Elite 11 Quarterbacks Named at ESPN RISE Competition

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

24 high school football quarterbacks from around America descended upon Pepperdine University in California this week with hopes of being named an ESPN RISE Elite 11 Quarterback.

All of the quarterbacks were put through five days of intense workouts and film sessions, plus head-to-head 7-on-7 passing competitions  led by an elite coaching staff that was led by former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer.

Tanner Mangum of Eagle High School in Idaho, Neal Burcham of Greenbrier High in Arkansas and Jameis Winston of Hueytown High School in Alabama shared MVP honors.

Below is the Elite 11 for 2011:

Austin Appleby, Hoover (North Canton, Ohio)
Neal Burcham, Greenbrier Greenbrier, Ark.) -- MVP
Shane Dillon, El Cajon Christian (El Cajon, Calif.)
Bart Houston, De La Salle (Concord, Calif.)
Chad Kelly, St. Joseph’s (Buffalo. N.Y.)
Zach Kline, San Ramon Valley (Danville, Calif.)
Jeff Lindquist, Mercer Island (Mercer Island, Wash.)
Tanner Mangum, Eagle (Eagle, Idaho) -- MVP*
Zeke Pike, Dixie Heights (Fort Mitchell, Ky.)
Chad Voytik, Cleveland (Cleveland, Tenn.)
Jameis Winston, Hueytown (Hueytown, Ala.) -- MVP

Some notable Elite 11 QBs from the past: Matt Leinart, JaMarcus Russell, Mark Sanchez, Troy Smith, Matthew Stafford, Tim Tebow and Vince Young.

ESPN to Broadcast 8 High School Football Games August 27-29

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

While the 2010 high school football season will officially kick-off in Alaska on August 6th, the biggest inaugural weekend across the country will be the last weekend of August.

With that in mind, ESPN and ESPN RISE have put together an eight-game television schedule for August 27th, 28th and 29th.

The ESPN RISE High School Football Kickoff will feature sixteen teams from seven states, including eight team's in the ESPN RISE FAB 50.

Here's the schedule....

August 27 - #2 Plant (FL) vs. #19 Manatee (FL) 7 p.m., ESPN
August 27 - #4 Grant (CA) vs. Folsom (CA) 10 p.m., ESPN 2
August 28 - #9 Hoover (AL) vs. Byrnes (SC) 12 p.m., ESPN
August 28 - South Point (SC) vs. #42 Northwestern (SC) 4 p.m., ESPNU
August 28 - Steele (TX) vs. Madison (TX) 7 p.m., ESPN
August 28 - #6 Euless Trinity (TX) vs. Tyler Lee (TX) 10 p.m., ESPNU
August 29 - #15 Good Counsel (MD) vs. #39 St. Xavier (OH), 3 p.m., ESPN
August 29 - Moeller (OH) vs. Huber Heights Wayne (OH) 7 p.m., ESPN U

St. Thomas Aquinas #1 in National Prep Poll & ESPN Rise Fab 50

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

When I first began my television career back in the early 90s, I remember the excitement that ran through the Allentown Central Catholic football program when the Vikings were ranked by USA Today. Yes, back in 1993, the Super 25 meant something...even if it didn't truly mean anything, because...well you know why!

Now, every major media outlet is in on the act. However, I still like USA Today the best, because they've been doing it since 1982.

Tradition means something at The High School Football Huddle!

So with all that being said, let's look at the first couple of polls to be released...ESPN Rise's Fab 50 and Prep Nation. USA Today will release it's Super 25 later.

At least for the pre-season polls, ESPN and Prep Nation are in agreement on #1 and #2. Both polls have the "defending" national champs, St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) at the top spot to start the season. The Raiders are followed by Byrnes (Duncan, SC). If all goes according to plan, the Raiders and Rebels will collide on October 2nd in Florida in a nationally-televised game.

There's no surprise when it comes to which states standout in both polls. Texas leads the Prep Nation Poll with four teams in the Top 25, Florida and California landed three teams in the National Prep Football Poll. The State of Washington is smiling with Bellevue and Skyline cracking the Top 10 in the National Prep Football Poll.

In the ESPN Rise Fab 50...California, Florida and Texas each landed seven teams in the Top 50.

Let's start with the National Prep Football Poll, which is America's second oldest weekly poll produced by Jamie DeMoney, who does a great job of keeping fans up-to-date. Below you can learn more about PrepNation.com.

Prep Nation's National Football Poll

1. St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) 15-0
2. Byrnes (Duncan, SC) 14-1
3. Northwestern (Miami, FL) 13-2
4. Katy (TX) 13-3
5. Glenville (Cleveland, OH) 11-1
6. Oscar Smith (Chesapeake, VA) 15-0
7. Lakewood (CA) 10-3
8. Bellevue (WA) 14-0
9. Skyline (Sammamish, WA) 14-0
10. Cedar Hill (TX) 12-2
11. Lowndes (Valdosta, GA) 12-1
12. Jenks (OK) 12-2
13. Elder (Cincinnati, OH) 13-2
14. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, NJ) 11-1
15. Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, CA) 14-0
16. Allen (TX) 15-1
17. Lakeland (FL) 14-1
18. De La Salle (Concord, CA) 12-2
19. Prattville (AL) 13-1
20. Liberty (Bethlehem, PA) 15-1
21. Centennial (Peoria, AZ) 14-0
22. Skyline (Dallas, TX) 12-2
23. Independence (Charlotte, NC) 13-1
24. DeMatha (Hyattsville, MD) 10-2
25. John Curtis (River Ridge, LA) 14-1

About the National Prep Poll: Compiled weekly weekly since 1987 and distributed by World Features Syndicate and the Associated Press, the National Prep Poll is the nation's second oldest weekly high school sports rankings. Doug Huff of ESPN RISE compiled the rankings from 1987 until 1999. Jamie DeMoney has compiled the poll since the start of the 1999 basketball season. The National Prep Poll is the only high school poll distributed to newspapers and Web sites around the United States by the Associated Press national wire service. The National Prep Poll is the first high school football and boys basketball poll to released in the preseason and during each week of the regular season. Criteria considered for the National Prep Poll rankings are strength of schedule, the ability to accomplish the ultimate goal on a team's schedule (i.e. winning a championship), impact players and performers, a team's coaching and recent tradition.

Jamie DeMoney begins his 10th year compiling the World Features Syndicate/Associated Press National Prep Poll. He has covered high school sports and recruiting for more than 15 years and compiled the National Prep Poll since 1999. DeMoney has also compiled high school football and basketball rankings for Sporting News, School Sports, and RISE. DeMoney was managing editor of American Football Monthly and assistant national editor of All-Stater Sports/Highwired Sports. DeMoney is a graduate of the University of Iowa School of Journalism, and a member of the Football Writers Association of America and the United States Basketball Writers Association.

ESPN's Fab 50 looks like this...

1. St. Thomas Aquinas (FL)
2. Byrnes (SC)
3. Elder (OH)
4. Katy (TX)
5. Northwestern (FL)
6. Oaks Christian (CA)
7. Allen (TX)
8. Oscar Smith (VA)
9. Skyline (WA)
10. Prattville (AL)
11. Lowndes (GA)
12. Cedar Hill (TX)
13. Union (OK)
14. Centennial (AZ)
15. Lakeland (FL)
16. St. Bonaventure (CA)
17. Longview (TX)
18. Don Bosco Prep (NJ)
19. Glenville (OH)
20. Bellevue (WA)
21. DeMatha (MD)
22. North Shore (TX)
23. East St. Louis (IL)
24. De La Salle (CA)
25. Dwyer (FL)
26. Hinsdale Central (IL)
27. West Monroe (LA)
28. Miami Central (FL)
29. Orange Lutheran (CA)
30. Colerain (OH)
31. Notre Dame Prep (CA)
32. John Curtis (LA)
33. Camden County (GA)
34. Highlands (KY)
35. Bishop McDevitt (PA)
36. De La Salle Collegiate (MI)
37. St. Ignatius (OH)
38. Hamilton (AZ)
39. Stony Point (TX)
40. Bolles School (FL)
41. Grant (CA)
42. Long Beach Poly (CA)
43. Trinity (KY)
44. Jenks (OK)
45. Southlake Carroll (TX)
46. Mullen (CO)
47. Liberty (PA)
48. Pahokee (FL)
49. Skyline (TX)
50. Shiloh Christian (AR)

Where Was the Spread Offense Born?

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

We all know that Texas high school football teams love to toss the ball around and light-up the scoreboard. Click here to read a good story on the origin of the spread offense in the Lone Star State from ESPN Rise.