A King, but short in stature

Guthrie football coach Rafe Watkins has had numerous conversations with Division I coaches about his talented senior defensive back Josh King. Most of the discussions end up being similar to one he recently had with a Big 12 coach.

"He made more plays than anyone we had seen on tape all year," said the Big 12 coach. "But we would get fired for giving a full scholarship to a player his size."

It's frustrating for Watkins and the 5-foot, 9-inch, 178-pound King. They understand that a player's physical stature is an important factor for college recruiters. But that has overshadowed King's immense ability on the football field, where he is one of the best players in the state this year and one of the best to have ever put on a Guthrie uniform.

"Josh is the best player I have ever coached in my 16 years," Watkins said. "It might sound crazy, but he's even better than (former Guthrie and current Oklahoma State player) Kye Staley. (Josh) has a knack for making the big play. He helps the team in so many ways.

"I truly feel he will make a great college player."

The problem is many Division I schools, especially the top programs, are scared off by King's stature. King can't do anything about his height. But he has proven his skill.

He led Guthrie in tackles two years ago and was second this past year. He has returned four kickoffs, five punts and two interceptions for touchdowns. He led Class 5A in interceptions a year ago with seven. And he was the one that came up with a big touchdown on special teams or a key interception to seal a game in the Bluejays' run to the 5A state championship a year ago.

"I go out there and do what I am supposed to do for my team," King said. "I do everything and make plays happen. If schools have a problem with my height, I can't do anything about that. I just know that the schools who didn't recruit me because of my height will be sorry.

"Wherever I go, I will make them see that they did not make a mistake in choosing me."

King said he gets inspiration from another former Oklahoman who proved people wrong despite being short - Wes Welker. The 5-foot-9 Welker was not heavily recruited out of Heritage Hall, but got a chance at Texas Tech. He starred with the Red Raiders and is now in the NFL with the New England Patriots.

King has a scholarship offer from Missouri Southern, but is not getting much serious attention from other Division I schools.

"Height is not something everyone has," King said. "But having a lot of skill is rare to find as well. Your height shouldn't hold you back. But some coaches' policy is that if you are not tall enough than they won't recruit you. It's hard for me to see the point in that."

Name: Josh King
School: Guthrie
Year: Senior
Position: RB/DB
How small? 5-9, 178 pounds
Underappreciated: He's a big play waiting to happen. He is best known as a special teams and defensive back standout. He has scored nine special teams touchdowns in his career. He led Guthrie in tackles two years ago and was second last year, when he collected seven interceptions. This year, he will play a lot more on offense. He had just six carries a year ago, but rushed for 126 yards and four touchdowns. He makes big plays whenever he touches the ball.
The next Wes Welker?: "Just looking at him, you don't realize how great he is. Wherever you put him at, he excels there. He is a tough kid who loves to hit. And he's the type of player, when he gets the ball, he makes great things happen. He's explosive with the ball, that's why he's going to play a lot more on offense this year." - Guthrie coach Rafe Watkins.

Name: Tyler Harding
School: Pauls Valley
Year: Junior
Position: Running back
How small? 5-8, 165 pounds
Underappreciated: He is the lone threat on a team that won just two games a year ago. But despite that, he was second in Class 3A in rushing with 1,137 yards and 13 touchdowns as a sophomore. With a year of experience and an added 10 pounds of muscle in the offseason, expect Harding to have an even bigger year.
The next Wes Welker?: "People underestimate me all the time when they first look at me. I'm quiet, but I let my actions speak for me. I get down low and I never get brought down my the first guy. It usually takes two or three guys to breing me down. I keep my legs moving all the time. And I feel like I have to prove myself to everybody all the time. They look at this little guy and think I am nothing. But when they see me run, I get their respect." -- Harding

Name: Riley Gibson
School: Newcastle
Year: Senior
Position: Running back
How small? 5-7, 145 pounds
Underappreciated: He is the focal point of the offense for a team that likes to run. He will get plenty of opportunities to run the ball on a potential playoff team. He is small, but tough. He can run through and around opponents. He doesn't look like much, but he can carry an offense.
The next Wes Welker?: "I'm not the biggest guy. I just go out there and run. My dad had a really good career at Newcastle and I want to live up to that. I'm really aggressive and tough. And I have a high pain threshold. That helps a lot. Most of the time other players tell me that I don't look like much. But then I show them that I am a lot faster and tougher th an they expect." -- Gibson

Name: Chris Clarke
School: Moore
Year: Senior
Position: Defensive end/Linebacker
How small? 5-9, 220 pounds
Underappreciated: This guy just makes plays wherever he's at. Playing against much bigger and heavier opponents on the defensive line, he still collected 43 tackles and eight sacks a year ago. This year he is being moved to linebacker where he still will be able to rush the passer. He's small, but has a non-stop motor.
The next Wes Welker?: "His biggest asset is his work ethic. He does not take days off. He strives to get better. He does not get pushed around. For his size, he is really physically strong. He's just a playmaker. He loves to go out there and make plays." -- Moore coach Scott Myers.