Byron Eaton

[DallasDiehard]

I was reading rivals.com the other day. Byron Eaton, the do-everything athlete at Dallas Lincoln, is listed as a top recruit in both football and basketball. In football, where he's a QB/DB/PR/KOR of the highest level, rivals has a seemingly endless list of schools after him. As a basketball recruit, rivals lists one school: SMU.

Then, yesterday's Dallas Morning News ran the following story:

Lincoln star may not play football[b]

Lincoln two-sport standout Byron Eaton's football future is in doubt, his mother and his football coach said Friday.

Eaton, a junior point guard and quarterback, opted not to participate in spring football so he could travel with his AAU basketball team. He made the decision after Lincoln football coach Reginald Samples told him spring football was a requirement to play in the fall.

But Samples did not completely rule out allowing Eaton to play next season.

Recruiting analysts consider Eaton among the state's top football and basketball recruits.



So .... with Coach Tubbs so firmly entrenched in the Dallas basketball community, does this mean it's fair to start dreaming of Eaton in Red and Blue? I know, it's a longshot, but .... think what that would do for the team, especially in terms of other Dallas guys who might want to play with him.

[ponyboy]

Like the Texas Rangers' play of late, I don't want to get too excited about this. But what the heck, that's what we Pollyannas do. Eaton would be a nice catch and, as you say, might really open the floodgates.

[LA_Mustang]

I have no idea who this football coach is at Lincoln but he’s making a big mistake. I understand he has a rule in place but Eaton is special athlete in a very unique situation. How often do you have a kid who is a national top 50 player in both sports? This coach would be a good candidate for the HP police department....no exception to the rules. I hope he has fun explaining to Lincoln parents and fans why one of the best high school football players in the nation is sitting at home because he chose to play basketball last spring. Give me a break.

Byron,
Come on to SMU. I promise you Bennett and Tubbs will be more than happy to let you suit up for both sports.

[LA_Mustang]

Here is his quote on Rivals about playing both sports:

"Some people say I’m better at football and that I should go with that in college. Then I’ve got other people saying that I’m better at basketball and I should go with that. I like them both so much it’s really hard to say what I’ll do." -Byron Eaton on which sport he will choose

BTW, here are his football stats from last season:

Rushing
Att - 111
Yards - 956
Avg. - 8.6
TDs - 12

Passing
Att - 70
Comp - 34
Yards - 673
TDs - 9
INTs - 2

[Hoop Fan]

well said LA. Lincoln has a nice football program, but they are definitely not up to the level of Lincoln basketball as a perennial state championship contender. You have to believe that given any doubt that would keep Eaton focused on basketball. Their football coach must realize that. I have only seen Eaton play football once, but he didn't have much help from his blockers, which must get frustrating.

As for him going to SMU, it would be huge, but I wouldn't read too much into the Rivals listing. He has lots of options in basketball too. In fact, when I go to the Rivals page through TexasHoops.com, here is the basketball list I see for Eaton:

Indiana, Marquette, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Syracuse, Baylor, Georgia Tech, Illinois, Kansas State, Louisville, Ohio State, Texas, Texas A&M

No SMU. I dont think that means all that much, because Tubbs clearly has a chance at him you have to think.

[LA_Mustang]

HF, it is going to be a very tough battle to land Eaton. As I posted in the past, I heard from a very good source that UT had already offered him in basketball and that OU was going after him hard. If he wants to play both sports that many be to our advantage because I doubt the big boys (UT, OU, OSU) will want him to play both, but I’m sure we could work something out. Hopefully Tubbs, Bennett, and Hop can work some magic.

[PG]

I think it would be very difficult and somewhat unrealistic for Eaton or any other atlhlete to play both sports at a major university. I know it has been done before -most notably Julius Peppers and Ronald Curry at UNC- but it is a major risk for the coaches of both sports. How would they "share" him since there would be so much carry-over? He would start FB two-a-days in early Aug., then play the entire FB season (without getting hurt) that would end between late Nov. and Jan., depending on what school and what bowl, if any. That means he would miss the entire preseason BB schedule and all of the practices. Now, he's supposed to come in and start right when the conference season begins? He would play the BB season, wchich would end in March, meaning he'd miss much of FB spring ball and all of their offseason workouts. Meanwhile, he's been going non-stop for over 8 months injury free. It would kill both teams if he were to suffer a major injury like Curry did (achilles) and miss all of the next season. Both coaches would want him to take part in their summer workouts as well. I just don't see Rick Barnes & Mack Brown, or Stoops & Sampson or even Tubbs & Bennett "sharing" him. It's much more difficult than it sounds.

[mrydel]

It has not been a problem for Matt Jones at Arkansas. The only difficulty is having the coaches decide which sport gets priority and history shows that football usually wins because football gives the scholarship.

[Pony4Life]

.... This coach would be a good candidate for the HP police department....no exception to the rules....

Now THAT's funny!

Byron,
Come on to SMU. I promise you Bennett and Tubbs will be more than happy to let you suit up for both sports.

Hell, you can play golf, row for the crew team and show the horses for the equestrian team, if you like. Just get yourself to SMU and bring some of your friends with you - for both teams. SMU could be great as the college team for all of Dallas - Byron Eaton would be a sensational start.