The perfect warm up for all of Saturday’s college football action is a nice dose of high school football on Friday night.
For the college recruiting fan, this is especially true, as many athletes who will be suiting up on Saturdays next season are currently dominating the high school ranks.
MaxPreps takes a look at five prep storylines for college football fans to watch:
Game:
Redemptorist (Baton Rouge, La.) vs.
Patterson (Patterson, La.)Fans who should follow: LSU fans
Burning question: Who is the Tigers' running back of the future?
Kenny Hilliard
Photo by Tom Lemming
LSU fans have been excited about this game for a while, and with good reason. It showcases some of the prized members of their outstanding 2011 recruiting class:
Kenny Hilliard,
La'El Collins, and
Jeremy Hill.
Hilliard and Hill will be dueling running backs on the night, but both will compete for time in the backfield next season in Baton Rouge. Most believe that Hilliard is the more dynamic player, with a better chance to play right away; however, Hill has looked sharp early on this season.
Collins, one of the country's top prospects on the offensive line, will look to open running lanes for Hill.
Game:
Aledo (Texas) at
Lake Travis (Austin, Texas)Fans who should follow: Texas fans, Texas Tech fans
Burning question: Who gets
Johnathan Gray?
Lake Travis owns the nation's third-longest winning streak at 48 games. They also have one of the country's finest passers in quarterback
Michael Brewer, who stepped in for Garrett Gilbert last year and delivered another state title for the Cavaliers. Brewer is committed to the Red Raiders.
Aledo, which captured the 4A-II state title last year, features the reigning MaxPreps Sophomore of the Year, Johnathan Gray, who had one of the most productive tenth-grade seasons possible. He figures to be the top target at the running back position for a number of teams.
Longhorns fans are hopeful Mack Brown's dominant recruiting can carry over to the 2012 class, but it won't be easy. Gray is the son of James Gray, a former star at Texas Tech.
Game:
Crenshaw (Los Angeles) at
Norco (Calif.)Fans who should follow: USC fans
Burning question: How durable is De’Anthony Thomas?
Followers of USC got a nice preview of the Black Mamba,
De'Anthony Thomas, last Friday during a nationally televised game.
Thomas rushed for two exciting touchdowns in the first quarter last week, but missed the second half with leg cramps. Though he possesses phenomenal speed, his size is a bit of a concern at the next level, even at the defensive back position.
It will be interesting for USC fans to see how Thomas bounces back against a tough Norco team that finished 11-2 last year. With USC's recruiting sanctions, the Trojans can't afford to have many injuries. They need Thomas healthy and productive throughout his USC tenure, and Crenshaw's game against Norco may provide some insight into the likelihood of that.
Game:
Plant (Tampa, Fla.) vs.
Hillsborough (Tampa, Fla.)Fans who should follow: Florida State fans
Burning question: When will
James Wilder break out?
Wilder, the nation's No. 1 recruit, selected Florida State over a host of offers shortly before the season began. After leading Plant to a 5A state title last year thanks to his superb play on both sides of the ball, there were certainly great expectations for Wilder's final year on the high school level.
However, in both a preseason game against Manatee and Plant's season opener versus Hillsborough, Wilder seemed unable to find his groove. He was a non-factor against Manatee and against Tampa Bay Tech, quarterback
Phillip Ely was the only player to score a touchdown.
Wilder did improve his play in the second half last week, where he picked up 52 of his 78 rushing yards. He also recovered a
Mike Bellamy
Photo by Tom Lemming
fumble on defense. It could be a precursor to a monster game against Plant's historic rival, Hillsborough.
Game:
Charlotte (Punta Gorda, Fla.) vs.
Riverdale (Fort Myers, Fla.)Fans who should follow: Clemson fans
Burning question: Will
Mike Bellamy be the next C.J. Spiller?
It's no secret that Clemson recruited Florida running back Mike Bellamy by tossing around the same of a former Sunshine State back who thrived at Clemson, C.J. Spiller
Like Spiller, Bellamy is an absolute burner with electric moves. And just like the current Buffalo Bills starting running back did, Bellamy also ignored overtures from Florida's top programs to commit to Clemson.
But can Bellamy fill the enormous footprints left by Spiller? He opened the season last week with 95 yards and four touchdowns. As a senior at Union County, Spiller rushed for 1,840 yards and 30 TDs, so Bellamy is well on his way. This week's test against Riverdale, which was 9-2 last year, should give Clemson fans a glimpse at the future.
