Mr. Football Talk

[tcjkbt]

I saw several of Seneca's games this year. I agree that Smith is a great talent, but he is not the only reason for their success this year. They were 5-6 with Smith. Last year, they were 4-7 without him. They have a D-1 receiver in Fluellan. Bender, Lott, Garth, etc. are all good athletes. One of their o-line guys in getting D-1 attention. They were not a one man show.

 

Smith has the best arm of any HS quarterback I have ever seen in person, and I've seen a few.

[hrcarrier]

I believe that Dawson will get it. As far as playing college football is concerned, it would be cool to see him go to Louisville or UK, but if he has the opportunity to go to bigger/better programs, I would rather him do that.

[Hatz]

I didn't say "Major Time" Hatz. I said playing time at a "Major D1 team". Big difference. ND may not be very good, but they are still a major program in college football as far as I know.

 

My apologies cricket. Misread the post.

[uk#1fan]

When will they pick Mr. Football?

[fanoffans]

Christian County Bubba Tandy!!

[Larry Warner]

Smith has the best arm of any HS quarterback I have ever seen in person, and I've seen a few.

 

Really?

[ABC2]

When will they pick Mr. Football?

 

Whats it matter to you no one fro SK will win. They lost there chance when Simpson left and Ryle beat you twice this year.....

[tcjkbt]

Really?

 

Yes.

[CoachJ]

We're fortunate to have several great candidates for the award this year. Even better, they all appear to be great kids. I know Demarcus Smith personally and he's an outstanding young man. From all accounts Lamar Dawson is as well. I've watched Devonte Parker closely the last couple years and he is a great young man.

 

I admit to being biased, but I think the award should go to Devonte Parker. He had one of the best seasons for a wide reciever in the history of Kentucky High School football. 1793 yards in a season ranks him 4th all time and he only played 12 games. Parker averaged 149.4 yards per game, which is more than the three guys ahead of him for receiving yards [Jordan Burk (141.8 yards per game), John Cole (135.4 yards per game), and Jamarielle Brown (134.7 yards per game)]. Parker averaged an incredible 26.4 yards per catch, breaking the school record by about 6 yards per catch. Ballard high school keeps 12 school records for receiving, Devonte Parket now holds 9 of them. The only ones he does not hold are for number of catches in a game, season, and carear. Parker did all this playing against the BEST competition the state of Kentucky has to offer (Trinity, St. X twice, Male, Central, Western, etc.) Parker was pulled from games early when the outcome was decided. He had no second half catches against PRP or Meade and none after the first quarter against Madison Central.

 

I'm not sure how much it matters to voters, but much is made on message boards about which schools have offered a particular player. A few players in the state have some impressive offers. Each of those players has participated in combines, gone to college camps, made college visits etc. There's nothing wrong with any of that. Parker has not done that stuff. He has not been timed in the 40 since he ran a 4.49 as a soph on a laser timer. Rivals still lists Parker at 6'2". He's 6'4" now. Parker has known all along that he wanted to stay close to home. He made the tough decision between U of L and UK early. At that point, he stopped playing the recruiting game. Quite frankly, I don't think he wanted the all the attention that comes with recruiting. He's just a humble kid who is happy with his choice to stay near his family. I certainly hope that doesn't hurt him with voters. If it were me, I'd wallpaper my room with offers from the best football program in the country, but that's not Devonte.

 

I was going to post something on here about why I think DeVante should get the nod over two other EXTREMELY deserving kids (Dawson and D. Smith), but Terp said everything I could've said and much better than I could've.

 

I'll just amplify the point he made about others getting more 'big-time offers' or having a higher 'star-rating' and how hopefully that doesn't come into play to those choosing this award. I have handed something to DeVante pretty much every week since I started sending film out on him last year from Alabama, USC, Oregon, and the list really goes on and on (think of the AP Top 25 and you've got the list).

 

I've gotten direct phone calls--most inquiring as to whether he's seriously committed to UofL--from coaches at Florida, Notre Dame, and Ohio State (who starting recruiting him seriously after he attended their summer camp as an UNKNOWN between his soph and jr seasons) to name a few.

 

I talked to him this past spring about how important going to all the 'big summer camps/combines' were for someone looking to get more offers, increasing their 'star-rating' in the recruiting services, and getting 'invites' to the Army All-America game or the one from UnderArmour. Everybody and their brother has mentioned to him how much fun it is to at least take your official visits to get wined and dined, told how important and good you are, and that he's crazy if he doesn't take advantage of getting to see the Alabama/Florida game or Ohio State/Michigan or USC/Notre Dame in person.

 

The responses to all this from him was, "if I'm sure I wouldn't actually go there, it wouldn't be right to make them think I might." (He knew his commitment to his HS BASKETBALL team would trump the need for him to get 'exposure' in one of the national All-Star games.)

 

That pretty much sums up this kid to me. While others would be 'prima donas' in practice -- trying to 'go easy' in drills to save themselves for the game or avoid injury or 'test' his coaches to see whether we'd still play him if he gave less than his best -- he made it SO easy on us by always one of our LEADERS in practice (often had to get on him to STOP doing extra football stuff with his teammates between drills because he LOVED just playing the game so much). He led every conditioning drill, led the receivers in stalk block drill. Never cared about ANY kind of recognition or star-rating or offer from any colleges other than the ones in his home state.

 

Whomever wins it of the ones mentioned previously on this board would certainly all be deserving -- and I've heard some say how much harder it is for someone from LOUISVILLE to win it since the overwhelming majority of voters for it are out in the state (something I sure a true 'professional' journalist wouldn't be a part of) -- but when I look back at even all the great ones that have won it in the past, I can honestly say I'd not have traded the opportunity to coach DeVante for ANY other Ky. HS football player ever. And that's just as much of who he is OFF the field as on.

[Larry Warner]

Yes.

 

So he has a better arm than certain quarterbacks from Male, Leslie Co, Highlands, and Trinity?

[Rebel]

When is this award announced?

[uk#1fan]

When is this award announced?

 

Every year its a mystery.

[Rebel]

Every year its a mystery.

 

I can rememebr back when Pulley won it from Hopkinsville, it was voted on before the Boyle / Hoptown game (Semi Finals).

[tcjkbt]

So he has a better arm than certain quarterbacks from Male, Leslie Co, Highlands, and Trinity?

 

I have seen pretty much all of T's QB's and I say he has a stronger arm than any of them. Likewise, a stronger arm than Redman, Ahrens and Bush, all of whom I've seen. I did not see Couch in high school so I am not commenting on him as compared with Smith. I believe that Lorenzen played when HHS beat T in the Mt. Sterling game (I think it was) in Beatty's first year...and not to be sacrilegious, but I think he has a stronger arm than the HHS QB in that game.

[Hatz]

I was going to post something on here about why I think DeVante should get the nod over two other EXTREMELY deserving kids (Dawson and D. Smith), but Terp said everything I could've said and much better than I could've.

 

I'll just amplify the point he made about others getting more 'big-time offers' or having a higher 'star-rating' and how hopefully that doesn't come into play to those choosing this award. I have handed something to DeVante pretty much every week since I started sending film out on him last year from Alabama, USC, Oregon, and the list really goes on and on (think of the AP Top 25 and you've got the list).

 

I've gotten direct phone calls--most inquiring as to whether he's seriously committed to UofL--from coaches at Florida, Notre Dame, and Ohio State (who starting recruiting him seriously after he attended their summer camp as an UNKNOWN between his soph and jr seasons) to name a few.

 

I talked to him this past spring about how important going to all the 'big summer camps/combines' were for someone looking to get more offers, increasing their 'star-rating' in the recruiting services, and getting 'invites' to the Army All-America game or the one from UnderArmour. Everybody and their brother has mentioned to him how much fun it is to at least take your official visits to get wined and dined, told how important and good you are, and that he's crazy if he doesn't take advantage of getting to see the Alabama/Florida game or Ohio State/Michigan or USC/Notre Dame in person.

 

The responses to all this from him was, "if I'm sure I wouldn't actually go there, it wouldn't be right to make them think I might." (He knew his commitment to his HS BASKETBALL team would trump the need for him to get 'exposure' in one of the national All-Star games.)

 

That pretty much sums up this kid to me. While others would be 'prima donas' in practice -- trying to 'go easy' in drills to save themselves for the game or avoid injury or 'test' his coaches to see whether we'd still play him if he gave less than his best -- he made it SO easy on us by always one of our LEADERS in practice (often had to get on him to STOP doing extra football stuff with his teammates between drills because he LOVED just playing the game so much). He led every conditioning drill, led the receivers in stalk block drill. Never cared about ANY kind of recognition or star-rating or offer from any colleges other than the ones in his home state.

 

Whomever wins it of the ones mentioned previously on this board would certainly all be deserving -- and I've heard some say how much harder it is for someone from LOUISVILLE to win it since the overwhelming majority of voters for it are out in the state (something I sure a true 'professional' journalist wouldn't be a part of) -- but when I look back at even all the great ones that have won it in the past, I can honestly say I'd not have traded the opportunity to coach DeVante for ANY other Ky. HS football player ever. And that's just as much of who he is OFF the field as on.

 

I think you did a good job promoting a very worthy candidate in Mr. Parker. I also know it was not your intent in the final paragraphs but, while not naming specific people there is a "back-handed" inference that maybe other candidates are "prima donnas" or have less of a team focus in mind. Or that perhaps they are dishonest in taking all the trips.

 

Just pointing out the other side of your well intended prose. :walk: