Friday, Aug. 01, 2008

KHS O-linemen make their picks

By BRYCE NIEMAN

Two Keller High offensive linemen delivered their verbal commitments to NCAA Division I schools in recent weeks.

Guard Nick Ash and tackle Bryan Collins teamed up last year to protect the Indians’ backs, and will do so again this fall.

This time next year, however, will likely find the two going different directions as Ash has committed to play for the University of Nebraska and Collins gave his verbal to Southern Methodist University.

Nebraska and SMU have both been breaking in new coaching staffs since firing their staffs late last season. Still, the respective coaches found favor in the eyes of the two Keller big men as Ash and Collins have decided to add to the Indians tradition of sending players to Division I’s Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).

"It’s a tribute to them and their work ethics as well as their athleticism," Keller coach Kevin Atkinson said. "It’s also a tribute to their assistant coaches that prepared them to play and succeed in the fundamentals of the game."

Collins (6-3, 255 pounds) announced his decision to accept a scholarship from SMU in the first week of July, citing both the school’s educational opportunities and close proximity to Keller as attractive elements of the Mustangs’ program.

"Education was a big deal for me," Collins said. "I said from the beginning that my first concern was education."

He said he is also excited that his family and high school coaches will be able to attend games more easily.

Other schools that offered Collins a scholarship would not have been so convenient, such as Iowa Sate, Vanderbilt, New Mexico State, Rice and Buffalo.

Collins said he also liked SMU’s coaching staff, especially offensive line coach Dennis McKnight. He also had the opportunity to talk to new Mustangs Head Coach June Jones over the phone and said he was impressed with his laid back attitude.

Jones left a successful rebuilding program at Hawaii to take over an SMU program still feeling the pains of the NCAA’s "death penalty" restrictions from 1987.

Ash too decided to trust an incoming coach in Nebraska’s Bo Pelini.

Pelini, a former Cornhuskers assistant, takes over for Bill Callahan who was let go after posting a 27-22 record in four seasons.

Ash (6-5, 261 pounds) had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Pelini on one of his campus visits and said he was impressed the coach didn’t want to just talk football with him.

"It was more about just getting to know each other," Ash said.

He also talked a lot with offensive line coach Barney Cotton and defensive coordinator Carl Pelini, and was impressed with each of them.

Like Collins, Ash said academics played a large part in his decision.

"I not only looked at the quality of academics themselves, but the support systems and how they helped athletes become successful," Ash said. "Being a college student-athlete is a full-time job and you’re going to school for it. You need to get good people around you that help you succeed academically."

Ash picked Nebraska over Texas Tech, Purdue, Arizona and Vanderbilt. He said it took a bunch of family meetings and talks with Atkinson before he was ready to make his decision.

Neither Ash nor Collins can sign an official letter of intent until early February, but both verbal commitments are considered solid.

Coming to a decision in July was partially about making sure they nabbed the offer while it was still available, but also to avoid the process becoming a distraction during their senior year.

"Now I don’t have to worry about who’s looking at me and trying to perform," Ash said. "I still need to perform everyday, but that same pressure isn’t there."

Both he and Collins said they want their final season at Keller to be a special one, and didn’t want their recruitment to get in the way.

"It will make it easier this fall so I can just focus on my team and my senior season of football," Collins said.

Collins said Keller is shooting for the District 5-5A championship this year, hoping to send the Indians seniors off with a bang.

Atkinson agreed the early commitments will probably take away a few distractions this fall, but he’s mostly happy that the two linemen came to a decision they are excited about.

"I’m proud of those kids, proud for the team, and proud of our assistant coaches for getting them there," Atkinson said.

Ash and Collins join Fossil Ridge linebacker Brandon Mahoney and Central receiver Jarrod Darden among KISD players to commit early.

Mahoney gave his verbal to Oklahoma and Darden committed to Colorado.

Keller, Fossil Ridge and Central’s football teams will begin preseason workouts a week from Monday.