"Not (Yet) Ready For Prime Time" Player?

[lethalweapon3]

http://a.espncdn.com/i/headshots/recruiting/gallery/UA_Dallas_DeionSandersJr.jpg

http://highschool.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1129694

He's a multi-sport athlete ... just like his dad.

And the facial resemblance - with a smile that can light up a room - is there. As is the quickness and the sinewy but deceptively strong body.

But Flower Mound (Texas) Marcus football coach Bryan Erwin really saw how much Deion Sanders Jr. was like his famous father on a broken play during a spring scrimmage vs. Irving (Texas) High.

It was a play-action pass play. Sanders - new to the quarterback position - felt pressure from the backside as he set to throw. So he reversed field, breaking one tackle and outrunning everyone else en route to a 25-yard gain.

"That's just the type of athleticism that he has," Erwin said. "If he doesn't like what he sees, he's going to take off, and we give him freedom to do that. He's got the green light, and that's where he's at his best."

Where he's at now appears to be best for everyone.

Deion Sanders Jr, wasn't planning on playing quarterback - which, oddly enough, is where his dad played in high school. And he wasn't planning on playing at Marcus - he transferred there midway through his sophomore season.

The position and school switch, however, couldn't have worked out better.

Wearing his dad's college jersey No. 2, Sanders Jr. - a 16-year-old junior, has recorded big plays from the QB position since the season began.

During Week One against Garland (Texas) High, Sanders completed just two of his three passes, but one went for a 30-yard touchdown. During Week Two against Grapevine, he scored on a 58-yard run.

Sanders' quickness combined with the rugged running of backs Rufus Mason and Dagan Newsome has helped Marcus win its first three games by a combined total of 124-40.

With Sanders running the show - and Mason and Newsome just plain running wild - Marcus has the potential to better last year's finish, when its 7-4 team lost to Cedar Hill (Texas) High, 41-17, during the Class 5A Division Region I area-round game at Cowboys Stadium.

It's the school, interestingly enough, that Sanders played on last year.

~lw3