Southlake Carroll going national

Two-time defending Class 5A Division II state football champion Southlake Carroll is negotiating a home game with California power Concord De La Salle for 2007 said Dragons coach Todd Dodge. Carroll was named mythical national powers in ’05 and ’06 while De La Salle earned a national reputation with its national record 151-game winning in which it was named USA Today national champs in 2000, 2001 and 2003. De La Salle’s streak was stopped in ’04.

Southlake Carroll would play Shreveport Evangel in a 2006 non-district. Evangel also is a nationally prominent program. Dodge wants to play high profile games only at home. Carroll has had three regular-season games broadcast live the last two years and likely will have games against Evangel and De La Salle broadcast.

Carroll has reached a 5A state record 4 state finals with three championships.

UIL realignment announced

Highland Park stays 4A

Highland Park, which won the 2005 4A Division II state football title, squeaked its way back into the state’s second-largest classification by 27.5 students. UIL realignment is based on an average daily student enrollment in grades 9-12. Highland Park turned in an enrollment of 1,957.5, with the half-student coming from a UIL formula on how to count hurricane displaced students who may leave.

Staying in 4A is critical to the year-round, all-sport success of Highland Park, which would suffer competitively as one of the smaller 5A schools rather than as one of the largest 4A schools.

Highland Park remained in 4A in the last realignment by a slimmer margin in ’04 when the 5A cutoff was 1,925 students and Highland Park had 1,921. In the mid 1980s, Highland Park opted to compete in 5A in the first few seasons its enrollment fell within the 4A limits but decided to drop down to 4A because it wasn’t able to compete as well.

Highland Park remains in a somewhat familiar District 10-4A with Mesquite Poteet, West Mesquite, Richardson Pearce, Forney, Greenville, Terrell and first-year Rockwall Heath.

Dallas ISD happy, Arlington ISD gets powers

DISD officials were happy to learn their District 14-5A would remain all DISD with Carter, Bryan Adams, Molina, Skyline, Sunset and W.T. White. There was a chance the UIL could have grouped them with Duncanville, Cedar Hill and DeSoto, powerhouses in several sports including football and basketball.

But it was Arlington ISD schools who’ll get the I-20 trio as Arlington, Bowie, Sam Houston, Lamar and Martin get the three large single high school independent districts.

East Texas again

Mesquite, North Mesquite and Mesquite Horn figured they’d stay with Longview, John Tyler and Tyler Lee, three big schools in East Texas with no other 5A schools closer. The MISD was right. But it’s a 6-team district with Rockwall moving into an otherwise all Garland district.

Remember it’s 4 for 5A

Next season, the top four teams in Class 5A advance to the state playoffs. All other classes will remain with three qualifiers.

Back with Homer

Rockwall coach Scott Smith has his Yellowjackets in with all seven Garland schools. Smith’s first head coaching position was with Garland and he led the Owls to the 1987 state playoffs. Smith said he’ll like working with Johnson again, but added Rockwall’s one vote on all district matters might not carry much weight.

“I don’t need to go to the meetings,” Smith said. “They can just tell what they decided.”

Celina in trouble

A difference in classification can make all the difference and no one knows better than Celina, which was moved up to 3A from 2A.

Celina won the ’05 2A Division II state title but knows all too well what moving up to 3A means. The Bobcats won four-consecutive 2A state titles (1998-2001) but were elevated to 3A for ’02 and ’03 and lost early in the state playoffs.

Celina moved back to 2A in ’04 and lost in the regional final before coming back for the ’05 championship.

Toughest schedules

It’s a toss-up for toughest schedule between Mesquite and Horn.

Mesquite’s 5-game non-district gauntlet

Plano, Plano East, Carter, Abilene, Midland Lee

Horn has

Richardson Berkner, Arlington, Wylie, South Garland, Skyline

Ups and downs

Wylie, Hebron, Keller Central and Mansfield Timberview moved up to 5A from 4A … Carter again requested to play in 5A despite 4A enrollment numbers. Carter wants to play at the higher competition and it also allows the DISD to have a complete DISD 6-team district.

Pearce, Denton Ryan, Samuell, Keller Fossil Ridge, The Colony and Waco dropped to 4A from 5A … Defending 3A state champ Tatum drops to Class 2A with a lot of returning talent … Good news for Class 3A Canton, eliminated by Tatum in the ’05 playoffs and returning star QB G.J. Kinne.

For the UIL realignment website:

http://www.uil.utexas.edu/2006align/index.html

As always, Big 12 schools can’t keep all the southwest players. And some pretty big ones got away. So when you see these guys on TV the next few years, don’t blast your college coach. Some kids want to try someplace different.

1. Matthew Stafford, QB Highland Park - Could start ’06 for Georgia

2. Mon Williams, RB/WR Mesquite Horn - He’ll be SEC star at Florida

3. Michael Morgan LB Skyline - Lots of potential to keep USC deep

4. Emmanuel Moody RB Coppell - Needs patience at USC

Simms on horizon

Matt Simms, brother of Chris and son of Phil, will be among the nation’s top recruits next year. A 6-2, 200-pound right-handed QB, no word yet where he’s leaning. Remember Chris was a longtime Tennessee commit before switching late to Texas. A rising Rutgers might be in the picture for the Don Bosco Prep (N.J.) star.

Texas has had a great class since December. Texas A&M took a big dent when Skyline LB Michael Morgan shunned the Aggies for USC on the night before signing day. Morgan made his pick at 9:50 p.m. Tuesday live on Fox news for broadcaster Max Morgan.

Texas: A+

What to know: Ben Alexander from S. Carolina isn’t know around here, but Florida State, Virginia Tech and Georgia were dying for him. He’s a 5-11, 295-pound nose guard that Mack Brown has specialized in … Woodrow’s Sergio Kindle was thought to be a LB prospect last summer but don’t rule out RB … Texas High LB Dustin Earnest and Kilgore DE Eddie Jones have the first impact … Love QB Jevan Snead and enrolling this spring, but redshirt freshman Colt McCoy starts at the beginning of the year next season. Arlington Bowie QB Sherrod Harris could be great but he needs lots of experience to make up for injuries last two seasons.

Oklahoma A

What to know: The Sooners didn’t take an Adrian Peterson, Rhett Bomar or Tommie Harris out of Texas, so it doesn’t seem like they’re having a huge year. But trust Bobby. To counter Mack Brown’s skill at getting super-talented, usually 6-foot cover corners, OU is loading up on 6-4-plus receivers like Irving’s Adron Tennell. Stoops also goes a little to the West and has a couple of super prospects from Nevada (one being RB Demarco Murray.) And for those really worried after this year’s offensive performance, there’s 10 linemen signed and many will end up on offense.

Texas Tech B +

What to know: Don’t sweat losing QB Greg McElroy to Alabama. Tech can create QBs and there are lots of questions about McElroy, who operated with no rush pressuring him at Southlake Carroll. Abilene QB Taylor Potts is a better prospect. Tech gets OL Ofa Mohetau from junior college. In ’03, he helped make Texas’ class grade exceptionally high. From Euless Trinity, Mohetau starts next year. Midland RB Baron Batch looks like another great one-back guy. There’s some much needed speed in the secondary with Daniel Johnson (Spring Woods) and Leonard Hewitt (Lufkin.) Not sure what Carter’s Michael Crabtree will play, but he’s got intangibles and talent at WR or DB. He led Carter to basketball Final Four as junior point guard _ and don’t think Coach Knight hasn’t noticed a Quinn Buckner type is in Lubbock.

Texas A&M B-

What to know: There’s some great players with Klein Collins RB Michael Goodson, Humble QB/WR Jerrod Johnson and Haltom LB Anthony Lewis but not enough depth. If Goodson turns into Ricky Williams and Johnson is a QB like Vince Young then it’ll be a lot different but that’s high bar set to raise a whole class. The loss of Skyline LB Michael Morgan to USC on Tuesday night was tough on the Aggies’ class. A big factor for Fran’s future recruiting will be the development of last year’s stud, TE Martellus Bennett. It will be used mightily against Ags if Bennett doesn’t emerge after Reggie McNeal’s decline. The Ags have to steal more kids out of the Southeast or the West because they’re definitely sliding to No. 3 around here.

Baylor C

What to know: Baylor coach Guy Morriss recruits a different type of player the way Grant Teaff did but they’re similar in two very important categories _ they know what they want and they know that finishing second to UT, OU and A&M on a bunch of players doesn’t do any good. Morriss picks his guys like Teaff did and then seduces them by making them Baylor’s top recruit. Teaff was the master of calling the kids on Sunday night after a Texas visit in which they didn’t get a scholarship offer but were told to keep waiting for the Longhorns and things could break right. Morriss played at TCU and knows the profile for that kind of program. Talented, late-bloomers wanting to show they can beat the high-profile guys. Names: QB Taylor Beatty, WR Ben Randle, DB Tim Atchison, WR/DB Jeremy Sanders, WR Ernest Smith, WR Justin Fenty, DB Dominique Criss. Would have been nice to snare Waco U.’s DB Perrish Cox, but he’s off to LSU.

Oklahoma State C

What to know: The Cowboys lost some early commitments, but that also means some other school’s like their potential class. Oklahoma State hardly ever gets the Wow factor and when they have _ signing Hart Lee Dykes in the 1980s _ probation followed. OSU coach Mike Gundy wants more speed and the key could be keeping RB Dantrell Savage, a junior college transfer. The real hit could be Richardson Berkner DE Ugo Chinasa. The 6-5, 230-pounder sees himself as a basketball player just like Julius Peppers wanted to be at North Carolina. But 6-5 floor runners in hoops don’t rate nearly as high as they do in cleats.

SMU/TCU/North Texas

SMU C

What to know: Phil Bennett has learned to survive the ebbs and flows of college football at many places. He’s gotten a contract extension that helped recruiting but the Mustangs’ revival depends on some hits that others miss. Scurry-Rosser WR Phillip Burley (6-5, 205) might be a real catch. I’m not big on stats, but he averaged about 25 yards on 38 catches. There’s a little more speed with the class such as DB Tim Crosby of Garland and LB Taylor Bon. Don’t be surprised if there aren’t some transfers from DI schools into the Hilltop during the summer.

TCU B

What to know: There’s ex-appeal with WR Clint Renfro, the son of ‘70s Horned Frog star Mike Renfro. Clint has great speed and can make some incredible acrobatic catches in helping win two state titles at Southlake Carroll. He’s listed at 165 pounds, but that’s only he’s just leaving CiCi’s buffet. A lot of people are very high on Katy QB Andy Dalton. He made great plays to get them to the 5A Division II state final and he’s got some measurables (6-2, 185), good arm strength and accuracy. The real steal is DE Clarence Leatch of 3A Division II state champs Tatum. He’s 6-5, 210 and runs a 4.6 in the 40. Great frame to add muscle and he’ll still be able to cover whole field.

North Texas C

What to know: That Coffeyville (Kan.) CC went 9-3 and has had 12 players sign with 4-yuear schools is good news since three are headed to Denton. G Trent Stanley (6-3, 285) should help immediately along with FS Roy Loren and QB Woody Wilson. Coppell DE Marquis Sykes (6-3, 250) is typical of the class in that he’s a marginal major school guy that has upside to develop but also is a tad undersized and a step slow right now to interest the big guys. There’s no Jamario Thomas, a bona fide blue-chipper from Longview Springhill who signed with the Mean Green two years ago.

Is there a potential for a Jerry Jones—Bill Parcells head butting on the horizon?

What might cause this?

TERRELL OWENS!

So far, Denver and Kansas City have shown interest in Owens. Denver’s reportedly discussed trade with the Eagles. There’s a rumor out there that someone might even be willing to offer a 1^st day draft choice (likely a 3^rd rounder) for the rights to Owens. This rumor almost certainly originated with Owens agent Drew Rosenhaus who desperately wants to drum up interest in his client so that the team that trades for him pays him that $5 million bonus he has coming in a few weeks.

The Cowboys have been put on the “most likely to want Owens” list since the very moment things exploded in Philadelphia. Jerry Jones loves talent. Bill Parcells hates locker room distractions. The fact that Dallas continues to be thought of as a possible Owens destination springs from Jones continuing teasing remarks about him. Jerry refuses to shut the door on the possibility of Owens coming here. In fact, Jerry’s comments actually seem to push the door more open.

We have no idea what Bill thinks because Bill, as usual, goes totally mute once the final snap of the season has happened. But there’s no question that Bill would not appreciate the kind of antics that have been part and parcel of Owens previous stays in San Francisco and Philly. People keep saying that a “strong coach” like Parcells is just what Owens needs. But Andy Reid and a very tight Eagle organization thought the very same thing and that club is now in a shambles.

So, who wins if Jerry wants him and Bill doesn’t? Maybe Jerry. Bill is on a year to year basis in Dallas. Might he conceivably give a little on this one?