VYPE DFW Hot 20 Playmakers - No. 3 Emory Miller, Mesquite Horn

They’re the guys who light up the scoreboard. They’re the guys teams rely on to crank up their offense and turn a third-and-long situation into a first down with six points to boot. They’re the quarterbacks, running backs and receivers who mix natural athletic ability with hard work, proper coaching and sheer determination to produce one jaw dropping play after another.

Who among VYPE DFW’s vast collection of talented offensive football players have been making the plays so far in the 2009 football season?

Here’s our take on 20 names to keep an eye on as the season winds down and the playoffs begin.

Today's pick is:

 

 

No. 3

Emory Miller

Mesquite Horn, QB

Miller has personified Horn’s rise to area football prominence, setting school passing records for accuracy, yards and tossing 10 touchdown passes in his first four games of 2009, all against highly ranked teams. Miller is also a threat to score on the ground, producing another four touchdowns, including a 61-yard dash.

Previous picks:

 

 

 

No. 4

Ryan Polite

DeSoto, QB

It’s no wonder why major college football programs are drooling over this junior. Polite began this season passing for 288 yards and two touchdowns, and almost upsetting the area’s top team in front of a national ESPN television audience. He’s gone on to improve upon those numbers, averaging 340 yards and tossing 10 touchdowns in the following three games.

 

 

No. 5

Jonovan Griffin

McKinney Boyd, QB

Few quarterbacks find their names among the area’s top rushers and passers deep into their junior season. Griffin has reached this high standing and proven to be one of the area’ s most explosive players. He even amassed 633 yards and eight touchdowns in one unforgettable 78-51 win over McKinney.

No. 6

Zach Lee

McKinney, QB

Lee’s arm, which could earn him big bucks from Major League Baseball, has kept McKinney in some wild high-scoring games in 2009. LSU offered him a scholarship after watching Lee pass from almost 3,000 yards and 33 touchdowns in 11 games last season.

No. 7

Michael Davis

Skyline, WR

Defensive coaches haven’t yet figured out a way to stop this LSU commitment. Davis has backed up a junior season of 58 receptions for 1,138 yards and 16 touchdowns by averaging almost 30 yards per catch on his way to another 10-plus TDs in 2009.

No. 8

Ben Malena

Cedar Hill, RB

Malena combines raw power with elusive speed. He practically carried Cedar Hill through last season and a deep playoff run with 2,202 yards and 35 touchdowns. An injury sidelined this Texas A&M commitment early in 2009, but he’s back with fresh legs and a stronger heart.

No. 9

Tevin Williams

Trinity, RB

Lost amidst Trinity’s surprising 1-2 start has been Williams’ performance as the Trojans’ lead rusher. Even though defenses lined up to stop the junior, Williams opened the season with 358 yards in three weeks and 7 touchdowns, including a 50-yard touchdown, against highly ranked Bingham (Utah), Cedar Hill and Allen.

No. 10

David Piland

Southlake Carroll, QB

Folks around Southlake were predicting a quarterback battle for this senior and Kyle Williamson, but Piland’s almost perfect play has allowed him to keep one of high school football’s most scrutinized quarterbacks. Piland opened 2009 averaging almost 300 yards and three touchdowns passes per game, while usually being pulled in second-half routs.

No. 11

Matt Joeckel

Arlington, QB

This Texas A&M commitment needed just one-and-a-half games of his senior season to break his school’s career passing mark. Jocekel has backed up his junior season of 3,017 yards and 29 TDs by averaging almost 300 yards per game early in 2009.

No. 12

Sean Ballard

Plano West, RB/WR

This senior burst on the scene by rushing for 228 yards and scoring five touchdowns – including a 59-yard scamper – against North Crowley in Week 2. He displayed his versatility with nine receptions for 168 yards and another four touchdowns the following week against Garland Naaman Forest.

No. 13

Johnny Catalano

TCA-Addison, QB

Playing for a private school hasn’t prevented area football fanatics from chronicling Catalano’s exploits. The senior is one of the area’s most elusive rushers, galloping for more than 250 yards twice in the first four weeks of 2009, including 289 yards, including touchdown runs of 62, 65 and 42 yards, against 3A power Celina.

No. 14

Tommy Avers

Southlake Carroll, RB

This senior is more than just a complementary running back to Carroll’s high-octane passing game. Avers opened the season by rushing for 176 yards and scoring two long-distance touchdowns on a 98-yard kickoff return and a 73-yard run, against Plano West. Avers gives the Dragons yet another scoring threat to keep defenses honest.

No. 15

Jackson Oliver

Jesuit, QB

The senior may be Jesuit’s answer to earning a playoff berth in the always tough District 8-5A. Oliver led area passers by averaging 340 yards through the Rangers’ first four games including 319 yards and 341 yards against highly ranked Coppell and Hebron, respectively, and 427 yards against South Garland.

No. 16

Hayden Hawk

Coppell, QB

A 3,000-yard passing season is not out of the question for Hawk, who has also proven to be a deadly runner in the red zone and an efficient game manager. Hawk’s coming-out party may have been his superior performance against Highland Park and quarterback Luke Woodley in a 41-20 win in Week 3.

No. 17

Ja’Terian Douglas

Arlington Lamar, RB

This Viking workhorse has maintained his spot among area rushing leaders, proving to naysayers that last season’s 2,000-yard season and 28 touchdowns weren’t a fluke.

No. 18

John Harris

Garland Naaman Forest, QB

Harris has pulled off a rare high school football feat, transitioning from highly recruited wide receiver to almost unstoppable quarterback. Naaman’s new coach Mark Elam knew he had something special in Harris, who ripped off three touchdown sprints of 50 or more yards in the first four weeks of 2009.

No. 19

Michael Pruneau

Plano West, QB

The Wolves have been waiting for a quarterback to ignite their offense. Pruneau has made the best of his senior season, averaging more than 320 yards per game and tossing nine touchdowns before the halfway mark, including four over 30 yards.

No. 20

James Sims

Irving MacArthur, RB

Sims has backed up an 1,100-yard junior season by becoming MacArthur’s go-to running back. Sims is both a punishing hitter and a breakaway threat for the Cardinals, who prefer to let the senior take over with a second-half lead.