Charleston senior standout Sean Michael Flanagan is one of the most versatile high school football players in Arkansas.
Flanagan (6-foot-1, 195 pounds) is a University of Arkansas, Fayetteville safety pledge in the 2018 class, and a player that Tigers coach Greg Kendrick says does the right things on and off the field.
"One of his best qualities is he is the first one here and the last one out," Kendrick, who led Charleston to the Class 3A state finals last season, said. "I could not have asked for a better young man character-wise.
"He is a weapon in terms of every aspect of the game. Of course everyone here knows about his offensive stats, but no one realizes he returned five kicks for touchdowns in the first six games last season and then people quit kicking to him."
Flanagan scored in every way last season for the Tigers. In addition to 17 receiving touchdowns and seven rushing touchdowns, he also returned a fumble and an interception for touchdowns, passed for a score and returned punts and kickoffs for touchdowns.
"He scored every way you could possibly score," Kendrick said. "He is just a huge asset for us and is also one of the most unselfish kids. He is not worried about touches, he is worried about wins."
Flanagan had 65 receptions for 1,121 yards last season and finished with more than 2,000 all-purpose yards. He recorded 42 tackles and four interceptions on defense.
Arkansas offered Flanagan during a camp on June 3, and he committed soon after conferring with Kendrick.
"He has been a guy that has had a huge burden lifted off of him in that he knows exactly what his future holds," Kendrick said. "The day he was offered he called me. He didn't commit to them at first, but I noticed I had three missed calls from him and he told me, 'Coach, they offered.'
"I told him, 'Congratulations, tell me about it.' He said, 'Well, I'll tell you right away I am going to be a Hog. I haven't committed yet, but I'm outside the stadium right now and I can't wait. There is no other place that I would rather be when I look at this stadium.'"
Kendrick knew Flanagan wanted to be a Razorback for the longest time, but he wanted to make sure his star player wasn't making an emotional decision.
"So I asked him, 'What are you going to do if Alabama or LSU comes calling?'" Kendrick said. "He said, 'Coach, it wouldn't matter. This is where I am supposed to be and where I want to be.' So he went back in and committed to them and it was just a huge relief for him because that offer is what he been waiting on and setting a goal to have.
"I told him to just be selfish and make sure it was right for him, not for parents, not for friends, but right for him. He was sure."
The Tigers open the regular season on Tuesday at Dardanelle.
Sports on 08/24/2017