01:37 AM CST on Friday, February 5, 2010
By RAINER SABIN / The Dallas Morning News
rsabin@dallasnews.com
On a team that featured 11 Football Bowl Subdivision recruits all older than he was, Skyline middle linebacker Anthony Wallace knew his place. Shy by nature, the junior faded into the background, allowing others to assume the leadership roles and start the conversations in the locker room.
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"He's so quiet that you don't know that he's around," Skyline coach Reginald Samples said, "until he puts his helmet on."
It's on those Friday nights in the fall, when the stadium is illuminated and the stands fill up, that Wallace's alter ego emerges. From his perch in the middle of the field, he calls the shots and delivers so many loud, pad-thumping hits that it's impossible for him to go unnoticed. And he hasn't.
After making 88 tackles during the regular season and then helping Skyline reach the Class 5A Division I Region II semifinals, Wallace is the top area recruit in the Class of 2011. He is already being pursued by many of the nation's elite, including several Big 12 schools, LSU, Miami, Notre Dame and Tennessee.
Letters have flooded his mailbox, and scholarship offers have already been extended. Wallace, though, has brushed it all aside.
"I want to take my time," he said, "because I'm focused on next season."
By the time August practices begin, Wallace acknowledges he will have to deal with the recruiting sideshow – something he seemed destined to experience since he first played football when he was 5. Even back then, he demonstrated natural ability and a love of contact. His father, Anthony Sr., played middle linebacker at Texas Southern and began to groom his son to man that same position at age 6.
Together, they spent summers doing calisthenics and drills that sharpened Wallace' instincts and enhanced his skills. If there was a weak area in his game, they would diagnose it and fix it. Over time, Wallace became a well-oiled machine who "loves just hitting," he said. He now is 6-2, weighs 220 pounds and can cover 40 yards in 4.55 seconds.
"It's been a joy to watch," said Anthony Sr. "I think he will do better in the sport than I did."
Wallace's potential is unmistakable, and this season he distinguished himself, despite being flanked by a pair of high-profile linebackers – Oklahoma signee Corey Nelson and Texas A&M signee Domonique Patterson.
But it would be hard to picture that just by talking to him. Wallace deflects praise, choosing to acknowledge the coaches and mentors who have helped him succeed. He also is quick to point out the areas where he needs to improve, such as pass defense. But those who watch Wallace canvass the field and wallop ball carriers gush over his abilities.
"He's going to find the ball," Samples said. "He's going to make plays. He lets you know he's on the field by what he does."
And not by what he says.
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