Is there anything more useless than high school highlight videos? They’re always grainy and shot from the top of a stadium. They start with a couple good highlights and then devolve into a bunch of mediocre plays. And the worst part is that there is no context for what is happening and they always leave me with more questions than answers. Is the recruit playing in a big game against a good team? Did the play come in the clutch or in garbage time? Why are there so many 5’8 white kids on the field?
Probably the worst highlight video of all time is Joe Di Caman’s, which is just two and a half minutes of him destroying a bunch of tiny, frightened Canadians. (Another unfortunate by-product of that video is that I can’t watch the Rams play without thinking “GO AND GET THAT ICE CREAM!” every time he comes in.)
With that said, I sat through all the YouTube videos I could find and picked the best plays, so you didn’t have to. Below is the Top 10 Plays of the 2013 Class and my breakdown.
(And if you still feel like watching full videos; I recommend Elroy Masters for his Brandon Marshall-moves and Jersey Shore fist pumps, and Tyree Simmons who played RB, WR, CB, and KR. He looks like the best athlete in the class by far.)
10) Nick Stevens Touchdown Pass- Not the most exciting play in the world, but I have a feeling this is the type of throw we’ll be looking for with our new 6’4 receiving corps.
9) Sammie Long Touchdown Catch- We haven’t had a player capable of this type of catch since Kory Sperry.
8) Josh Lovingood Touchdown Catch- Decent grab in traffic, but this highlight earns extra points because it was on TV and you can actually see what’s happening. I also enjoy that the team is called the Broncos and have a Colts logo on their helmets.
7) LaRyan King Tackle- Lineman videos are the most boring to watch, but this play was nice to see. King bursts through the line and stops the back for a loss. He looked like the Kool Aid man busting through a wall. OH YEAH!!!!
6) Bryce Peters Touchdown Run- Peters breaks this run from about 80 yards away. He had a couple of these in his video, but I picked this run because of the windmill-swinging of his arm and the constant threat of getting caught from behind. Reminded me of Gartrell Johnson.
5) Rashard Higgins Touchdown Catch- 80-yard touchdown on what looked like a broken play. Would be nice to have a receiver that helps the quarterback out and get open.
4) Elroy Masters Touchdown Catch- Grab the ball, punch a guy in the face, touchdown, fist pump. I really hope he turns into a player for CSU.
3) Tyree Simmons Punt Return- This was his second punt return touchdown of that game. Like I said before, it’s worth watching his entire video. When the punt returns come up (at about 3:50), watch the punter. After the first TD, he throws a temper tantrum in the endzone. On the second TD he gets demolished by a blocker and writhes around on the turf in pain or frustration. Or both. High school football is hilarious.
2) Justin Sweet Hit- This play happened when his high school was playing nationally on one of the ESPN family of networks. Fun fact: #16 died later that night.
Okay, he didn’t.
1) Kapri Bibbs Touchdown Run- Could it be anyone else other than Bibbs? We’ve been waiting years for this kid! Really, there were dozens of highlights to choose from, so I just picked the longest run I could find.
