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Saturday, November 1, 1997

Has Texas high school football fallen behind Florida, Calif.?

By OLIN BUCHANAN / Austin American-Statesman

AUSTIN -- As John Mackovic can testify, Texans are a proud people.

We won't accept anything but the best.

We expect to be outstanding, especially in football. We did not invent the game, but many believe we perfected it.

We are fiercely competitive, particularly against teams from the inferior 49 states.

That's why Dad always referred to that state on the eastern border as Lousy-anna.

And that's why he always referred to Oklahoma in ways unprintable.

As a lifelong Texas Longhorns fan, he explained that his hatred for Oklahoma exceeded that of conference rival Texas A&M for the most basic of reasons.

"The Aggies are (expletive)," he would say. "But at least they're Texas (expletive)."

He was infinitely annoyed that Oklahoma's success against Texas in the 1970s was a result of the Sooners' superiority in recruiting the Lone Star State.

His pickup, not surprisingly, was adorned with the classic bumper sticker of the times: OU -- BEST TEXANS MONEY CAN BUY.

He'd sit in front of the television on the second Saturday of October and lament how once-respectable Texas lads like Jack Mildren, Joe Wylie and Joe Washington had been lured to the wasteland of Baja Arkansas.

Where in the name of Thomas Lott did we go wrong, he wondered?

But there was actually a measure of consolation in the misery that was Sooners success.

At least it wasn't Okies beating Texans. It was prodigal sons outscoring favorite sons.

Never was the caliber of our high school players in question. Texans could flat play football, and nobody could deny it.

Our high school football teams always have been recognized as the nation's elite.

It is our heritage.

It is our destiny.

Has it become our myth?

To even pose such a question is akin to blasphemy.

It's like suggesting Colonel Travis tried to slip out the back door of the Alamo.

Or Phyllis George had a nose job.

Or Darrell Royal was from Oklahoma. OK, everyone's entitled to one mistake.

Unfortunately, the question has become valid because of the recent performance of high school all-star teams, Texas teams in interstate games and the records of our major universities.

Florida and California might have surpassed Texas in football talent.

Here are the facts:

The Texas all-stars are 0-3 against the California all-stars in the California Shrine Bowl.

Some might argue that Texas is at a disadvantage because the game is played in California. However, Texas also has lost the last three games to Oklahoma in the Oil Bowl, which is played in Wichita Falls.

In interstate games involving Texas Class 5A schools (in which the scores were reported) Texas held a slight 6-5 advantage. Three victories came against New Mexico teams and three came against Louisiana teams.

But Miami Southridge defeated Dallas Carter in the only game matching Texas and Florida schools.

In perhaps the oldest and most intense interstate rivalry, Texarkana's Arkansas High has beaten Texarkana's Texas High eight times in the last 11 games.

Also, Monterrey Tech of Mexico defeated Del Rio 31-21.

The University of Texas is 3-4, including a 66-3 loss to UCLA.

The majority of UCLA players are from California. The majority of Texas players are from Texas, except that Texas' best player -- running back Ricky Williams -- is from California.

Of course, there remain steadfast supporters of Texas superiority, among them KVET radio's Craig Way, the host of Fox Sports Southwest's High School Extra.

"I think from top to bottom, in terms of total numbers and total ability in all positions, Texas is (superior)," Way said. "Certain states have had better years at certain positions. Florida has running backs and California has quarterbacks and Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio has quarterbacks.

"But top to bottom, in all areas, especially in the interior line, Texas is still the best."

There is evidence to support Way's opinion.

According to Texas Football magazine, in 1996 Texas led the nation with 287 football players signing Division I-A letters of intent. California had 246 sign and Florida had 180.

And players like Tyler John Tyler's David Warren (Florida State), Humble's David Boston (Ohio State), Wichita Falls' Skip Hicks (UCLA), Wichita Falls' Aaron Taylor (Nebraska) and Sulphur Springs' Damione Lewis (Miami) show that out-of-state schools still covet Texas talent.

The debate could rage on, but there's an easy way for Texas teams to re-establish their unquestioned superiority.

Win.

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Distributed by The Associated Press