Texas Longhorn coach Steve Sarkisian speaks at the TD Club of Houston
At the Touchdown Club of Houston, coach Steve Sarkisian, the head coach of the Texas Longhorns, shared insights on leadership and football.
VYPE's Matt Malatesta and Alex Hinson were on hand to hear his take on the Longhorn program and more.
See the full press conference here.
The Randle Lions finished 2024 a perfect 16-0 capping the season off with the UIL 5A DII State Championship. The Lions look to be a new powerhouse program in H-Town with many many key pieces coming back from last year's team.
Leading the way is returning running back Landen Williams-Callis, a dynamic playmaker with in the backfield who totaled 2,038 yards and 43 touchdowns on the ground last year. Callis is the No. 2 running back in the country and will look for another big campaign his Junior year.
Defensively, the Lions bring back State defensive MVP, LB Ryan Mallory and also get highly touted LB Noriel "Pac-man" Dominguez back after sitting out last year due to UIL ruling.
Canon Toon has already left his mark on Second Baptist School, leading the Eagles to a TAPPS Division II State Title game last fall as a 6-foot-4 dual-threat quarterback. This winter, he swapped the cleats for high-tops and helped guide the Eagles to a TAPPS basketball state championship, showcasing his athletic versatility.
Now entering his senior season, Toon — a four-year varsity starter — is laser-focused on two major goals: winning a state football title and earning a Division I scholarship.
“Going out with a title as a senior is my main focus,” Toon said. “I’m a pretty vocal leader, but this year I really want to grow my leadership qualities even more.”
Last season, Toon produced video-game numbers, throwing for 1,864 yards and 25 touchdowns, while adding 1,083 rushing yards and 14 scores on the ground. This summer, he’ll be busy attending college camps and making visits as he works toward finding his collegiate home.
“Every campus I visit, I learn something different," he said. "I’m just piecing everything together right now.”
Toon holds an offer from Tennessee State and plans upcoming trips to Central Florida, Tulane, Furman, and Baylor. One of his key areas of focus this offseason: developing patience in the pocket.
“I’m working on being comfortable staying in the pocket and getting through my second and third progressions instead of trying to escape too early,” he said.
Toon's journey as a quarterback began unexpectedly. As a freshman, he lined up at receiver and defensive back before being thrust into the starting quarterback role his sophomore year after an injury to the starter.
“I was thrown into the fire,” he laughed. “But it gave me a clear vision of how much goes into running an offense and reading defenses. I just fell in love with that part of the game.”
While the recruiting process has become increasingly difficult for high school quarterbacks due to the transfer portal, Toon remains committed to "trusting the process."
“The portal has made it tough," he said. "You’ll have a great conversation with a coach one day and then not hear back for months. But you can’t worry about it — you just keep working and eventually the right opportunity will come."
Off the field, Toon trains with renowned quarterback coach Steve Calhoun and studies film of players like Robert Griffin III — one of his childhood idols — and Josh Allen.
“My dad was a punter at Baylor, so I’ve always been a huge RGIII fan," he said. "And I love the way Josh Allen plays. Watching their film definitely influences my game.”
With his final high school season ahead, Canon Toon’s combination of talent, leadership, and work ethic make him a name to watch — both in Texas and beyond.
“I know what I can bring to a program," Toon said. "Now, I’m just looking for a college that believes in me.”
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