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| Wednesday, July 16 |
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| Not Ced in stone By Jeff Goodman SchoolSports.com | |||
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Cedric Houston made his collegiate decision almost as quickly as he hits a gaping hole between his offensive linemen, but the Clarendon High (Clarendon, Ark.) running back has since reneged on the oral commitment he gave to nearby University of Arkansas. Now, the 6-foot, 203-pound senior is leaning toward heading to the University of Tennessee next season. The soft-spoken speedster also lists Texas A&M, Miami, Michigan State and Mississippi as possibilities, but he will probably call Knoxville, Tenn., home next year. "I want to go somewhere where you get a bunch of recognition -- like Tennessee," says Houston, who ran a 4.35 40 this past summer at the University of Arkansas camp. "And I want to go somewhere where the running backs get the ball." Houston is planning on attending the Vols' game Nov. 11 in Knoxville when they face the Razorbacks, and he'll be rooting on the home team -- not the one located in his own back yard. The trip to Tennessee won't be his first official visit to a college campus. He has already gone to Michigan State and enjoyed seeing another part of the country. "He's a kid from the Delta and has never been out of Arkansas," says Clarendon head football coach Bobby Hart. "That's why I encouraged him to take all his visits." Selfishly, Hart would like to see his standout back remain in the state and play for the Razorbacks. However, Hart also realizes that Houston is talented enough to excel just about anywhere. "He's super fast and is a powerful runner," says Hart. "He sees things on the field that normal people can't see. He's the best athlete I've ever coached. Plus, you're not going to find a better kid anywhere." Houston is a "yes, sir" and "no, sir" type of kid. He answers questions with the same kind of respect that he commands from opponents while on the field and idolizes former NFL great Walter Payton. Houston was raised in a single-parent family by his mother, is the oldest of four children, and has worked at the school mowing grass and doing other odd jobs since the ninth grade. Those values instilled in him by his mother have helped make Houston's first priority winning, even if it means sacrificing individual stats for the good of the team. He can often be found on the sidelines after the first half cheering on the reserves. "I don't get to play much in the second half because we're usually blowing teams out," says Houston, who has gained more than 2,000 yards in each of his two varsity campaigns. "I don't mind getting about 15 carries a game because I still score a lot of touchdowns, and that's what matters." Houston reached the end zone 21 times and racked up 992 rushing yards in his first six games this season despite being keyed on by opposing defenses. According to his coach, that's the primary reason why Houston's load is less than most elite high school backs. "So many teams just try and stop Cedric, and we've got good support people around him," says Hart. "We're able to keep it balanced, and that cuts into his carries." Houston has been on the Razorbacks' radar screen since he was a sophomore, when the coaching staff offered the wide-eyed 15-year-old a scholarship. He was so excited that he accepted before he got a chance to really weigh the decision. "I know he's going to visit all these other schools," says Hart. "But I don't think he's re-evaluating. He just wants to make sure. I think he's still a 90 percent lock to keep his commitment to Arkansas." Razorback fans sure hope so.
Material from SchoolSports.com.Visit their web site at www.schoolsports.com | |
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