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Saturday, July 21, 2012 | 2:58 p.m.
The University of Utah football team has made a history of finding its future standouts at Las Vegas-area high schools.
Linebacker Stevenson Sylvester of Valley High helped the Utes go undefeated in 2008 and is currently with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Cimarron-Memorial High product Eddie Wide finished his career in 2010 with more than 2,000 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns, and wide receiver Devonte Christopher of Canyon Springs will be one of Utah’s top players this fall.
Durango High rising senior Marcus Williams hopes to continue to trend. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound running back verbally committed to Utah this weekend, picking the Utes over offers from Idaho, New Mexico and New Mexico State.
In 2012, Utah will have four from Southern Nevada on the roster — something that weighed heavy on Williams’ decision.
“Seeing all those Vegas guys have success definitely influenced (my decision),” Williams said.
Williams flew under the recruiting radar because he played in just three games last fall during his junior season after transferring to Durango from Bishop Gorman. And while he shined in those contests, it wasn’t enough to receive much recruiting interest.
Williams rushed for 237 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries last year against Sierra Vista in his best game of the year. He also scored twice against Pahrump Valley and had a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Desert Oasis.
But this offseason, he put himself squarely on the recruiting map with solid performances at national recruiting showcases.
Williams bested nearly 1,300 other recruits in early April by recording the highest score at the Nike Football SPARQ Combine in Long Beach, Calif. The SPARQ rating system — which uses times in the 40-yard dash, 20-yard shuffle, knelling ball toss and vertical jump — is one of the criteria used by college coaches in evaluating recruits. SPARQ is an acronym for speed, power, agility, reaction and quickness.
Williams had the top 40-yard dash time (4.43 seconds) and vertical jump (39.4 inches) to record the highest rating of the day at 128.91 points. The SPARQ tour continued to other cities, and Williams’ score still ranks as one of the best nationally.
Instead of recruiters waiting for game film from his senior season for further evaluation, they quickly realized they couldn't pass on his raw talent. Soon, the offers started rolling in — first with Idaho, then New Mexico and New Mexico State.
Having the chance to carry the ball for Utah, which plays in the Pac-12 Conference, was simply too good of an opportunity to pass on. For Williams, committing finally ends the trials and tribulations of his rough season and validates the gaudy combine times.
“I can’t believe I’m going to college,” he said.. “I’m so happy everything worked out.”
Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or ray.brewer@lasvegassun.com. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21.
Wow congrats to the young man without film to grab a PAC 10 offer. Was unlv on this kid?
Congratulations to mr williams and his family. Playing in a BCS conference is huge for local kids. This is going to be a great football season coming up. So many loca kids getting college offers. Ray it says he went to bishop gorman. How did they let this kid get away? Doesn't matter. Just happy to see another local kid getting the chance to play college football. I'm going to have to get out and watch some Durango football games this year. Las Vegas high school football is going to be exciting this year with so much talent in the city. I don't remember there ever being this many kids getting recruited in one year as there has been so far this year. CONGRATS once again MR WILLIAMS!
So New Mexico, New Mexico State and Idaho with their massive recruiting budgets can find Durango High School and UNLV can not? Getting local talent to stay in Las Vegas was supposed to be a key to Hauck? Now we read this?
Same old story with UNLV Football, go after low level California kids and still not win enough to qualify for a bowl game. If you are not going to recruit local kids, you better win. So far that is not the story at UNLV. Sorry the clock is ticking for Bobby. Much like how UNLV chooses their announcers - being local with UNLV connection (like a degree from UNLV)is not important. Yet they want people to wear their colors and the people making these announcements have no ties to UNLV and actually actively support the schools that they graduate from.
Utah has been able to grab kids from Vegas that would make a difference. How UNLV expects locals to wear their colors when local kids get offers to go elsewhere is beyond me. Same people who had Dave McCann as their radio announcer while he was a BYU Alumni President, where is he now - he is now involved with BYU. Local kids who can play and dont even get an offer? Sounds like a familiar story at UNLV.
As a UofU alumnus and a 10 year Henderson resident I want to say Good Luck Marcus and Go Utes!
I do want to mention that one of the things that Utah has been able to sell to Clark County athletes is that Utah has done a very good job of making sure its athletes graduate.
Guidance Counselors and HS Coaches that really care about their kids beyond football notice these things an a lot of Utah's success with Las Vegas recruits has come the hard way. The Utes have earned the respect of Parents, Coaches and Counselors in Clark County over time.
Kudos to Utah. Looks like they've become familiar and comfortable with rating the talent from Vegas over the years. Obviously they've made some good choices in the past that worked well for them. I saw a lot of comments on Utah forums when they got commitments from the Nacua brothers that were negative because most ratings had them 2-2.5 stars. I'm sure even given Williams' monsters combine numbers they might have a few people worried about signing a guy who hasn't played a full varsity season. I think Utah is dead on here and their fans will get 3 very talented players and will contribute in the Nacua's and Williams. Congrats to them all and I'm happy to see Williams is happy to go to college i'm sure the uncertainty over the last year has been nerveracking. Good luck! UNLV take some notes, Utah is doing what Oregon State did in the early 2000's and taking a lot of local talent without us even trying to put up a fight.
I don't know the full story behind this, but I will say this: Coach Hauck has been acknowledged by several knowledgeable UNLV fans as having done far more to recruit local kids than in times past.
It has been commented that there are more local kids on the UNLV roster than ever before. Don't charge Coach Hauck with not going after local kids. It was a hallmark of his success when he was at Montana. I can't understand statements that Bobby Hauck does not care about local recruits when the opposite is the truth.
I said I don't know the whole story behind Williams' decision, and I'll bet those who have jumped to conclusions as to why he isn't coming to UNLV don't, either.
Someone commented about the chance to play at a BCS school. How do any of you know that UNLV never had a chance, anyway? Maybe UNLV didn't make an offer because early on it was clear this kid wasn't interested, and so Coach Hauck & staff chose not to waste their time. That a school doesn't make an offer does not mean it wasn't interested in the player.
But to charge Coach Hauck as not being interested in local talent is patently false. In fact, on the local UNLV board, Hauck has been criticized for recruiting local HS players, that going with JuCo and transfer players is preferable.
If Coach Hauck could do anything about it, he'd prefer to have all local kids on his teams and still win. But, local kids will have to work to make his teams, nevertheless. They won't be window dressing.
Gang: I'm going to defend Hauck, too. He's recruited Las Vegas better than any UNLV coach before him. Getting Philippi and Scoggins from Gorman last year was huge step in the right direction, and getting a verbal from Kapeli from Liberty is another notch in his belt. Marcus is still very, very raw. He has limited varsity reps. It's a calculated gamble by Utah.
Ray, your wrong about Mr Williams being raw. The Nacuas said they play with him growing up and he was always a stud. Pllus I was told yesterday he started in the same backfield with the Powell kid the first 5 games at BG including the DelaSalle game then left. That was why he had to set out the first 5 games last year then the Western game was cancelled. But that was 8 starts over the 2 years.
Tuasdad, although Williams and the Nacuas played together growing up they will Not be playing together at Utah. The Nacuas committed to BYU, not Utah. Still great to see all these kids having success. I think you will agree with me that this should be a very exciting football season.
Sonny1, yes UNLV has alot of local talent on the team, but most of the kids are or were walk-ons. According to all the articles on the local web sites including the LVSUN there are already about 20 local kids with D1 offers this year, which is great, the most I have ever heard of in one year, in this city, but UNLV seems to be passing on most all of them. Don't know why, but I hope it changes or there is a good chance that the change will be who is the coach at UNLV. I do wish Coach Hauck luck, because I want to see UNLV relevant again.
lvfootballfun... good call, my bad I confused BYU/Utah, albeit the point is still made, Utah schools are obviously paying attention and have successfully been able to gauge the talent pool in our valley. And yes, I am dying for August to get here should be a great season. I'm still thinking the 4A-lite aka div 1a will get dominated by Truckee/Cheyenne/Moapa just like Gorman/Palo/Vegas/Liberty have done the 4A but nonetheless it's a start. I've got my calendar filled out with all the games I plan on making. I'm hoping the Sollenberger will get streamed at least. There's a handful of evenly matched games and the Thursday night lights match ups are better than last year although they still leave a lot to be desired. Can't wait to catch Gorman's first home game, if you haven't seen their new 42,000 square foot you're in for a surprise. It's ridiculous. On one side i have to be critical that the catholic church ok'd a booster spending so much on a facility, i think it sends a bad message when there's many better ways to use the money to help people, but it's fertitta's money and he can choose how to spend it. Saw the inside the other day it's truly beyond words the place is fit for a pro team it's ridiculous. Anyone can't wait for season to start will be rooting hard for Palo. Rivals says they'll be ranked #7 in Nevada while Desert Vista will be just outside the top 100 in the country, so a good showing, even a respectable loss would be good for NV.
Ray- I will say that I agree that Hauck has done more than his predecessors by far to sign locals, it's just a shame when you do see still so many talented locals that we never even threw a bone at while we're still working hard to get JC transfers and So. Cal leftovers.
lvfootbal: What do you mean by "but UNLV seems to be passing on most all of them?" You qualify (as you should) by using "seems to be." You really don't know, do you? It may be true, as you suggest, that a lot of local football talent is going out of state.
None of us know exactly why, but I guarantee you that Hauck & staff have tried or at least approached them to play for UNLV. There are a lot of factors in a kid's and his parents decision where to play college football, and it's either naivete or ignorance or a combination to jump to conclusions that Coach Hauck & staff don't try to get local kids to play at UNLV.
I'm sure Hauck & staff have scouted all local talent and may very well have decided a player will not work out at UNLV, regardless of how good he looks in HS. Hauck is good at that sort of thing.
It's also true that Hauck had overlooked some MT HS players who walked on at Montana, and after playing under Hauck, wound up in the NFL. Coaches aren't perfect in assessing potential talent. But, the last criticism of Hauck that can be made is that he doesn't go after local talent.
Unless you have more than just blanket statements to prove otherwise.
I agree hauck is trying to keep talent in town but kapeli and phillipi will not play. I'm sorry unlv is getting the short end of local kids. I know I'll catch flack for,doubting kapeli but we will see in time he's not a d1 back. Phillips is a tweeter, too small for lb too slow for db. I like scroggins however. Just feel unlv is getting low end local players.
Sorry my auto correct messed up my comment. Phillipi is a tweener.
GURU, Phillipi is very physical and has excellent instinct. He's only a couple inches shorter than Adam Seward who a great LB for UNLV. I think Seward was like 220lbs already when he graduated Bonanza but nonetheless i wouldn't be surprised to see Phillipi getting some playing time by his junior year.
Who knows how much Hauck and Co. do behind the scenes to secure local talent but it just seems like Oregon State, Utah, Arizona, Nevada and any program not named UNLV gets to offering our guys before we do.
Sonny1, here's the deal on hauck and staff. BYU commits, Pilli from Cent and the Nacua brothers never were visited or offered by Unlv. Morris from Foothill, three-stargoing to SDSt never visited or offered by Unlv. Solomon at BG they showed very little interest. Williams going to Utah, was totally ignored at spring final intersquad game and never even visited at Durango, 5 min away from Unlv. Nobody goes up to see Pumphrey from Canyon Springs all year. UNLV stays away from BG for the most part.I know they signed Phillipi and Scoggins, but those two only had D-1 offers from New Mexico, where they originally committed but never really wanted to go there. Unlv never pursued Shaq Powell or Jacobi Owens(going to Air Force). The list goes on.
Local kids like, DT Klorman, Jordan Butler and Trey Mayes at the slot as well as several others were all walk-ons.
Unlv pulled off a big win over Hawaii last year only to be thumped by D1AA Southern Utah the next. they are losing 9 to 10 games every year. Then they miss out on the top local talent by not even going to see them or offering them. You can apologize all you want for Hauck and co. but the facts are what they are.
As GURU said, the kids for the most part that they do get from the local area are not our best local players. Phillipi, a tough kid, Is 5'10" 205 LB. Its going to be tough for him at the D-1 level. Scoggins I like a lot but the only reason they got him is because his only other D-1 choice was New Mexico and he didn't want to really go there and Fresno had fired their coaching staff.
Maybe Unlv can't get kids like Williams, Pumphrey, Solomon, or the Nacuas and co. but you at least try. Its not like you have to spend more than a few dollars in gas to go see them.
I cannot dispute, lvfootball, what you say. Apparently, you have more intimate knowledge than I do as to the specifics of Hauck's recruiting. Hauck is building a system that worked for him at Montana. The system that UNLV used before Hauck was not successful.
I know that players, esp. the OL, differ in abilities to play in a spread system vs. a pro-style system. That's as much as I can say.
It may be that what you rate as "best local players," Hauck has not pursued, because they don't fit his system. It may be that there's a difference between what you rate and what Hauck rates.
Neither you nor I nor anyone else can know why Hauck has "passed over" top local players. I seriously doubt you know if these "top" local players had UNLV on their radar in the first place, and Hauck had to know this. He had to know it. He's not that kind of coach to be ignorant of the talent "that's worth a tank of gas" to visit. There's more to this story than either you (I think) nor I (certainly) can know.
Just stop this nonsense that Hauck & staff are indifferent to local talent. That's simply not Hauck's style, at least in the years he was at Montana. I still say there's more to this story than either of us know.
The difference is that Unlv is a d-1 program vs. Montana is a D1-AA program. So while he hesitates on the local talent bigger schools grab these kids. Stop being an apologist and look at the product on the field. I notice you don't talk about his pitiful record. Anyway, he will be gone by next year so it won't matter.
Coach Hauck and his staff are very active in pursuing local talent. I attended a UNLV Senior Day last August that was by invite only for the high school football class of 2012. All the Gorman studs were there as well as most of the top 25 recruits in Nevada. Coach Hauck and his staff did an excellent job showcasing the UNLV football program. So there's no lack of effort by UNLV to recruit local talent.
this is the problem, Coach Hauck is starting to recruit locally the problem is that these kids have been ignored for so long, UNLV is not on the radar. Solutions 1 recruiting early, identify talent early before the other schools get on the bandwagon, by showing attention before anyone else knows who they are will give them a leg up. 2 ocal marketing and exposer, UNLV does not have good exposer to the local market, no local channel shows UNLV games live or tape delayed 3 the facilities are behind other schools need an upgrade, dont know if the have the money to do that but compared to other school they are not up to par. Remember, the more local kids, more fans, and hopefully more wins and money money for the progam
Ray,
What about Poutasi? His signing with Utah was big news for the Las Vegas football Community. Deshawn Richard from Rancho was a key player for Utah from 2008-2009 also. UNLV is going to miss the boat on Michael Cisneros too. They just dont get it.
Hauck has not recruited the area well and he is a world away from approaching the success of John Robinson. At least Robinson could bring in out of state kids who were good players. Hauck has taken UNLV to new lows and UNLV was just too cash strapped to fire him last year. He may be worse than Sanford. Ouch.