2-Minute Drill Podcast - April 3, 2014

On this edition of the High School Football America 2-Minute Drill podcast, Jeff Fisher talks about a Hawaii high school football coach who has stepped-down after two years on the job and a state championship ring.  Fisher also tells you about six North Carolina schools getting used gear for their practices from the NFL's Carolina Panthers.

Click here to subscribe to our podcast on iTunes.

Miami Dolphins play ringer-bearers for Booker T. Washington football team

Photo courtesy of MiamiDolphins.com

by Jeff Fisher
Follow @HSFBamerica

The NFL's Miami Dolphins are making Booker T. Washington's (Florida) championship 2013 season a little more special.

On Wednesday, according to the Miami Herald, Dolphins CEO Tom Garfinkel presented the team with a $23,000 check to buy its championship rings.  Booker T. was ranked #1 in the nation by several national media outlets.  The Tornadoes finished #3 in the High School Football America rankings.

On hand for the check presentation ceremony were former Dolphins Nat Moore and Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Little, who is a graduate of Booker T. Washington.

Former Giants' LB Antonio Pierce named new Long Beach Poly head coach

 

by Jeff Fisher
Follow @HSFBamerica

Antonio Pierce, who played nine years in the NFL with the Giants and the Redskins, is the new head football coach at Long Beach Poly.

Pierce, who was introduced to the media today, becomes the 25th coach of the Jackrabbits, who have been playing football for 106 years.  Pierce takes over for Raul Lara, who resigned at the end of last season after leading the school to a record five CIF-SS titles and an overall record of 142-30.

Pierce, who is native of Compton, played his prep football at Paramount High. After high school, he went on to Mt. San Antonio College before moving on to Arizona. He was undrafted, but had a successful professional career making the Pro Bowl in 2006. He was a starter on the Giants' Super Bowl team in 2007.

While addressing the media, Pierce, who's son will be a junior on the team this year, said he will continue with his ESPN analyst duties.  You can hear his comments about commuting to ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut and topics in the video above.

High School Football America Radio Show - January 30, 2014

 
On this edition of High School Football America, host Jeff Fisher talks with Mike Pettine, the legendary Pennsylvania high school football whose son, Mike Jr. was hired last week as the head coach of the NFL's Cleveland Browns. 

Mike Sr. retired in 1999 as the head coach at CB West. At the time of his retirement, Pettine had his team on a 45-game win streak with three straight Class AAAA state titles. Pettine's lifetime record was 326-42-4 with the Bucks. The 1999 season featured a face-off between dad and son when Mike Jr. was the head coach at nearby North Penn High School. Dad's team was ranked #1, while his son's team was #2 when they met during the regular season. Dad won that match-up 17-7. Two week's later dad prevailed again when they met in the playoffs. In five match-ups as opposing head coaches, dad was a perfect 5-0.

Mike Pettine from high school football coach to the leader of the Cleveland Browns

by Jeff Fisher
Follow @HSFBamerica

I guess I'm getting old.

Why?

I'm beginnig to take great pleasure in talking like my grandfather with that “back in the good ole' days” stuff.

Well, yesterday, I got a big smile on my face and got nostalgic when I heard that Mike Pettine, Jr. - yes I said Junior - was named head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

Why?

Well, Mike's dad, Mike Sr. (now you understand the junior thing) is one of the best head football coaches and molders of men that I've had the pleasure to know in my 40+ years of covering high school football.

Coach Pettine...and I'd never call him Mike...built one of the best high school football programs I've ever had the pleasure to cover, the Central Bucks West Bucks - CB West for short.  West is located in the Borough of Doylestown, 27 miles north of Philadelphia in beautiful Bucks County.

In 33 years as the head coach of the Bucks, Coach Pettine amassed an incredible record of 326-42-4 with four Pennsylvania Class AAAA titles.  When he retired in 1999, he was the state's winningest coach, handing over a 45 game win streak to his assistant Mike Carey, who then extended it to a then state-record 59 straight during the 2000 season.  Coach Pettine was no stranger to streaks, from 1984 to 1989 his Bucks won 55 straight that was then one-game shy of the state record.

I can still recall, sometime in the late 90’s, Coach Pettine pulling me to the side at War Memorial Stadium before a game to tell me that he appreciated everything I was doing to promote high school football through a television show I created called The Big Ticket, which turned 20 years old last season.  I also remember worrying before he spoke to me that he was going to give me a critique that would make me and the show better…because that’s what legendary coaches do.

Coach Pettine is a special man, who now at 73 years old, loves to talk all-day long about football, which is what the two of us will do on next week’s radio show.

I never saw Mike Jr., play in high school for his dad in the 80’s, but I’m sure there would have been plenty to tell about the two-way starter who was all-state as a quarterback and defensive back for the Bucks. After graduating from CB West, Mike Jr. went to play free safety at the University of Virginia.

The Pettine/Pettine coaching story began in the mid 80’s when the son worked for his dad as an assistant after graduating college. The thing I remembered the most about Mike Jr. in his high school coaching days was his intensity, which I could have spelled with all caps – he was flat out intense.  And, while I haven’t been face-to-face with Mike Jr. since the 2000 season when he was the head coach at North Penn in Lansdale, Pennsylvania, I doubt that he’s any less intense as he takes over the Cleveland Browns.  

If you want an up-close look at Mike Jr., try to find the 1999 documentary The Season, which aired on ESPN way before Hoover’s Two-a-Days on MTV in 2006.  I remember plenty of bleeps and joking with Mike Jr. after the show aired that he probably set a ready for bleeps in a television show.

The intensity is a common thread that I remember between father and son.  I also know that both men during those high school years were able to bring out the best in the young men they coached and knew how to game plan an opponent.

Mike Carey, who I mentioned earlier for taking over CB West after Coach Pettine retired in 1999, echoed those same sentiments about Mike Jr. in an interview he did with the Bucks County newspaper The Intellegencer, “I remember Mike being a water boy at CB West. He had a great career at CB West and a very good career at (the University of) Virginia. He’s got all of his father’s attributes — extreme intelligence and such intensity and the ability to bring the most out of people.”

After leaving his assistant's job at CB West, he took a graduate assistant position at the University of Pittsburgh.  Mike Jr. climbed-out from under dad’s shadow by taking his first head coaching job at William Tennent High School, just down the road for dad’s juggernaut of a program.  Tennent wasn’t really known for its football program, but at 28 years old, it was the first step toward becoming an NFL head coach.

This is what Tennent athletic director Mike Devitt said the day that he hired the younger Pettine in 1995 -  "Mike's football knowledge, presentation of self, energy and enthusiasm made him the clear choice.”

Prior to Pettine taking over the program, William Tennent had won three games in three years, including a 2-9 mark in 1994.  In his first year as the Panthers’ head coach, Mike Jr. led the school to a respectable 5-7 record, which was the team’s best record since 1990.  He followed that up with a 9-3 record in 1996, which still stands as the school’s record for wins in a season.

A little know fact is that Mike Jr. had a better record then dad at the two year marks in their careers.  Dad was 11-9 in his first two season, while son was 14-10.

Just like his father’s teams, Mike Jr.’s teams were disciplined and hard hitting as you can see from the 1996 highlights at the top of this story.

Things really got interesting in 1997 when Mike Jr. was hired by North Penn, which put dad and son on a collision course for Suburban One League supremacy and also at the holiday dinner table.

Mike Jr. took North Penn to new heights while he was the leader of the Knights from 1997 through 2001.  The younger Pettine led North Penn to a 45-15 mark with a third of those losses coming against dad.

Yes, father always knew best when he went head-to-head against his son.  Five times Mike Jr. faced-off with dad and all five times he lost.

“My foundations still goes back to my dad,” Pettine Jr. said at his introductory press conference. “He was a guy that, to me, just understood football from A-Z. He wasn’t an offensive specialist, a defensive specialist; he was just pure football through and through.

 

“Playing for him was a rough experience. I really wanted to get away from football after I was done playing for him, but after a while ended up circling back and just fell in love with the game. That’s what I’m most passionate about and it’s something that, again, he gave me the advice that I think a lot of good parents give: Find a job that you love and you’ll never work a day in your life. I’ve been fortunate to pair my passion with my profession.”
 

For those pointing out that the Browns new head coach hasn’t been a head coach since leaving North Penn in 2001, understand that William Tennent wasn’t a good program before Pettine and North Penn would be described as a mediocre program.  Mike Jr. knows how to build, and the fact that he’s worked his way up through the NFL coaching system by starting at the bottom with the Baltimore Ravens as a coaching assistant for quality control, breaking down video and helping to develop playbooks and build scouting reports shows that he respects the system.  His first NFL job was definitely at the lowest rung on the NFL job ladder.

 

The dad/son rivalry hit fever pitch with the earlier mentioned The Season on ESPN, which chronicled the 1999 season that began with dad (CB West) and son (North Penn) ranked #1 and #2 going into the season. Dad was #1 thanks to a 30-game win streak and back-to-back Class AAAA state titles.

 

Father and son met twice during that glorious 1999 season, once during the regular season and once in the playoffs.  Dad won both – 17-7 on November 5^th and 21-0 two weeks later.

 

How did dad sum-up those victories in The Season?

 

"I drank champagne, but it tasted like vinegar."

 

On a much happier note for the two, dad joined his son as an assistant at North Penn in 2001.

Indianapolis Colts Host National 7-on-7 High School Tournament

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

The NFL High School Player Development National 7-on-7 Tournament presented by the National Guard is going on this weekend in Indianapolis.

The NFL's 7-on-7 national tournament began in 2004 with only four teams, but this year, all 32 NFL teams have picked a representative to wear their colors and play in the tourney hosted by the Indianapolis Colts at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center.

It should be noted that every one of the 32 teams was chosen differently.  For example, Heritage Christian School in Indiana won a 64-team playoff bracket to become the Colts representative, while the St. Louis Rams team is made-up of kids from different high school from the St. Louis area.

Under the NFL 7-on-7 format, teams are allowed to bring 12 players, which means at least two players have to play both ways.

In addition to the 7-on-7 tournament, 36 football players from the midwest will take part in the Inaugural Lineman Leadership Program.

Former High School Football Star Wrongfully Jailed for Rape to Sue State of California

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

The story of former Long Beach Poly (California) football player Brian Banks, whose 2002 rape conviction was dismissed by a judge on Thursday, continues to twist and turn like a soap opera.

The LA Times reported on its blog today that the 26-year old Banks will be seeking money from the State of California for the five years he was in prison.  In the same story, the LA Times Blog reports that the former high school football star will not take legal action against his accuser Wanetta Gibson.

The path to Banks' freedom came after Gibson "friended" him on Facebook and telling him she felt guilty about making-up the rape allegations.  Banks, who wanted to play college football at USC at the time of the allegation, always contended the sex was consensual.

Banks, who's in great shape, is hoping to get a tryout with an NFL team.

Based on the odds Banks overcame to win his freedom, stay tuned to see what happens next in his story...I don't doubt that one NFL will give him a shot.

Who knows, since Banks still has his college eligibility, maybe a college coach will give him a chance to resume his dream.

In the meantime, watch the story on NBC's Today Show on Friday that includes an exclusive interview with Banks.

   

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Former NFL Player Keith Byars' Could Lose His Job as Head Football Coach at Florida High School

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

The Palm Beach Post his reporting that Boca Raton head football coach Keith Byars is on the hot seat.

Writer Jeff Greer says a decision could be made Tuesday night on whether Byars will be reprimanded for allegedly shoving a player during Friday's game against Jupiter.

Byars, who was an All-America at Ohio State, played in the NFL with four teams in 13 seasons.  He took over as the Boca Raton program three years ago.  His record is 14-11 after Friday night's loss to Jupiter.

Click here to read the full story from the Palm Beach Post.

DeMatha Football Coach Bill McGregor Resigns after 29 Years

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

After 29-years and 280 wins against only 39 losses, Bill McGregor is leaving the DeMatha sideline.

McGregor has resigned after a distinguished career that saw him send over 350 players on to college football with Division I scholarships.  His teams won 18 Washington Catholic Athletic Conference titles.

In 2004, McGregor was named the NFL's National Coach of the Year.  Eight of his former players have played in the NFL.  At the start of the 2009 NFL season, DeMatha led American high schools with five former Stags on NFL opening day rosters.

NFL Names High School Football Coach of the Year

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Riverview High School (Sarasota, FL) head football coach John Sprague is the 2010 NFL High School Coach of the Year.

Sprague was nominated by former players David Bass of the San Francisco 49ers and Drew Miller of the St. Louis Rams.

As the 2010 NFL High School Football Coach of the Year, Sprague and a guest will be invited to attend the 2011 Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium in Hawaii as a guest of the NFL. Coach Sprague also will receive a check for $5,000, and a $10,000 grant will be awarded to the football program at Riverview.

The NFL High School Football Coach of the Year Award was created in 1995 by the NFL and its teams to honor coaches who profoundly impacted the athletic and personal development of NFL players. This year, more than 50 NFL players nominated the high school football coaches who helped shape them during their teenage years.

Baas congratulated Coach Sprague on the recognition, saying “[He] is very deserving of this award. He has been a mentor for me, bringing me along into my career, and to all the kids he's helped, whether they're in the NFL or not. He really cares about them not only as players but as people too, no matter who they are or where they come from."

Miller added, “This is a great honor for Coach Sprague and is much deserved. I couldn’t be happier for him and the Riverview Rams.”

NFL Names Five Finalist for 2010 High School Coach of the Year Award

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

I like to live by the saying that you shouldn't forget where you came from.

The same can be said for the NFL players, who nominated their high school football coaches for the 2010 NFL High School Football Coach of the Year Award. This year 50 players recognized the coaches who shaped them during their teenage years.

This weekend, the NFL released the names of the five coaches who are finalists for the honor.

Here are the finalists and the NFL players who nominated them:

Rich Albonizio (Greenwich HS - Greenwich, CT) - John Sullivan, Minnesota Vikings
Mark Guandolo (Cypress Bay HS - Hollywood, CA) - Jon Beason, Carolina Panthers
Thom McDaniels (Solon HS - Massillon, OH) - Mario Manningham, NY Giants
Doug Morris (San Lorenzo HS - Felton, CA) - Andy Levitre, Buffalo Bills
John Sprague (Riveriew HS - Sarasota, FL) - David Bass, San Francisco 49ers & Drew Miller, St. Louis Rams

"Our players come from different backgrounds, regions and life experiences," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "The one thing they all have in common is that they received guidance and learned important life lessons from their high school coaches. These five finalists have dedicated their lives to teaching young players how to become leaders both on and off the field, and we congratulate them and all high school coaches for the roles they play in helping develop the leaders of our game."

n his nomination essay, John Sullivan of the Vikings recalled learning his work ethic from Coach Albonizio, writing "Coach taught me that nothing comes without hard work."

The Panthers' Jon Beason noted Coach Guandolo's influence away from the football field. "It's not about making you great football players, but better men, fathers & husbands," he wrote.

Mario Manningham of the Giants learned fortitude from Coach McDaniels. "[He] always told me that 'Only the strong survive,'" wrote Manningham. "I have always carried that mentality with me throughout college and now in my professional career."

Coach Doug Morris inspired the Buffalo Bills' Andy Levitre. "Coach Morris is a great motivator and a great person," he wrote. "He knows how to bring out the best in his students and players."

Both David Baas of the San Francisco 49ers and Drew Miller of the St. Louis Rams nominated their former coach, John Sprague.

Baas remembered that "Coach Sprague always cared about how players were doing in every aspect of their lives."

Miller acknowledged Sprague's role in his development, writing "I wouldn't be where I am today without him. He is a great man who impacts young kids' lives in a positive way."

Each finalist receives a $2,500 cash award and a $5,000 grant for their high school football programs. The winner, announced this week, will attend the 2011 Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium as a guest of the NFL and receive a $5,000 cash award and a $10,000 grant for his high school football program. All grants will be awarded by the NFL Youth Football Fund.

51 High School Football Coaches to Take Part in NFL-USA Football Youth Summit

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

The National Football League's outreach into youth football continues this week with the 11th annual NFL-USA Football Youth Summit in Ohio.

51 top high school football coaches, one from each state in the nation, plus Washington D.C., will take part in the three-day summit that begins Wednesday at Kent State University. In addition to the high school coaches, more than 50 other supporters of youth and high school football will attend.

Former Pittsburgh Steeler great Merril Hoge will address Summit participants on the importance of coaching, while two-time Super Bowl winning Dallas Cowboy Darrin Smith will speak about the importance of education.  Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Haynes; former Green Bay Packer all-pro and Vince Lombardi protégé, Dave Robinson; and Canton native and former Chiefs quarterback Todd Blackledge will also address the group.

High school football coaches registered for an opportunity to attend the Summit by entering a nomination and essay contest conducted by the NFL and USA Football. Coaches submitted online essays in which they wrote about their coaching careers, commitment to youth and coaching philosophies. A blue-ribbon panel, consisting of local state representatives, reviewed the essays, and coaches were chosen to serve as their state's delegate at the Summit.

State delegates for 2010 NFL Youth Football Coaching Summit

State/Name/High School

Alabama/Tim Carter/Auburn High School

Alaska/John Jessen/Bartlett High School

Arizona/Ronald Jacobson/Dobson High School

Arkansas/Mike Banning/Clarksville High School

California/Ken Peralta/Marin Catholic High School

Colorado/Wayne Voorhees/Legacy High School

Connecticut/Duane Maranda/Bacon High School

Delaware/Dan Ritter/Howard High School

District of Columbia/Horace Fleming/Wilson High School

Florida/Reggie Roberts/Zephyrhills High School

Georgia/Brian Smith/Hebron Christian Academy

Hawaii/Randall Okimoto/Farrington High School

Idaho/Jason Warr/Rocky Mountain High School

Illinois/Elton Harris/Hubbard High School

Indiana/Geneo Riley/Pike High School

Iowa/Jason Mehrhoff/Interstate 35 School

Kansas/TBD

Kentucky/John Davis/North Hardin Christian School

Louisiana/Jabbar Juluke/Edna Karr High School

Maine/Rick Marcella/Bridgton Academy

Maryland/Tommy Green/Eleanor Roosevelt High School

Massachusetts/John Aloisi/Nantucket High School

Michigan/Jeremy Gold/Pioneer High School

Minnesota/Rufus Bess/Park Center High School

Mississippi/Perry Wheat/Purvis High School

Missouri/Greg Reynolds/Park Hill High School

Montana/Jim Oberweiser/Drummond High School

Nebraska/Jeff Bellar/Norfolk Catholic High School

Nevada/John Elwell/Valley High School

New Hampshire/Mike Beliveau/Souhegan High School

New Jersey/Leonard Marshall/Hudson Catholic High School

New Mexico/Jared Howell/Piedra Vista High School

New York/Joe Vito/Roosevelt High School

North Carolina/Scott Braswell/John T. Hoggard High School

North Dakota/Barry Holmen/Minot High School

Ohio/Dennis Fowlkes/Columbus East High School

Oklahoma/Kenny Blair/Northeast Academy

Oregon/Terry Summerfield/Barlow High School

Pennsylvania/Kevin Vaughn/Norwood Academy

Rhode Island/Geoff Marcone/LaSalle Academy

South Carolina/Jimmy Woods/Timmonsville High School

South Dakota/Terry Dosch/Aberdeen Roncalli Catholic High School

Tennessee/Tony Brunetti/Pearl-Cohn High School

Texas/Ray Seals/Madison High School

Utah/Les Hamilton/Alta High School

Vermont/Charlie Burnett/Essex High School

Virginia/Jim Poythress/Lake Braddock Secondary School

Washington/Steve Valach/Liberty High School

West Virginia/John Bowers/Morgantown High School

Wisconsin/Duane Rogatzki/Oconto Falls High School

Wyoming/Chris Williams/Cody High School

NFL Names Mission Viejo HS Coach of the Year

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Robert Johnson of Mission Viejo (CA) High School has been named the NFL's High School Football Coach of the Year.

Johnson will receive $5,000 and a trip to the Super Bowl, plus a $10,000 grant from the NFL Youth Football Fund will be awarded to the Mission Viejo program. He was chosen from a pool of nominations from more than 75 NFL players.

Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez and Seahawks defensive end Nick Reed nominated Johnson. Sanchez played for Johnson, while Reed is from Mission Viejo.

The award was created in 1995 to honor coaches who made a positive impact on the athletic and personal development of NFL players.

I Bet You Didn't Know This!

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle
On the surface, the story that Portsmouth High is getting a new football stadium this year, wasn't a big deal. I was just going to post it on the Ohio High School Football Huddle.

Then I did a little research, and I found a story that I thought Huddle readers would also like.

Portsmouth is a proud football town in southern Ohio. On September 5th, the brand new $10 million Clark Athletic Complex will be christened when the Trojans host Portsmouth West. However, the stadium that is being left behind, is what I find the most interesting part of the story.

For years the Portsmouth Spartans played at historic Spartan Stadium that was built in 1930. It was the home field of the NFL's Portsmouth Trojans from 1930-33. The original name of the field was Universal Stadium.

While Green Bay is the last small town standing in the NFL, Portsmouth in the 30's had that professional football feel until the team was sold and was moved to Detroit in 1934 to become the Lions. In fact, in my research I found an interesting tie between Portsmouth and the Packers.

On December 4, 1933, the Spartans beat the world champion Packers 19-0 in what is considered the most famous game at Universal Stadium. What made it great was the fact that Portsmouth only had only eleven players. The game became simply known at "The Iron Man Game".

I bet you didn't know this!

To learn more about the old stadium, click here to read a story about its historical designation in the state of Ohio.

Below is video from a July 14th naming ceremony. The athletic complex was made possible by a generous grant from the Clyde and Maycel Foundation.

Indianapolis Colts to Sponsor Indiana High School Football Championships

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

The news that the Indiana High School Football Championships are staying in the Lucas Oil Dome for three more years through the 2011-2012 school year comes as no surprise. However, the fact that the Indianapolis Colts will sponsor the entire state football championship tournament does.

The Colts are believed to be the first professional sports franchise in the country to partner with a high school association for this type of sponsorship.

“We are extremely pleased and appreciative of the Indianapolis Colts involvement in making sure high school football continues at Lucas Oil Stadium,” said Blake Ress, IHSAA Commissioner. “This plan has been more than a year in the making and their financial involvement will help reduce the ever-increasing expenses associated with holding the state finals at Lucas Oil Stadium. This one-of-a-kind type of sponsorship is like no other that I know of in the country. The Indianapolis Colts commitment to the local community and the community at large certainly made this type of sponsorship agreement possible.”

“The Colts organization has a long standing commitment to youth football in Indiana and our new relationship with the IHSAA is an extension of that commitment,” said Tom Zupancic, Colts Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing. “The IHSAA and the Indianapolis Colts have a common goal of developing the core values of young athletes. It is an honor to join forces with such an outstanding organization.”

“The IHSAA would also like to thank Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard for his leadership in making sure we continue to play championship high school football in Lucas Oil Stadium in front of thousands of fans,” said Ress.

Mayor Ballard understands the importance of keeping the football state finals here in Indianapolis. “It is critical that the capital city of our state remain the home of our high school championships and I am thrilled the IHSAA and the Indianapolis Colts worked together to make this happen,” said Mayor Ballard. “I continue to believe that Lucas Oil Stadium is a community gathering place for our entire state and I am pleased that we will continue to call it the home of the IHSAA Football State Finals.”

Last fall’s state championships, which were played in Lucas Oil Stadium for the first time, drew a record crowd of 40,680 to Saturday’s three games (Class 3A, 4A and 5A). Coupled with Friday’s attendance (Class A and 2A), the state finals drew an overall record total of 56,050.

Chicago Bears Jason Davis Puts on Camp for Underprivelaged Kids

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

With all of the business travel lately, I didn't have a chance to tell you about the football camp that my company co-sponsored and helped produce with the Chicago Bears Jason Davis.

Blitz Group teamed-up with Davis, who played his college ball at the University of Illinois, and 17th Ward Chicago Alderman Latasha Thomas for a free camp for kids 5-14 in Englewood on the south side of Chicago on June 20th. Over 150 kids showed-up for the camp at Ogden Park.

It was very heartwarming to watch the kids interact with Jason and his teammates Kevin Jones, Chris Williams, Adrian Peterson and Garrett Wolfe. All of Davis' teammates pitched-in to help the kids that live in one of the toughest neighborhoods in the Windy City.

The camp also served as the launch of Davis' foundation called Barred But Not Broken. The foundation's mission is to restore broken homes due to incarceration. Jason's heart is especially fond of children of incarcerated parents and his desire is to make a difference in their lives. The foundation encourages scholastic achievement by setting and reaching high goals. In addition Barred But Not Broken believes spiritual growth can help break the cycle of broken families that are affected by incarceration.

Blitz Group donated its media relations and event production services to the camp, and also served as the creative consultant that named Davis' foundation. Other sponsors included B.J.'s Market, Chicago Bears, Eric Daniels Sound, Jason Davis Barred But Not Broken Foundation, NFL Youth Fund, Subway, The Will Group, The William & Mary Foundation and Windy City Dolphins Youth Football League.

"Jason and his wife Jessica are very special people that believe in reaching down to help children in these impoverished areas of Chicago," said Trish Hoffman, Chief Executive Officer and founder of Blitz Group. "Jeff and I founded Blitz Group by donating our media services to non-profit organizations. We believe that companies should always look for ways to help children, and that's why we were happy to join forces with the Davis family."

“My office worked to develop Jason's camp because I recognize that each young person in my community needs access to activities that challenge them, entertain them, and give them the experience, motivation and encouragement to pursue their interests and dreams," said 17th Ward Alderman Latasha Thomas, 17th Ward Alderman and Chair of City Council Education Committee.

"I was very pleased with my first camp in Chicago, which came on the heels of my first camp in St. Louis," said Jason Davis. "My wife and I want to be a part of this Chicago community, because these children need roles models. As far as our foundation, just about everyone's family has been affected by incarceration, including mine, and I want to make sure that kids have tools to work with to make sure those family bonds are not broken during those very difficult times."

To hear more from Jason and Alderman Thomas, please check-out the great video from Mouthpiece Sports below.

U.S. Army All-American Bowl Announces It's Nominees

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Officials of the 10th Annual U.S. Army All-American Bowl have announced the 400 nominees for next year's all-star game that will be played January 9, 2010 in the Alamodome in San Antonio Texas. The pool of 400 will be eventually reduced to an East and West squad made-up of 45 players each.

Texas has the most nominated players with 49 on the initial list.

Last month, eight former U.S. All-American Bowl players were drafted in the first round of the NFL draft with 21-players overall being drafted. Over 32,000 fans attended last year's game.

The High School Football Huddle is compiling the players nominated from each state. To check-on your state, please go to the links section in the righthand column and click.

Former NFL QB to Coach High School Football in Idaho

by Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

Former Arizona Cardinal and Denver Bronco quarterback Jake Plummer has come full circle. The Idaho native will coach quarterbacks at Sandpoint High School in the fall. To read more about the Bulldogs new assistant coach, click here.

Madison's (TX) Ray Seals Named High School Coach of the Year by NFL

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

The National Football League has named Ray Seals of Madison (Houston, TX) High School 2008 High School Football Coach of the Year. Seals, who was one of five finalist for the honor, was nominated by two of his former players, Detroit Lions running back Moran Norris and Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young.

More than 60 players recognized the coaches who helped shape them during their high school years. In his essay, Young called a great coach who truly has a passion not only for the sport, but for the community he coaches in, the school and the players Norris praised Seals as a “father figure.”

“Our players come from different backgrounds, regions and life experiences,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “The one thing they all have in common is that they received guidance and learned important life lessons from their high school coaches. The five finalists dedicated their lives to teaching young players how to become leaders both on and off the field, and we congratulate them and all high school coaches for the roles they play in helping develop the leaders of our game.”

The other finalists were Danny Cronic of East Coweta (Newnan, GA), who was nominated by Keith Brookings of the Atlanta Falcons and Chris Hanson of the New England Patriots; Rob MacLachlan of Wallaceburg District Secondary School (Ontario, Canada) nominated by Shaun Suisham of the Washington Redskins; Ken Ozee of Sam Houston High School (Arlington, TX) nominated by Mark Clayton of the Baltimore Ravens and Tom Padjen of Thornton Fractional South (Lansing, IL) nominated by Pierre Thomas of the New Orleans Saints.

Each finalist received a $2,500 cash award and a $5,000 grant for their high school football programs. Seals will attend Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa Bay as a guest of the NFL and receive a $5,000 cash award and a $10,000 grant for his high school football program. All grants are awarded by the NFL Youth Football Fund.

Aplington-Parkersburg, Iowa on Toyota's "The Line of Scrimmage

By Jeff Fisher
The High School Football Huddle

During halftime of Sunday Night's NFL Bears-Eagles game on NBC, Toyota's The Line of Scrimmage will focus on the Aplington-Parkersburg Falcons, who are playing the 2008 season just three months after a tornado destroyed their high school and football field. The tornado knocked down 220 homes and 22 businesses and killed eight people.

In it's home opener on September 5, A-P showed the world why Toyota chose the Falcons as one of eight of America's "Gutsiest Teams" with a 53-20 win over State Center. After Friday night's 42-14 win over Gladbrook-Reinbeck, the Falcons are a perfect 5-0 this season. The Falcons have outscored their opponents 241-106 with two games over 50 points and one over 60.

A-P plays in Iowa's 1A classification and is known as the small school that can. With only about 250 students and about 2,000 people in town, the Falcons have landed four players (Casey Wiegmann, Chiefs; Brad Meester, Jaguars; Jason DeVries, Lions; Aaron Kampman, Packers) in the NFL since 1988.

Click here for more on that story from a 2004 story on ESPN.com.

Click here for a story on the devasting May 25th tornado.

Below is the first part of the two :45 documentary style video clips that will be aired tonight.