Texas A&M Aggies: Houston Cougars
With summer drawing closer, Texas high school football teams are transitioning from spring football to 7-on-7 competition and there were a handful of teams in attendance at the inaugural Crosby Cougar 7-on-7 tournament in Crosby, Texas, on Saturday.
Among them was a talented private school squad, Houston Kinkaid, which appears to have major Division I prospects in the 2014 class and beyond.
Among them was a talented private school squad, Houston Kinkaid, which appears to have major Division I prospects in the 2014 class and beyond.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
TYLER, Texas -- East Texas often is considered one of the nation’s most underrated areas in finding elite talent when it comes to college football recruiting. Sunday featured the inaugural East Texas Sports Network combine, which showcased more than 100 players from East Texas.
The event took place at the Accelerate Performance Enhancement Center (APEC) training facility, which has trained professionals such as quarterback Graham Harrell, running back Kendall Hunter and pro baseball pitchers Phillip Humber and Josh Tomlin.
The event took place at the Accelerate Performance Enhancement Center (APEC) training facility, which has trained professionals such as quarterback Graham Harrell, running back Kendall Hunter and pro baseball pitchers Phillip Humber and Josh Tomlin.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
True to his word, Bossier City (La.) Parkway quarterback Brandon Harris named his top schools after spring practice concluded.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
For quarterback Brandon Harris (Bossier City, La./Parkway), the schedule book is starting to fill.
The first day to mark off the calendar is Thursday, when his Parkway team scrimmages Alexandria (La.) Senior High to conclude spring drills. He'll play in front of coaches from several major colleges. At the end of the scrimmage, sometime around 7 p.m, he'll announce which six schools he plans on visiting this summer.
"It's going to be a big day," he said. "I can't wait."
The first day to mark off the calendar is Thursday, when his Parkway team scrimmages Alexandria (La.) Senior High to conclude spring drills. He'll play in front of coaches from several major colleges. At the end of the scrimmage, sometime around 7 p.m, he'll announce which six schools he plans on visiting this summer.
"It's going to be a big day," he said. "I can't wait."
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
TEXAS CITY, Texas -- These days, it's all smiles for ESPN 150 receiver Armanti Foreman.
Life is good for the Texas City (Texas) High School star. Offers are coming left and right. He's preparing for a banner senior season with his twin brother, 2014 running back D'Onta Foreman. He's enjoying the final weeks of his junior year of high school. On Tuesday, Armanti was sprinting past defensive backs and juking defenders out of their shorts, showing the playmaking ability that has so many colleges at his doorstep.
Life is good for the Texas City (Texas) High School star. Offers are coming left and right. He's preparing for a banner senior season with his twin brother, 2014 running back D'Onta Foreman. He's enjoying the final weeks of his junior year of high school. On Tuesday, Armanti was sprinting past defensive backs and juking defenders out of their shorts, showing the playmaking ability that has so many colleges at his doorstep.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Spring (Texas) Klein Oak High School has a handful of prospects in the 2014, 2015 and even the 2016 classes and plenty of college coaches have made their way to the school in the north Houston area to evaluate them this spring.
One of them is 2014 inside linebacker Josh Mabin, who continues to add schools to his offer list.
One of them is 2014 inside linebacker Josh Mabin, who continues to add schools to his offer list.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Before Monday, Missouri City (Texas) Ridge Point 2015 linebacker Cameron Townsend had not heard from or spoken to anybody at Michigan.
As a result, he had no idea of the Wolverines' interest level in him. He found out on Monday.
As a result, he had no idea of the Wolverines' interest level in him. He found out on Monday.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
KATY, Texas -- When Rodney Anderson got called up to Katy High School's varsity squad for the Tigers' 2011 season opener, he was unsure what to expect.
Then a 160-pound freshman, the 2015 running back was elevated as a receiver to help in an area in which the Katy coaches felt they needed a boost in depth.
"It was a huge adrenaline rush," Anderson said of his new responsibilities. "Mentally, I was just trying to make sure I remembered everything and carried out my assignments."
One injury to a teammate changed everything: his position, his playing time, his future.
Then a 160-pound freshman, the 2015 running back was elevated as a receiver to help in an area in which the Katy coaches felt they needed a boost in depth.
"It was a huge adrenaline rush," Anderson said of his new responsibilities. "Mentally, I was just trying to make sure I remembered everything and carried out my assignments."
One injury to a teammate changed everything: his position, his playing time, his future.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
For Navarro College offensive tackle Carter Wall, the ideal scenario would be to finish his college football career in the Lone Star State.
He has at least one option to do so at the moment, but there are two programs in particular that he'd especially be interested in, if the opportunity arose.
He has at least one option to do so at the moment, but there are two programs in particular that he'd especially be interested in, if the opportunity arose.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
For a while, Texas City (Texas) High School 2014 running back D'Onta Foreman had to exhibit patience.
As his twin brother, ESPN 150 receiver Armanti Foreman, saw big-time offer after big-time offer roll in, D'Onta continued to work in hopes that his time would come.
As his twin brother, ESPN 150 receiver Armanti Foreman, saw big-time offer after big-time offer roll in, D'Onta continued to work in hopes that his time would come.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Each week this spring, GigEmNation reporter Sam Khan Jr. will bring you notes and nuggets from watching and visiting with high school football prospects in the Greater Houston area that week, including observations of Texas A&M commitments and targets and other players that catch his attention. Here's this week's installment:
MANVEL, Texas -- Plenty of colleges have their eyes affixed on Manvel (Texas) High School because of 2014 prospect Koda Martin, who we profiled in-depth last week, but there are plenty more reasons for coaches to keep stopping by the school just south of Houston.
The 2013 class was loaded with the likes of receivers Austin Bennett (Oklahoma), Kyrion Parker (Texas A&M) and Carlos Thompson (Texas Tech), cornerback Tavares Garner (Texas A&M), defensive tackle Dewan Edmonson (UTEP), quarterback Shane McCarley (Old Dominon) and center Travis Romero (Southeastern Louisiana). Martin headlines a 2014 class that also includes a large defensive tackle, 6-foot-6, 280-pound Justin Gardner.
MANVEL, Texas -- Plenty of colleges have their eyes affixed on Manvel (Texas) High School because of 2014 prospect Koda Martin, who we profiled in-depth last week, but there are plenty more reasons for coaches to keep stopping by the school just south of Houston.
The 2013 class was loaded with the likes of receivers Austin Bennett (Oklahoma), Kyrion Parker (Texas A&M) and Carlos Thompson (Texas Tech), cornerback Tavares Garner (Texas A&M), defensive tackle Dewan Edmonson (UTEP), quarterback Shane McCarley (Old Dominon) and center Travis Romero (Southeastern Louisiana). Martin headlines a 2014 class that also includes a large defensive tackle, 6-foot-6, 280-pound Justin Gardner.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Each week this spring, GigEmNation reporter Sam Khan Jr. will bring you notes and nuggets from watching and visiting with high school football prospects in the Greater Houston area that week, including observations of Texas A&M commitments and targets and other players that catch his attention. Here's this week's installment:
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- Recruiting is an always-competitive space for college football programs, particularly in the state of Texas and especially in the SEC.
Everyone is looking for an edge and these days, more programs are looking for their advantage in timing, as in, evaluating and offering prospects at an earlier stage in the process.
Everyone is looking for an edge and these days, more programs are looking for their advantage in timing, as in, evaluating and offering prospects at an earlier stage in the process.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
HOUSTON -- Most of the nearly 200 athletes that attended the Next Level Athlete South Houston Video Showcase on Sunday at Houston Kinkaid came from all around the Houston area, and in some cases, from other parts of Texas.
But a handful of players didn't have to go farther than their current daily commute, as Kinkaid had its own set of hopefuls hitting their home turf at Barnhart Stadium to compete against other up-and-coming football prospects.
One Kinkaid Falcon whom colleges are already taking notice of is 2015 quarterback J.T. Granato.
But a handful of players didn't have to go farther than their current daily commute, as Kinkaid had its own set of hopefuls hitting their home turf at Barnhart Stadium to compete against other up-and-coming football prospects.
One Kinkaid Falcon whom colleges are already taking notice of is 2015 quarterback J.T. Granato.
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
New A&M OC McKinney ready for challenge
March, 13, 2013
Mar 13
8:00
AM CT
By
Sam Khan Jr. | ESPN.com
COLLEGE STATION, Texas -- The first time Clarence McKinney met Kevin Sumlin, the two were in quite different places than they are today.
The pair first crossed paths in the late 1990s. McKinney was a young, budding offensive coordinator at Houston's Booker T. Washington High School, while Sumlin was an assistant at Purdue, coaching wide receivers and serving as recruiting coordinator.
Though Sumlin spent plenty of time in Texas and in the Houston-area in particular, he never signed a player from Washington while McKinney was there. But he saw something in McKinney and let him know then what he thought of the Houston born-and-bred product.
"We were hanging out one day, and he told me at that time, that if he ever had an opportunity to hire me, he would," McKinney said.
About 10 years later, when Sumlin was putting together his first staff as a head coach at Houston, he lobbed a call to McKinney, who at the time had worked his way up the ladder in Houston coaching circles and was a successful head coach at his alma mater, Jack Yates High School, which sits literally across the street from the University of Houston campus.
Sumlin was making good on his word and offered McKinney a position as an assistant.
"He made the phone call and without hesitation, I asked him when I needed to show up for work," McKinney said.
The pair have worked together the last five years and had marked success, first, for four years at Houston and now at Texas A&M, where the Aggies put together a memorable 11-2 campaign that included a Heisman Trophy winner. Now, McKinney -- who started his college coaching career as Sumlin's running backs coach at Houston -- is now the man who will call the plays for the Aggies as their offensive coordinator in what is one of the most anticipated seasons in school history.
The pair first crossed paths in the late 1990s. McKinney was a young, budding offensive coordinator at Houston's Booker T. Washington High School, while Sumlin was an assistant at Purdue, coaching wide receivers and serving as recruiting coordinator.
[+] Enlarge
Sam Khan Jr./ESPNExpect Texas A&M to continue its up-tempo approach with new offensive coordinator Clarence McKinney.
Sam Khan Jr./ESPNExpect Texas A&M to continue its up-tempo approach with new offensive coordinator Clarence McKinney."We were hanging out one day, and he told me at that time, that if he ever had an opportunity to hire me, he would," McKinney said.
About 10 years later, when Sumlin was putting together his first staff as a head coach at Houston, he lobbed a call to McKinney, who at the time had worked his way up the ladder in Houston coaching circles and was a successful head coach at his alma mater, Jack Yates High School, which sits literally across the street from the University of Houston campus.
Sumlin was making good on his word and offered McKinney a position as an assistant.
"He made the phone call and without hesitation, I asked him when I needed to show up for work," McKinney said.
The pair have worked together the last five years and had marked success, first, for four years at Houston and now at Texas A&M, where the Aggies put together a memorable 11-2 campaign that included a Heisman Trophy winner. Now, McKinney -- who started his college coaching career as Sumlin's running backs coach at Houston -- is now the man who will call the plays for the Aggies as their offensive coordinator in what is one of the most anticipated seasons in school history.
ABOUT GIGEMNATION
Sam Khan Jr.
Sam Khan Jr. joined ESPN.com in 2012 after nearly seven years with the Houston Chronicle, covering the University of Houston, college sports and high school sports. Khan lives in Houston with his wife. He can be reached at skespn@gmail.com.