THE RECRUITING GUY : Texas linebacker no stranger to Arkansas, Razorbacks

RICHARD DAVENPORT

Posted on Friday, April 25, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/adg/223827/

Linebacker Austin Moss is from Rockwall, Texas, but his deep Arkansas roots could prove helpful to the Razorbacks during his recruitment. Moss, one of the top prospects in Texas, was in Fayetteville visiting during last Saturday’s scrimmage, along with his family. Moss arrived late Friday night and spent Saturday touring facilities and watching the scrimmage before leaving later that night. Moss has 14 scholarship offers, including one from the Razorbacks, who offered about three weeks ago.

“It was pretty intense,” said Moss, who is listed on the ESPN 150 watch list. “I think they’ll be pretty good this year. I got to talk to the defensive coordinator and the linebackers coach. They’re pretty cool guys. They’re excited and interested in me. They like the intensity that I bring.”

Moss said he was able to talk briefly with Coach Bobby Petrino.

Moss, 6-3, 210 pounds, with 4. 64-second speed in the 40-yard dash, played last season at South Garland High School, where his father, Mickey, was the head coach. But Mickey Moss was recently named head coach and athletic director at Rockwall, taking Austin with him.

Mickey Moss, a Southern Arkansas graduate, coached at Hamburg and led the Lions to the 1997 Class 5 A state championship game. He also coached at Magnolia.

Moss’ mother, Sarah, a Central Arkansas graduate, is from Bodcaw, a town outside Hope, where quite a few family members still live.

“I have a bunch, both on my mom’s and dad’s side,” Moss said. “Most of them live in southwest Arkansas, outside of Hope and some of them live in Conway.”

Moss said he’s visited TCU, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, Texas and Iowa State.

Moss recorded 142 tackles, 14 tackles for losses, 5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 3 recovered fumbles and 1 interception as a junior at South Garland.

Touring Arkansas’ weight room was a highlight of the visit.

“I took a tour of the stadium and the academic center,” said Moss, who reports a 325-pound bench press, 475 squat and a 4. 15 pro-shuttle time. “That was nice. We went to the indoor facility and the weight room. That was something. They had pretty much everything in there, really no shortage of anything at all. It had to be at least a hundred yards long.”

Moss’ cousin, Jacob Moss, lettered at Arkansas in 2003 after walking on.

“He used to describe it to me how the fans were crazy,” Moss said. “With that stadium it’s got to be. It’s got to get you pumped.”

Ole Miss, Baylor, Arizona, TCU, Wisconsin and Virginia are among the schools offering Moss a scholarship. Moss said there is no definite timeframe for him to make a decision. “I would like to make up my mind at the end of spring but who knows ? It could be this summer,” Moss said. Offensive line coach Mike Summers is the lead recruiter of Moss.

MORE MOSS Thomas Moss, the younger brother of Jacob and a cousin to Austin, will be walking on at Arkansas next season. Moss, 5-10, 185, 4. 56, of Granite Bay (Calif. ), was a two-year starter at quarterback and led his school to a 20-5 record, including an 11-2 record and a section title this past season. Granite Bay is approximately 25 miles northeast of Sacramento.

He completed 203 of 277 passes for 2, 744 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Moss said he sent a highlight DVD to Arkansas sometime in December or January and received a call shortly afterward from the Hogs expressing interest. “Arkansas is saying they’ll place me at safety or receiver. That’s what they’re talking about,” Moss said. Moss reports a pro-shuttle time of 4. 08 along with a 320-pound bench press, 400 squat

1 and a 34 / 2-inch vertical jump. Moss’ father, Danny Moss, grew up in Arkansas and has four brothers, including Mickey, and one sister. “I remember him telling me growing up, the whole family and his dad wanted a kid to go to Arkansas,” Moss said. “They’re big Razorback fans. He was going to go there [Arkansas ] but ended up going closer to where my mom was living, which is Howard Payne in Brownwood, Texas.” Thomas Moss said he plans to fly to Texas this weekend to visit Austin, and do a little recruiting in the process.

“I’ll get to see him and we’ll talk about it,” Thomas Moss said. “We could room together. I’ll meet everyone before he gets there and I’ll have some good friends and I’ll get to know people around the town. I think all that will help him.” Moss said he’ll probably arrive in Fayetteville in July to prepare for two-a-day practices.

REAL SPRING GAME Saturday’s Red-White game promises to be more like, well, a game compared to the past. Razorbacks running back / tight end coach Tim Horton said he believes the players will take advantage of the occasion to play with emotion and intensity in front of a large crowd. Arkansas expects to host more than 100 high school prospects Saturday. “The Red-White game will be another way to show some visiting recruits the support of the Razorback nation.” Horton said. Arkansas coaches won’t have any downtime after the spring game. They’ll hit the road Sunday for spring evaluation of 2009 prospects over the next month. E-mail Richard Davenport at rdaven port@arkansasonline. com

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