Football News
St. Pius' Mark Finds Patience, Place at Northwestern
St. Pius speedster Venric Mark calls his college recruitment the culmination of a life-changing experience — one he never thought he'd have.
As a freshman at Klein Forest before transferring, he was only mildly interested in football, so when schools started seeking his services he savored each second before finally pledging less than two weeks ago.
“I wanted to make sure it was the right decision,” Mark said. “ I felt like if I waited and the school didn't want to wait on me, then I'm not meant to go there, and Northwestern was very patient with me.”
That patience was a virtue for the Wildcats, who landed Mark over 17 other schools. He has the kind of speed that leaves patient defenders wondering where he went.
And speed — he runs a 4.3 40 on grass but seems even faster in games — is only one of the charismatic Mark's many virtues.
“He's an electrifying personality,” St. Pius coach Rene Ramirez said. “He's a lightning bolt when he walks into the room.”
Mark plans to make his commitment binding during a National Signing Day ceremony Wednesday at St. Pius.
Before making a choice, Mark narrowed his list of candidates to five: Northwestern, Arizona, Iowa State, Vanderbilt and Colorado. Houston, Baylor, UTEP and Penn State also made offers.
Mark said it came down to a combination of the football system, academics and social life at Northwestern.
Academics were important to him, he knows several players on the roster, including Episcopal graduate David Nwabuisi, and believes he can slide right in as a productive slot receiver.
“He took his time, and I'm glad he did,” Ramirez said.
Many players often commit early as juniors. Because he didn't, several schools made late runs at him, including Virginia, causing stress.
But Mark says it was worth it. He wanted to use his official visits to make sure he had something to compare Northwestern to, and in the end he went with his gut.
“By waiting longer a couple of more schools came off the rebound, but I tried to keep it to the schools I liked and the ones who were there for me at the beginning,” Mark said.
Now his talents will be there for Northwestern, which could use him as a true freshman to catch passes and return punts and kickoffs.
The 5-8 Mark says he's put on 15 pounds this offseason — up to 175 — to prepare to replace graduating senior Zeke Markshausen, who had 91 receptions for 858 yards this past season.
As a senior at St. Pius, Mark had 23 receptions for 242 yards, 92 rushes for 772 yards and 20 total touchdowns (four on kick returns).
“He'll be fine,” Ramirez said. “He's such an elusive runner, but he's very strong, and I think he'll be able to handle the punishment and just outrun a lot of folks.”
Football News
ESPN.com, by Gerry Hamilton
- Senior defensive tackle Kirk Poston (Houston/St. Pius X) will take an official visit to Colorado this weekend after tripping to Baylor on an unofficial last weekend. The 6-foot-2, 250-pounder is considering offers from Colorado, Missouri and Arizona. Baylor, Duke and UCLA are also still in the picture, but behind the top three.
- Senior receiver and kick returner Venric Mark (Houston/St. Pius X) is in the process of setting up official visits to Arizona, Iowa State and possibly Nebraska. The 5-9, 160-pounder with 4.4 speed, has offers from Arizona and Iowa State in addition to Miami (OH), Northwestern, Rice, Colorado State, Vanderbilt, Arizona State and SMU.
The goal is still the same for the St. Pius football team: win the TAPPS Division I state championship.
Nothing the Panthers have done lately would indicate they aren't up to the challenge. St. Pius has survived a rigorous early-season schedule, not to mention injuries to a handful of starters, but first-year head coach Rene Ramirez has his squad competing at a high level.
St. Pius (4-2) has looked unbeaten in TAPPS Division I-District 3 action, rolling past Beaumont Kelly 44-14 and rival St. Thomas 38-14 last week.
“I thought we looked good,” Ramirez said. “We're finally getting healthy. We're playing well in all phases of the game. When that's the case, we're pretty dangerous.”
Ramirez was thrilled to welcome back senior all-purpose player Venric Mark, who has been injured lately. Against Beaumont Kelly, Mark ran seven times for 160 yards and an 89-yard touchdown and caught a 37-yard TD pass.
“Venric is a big part of our game plan,” Ramirez said. “He makes an impact wherever you put him — wide receiver, running back or returning kicks. We may even put him at quarterback at some point.”
In Mark's absence, sophomore Bradley Ward has emerged as a legitimate threat at running back. Ward was the offensive standout against St. Thomas, rushing 16 times for 148 yards and two touchdowns.
“It's hard to believe Bradley is a 10th-grader. He's only 14 years old,” Ramirez said. “We're really excited about the future.”
Senior quarterback Brent Peavy has impressed Ramirez with his accuracy, not to mention his intangibles. Peavy completed 13 of 20 passes for 183 yards and a touchdown and ran for a score against St. Thomas.
“Brent has done very well,” Ramirez said. “He's a natural leader. She's shown a lot of poise and good decision-making. We try to spread the ball around, and he's doing a fine job finding different receivers.”
Junior Tad Ecby headlines a receiving corps that is among the best in TAPPS. Ecby is joined by senior Cameron Peavy, junior Matt Eureste and sophomore Kyle Kirk.
St. Pius' offensive line is underrated, with junior Joe Sable at left tackle, senior Cody Kaleh at left guard, senior Reid Reichle at center, senior Julian Jean-Baptiste at right guard and senior William Reyner at right tackle. Senior Greg Daniels and junior Matthew Schick are splitting time at tight end.
Defensively, the Panthers have shown a penchant for forcing turnovers. Against Beaumont Kelly and St. Thomas, the Panthers created 11 of them.
The secondary, in particular, has been on fire. Senior strong safety Josef Slaney recorded two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and 11 tackles to lead the way in the Beaumont Kelly game. Junior free safety Matt Barajas also has made several big plays. Junior Kolby Griffin, a blue-chip prospect, has been slowed by a high ankle sprain, with Eureste filling in for him at cornerback. Juniors Myles Garza and Ryland Gimenez share the other cornerback slot.
At linebacker, St. Pius has been without juniors Mike Mitchell and Kellen Jones, who both missed time for various reasons. Mitchell and Jones are now back on the field and will rotate with Schick and junior C.J. Martinez. Senior Cedric Law is the rover in the Panthers' scheme.
Daniels, the University of Texas signee, and senior Kirk Poston anchor the defensive line at the ends.
“They're both ferocious in the way they play the game,” Ramirez said of Daniels and Poston. “They're both intense and they put a lot of pressure on the (opposing) quarterback.”
Rounding out the defense are junior Peyton Sykes at nose guard and sophomore Andrew Gonzales at defensive tackle.
St. Pius' special teams are exciting, with Mark and Ecby handling the returns. The kicking game is equally effective. Sophomore Aaron Arguelles is the kicker, while Brent Peavy takes care of the punting.
Ramirez said the Panthers are a well-rounded team, one that has the potential to be a state contender.
“The talent is there, but it's all about the preparation,” Ramirez said. “If we continue to work hard and take each opponent seriously, we can go far.”
SPX Junior Kobly Griffin Making the Rounds with Big 12 Elite Programs
Posted by ESPN.com, by Gerry Hamilton
Junior cornerback Kolby Griffin (Houston/St. Pius X) has an offer from Baylor. The 5-11, 178-pounder attended the Connecticut-Baylor game last weekend and will trip to Austin this weekend to check out Texas against UTEP. Griffin previously attended the Texas A&M season opener. He also had a game invite to BYU-Oklahoma contest as a guest of the Sooners. Griffin is receiving interest from Stanford, Kansas, LSU, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and others in addition to Texas A&M and Texas.
St. Pius X to host Sealy Friday night
The St. Pius football team will host Class 3A powerhouse Sealy at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Parsley Field.
It's nothing new for the Panthers (2-1), whose non-district schedule was loaded with games against Westbury, Columbia and Huntsville.
“For the fourth straight game, we're going to play a great opponent,” said St. Pius head coach Rene Ramirez. “I scouted Sealy last week and they're just awesome. It's a major test for us.”
Sealy is a perfect 3-0 after rolling past Second Baptist (57-17), Hempstead (45-6) and Rice Consolidated (26-6).
Ramirez expects a standing-room-only crowd at St. Pius on Friday night.
“At Sealy, there were probably 8,000 fans. It was your typical one-school, Class 3A high school football game, like (the film) Varsity Blues,” Ramirez said.
“I expect Sealy to bring a lot of people to the game. It should make for an exciting atmosphere.”
St. Pius was idle last week after Kipp Academy postponed its game with the Panthers because of a flu scare on campus. However, Ramirez said the game may be rescheduled for Oct. 16.
The break did St. Pius some good, allowing injured players like running back Venric Mark, wide receiver Lord-Byron Cannon, wide receiver/outside linebacker Joe Noonan and middle linebacker Kellen Jones to rest up and get healthy.
“Hopefully, we'll have all of them for Sealy,” Ramirez said.
“We sure need them.”
St. Pius X Wins Thriller in Overtime
Posted in the Houston Chronicle, by Jeff Jenkins
The St. Pius football team has shown an affinity for the dramatic so far this season.
The Panthers fell to Westbury 41-37 in the opener and held off Columbia 36-22 a week later. But that hardly compared to last week’s thriller with Huntsville, a game St. Pius managed to pull out 35-28 in overtime.
“It’s a ginormous win for the program,” said Rene Ramirez, St. Pius’ first-year head coach. “Huntsville is a class 4A (public) school and they play their games at Sam Houston State. They have twice the enrollment we do and they brought 13 buses with them, counting their band, cheerleaders and fans, to our itty-bitty stadium.”
Ramirez isn’t sure he can take another barn-burner like Huntsville. He’s hoping for a more routine game when the Panthers host Kipp Academy at 7:30 p.m. Friday.
Ramirez, St. Pius X Look Like Perfect Match
The connections were there. Rene Ramirez just had to make the call.
Two months later, the former Dallas Bishop Lynch assistant left one championship program for another, emerging from a pool of 90 candidates to replace departed head coach Robin Kirk at St. Pius.
“I was very surprised,” Ramirez said. “I knew there would be a lot of quality coaches interested in the job. I had casually put in for it — I wasn't looking to leave Dallas Bishop Lynch at all — but it just fell into place.
“I feel pretty lucky.”
Ramirez, a 40-year-old rookie head coach, liked that both programs are at Dominican Catholic schools, with comparable mottos, philosophies and even team colors. But the similarities only start there.
St. Pius and Bishop Lynch have won multiple TAPPS state titles. Ramirez was part of three (1997, 2002, '03) during 13 seasons as an assistant at Bishop Lynch.
St. Pius has won three in the last decade — back-to-back in 2006 and '07.
Last season, it lost 43-28 in the first round of the playoffs to Bishop Lynch and Ramirez — then an offensive coordinator with no idea he'd soon walk the other sideline.
Of course, he's already gotten himself back for that.
Ramirez arrived at St. Pius on March 9 and promptly took it to a state championship in July at the Texas Private School Coaches Association 7-on-7 state tournament in Dallas.
Along the way, the Panthers eliminated the Friars, who were the defending champs, 40-33.
“It made a statement for our offensive system and how dangerous we can be,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez's multiple spread offense replaces the Pro-I that St. Pius ran under Kirk, who left for Hidalgo. Senior Brent Peavy, who backed up Cypress Woods' Lucas Devilliers last season, is the new quarterback.
The Panthers are packed with talent, including defensive end Greg Daniels, verbally committed to Texas, and sought-after Division I prospects Venric Mark, a versatile playmaker, and defensive end Kirk Poston.
That's why the goal didn't change with the coach.
“We want to win our last game, definitely,” Ramirez said. “And we hope that's in Week 14.”
And if he needs any help, he has a lifeline — Texans running back Ryan Moats, who played at Bishop Lynch in 2002.
The two remained friends, and Moats has volunteered to stop by practice.
“He and I have a very strong relationship,” Ramirez said. “So it's just kind of cool that we have that relationship and now we're both in Houston.”
SPX Game vs. Westbury is Chronicle Game of the Week
On the surface, Westbury and St. Pius couldn't seem more different. The Rebels are the reigning District 21-4A champions, while the Panthers are a private school powerhouse, having won numerous TAPPS state titles over the years.
When the teams collide on Friday night at Butler Stadium, Westbury's Stephen Hill and St. Pius' Rene Ramirez, both in their first seasons as head coach, feel like they are staring at mirror images of each other.
“It's really strange how much we're alike,” Hill said. “Both teams have first-year head coaches. We're running pretty much the same offense. St. Pius, like us, is relying on a lot of new faces. Frankly, there's not much between us.”
Ramirez, though, said Westbury, as a Class 4A public school, is the heavy favorite and deservedly so. But it's worth noting that the Panthers pulled the upset last year, knocking off the Rebels 38-20.
“We won last year's game, but I don't think it's a factor at all,” Ramirez said. “Westbury is loaded with athletes, probably a few more than we do. Coach Hill has a young team and he'll have them ready to play on Friday night.”
Both Hill and Ramirez agree about one thing. Both expect a close game that could be decided in the final minutes.
“It probably will come down to defense,” Hill said. “The team that makes big plays at the end of the game will win.”
About the Game
- Match-Up: St. Pius Panthers (0-0) vs. Westbury Rebels (0-0)
- When: 7:30 p.m., Friday
- Where: Butler Stadium
- What's at stake: St. Pius is never shy about playing top-notch competition. The Panthers, a contender to win the TAPPS Division I state title, have an opportunity to earn more validation for the program. Westbury is practically rebuilding after last year's surprising success, but Hill says the Rebels were loaded with talent at the sub-varsity level. A win out of the chute could give a young Westbury squad a shot in the arm.
- St. Pius players to watch: RB Venric Mark, WR Matt Eureste, WR Tad Ecby, WR Lord-Byron Cannon, WR Cameron Peavy, QB Brent Peavy, OL Kody Kaleh, DE Greg Daniels, DE Kirk Poston, CB Kolby Griffin, FS Matt Barajas, SS Josef Slaney.
- Westbury players to watch: FB Chris Bernard, QB Delvon Carpenter, TB Jailyn Singleton, WR Alex Bennett, WR Edwin Williams, OT Nick Soto, NG Jacobee Arbuckle, DE Chris Gilbert, LB Jamaal Ojo, FS Kenneth Noel.
Team Highlights
- St. Pius: It's the start of a new era at St. Pius, with Ramirez taking over for Robin Kirk (Hidalgo). The Panthers got off to a fast start, winning the Texas Private School Coaches Association 7-on-7 State Tournament over the summer. St. Pius has plenty of weapons offensively, with Mark, a multi-dimensional running back/receiver, drawing the most attention. Brent Peavy, the new quarterback, should benefit from a deep receiving corps featuring Cannon, Ecby, Eureste and twin brother Cameron Peavy. Defensively, Daniels (University of Texas) and Poston are a load up front, while Griffin patrols the secondary.
- Westbury: The Rebels return only a handful of starters off last year's 8-2 squad. Hill says there's no secret what Westbury's offense will do: give the ball to Bernard early and often. But the Rebels may diversify things once Carpenter gets his bearings at quarterback. Westbury should throw the ball, with speedster Bennett and the reliable Williams available. Defensively, Arbuckle and Gilbert will apply the pressure. The linebackers are extremely young, but Hill has been impressed with rookies Ojo and Jacorian Mardis, a freshman. Still, the Rebels could be a team to watch closely in the coming weeks.
Spotlight: St. Pius X corner Kolby Griffin
Posted on Texas360Now: High School Sports Spotlight
Junior Kolby Griffin is one of the top defensive back prospects in the city of Houston. At 6-0, 180 with speed to burn, the St. Pius X corner is emerging as a top defender in the city.
Class of 2011
School: St. Pius X Panthers
District: TAPPS Division I-District 3
Honors: TAPPS First Team All-State as a sophomore in 2008
Summer achievements: St. Pius X won the Texas Private Schools 7-on-7 State Championship July 11 led on defense by Griffin.
Biggest influence on football: "On the personal side, my dad is the biggest influence. He was the first person to put a ball in my hands. He loves football."
Favorite NFL influence: "My influence in the NFL is Nnamdi Asomugha of the Oakland Raiders. I like him because he lets his play do the talking. He does good things in the community for charity."
Summer camps: University of Texas, Texas A&M, Baylor and the University of Houston.
Best player faced: Receiver Ross Apo of Arlington The Oakridge School. Apo is committed to BYU.
Part of a talented team: Griffin is one a team with several future division one players. Defensive end Greg Daniels is committed to Texas while seniors in receiver Venric Mark, defensive tackle Kirk Poston, offensive lineman Cody Kaleh and safety Josef Slaney will all be recruited by division one universities.
Recruiting outlook: Griffin is young for his class. He will not turn 16 until October 13, 2009. Griffin is fast with a hand timed 4.45, tough contact initiator, confident, long armed with good hands. Griffin can play corner or safety on the college level. Played running back in junior high. Will be offered by many of the top programs in the college football.
Panthers' Title Run Begins Early
By Jeff Jenkins Chronicle Correspondent
Aug. 4, 2009, 12:52PM
Trophy time: St. Pius won the Texas Private School Coaches Association 7-on-7 State Tournament in Dallas recently. The Panthers won six of seven games, avenging their lone loss to Episcopal 46-12 in the championship game.
Strength in numbers: St. Pius' wide receivers shined during the state tourney, with seniors Venric Mark and Cameron Peavy and juniors Lord Byron Cannon and Matt Eureste coming up with clutch catches.
Coming up: St. Pius will open the season against Westbury at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 28 at Butler Stadium.
The St. Pius football team kicked off the Rene Ramirez era in championship style, winning the recent Texas Private School Coaches Association 7-on-7 State Tournament in Dallas.
Ramirez, in his first season as head coach, said the 28-team field was loaded, but the Panthers rose to the occasion.
“I'm really pleased,” Ramirez said. “We've got a new offense and a relatively new coaching staff working with our players for the first time. To put it all together against the caliber of competition we came across was encouraging.”
But Ramirez said St. Pius' path to the title wasn't without challenges.
The Panthers went 2-1 in pool play on the first day. St. Pius knocked off McLennan County 29-19 and Lutheran South 35-13, but the Panthers dropped a 35-28 decision to Episcopal to earn the second seed.
“Episcopal outplayed us,” Ramirez said. “They've got a terrific team, especially their quarterback.”
After playing a little tight at times during the pool portion, St. Pius hit its stride, winning four straight games on the second day.
The Panthers opened with a 39-18 victory over Arlington Oakridge.
“This game was a slugfest,” Ramirez said. “Oakridge has three kids who have committed to Brigham Young. They were unstoppable on offense, but our defense made enough plays to get the job done.”
In the second round, St. Pius ran into defending champion Dallas Bishop Lynch, where Ramirez coached for the past 13 years. After trading scores throughout the game, the Panthers eked out a 40-33 win.
“Our players wanted to win the game for me, but it's not about me,” Ramirez said. “I don't care if we're playing the University of Texas. I want us to compete hard and win, regardless of the opponent.”
Ramirez said the game was as tense as the score indicated.
“The game was tied a couple of times, and both teams stopped each other once,” Ramirez said. “It was a case of which team's offense had the ball last. We were able to score the winning touchdown with a minute left and we held them at the end.”
Things got a bit easier the rest of the way, with St. Pius knocking off Fort Worth Trinity Valley 28-14 in the semifinals and winning the rematch against Episcopal 46-12 in the finals.
“We played much better against Episcopal in the championship game. We jumped on top 20-6 at the half and never trailed,” Ramirez said. “Mentally, we were very strong. Our players have a swagger and confidence that is contagious.”
Ramirez said there was a long list of standouts during the tourney.
Senior quarterback Brent Peavy, a first-year starter, showed a strong grasp of the offense.
“Offensively, we have a lot of weapons, but you need a quarterback who can get the ball to your star players,” Ramirez said. “Brent showed a lot of poise.”
St. Pius unveiled a receiving corps that might be the finest in TAPPS. Senior Venric Mark, a highly touted recruit, is the best-known of the bunch, but the Panthers have several other threats. Among them are juniors Matt Eureste and Lord Byron Cannon and senior Cameron Peavy, Brent Peavy's twin brother. Ramirez also said two other players, junior Jabron Smith and senior Jared Gossett, could contribute.
“We have a little bit of problem,” Ramirez said. “We have five or six receivers for four spots. We've got to find a way to get them all on the field.”
After seeing his receivers' performances during 7-on-7, Ramirez is considering moving the all-stater Mark to running back.
“Venric could play running back or receiver, but don't be surprised if he takes a few snaps at quarterback,” Ramirez said. “He also will play some cornerback and handle punt and kickoff returns. He can play anywhere you put him.”
St. Pius' defense also shined during 7-on-7. Leading the way were junior cornerback Kolby Griffin, junior free safety Matt Barajas, senior strong safety Josef Slaney and junior middle linebacker Kellen Jones.
Now that the Panthers are No. 1 in 7-on-7, they want to show they are a legitimate contender for the TAPPS Division I crown. St. Pius kicks off the 2009 season against Westbury at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 28 at Butler Stadium.
“After the way we played in Dallas, I feel good about our football team,” Ramirez said.
Junior SPX Panther Impresses at Summer Camps
Click here for the full story.
St. Pius X football program was featured in an article by the Houston Chronicle from Sunday, August 2.
July 25th Football Service Project
The St. Pius X junior and senior football players began the 2009 season with a powerful lesson in school history, qualities of becoming a successful football team and the importance of community service. The July 25 service project began with a prayer service at the school. The team then traveled to three different local Catholic parishes where SPX football alumni spoke to the team about important characteristics of being a successful team and a successful person: character, discipline and team work.
“These kids attend St. Pius X to not only earn a college level education, but to use it to go out and do good in the world,” said Rene Ramirez, head coach for the Panther football team.
The team ended the day at the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry where they got a lesson on what the Pantry does, who it serves and what it takes to make the Pantry successful. The players stocked shelves, unloaded food and helped organize the warehouse. When the team completed their work at the Pantry, they headed back to St. Pius X where they ended the day with Mass celebrated by Father Clint Ressler, pastor at St. Rose of Lima.
“They had no idea what was in store for them on Saturday,” Ramirez said. “This is the first year the team has done a service project together. I think it made them realize how lucky we are and how much we can contribute to those in need. This weekend was a life long lesson for our team.”
The team begins practice August 3, with their first scrimmage against Brazosport at 7 p.m. on Saturday, August 15 at Parsley Field.
From the May 19 issue of the Houston Chronicle, by Jeff Jenkins:
The Rene Ramirez era at St. Pius is off to a good start, with the Panthers’ first-year head football coach taking his new team through its paces during spring practice.
So far, Ramirez, who came to St. Pius from Dallas Bishop Lynch, likes what he’s seen.
“It’s been outstanding,” Ramirez said. “We’re putting in a new system, so there’s a lot to learn, but the intensity and energy the players have shown is exciting.”
Ramirez said much of the time has been devoted to teaching the intricacies of his multiple offense.
“On the surface, the offense seems complicated, but the kids are adapting,” Ramirez said. “They’re picking things up pretty fast.”
The only thing holding back the Panthers is a few injuries on the offensive line.
“We’ve got three offensive linemen who are hurt,” Ramirez said. “We’re running with a junior varsity offensive line at the moment.”
Ultimately, Ramirez believes the line will be a strength, with blue-chip recruits such as Cody Kaleh and Julian Baptiste handling the blocking.
St. Pius has a hole at quarterback. Brent Peavey appears to be the front-runner, but Jonathan Moroney, a freshman, has shown potential. Ramirez thinks Kyle Kirk, another freshman, could be in picture, although he played for the baseball team that advanced to last weekend’s TAPPS Class 5A State Tournament.
“We’re looking at several different guys,” Ramirez said. “It’s wide open.”
St. Pius also is trying to find a few running backs, which Ramirez called “a top priority.”
The Panthers are loaded at wide receiver, led by Venric Mark. Mark, who has been clocked at 4.35 seconds in the 40-yard dash, is a top prospect who is being recruited by Northwestern, Vanderbilt, Rice and Arizona, among others.
“Venric has at least six Division I scholarship offers,” Ramirez said of Mark, also is a dangerous return specialist. “More and more schools are coming out of the woodwork.”
Matt Eureste, a returning starter, is back, although he has been involved with baseball this spring. Lord Byron Cannon is another gifted receiver who could help St. Pius right away.
But Ramirez said the Panthers are stacked on the defensive side of the ball.
“We have so much talent on defense that people think we shouldn’t lose a game,” Ramirez quipped.
Defensive end Greg Daniels (6-foot-5, 250 pounds) has already committed to the University of Texas.
“Greg is just a special player,” Ramirez said. “He’s a great athlete, but he’s such a charismatic guy and a team leader. We’re lucky to have him.”
Kirk Poston, the other defensive end, is drawing looks from the University of Houston, Arizona and Kansas State.
Cornerback Kolby Griffin, considered one of the top sophomores in the nation, is a rising star and could eventually follow Daniels to Austin.
“Texas is really high on Kolby, but I’m sure there will be other schools in the picture,” Ramirez said.
Ramirez also praised Joseph Slaney and Cedric Law, who should make an immediate impact at safety.
But Ramirez said there’s still much work to be done between now and Friday’s 7:30 p.m. spring game.
“We still have a long way to go to become championship-type football team,” Ramirez said. “We have to continue to work on our conditioning to get ready for the fall.”
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