Emani Bailey

Saturday was an awesome overload of Texas High School football. There was a lot to take in with semifinal match-ups of Denton Ryan/Highland Park, Duncanville/Allen, and Longview/Amarillo Tascosa. It was also a nice little practice round for me in preparation for state championships next week.So what did I think of the action? I got a few things.-Duncanville stepped up in the big moment. My biggest question mark was about how they would respond after being pushed in the final minutes of a game. Well, they answered that one in a big way. The Panthers responded with a fourth down conversion for a TD and a safety on the next Allen possession. I don't know who wins next week between Duncanville and North Shore, but I can tell you this, the Panthers will not back down when they are punched in the mouth. Great win yesterday for Samples and the Panthers, and it sets up what could be an all-time classic match-up for the 6A Div I Championship with North Shore.-While we're on the topic of Duncanville/Allen, Ja'Quinden Jackson just makes big plays. I don't know exactly where to project him as a prospect. Whether he would be better on offense or defense. I don't know, but what I do know is the guy knows how to step into a big moment and make a play when it is needed. His touchdown pass to end the first half was a thing of beauty. Rolling out to his left, throwing on the run to the back corner of the endzone, and hitting his receiver with precision. Then on 4th and 2, in a tie ball game late in the fourth quarter, he stepped up again and ran away from the Allen defense. Jackson has size and speed that translates to a number of positions. He plays with an edge and he shines in big moments. This is the kind of guy every coach wants on their team and it is a reason why so many, including Texas A&M, have put offers on the table. I don't know exactly where to project him, but I do know he can play. -Highland Park 2020 QB Chandler Morris made me open my eyes yesterday. I admit it. I was sleeping on him. He was another Highland Park QB, putting up big numbers in an offense where QBs put up big numbers. Well, he flat out picked apart a very fast and very physical Denton Ryan defense, and it was as impressive as anything I've seen to this point in the season. He threw some darts, and he threw with touch. Then he made plays with his feet. He extended plays and he scored touchdowns. There were a lot of reasons Highland Park won yesterday and the playcalling was tremendous, but Morris showed a lot as a prospect. He was not perfect by any means, but he showed accuracy, mobility, and poise. There is a good reason he already has offers Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, and Oklahoma, and I look for that offer list to continue to grow. The 2020 QB class is looking very strong. I would say Hudson Card, Malik Hornsby, Ken Seals, Deuce Hogan, Chandler Morris, and Haynes King are at the top of the list right now.-Speaking of Haynes King, his performance Saturday night was a what the gameplan called for. He didn't put up huge numbers, but he made big plays. On a night when the ground game was working, King and the Lobos hammered away. His overall athleticism was the thing that jumped out. The play that really caught my attention was when he chased down a Tascosa player after a blocked PAT. The guy had a big head start and nothing but green ahead before King ended any dreams of an endzone celebration. He not only closed on him and tackled him but he also stripped the ball. -Denton Ryan will be back. The bad news is the Raiders were handed a tough loss yesterday. One that will likely stick with them through the offseason. The good news is they are young. LB/QB Drew Sanders, QB Seth Henigan, WR/CB Billy Bowman Jr, WR/DE Ja'tavion Sanders, RB Emani Bailey, RB Ke'ori Hicks, WR/DE Delshun Neal, and S Tra Smith will all return next fall. Saturday did not go as planned, but I expect for this group to be back better than ever next fall. -In the weekend high school football thread there were a few questions about Marquez Beason and where he was yesterday. He showed up big and played a key role in keeping Theo Wease quiet after his two first half touchdowns. Beason did that with Illinois head coach Lovie Smith in attendance. He will sign with the Illini on Wednesday.-Duncanville 2020 S Chris Thompson is a safety. Yes, he has great size and he made a lot of plays in his new role in Duncanville's D, but make no mistake Thompson is projected to play S on the college level. He also had a nice momentum shifting INT to setup Ja'Quinden Jackson's TD pass at the end of the first half.-A few things that made me smile--Duncanville's swarming defense--Amarillo Tascosa's never say die attitude--Allen's second half comeback--Ja'Quinden Jackson--Longview RB Keilyn Williams (5-5, 145). 17 carries for 127 yards and 2 TDs according to ETSN.fm--Duncanville RB Trysten Smith's opening 73-yard TD runAs for recruiting notes, there really were not a lot. Duncanville's Chris Thompson and Ja'Quinden Jackson are the two biggest A&M targets that were there yesterday. They're both focused in on the playoffs and a state championship right now. I would give Texas a little bit of an edge for both right now, but there's still a long way to go with both and the Aggies are very much in the running.

The TexAgs Game of the Week returns to the DFW area. Colleyville Heritage and Texas A&M commitment Kameron Brown take on an undefeated Denton Ryan squad in a tough 4-5A Div I battle. Both are undefeated in district play and are capable of putting big numbers on the scoreboard.

I expected fireworks when I went to see Denton Ryan on Thursday, but I was pleasantly surprised by 2021 WR Billy Bowman Jr. He's a 5-10, 160-pound slot, and it is safe to say he is a name to remember.Two things jumped out to me over everything else. First of all, you do not start at Ryan as a freshman unless you are special. Second, you do not become a priority target for a senior All-American quarterback unless he trusts you.It became evident in a hurry that Bowman is a dynamic playmaker. The first two plays from Ryan went to Bowman, the second being a 49-yard catch and run down the Ryan sideline. https://twitter.com/Jason_Howell/status/908484203985215488Sanders also found Bowman downfield for a 35-yard TD in the second quarter. He was about 10 yards behind the defense. Then he delivered a crushing block.https://twitter.com/Jason_Howell/status/908499628789727232He finished the night with 3 receptions for 82 yards and 2 TDs. He also had 2 carries for 18 yards.In addition to WR, Bowman has also played QB and DB. He has clocked a 10.7 100m and 52 400m, and he plays basketball.Needless to say, Bowman, Jr. planted himself firmly on my radar after I had a chance to see him last night.Of course, Spencer Sanders and Gabe Douglas made their usual highlights. These two have been blowing opponents off the field since they were sophomores. Sanders does not look like he has skipped a beat since returning from his ACL tear and Douglas continues to make the hard look effortless. On the night Sanders was 14 of 18 passing for 288 yards 4 TDs and 1 INT, and he had 33 yards and a TD on 4 carries. Douglas had 4 receptions for 107 yards and 2 TDs.Sanders is an Oklahoma State commit and was an early offer by Texas A&M. Douglas is a Texas Tech commit, but there are questions about his academics. Both are among the top players in the state.I also wanted to get a look at 2020 RB Emani Bailey. He is a stout 5-8, 175, and last night I saw a decisive downhill runner with a forward lean. Wylie East was able to keep him bottled up for much of the night. He has been averaging close to 8 yards a carry, and Wylie East held him to under 4. However, his 15-yard TD to start the second half showed his capabilities.https://twitter.com/FridayNghtGlory/status/908506898764386304Final Score: Denton Ryan 48 Wylie East 22