What motivates you to play the game?
I love to compete with my brothers and I push myself everyday so when Friday’s coming, I can say I gave it my all.
Have you had any recruiting attention lately?
I was at Purdue last weekend. I will be at Michigan State. I will be at IU. I also have visits planned at Miami of Ohio, Toledo, and Western Michigan.
Do you have any family members who have played?
Yes, my father played college football at Valparaiso University in the 80’s.
What life lessons has football taught you?
It has taught me that no matter what, I have to give everything I can and battle adversity. You always have to keep striving towards your goals and work hard. It has also taught me that you can never stay complacent. You have to keep pushing yourself to be better.
What are you looking for in a school?
I am looking for a school that will be a great match academically where I can compete in football at the highest level.
What motivates you to play football?
What motivates me to play football is being able to give 100 percent and try to win games with your family.
Have you had any recruiting attention lately?
I’ve gained a lot more attention from bigger D1 schools but I plan to stay patient through the process. I plan on taking a visit to Grand Valley (State) on October 5th.
Do you have any family members who have played?
Being able to play at the next level is a blessing because I’ll be able to be the first in my family to do it.
What life lessons has football taught you?
Football has taught me that you’re going to have failures but you’ll always bounce back no matter the situation.
What are you looking for in a school?
For a school, that I’ll be able to make a impact very early in my career and I want to be around a family environment because family is very important to me.
Through the first five weeks of the Indiana high school football season, Eastern Hancock quarterback Houston Swan has put together a strong sophomore campaign. The 6’1″ 190 passer is 102-for-153 for 1,395 yards and 18 touchdowns – and has led his team to a 4-1 record.
“I felt like last night I showed what I could do in the one half that I played,” Swan said after his performance in the opener against Northwestern. “This was not my first start, I actually started in all of the games for my varsity team last year. But I think all that experience from last year contributed to my performance last night. It felt really good to go out and play so well with my team, they really helped me have a good opening game.”
Backed by Swan’s arm, the Royals have put up more than 42 points in each of their victories.
What motivates you to play football?
Playing football is very important to me. It’s a lifestyle. Being able to spend everyday with my coaches, teammates a.k.a., my brother is the best part of football. The relationships I create with everyone will last a lifetime. I am blessed with the talent God has given me so I need to take full advantage of it. I made a personal football goal with myself to be an All Conference wide receiver. I have a note posted on my mirror in my bathroom and on the refrigerator that says “I will be an All-Conference Wide Receiver.” I read it every morning and every night. It reminds me to do my best and helps me get through the day. Not a whole lot of people get the opportunity that I have. I am blessed and beyond thankful for all of the opportunities I have gotten. I have played the sport of football my whole life and I enjoy every second of it.
Have you gotten any recruiting attention lately?
I have heard from Eastern Kentucky, University of Pennsylvania, Western Michigan and Nebraska. I am visiting Western Michigan University on Saturday, September 28th. This is my first college visit so I am very excited to meet the Bronco family!
Have you had any family members who have played football?
My uncle played football at Carmel High School where he was an All-State Tight End in ‘97. Some of my dad’s cousins played football in high school, but no one played in college. My dad played junior college baseball.
What are you looking for in a school?
I am looking for a school that will be my home for the next four years. At Westfield and with my own family, we are taught that “Family” is a strong bond so I want to be able to feel that same “Family-like” atmosphere with the players and coaches before I make a commitment. I want to go to a school where I will be able to reach my full potential on and off the field. I am currently undecided on my major.
Submitted photo.
Ryan Lezon is the IndyScout Player of the Week and for good reasons: The Southport quarterback was 19/24, 303 yards and three touchdowns in the air and picked up an additional 53 yards and a touchdown on his feet during Saturday’s afternoon matchup against Gibson Southern. Lezon has committed to Ball State.
What motivates you to play football?
What motivates me to play football is that I have an opportunity to change my family tree forever. I am grateful that God has blessed me with talent and I want to fulfill my purpose and maximize my platform that football provides me. I have always had dreams to play college football and professional football. Unfortunately I have lost multiple friends to the streets and death. So it makes me want to fulfill their dreams that they are not here to make happen.
Have you had any recruiting attention lately?
I have had some recruitment from the MAC football teams mainly and Michigan State and Cincinnati have started corresponding with me. I also have some visits planned in October and November.
Do you have any family members who have played the game?
I do have multiple family members that played including my dad Antoine Taylor. I actually play with one of my cousins now, Arieon McCarter.
What life lessons has football taught you?
Football has taught me multiple life lessons. Two of the main life lessons I have learned is that I can’t do everything by myself. I need other people to succeed and I also learned that when I get knocked down hurt or injured I have to get back up for my family because I have no choice but to succeed. Football is the ultimate team sport. Football is the game of life.
What are you looking for in a school?
In a school I’m looking for a place that feels like home and with people that I can make a part of my family. I also look for the business program because I want to be an entrepreneur. I look for a social environment where I can be happy in and enjoy outside of football. Lastly, a coaching staff that is genuine, authentic, trustworthy and that is just as serious and excited as I am about them. I look at college as a 40-year decision, so I want it to be as special as possible.
Submitted photo.
What motivates you to play football?
Their are a bunch of factors that motivate me to play the sport I love. Fighting every play with my brothers next to me, and just learning life lessons and becoming a better individual overall. With God blessing me with being 6’4″, I want to use that to be the best football player I can be. Not a lot of people are as big as me so I have to take an advantage of this opportunity. I mostly do it for my family that makes sacrifices every day so I can play the sport I love and supporting me through it all. I know I have an opportunity to be great, so why not take advantage of it and be the best I can possibly be? The love I have for this game is all of me. I’m willing to go all in to reach my full potential. I play for my family the most, just to repay them for all the sacrifices they did for me!
Have you had any recruiting attention lately?
I am visiting Purdue (last Saturday) and I am scheduling Western Michigan on the 28th. Ball State contacted me and invited me to a home game. This keeps me going to push myself to get better, to become the best player I can be. These next 11 games of my junior season at Westfield I want to be the best that I can to help my brothers win a state championship. I am extremely blessed to be in this position I am today.
Have you had any family members who have played football?
My dad played back in high school. My brother is playing at Westfield High School at defensive tackle. I know he loves the game as much as I do.
What are you looking for in a school?
What I’m looking for in a school is just that gut feeling that this is home and just loving the atmosphere of the program. I want to find a school that I can reach my full potential on the field and in the classroom. I’m not sure what I want to earn a degree in.
What motivates you to play football? Do you have any family members who have played?
There are many factors that motivate me to play football, but what motivates me the most is my family. I have had three brothers go through the process of football . My oldest brother was a center who walked on at IU, my second-oldest brother was a quarterback who tore his ACL twice and still had the opportunity to walk on at IU also. And then there is my third-oldest brother who did not play college football, but since he loved the game and had a deep knowledge of it he is a graduate assistant at IU. What all my brothers had in common is that they were undersized, and they would have given anything to be able to play on that field again. Since I have been blessed with being the size of 6’3″, I play for them. They were always hard on me when I was little, but I now realize that they did this because they saw potential in me and did not want me to waste it. Every time I want to quit or take plays off I think of my brothers, because the game of football is not just about the individual. It is about the team and the people who push you to the limit to make you better.
Have you had any recruiting attention lately?
I have received some recruiting attention lately from Miami-Ohio, Cincinnati, and Ball State. Even though I have had some success with recruiting, I use this as a motivator to do better and not be complacent. Although I think it’s awesome and I am extremely grateful that some schools are interested, I am focused on these next 11 weeks of my junior season.
What life lessons has football taught you?
Football has taught me many life lessons, and if football was not in my life, I would not be the person I am today. Throughout these last eight years that I have played football, I have been taught discipline, time-management skills, and respect for others. Since I started playing football I have learned that there are going to be hard situations in life, and it is how we push through and persevere through these difficult times to be successful.
What are you looking for in a school?
I am looking for a school that will give me the opportunity to play football at a high level while getting a prestigious degree on top of that. I am most interested in studying business for college. My dad is a small business owner, and I have also started up some lawn-mowing businesses in the past with my buddy. I have always had a longing for the business field and football is what I want in a school.
Photo Credit: Hudl.com
Lafayette Jefferson running back Marquis Munoz had a strong sophomore season, running for 1,110 yards and 17 touchdowns. He followed that up with an equally strong junior season, running for 1,006 yards and 9 touchdowns and catching for an additional 207. The 5’10” 198-pound senior is off to a strong start in 2019, with 360 yards and seven touchdowns, as well as another TD on kickoff returns. Munoz, who does not have any offers at this time, is a tough ballcarrier who runs with vision and tremendous effort.
INDIANAPOLIS – Lucas Oil Stadium will provide a neutral site for one of the state’s biggest rivalries in Week Three between Lawrence North and Lawrence Central. For the past 14 years, the Bears have won the contest – a cycle North hopes to break in 2019.
“Myself and my team have prepared for this week like any other week,” Lawrence North quarterback Donaven McCulley said. “Right now it’s the most important game, not (only) because of the rivalry but because it’s the next game up.”
At 2-0, Lawrence North is off to a strong start with big wins against Perry Meridian (55-0) and Marion (35-8). McCulley threw for 352 yards and three touchdowns in Week One. Considered one of the state’s top 2021 prospects, he holds offers from Kentucky, Indiana, Cincinnati, Central Michigan, Bowling Green and Ball State. He has a bevy of receivers in Rowland Smith, Armahn Hillman and sophomore Omar Cooper.
Up front, North has big and strong linemen to create running lanes and protect McCulley. At 6’6” 290, left guard Ethan Waters is one of the state’s most underrated senior prospects. Waters is a strong run blocker who can pull, strike a moving target and finish blocks. Sophomore RJ Brooks starts at right tackle while 6’7” 295 senior Christian Anderson anchors the left side.
Defensively, junior defensive linemen Larry Harris (6’5” 275) and Trezmon Hall (6’4” 200) provide a big presence up-front.
“Last week went very well for me and our defense performed well,” Harris said. “I’ve prepared myself by watching film with the team and at home. Also, I want to make sure I focus on what my coaches give me to be the best player I can be on Friday.”
The Wildcats have a strong chance this year; still, they will face a stout test against a competitive Lawrence Central team. The Bears came up short in back-to-back games to start the season, losing to Hamilton Southeastern by four points and falling two points short against a tough Lafayette Jefferson team in Week Two.
Lawrence Central has two strong defensive tackles in Davier Fairrow and Antonio Burse, both disruptive in the first half against Jefferson. Burse said his team should have been victorious last week, and knows his team is hungry for a win.
“For the Lawrence North game, I’ve watched a lot of film and I’ve gotten up at 4:30 a.m. every morning to train,” Burse said. “I’ve also been focusing a lot more on stretching and just getting better.”
Fairrow said the Bears have grown stronger despite the two close losses to start 2019, and said the team feels prepared heading into tonight’s rivalry game.
“We saw some big mistakes that could have potentially changed the outcome of the game,” Fairrow said of last’s week’s loss. “We think if we can dominate inside and limit the time in the pocket, we will have a great chance to win this game.”
Another key player for Lawrence Central is Davaren Rayner, a top defensive back prospect in the state who has committed to Northern Illinois.
“Last week was a great learning experience and got us ready for MIC play,” Rayner said. “Personally, I don’t think I played my best, but I think the best thing about the season is that it is long and we have plenty of time to grow and peak by Week Nine. I think it’ll be a great game.”
Indiana Football Scout 