By John Peres / Special Contributor to PonyFans.com

For any football player, playing the same position as a famous father can be difficult — even more so when that father player in two Super Bowls. Such is the case for Texas High School linebacker Anthony Rhone, who said he has no problem being compared to his father, Earnest Rhone, who played for the Miami Dolphins for his entire nine-year NFL career.

Middle linebacker Anthony Rhone led the Texas High School Tigers with 156 tackles as a junior (photo by Donna McDaniel).

Rhone committed in mid-June to SMU over offers from North Texas, Stephen F. Austin, and Grambling State, saying that he felt the Mustangs were the perfect fit for him.

“I read a lot about the SMU tradition,” Rhone said. “It had a great background and I really felt it was the best all-around school for me.”

One of Rhone’s favorite parts of his visit to the SMU campus was his visit to Gerald J. Ford Stadium.

“When I walked in, I gasped a little,” he said. “Playing high school stadiums and then seeing how much bigger SMU’s stadium was … seeing all those extra seats really drove home how many more people would be watching me.”

But moving up to the college ranks does not intimidate Rhone. He and his family attended SMU’s final spring practice. Watching the linebackers closely, he feels that he will fit in well and be able to make a significant impact to the team.

As a junior in 2012, Rhone has racked up an impressive 156 tackles. He attributes his success to hard work, combined with his natural ability.

“I put in a lot of hard work in film study, but most of it is very instinctive,” he said. “I have an instinct for finding the ball. That is what allows me to fly around a lot.”

Rhone enjoys one luxury most players don’t: his father coaches the defensive tackles at Texas High School (which is located in Texarkana). Rhone said he and his father talk football at home, going over the assignments of the other players on the defense, in addition to his own.

“We go over football a lot at home,” he said. “He will get out the old white board and we’ll break down plays until I know what everyone’s responsibility is on the field.”

Playing his father’s position, it is only natural that comparisons will be made, but the younger Rhone said he takes it stride. Physically, Rhone is already ahead of where his father was at the same age. The 6-foot, 215-pound Rhone said he expects to get bigger and already has improved his 40-yard dash time by over two-tenths since last year, to 4.72.

“I’m stronger and faster than my father when he was in high school,” Rhone said. “My dad grew three inches in college and I am projected to do the same.”

Texas High head coach Barry Norton showered his linebacker with praise.

“We run a 4-3, split-safety defense, and Anthony is our middle linebacker,” Norton said. “He’s the quarterback of our defense. He’s the guy that makes us go. He’s an incredibly smart guy and a three-year starter who handles all of the calls and checks for us. There’s a lot on him, but he handles everything we ask of him. He’s our bell cow. I think every coach wants to have defensive linemen that keep the offensive linemen off the linebackers, and we definitely try to do that, too. But Anthony doesn’t always need that. He’s so smart he can read what the blockers are doing and has a way of getting to the ball even if there’s a blocker in the way. Anthony is a coach’s dream to coach. He’s a real student of the game, and he works as hard and plays as hard as anybody you’ve ever seen.”

In addition to Rhone’s leadership and intellect, Norton also commented on Rhone’s work ethic and tenacity.

“(Rhone) plays as hard, works as hard as anybody you’ve ever seen,” Norton said. “I might play him some at tight end this year, just because he’s such a good athlete and runs so well, so I’ll try to get the ball in his hands a little bit. But he’s a defensive guy all the way, and he’ll tell you that. Sometimes I have to go over to him in spring ball and pull back the bridle a little bit, because we want to keep the Tigers healthy and he’s just flying around everywhere. He’s a great player, and he’s a joy to coach. I’d like to keep him around until I retire.”