2 SMU Signees in THSCA All-Star Game This Tuesday

[MrMustang1965]

from the Austin American-Statesman:http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/highschool/07/30coaches.html

by Rick Cantu

Mack Brown and Rick Barnes should entertain captive — if not overflowing — audiences when they speak to the state's high school coaches this week.

For the first time since 1950, the annual Texas High School Coaches Association coaching school will be in Austin. Approximately 15,000 coaches, from football to track, are expected to pack the Austin Convention Center for three days of instruction and networking.

"This is a huge deal for us," said Cynthia Maddox, communications director for the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The numbers don't lie. The three-day convention will provide an economic boost of $17 million to the area. By comparison, the 2005 convention in San Antonio drew 12,600 coaches who pumped in an estimated $13 million in restaurants, hotels and shopping, the city's visitors bureau said.

In Austin, convention and visitors bureau officials are anticipating that coaches will spend 29 percent of their money on food, 23.5 percent on shopping, 17.6 percent on entertainment, 6.3 percent on transportation and 4.2 percent on flights.

The convention, which runs Monday through Wednesday at the convention center, will include an all-star basketball game Monday night at the Erwin Center and an all-star football game Tuesday night at Royal-Memorial Stadium. The convention also will be home to some 800 exhibit booths and vendors, promoting products from sports equipment to financial planning.

From an economic standpoint, this will have the largest impact in Austin for a high school sports event ever. By comparison, the annual UIL boys and girls state basketball tournaments net about $7.4 million, the Texas Relays bring in about $7 million and the weeklong UIL state tennis, golf and track events each May bring in $7 million, Maddox said.

The $17 million that the city expects to bring in this week is comparable to a University of Texas home football game, which draws about 27,000 out-of-town visitors and brings an economic impact of $18 million.

But the convention is important in other ways too, said Austin ISD athletic director Tommy Cox.

"This convention connects coaches across the state," Cox said. "It is a great opportunity for coaches to develop their skills, and therefore provide youngsters a chance to be more successful in the classroom, on the field of play, and in life."

Historically, the annual THSCA convention has rotated between Fort Worth and Houston. That changed in 2005, when San Antonio played host. Next year, the convention will be in San Antonio again.

Austin has not been in the mix to play host in the past because the city did not have a facility large enough to hold 10,000 or more coaches. With the 2002 addition of the 900,000-square foot convention center and the 800-room Hilton hotel two years later, Austin now has become an "ideal" location for the event, said Maury Salinger, THSCA spokesman.

Brown, coming off a national championship season at Texas, will give two coaching lectures Monday, the first about offense, the second about practice and game planning. Barnes, who has guided his Texas men's basketball teams to the NCAA tournament the past seven years, is scheduled to speak at the same time in a different room at the convention center.

Two Central Texas standouts will participate in Monday night's all-star basketball game. Texas A&M-bound guard Bryan Beasley of Pflugerville and Westwood guard Ashton Mitchell, heading to Sam Houston State, will play for the North squad.

Two Longhorn signees also will play — guard Justin Moore of Amarillo Palo Duro and Dexter Pittman, a 6-10, 320-pound center from Rosenberg Terry.

Central Texans in the all-star football game are Wimberley linebacker Jacob Biddle (Naval Academy), McCallum defensive end Broderick Marshall (Tyler JC), San Marcos running back Jordan Walker (Cisco JC), New Braunfels High quarterback Zach Rhodes (SMU), Hutto offensive lineman Lee Gonzales (SMU), Pflugerville running back Antwan Cobb, Hays offensive lineman Jacob Posey (Texas A&M) and Connally linebacker Nathan Mann (undecided).

Eight Longhorn football signees will play — Texas High linebacker Dustin Earnest, Longview running back Vondrell McGee and Rowlett linebacker Jared Norton, Boerne kicker Lawrence Hunter, Hearne receiver Montre Webber, North Shore defensive back Chyke Brown, West Orange Stark receiver Kenneth Beasley, Kilgore tight end Britt Mitchell and Port Arthur Memorial running back Robert Joseph.

Also, the THSCA will induct six members into its Hall of Honor: Former Fort Worth Dunbar basketball coach Robert Hughes; Highland Park football coach Randy Allen; former Denison football coach Marty Criswell; former Diamond Hill-Jarvis football coach George Kirk; and A&M Consolidated football coach Jim Slaughter.

[CalallenStang]

Actually, there are 4

North team
#5 lb Tyler Jones

South team
#13 qb Zack Rhodes
#23 lb Justin Smart
#79 ol Lee Gonzales

[MrMustang1965]

Thanks, CalAllen!

[Ponymon]

I guess we aren't as concerned about the risk of injury since I assume that we are going to red-shirt all 4 players?

[Dement-ed]

I think Chris Butler also played in a Louisiana all-star game, too.

[MrMustang1965]

Graphic just appeared on the THSCA All-Star Game with this:

Most Signees Playing in THSCA All-Star Game

Texas 10
Tech 7
A&M 6
SMU 5

Nice.

[mrydel]

Who is # 5?

[ALEX LIFESON]

Tyler Jones.

[ALEX LIFESON]

Man, #79 Lee Gonzales is big, and can move!

[JasonB]

I didn't notice Lee Gonzales, but paid attention to the others...

Zach Rhodes only played two series. Looks quick, but threw an interception where his delivery was really slow and had to exit the game after taking a big hit. Don't know what the injury was. Definately a project at QB though because of slow motion.

Justin Smart - Solid. Not fastest, most athletic guy out there. Decent size. Made one really nice tackle on the goalline where he stood up McGee. Didn't see him misread or miss tackles.

Tyler Jones - Interesting prospect. Really nice size at saftey. Got beat deep once, but recovered and made a nice play to knock an underthrow away from a very good player. Was exposed in the open field once. Made a nice tackle on a sideline run and also a really nice play on punt coverage. Always one of the first down the field on coverages, that could be the first place he makes impact. Looked a little bit lacking in fluidity for a saftey, I think with his size he is the perfect candidate for that hybrid saftey/linebacker position.

Again, didn't notice Gonzalez, didn't have the numbers for the linemen.

Also, don't know who #5 is.

[ALEX LIFESON]

If Justin Smart is 6'3 and 225, he will be able to hold another 15lbs easy. I saw the play he made on the goal too. That tackle and several others, were credited to UT players though. With Craig (UT play by play guy) Way doing the play by play, it's was another 3 hour UT love fest and info-commercial!

[d_pony]

player number 5 was Snthony Sowe from Denton - he was playing left DE for North - saw he make a sack and was in several "hurrys" as well as tackles

[mrydel]

Thank you.

[Corso]

Based on what I've heard, I really think Sowe might turn out to be a very good player. Let's hope, huh?

[Ponymon]

Based on what I've heard, I really think Sowe might turn out to be a very good player. Let's hope, huh?

I'm hoping that ALL our recruits turn out to be very good players!