The McNabb Report: A Big Get for A&M & A QB's Back in Play

David McNabb writes on Dallas-Fort Worth area recruiting and high school sports every Wednesday on VYPE.com: All-Stars Prepare for Early UT Enrollment Irving MacArthur linebacker Tariq Allen and Cedar Hill offensive tackle Thomas Ashcraft are playing in national all-star football games this weekend and then they'll head off to spring practice at Texas. Both Longhorns commits have graduated early and will enroll for the spring semester at UT and participate in the Longhorns' spring practices. There are two major all-star games this weekend. Allen and South Oak Cliff safety Kevin Brent will play in the prestigious U.S. Army All-American Game Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio. Sulphur Springs' strong-armed quarterback Tyrik Rollison also will play for the West. In the second-year Under Armour All-American game in Orlando, Fla. With a Sunday night primetime broadcast buoyed by ESPN sponsorship, Skyline defensive back Steve Williams and Ashcraft will compete with a host of other Texas stars including Lake Travis quarterback Garrett Gilbert and Cy Ridge quarterback Russell Shepard. Playing against top-rated national college prospects merges the end of high school with the beginning of college. "What I'm hoping to get accomplished would be to get looked at more on a national level, not be seen as just a Texas linebacker," Allen said. "I kind of feel like people have been sleeping on me a little. All of us down there will want to show that we're best in the country. I just want to do well. Every player feels like they're the best. I have that competitive edge. I feel like I'm best that there is." Allen and Ashcraft have taken their official visit to Texas in December before heading out to "Almost all (of Texas' '09) commits were there," said Allen. "The highlight was going out with future teammates, getting all of us together. It's the first time I've been around them all and really hung out at the same time. The players showed us that they're really accepting of us before we come there. "That makes us comfortable, them accepting us. When I first went out with my host, it was like I was a part of the team. We weren't talking about when I get there, we were more taking about practices and things like I'm part of the team already." Midlothian's Petty Back on Market Midlothian quarterback Bryce Petty will have a busy January following the NCAA recruiting dead period during post-season bowl games. After a coaching change at Tennessee, Petty wasn't offered a scholarship by the new staff. He's on the board for several schools including SMU, Baylor, South Carolina and Arkansas. "I am going to visit SMU on Jan. 23," Petty said. "Baylor's coaches have told me that I can go up anytime, so I just need to pick a date. Arkansas is going to set up something with me after the dead period is over. I sent South Carolina the film and they watched it. They didn't see it in a whole lot of depth, since they are working on their bowl game." Aggies Get Huge '09 Lift There hasn't been much good news in Aggieland during the football or recruiting seasons. A&M has plenty of commitments but not many immediate impact players. A&M had hoped to spark enthusiasm for its '09 recruiting class with a commitment from Plano running back Rex Burkhead, who ended his recruitment with a Nebraska commitment two weeks ago. But A&M got a major player with Beaumont West Brook running back Christine Michael who said he'll formally make his announcement at the Army All-American Bowl during the game. Michael had narrowed his choices to the Aggies, LSU and Oklahoma. "Going to A&M, felt right at home there," Michael said. "The fans were nice. The coaches were nice. They accepted me as a person. I'm real respectful of them and they were real respectful of me. I felt like I was at home." Texas A&M loses Jorvorskie Lane, who has completed his eligibility, and Mike Goodson is expected to declare early for the NFL Draft so there is an opportunity for early playing time. That was one of the deciding factors in his decision. Also fighting for playing time will be Cyrus Gray, who rushed for 363 yards and a touchdown as a freshman. "They (the coaches) said they would put me out there my first year and they would build the offense around me," Michael said. "That's another reason." Michael said he would have Texas A&M, LSU and Oklahoma hats on the table at the Army game but that the Aggies would be the choice. Florida, Miami, Nebraska and others offered Michael, who rushed for 1,700 yards with 29 touchdowns on 189 carries this season. He rushed for 28 scores as a junior and 21 TDs as a sophomore. Rivals.com rates him as the fourth-best running back in the country behind Miami commit Bryce Brown, Alabama commit Trent Richardson and Notre Dame commit Cierre Wood. He's eighth in the Texas top 100 and No. 28 in the Rivals top 100 of 2009.