon Roller and Austin Collinsworth are both D-1 athletes... I would be very surprised at the end of their senior seasons if they didn't have a few offers on the board..:thumb::thumb:

 

How big are they and how fast in the 40 yard dash? The reason I ask is because a player can be a great high school athlete and then not get any love from the D-1's because of lack of size and speed.

How big are they and how fast in the 40 yard dash? The reason I ask is because a player can be a great high school athlete and then not get any love from the D-1's because of lack of size and speed.

 

I think both are about 6'1" as sophomores, although Collinsworth may be 6'2" or 6'3" (Collinsworth definitely has the genes to get considerably taller). Roller would probably be a D-1 prospect at linebacker and 6'1" is tall enough for that position even if he doesn't grow any more. I can't tell you their 40 times as Highlands doesn't time their kids in the 40. What I do know having watched a lot of high school football and having played college ball, is that Roller is probably fast enough as is to play D-1 and will get faster. Collinsworth is fast, real fast (no surprise there with Collinsworth genes on one side and Bankamper genes on the other). Neither kid has an ounce of fat on them, both have great football field intelligence and work as hard as any kid that I have ever seen at Highlands (which is a great compliment). I don't think that either speed or size will be a problem for either of them to get D-1 recognition. What's bizarre about that class is that there are several other kids with great height already. Welz is probably 6'4, Bardo about the same heighth, as is Hogue. Plus there is a lineman, Grubbs, that is pretty tall also, although I don't know his heighth, I'd guess 6'3". Its the tallest class that I can recall ever going through Highlands. I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see several kids in that class get serious D-1 attention because of their heighth.

Highlands does have atleast one guy go div-1 every year. IMO I think a few more kids would go div-1 from Highlands if they were not played out of position. :lol:

Highlands does have atleast one guy go div-1 every year. IMO I think a few more kids would go div-1 from Highlands if they were not played out of position. :lol:

 

 

That's the thing about Highlands, they play players in positions to win state championships, not to get college scholarships.

 

Believe it or not the colleges still look at ya.:thumb:

You are right, neither Collinsworth nor Conner will be playing linebacker (inside or outside) this year, nor did they play that position last year.

JC did play lb as a freshman & it looks like he will play safety this year.

Highlands does have atleast one guy go div-1 every year. IMO I think a few more kids would go div-1 from Highlands if they were not played out of position. :lol:

 

It's college coaches job to project where a player will fit in their system regardless of what position they play in high school. For example Kerry Rhodes was a QB in college but JLS saw him as a safety. There are a lot of high school safeties that grow into LBers and LBers that grow into DE's etc. If a kid has the size and athletic ability it doesn't matter what position a kid plays. Plus Highlands has enough good kids that they don't have to play kids out of position because if he is their best LB but also their best safety then the coaches are blessed with enough depth to play him at the position that he has the most potential and to find another kid to fill the other spot. Having seen them play I am not sure they have many kids that they make play out of position because they don't have anybody else that is good. Just my opinion though

It's college coaches job to project where a player will fit in their system regardless of what position they play in high school. For example Kerry Rhodes was a QB in college but JLS saw him as a safety. There are a lot of high school safeties that grow into LBers and LBers that grow into DE's etc. If a kid has the size and athletic ability it doesn't matter what position a kid plays. Plus Highlands has enough good kids that they don't have to play kids out of position because if he is their best LB but also their best safety then the coaches are blessed with enough depth to play him at the position that he has the most potential and to find another kid to fill the other spot. Having seen them play I am not sure they have many kids that they make play out of position because they don't have anybody else that is good. Just my opinion though

 

You must have missed the 2007 version

Brian Urlacher is a pretty sweat NFL linebacker, and he played safety in college.

Brian Urlacher is a pretty sweat NFL linebacker, and he played safety in college.

 

He was termed as a "LoboBack" in a 3-3-5 scheme. Sort of a roving back that is a cross between S and LB:thumb:

He was termed as a "LoboBack" in a 3-3-5 scheme. Sort of a roving back that is a cross between S and LB:thumb:

Your right. But, he was not near the size in college that he is in the NFL. That was my point. Kids can fluctuate at will. If a coach tells a player your a safety, he stays thin, if the coach says I want you to gain 20 pounds, I'm moving you to DL, the player can. Height is pretty much set, but if a player needs additional girth, for a position change, it's relatively easy for a 16 -18 year old to accommodate a change.

Well I will tell you this from coaching against Highlands last year. Their LB's (as a group)were the best I have seen play in this state. I am fairly young so I have not seen a whole lot, but that is my opinion. They may have not been all division 1 athletes but they sure played like it the night we played them. As a defense they run to the football and are as physical as any defense in Kentucky.

I believe Urlacher also returned punts in either High school or College...How'd you like to have to tackle that???

 

When I think of Highlands LBers names like Marty Moore, Corey Scarlato, Mike Mcgraw, and Jeff Kramer come to mind as well. Although I think Kramer played Safety at Highlands and later moved to LBer at UK!!! Either way, I agree HHS has put out some LB's!