A talented Texas recruit flying under many radars appears to be a major blip at USC. Pflugerville Connally multi-sport standout Anthony Bryant has shown some skills at football and baseball and the 6-3, 215-pounder won the 25-5A 100-meters. That's a WOW athlete _ a 3-sport 5A star has a little something _ who seems to be getting more attention from out of state than in Texas.
Bryant is leaning toward an official announcement to commit to USC where he'll likely play baseball and football. He only had 10 catches last season, but it was for more than 200 yards. He also had a standout summer in baseball? Definitely a name to remember this year and in the future?
Lake Travis: 30 and counting? but for how longThe line seemingly forms to the left in who will end Lake Travis' 30-game winning streak, the state's longest current streak?. The Cavs have lost Texas signees Garrett Gilbert and offensive lineman Paden Kelley and are talking about being a defensive-minded unit after record-setting offenses. Junior Michael Brewer is a good quarterback but his opening game at Round Rock Westwood this Friday will be a tough one to follow behind Gilbert.
Westwood has its high-profile star in running back Princeton Collins (a Utah commit still being looked at by bigger schools), Stanford-bound kicker Jordan Williamson and major college prospects in center Alex Freeman and safety Tyson Brower?
And, if Westwood doesn't end the streak, how much hoopla will be around for a 31-game winning streak against Austin Westlake and new coach Darren Allman? Would the neighboring Chaps love to knock off the 2-time defending 4A state champs or what? Westlake lost its super linebacker David Durham. The Ohio State commit had a family move to North Carolina. Chaps quarterback Tanner Price and SMU commit Louie Swope gives Allman enough to work with to pull off an upset.
Burkhead buzz in NebraskaThe top two topics in Nebraska this summer:
No. 1: Summer rain has potential for record-setting bumper crops
No. 2: How great is Rex Burkhead!
The former Plano star was elevated to being the Cornhuskers No. 2 running back after a disciplinary dismissal on Saturday. Plano coach Jaydon McCullough reports Burkhead left for Lincoln the day after school in June.
The reports from Lincoln are that Burkhead has been impressive in the weightroom and on the field since he arrived. When last seen in Dallas, Burkhead was The Dallas Morning News Offensive Player of the Year after putting up 2,356 yards of total offense and 33 touchdowns in 2008.
With the dismissal of junior running back Quentin Castille, Burkhead is the frontrunner to complement starting running back Roy Helu Jr. in the Husker backfield this fall.
The big question for Huskers running back coach Tim Beck has now is trying to find a way to best utilize a player like Burkhead. He also is a candidate to start as Nebraska's punt and kick returner. Any talk of redshirting him are all but dead.
"Your question of what can he do should probably be what can't he do," Beck told huskersillustrated. "He can probably do anything we ask him to do right."
Fearless predictionPlano East _ coming off a 1-9 season _ will be 3-1 when the Panthers play arch rival Plano on Sept. 25. East had one of the best spring conditioning atmospheres I was around. The Panthers showed real signs of promise in 7-on-7 competition. Quarterback Brandon Wesley has gotten stronger and can zip passes much better than last year.
There's some good speed at receiver with Denzelle White, Brandon Lewis and D'Lyle Washington. The offensive front has been bolstered as junior Jacob Brendel moved from defense to offense. Brendel played noseguard as a freshman when he moved in from Wisconsin and is a major, 6-5, 240-pound talent.
Plano East has one of the top state's most athletic secondaries in the state with Dayvyon Henry, Dakota Smith and Lyndell Johnson.
