Monkee Commits to SMU

[gostangs]

I appreciate stallion's info and occasional recruiting insight - but you have to know how to relax about his half empty attitude. If you want to have some fun just criticize Rivals -he must own part of it he is so defensive.

Remember - he said Bamba Fall was going to be a bust.

[ALEX LIFESON]

Welcome to the Hilltop! "the shaving razor is cold, and it stings"

[BringBackThePonies03]

Any info on this guy?

[Buckethead]

Fellow Monkey Mike Naismith graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Dallas. Don't remember what year.

[Stallion]

found some stats on Dollens. He had 48 tackes(29 Unassisted and 19 Assisted), 6 Tackles for Loss, 1 Sack, 1 Blocked Pass and 1 Forced Fumble. His Team went 1-9. I'd be surprised if he was All-State.

[Peruna_Ate_My_Rolex]

Fellow Monkey Mike Naismith graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Dallas. Don't remember what year.

You mean Michael Nesbitt.

[PonyPride]

found some stats on Dollens. He had 48 tackes(29 Unassisted and 19 Assisted), 6 Tackles for Loss, 1 Sack, 1 Blocked Pass and 1 Forced Fumble. His Team went 1-9. I'd be surprised if he was All-State.

Interesting -- I got slightly different numbers (from him and his coach .... still awaiting word from a media contact I have up there). I'll double-check. Thanks.

[Stallion]

I got mine from their high school site which is www.bartlesville.k12.ok.us/bhs/football/FinalStats.htm

[MrMustang1965]

Here's an article from The Bartlesville Examiner - Enterprise about Dollens. Doesn't anyone remember that the Monkees' Dolenz was 'Circus Boy' before joining up with the band? :

by Mike Tupa

There's Diner Club, the Mickey Mouse Club, Auto Club and Club Soda.

But, Mickey Dollens is about to join one of the most-exclusive fraternity groups around - one of just four Bartlesville High players the past decade to be signed by a Division I-A college football program directly out of high school.

Dollens, a two-way lineman with the Bruins last autumn, has made a verbal commitment to attend Southern Methodist University on a grid scholarship.

He plans to make it official next Wednesday by inking a letter on intent on the first official day of signings.

Dollens then will join Brendon Swisher (Tulsa), Eric Rolfs (Naval Academy) and Jared Hicks (Arkansas) as the lone Bruins to move on from Bartlesville to big-time college football.

Among the other colleges on the short list of the 6-foot-3, 255-pound defensive lineman were Missouri State, Louisiana-Monroe, Tulsa and Colorado State.

He said Saturday he felt SMU was the right situation for him.

“It's a quality, division school with excellent academics, great athletics and top-notch facilities,” Dollens explained. “Plus, Dallas is a great place to live with many things to do.”

Although his impending football/academic career at SMU will be a new beginning for Dollens, in some way it also is the end of a carefully-nurtured and self-motivating dream which has dominated his desires for several years.

Dollens said he has hungered to play college football “all my life...I consider myself worthy because I've worked hard for it and I feel I deserve the opportunity to compete at a higher level.”

He credits his work ethic and positive attitude in adversity for guiding him to this chance.

The possibility that Dollens, or any Bruin, would get serious consideration for a Division I-A scholarship after last season's meager success, may have seemed heady stuff to some people.

Bartlesville finished 1-9, which followed a 3-7 mark during Dollens junior season.

But, he never doubted no matter how daunting the challenges.

“If you have the heart and desire to succeed, you can,” said Dollens, who doggedly persisted in his quest to play at the top level of college football. “This goes to show even kids on a bad team, where things aren't going well for them have an opportunity...They just need to keep their heads up because there's light at the end of the tunnel.”

Dollens said he felt his best physical assets as a defensive lineman are his ability to get off the block, making the tackle and use of his hands.

“My whole high school career, I just tried to play each game the best I could,” he added, feeling it was his aggressiveness and causing turnovers which helped elevate his status as a good college prospect.

Dollens said his hard work in pursuing his college opportunity extended beyond physical conditioning and making himself tougher.

He also took a personal hand in putting together his highlight film, which he distributed to numerous colleges throughout the country.

“I started getting calls from Oregon, Wyoming and all kinds of places,” he said.

But, he said he couldn't be more happy about his chance to play for the Mustangs, who compete in Conference USA along with Tulsa.

“God had a plan for me and it's for me to go to SMU,” Dollens added.

http://www.examiner-enterprise.com/arti ... s/5103.txt