LITTLE ROCK — Several Arkansas football recruits and commitments were willing to reminisce about their most memorable Christmases and gifts.
Allen, Texas, running back Jonathan Williams, who committed to the Hogs in November, recalled a stranger’s generosity during a challenging time for his family.
“I was about 10 years old and my family was going through a little bit of financial problems,” Williams said. “I remember I wanted an electric [toy] motorcycle and we were walking in Wal-Mart and a guy came up to my mom and gave her a gift card and told her that God told him to give it to her. There was just enough money on the card to get me the electric motorcycle.”
One of Fayetteville junior quarterback Austin Allen’s favorite Christmas gifts came after traveling back from the 2000 Las Vegas Vowl with his mother, Marcela, and father, Razorbacsk assistant coach Bobby Allen.
A friend, who was given a key to the house, helped surprise Allen, then 4, his sister Daniela, 2, and brothers, Brandon, 6, and Christian, 8, with a black Labrador puppy.
“We got back either Christmas Eve or Christmas and walked through the door and our dog Blitz was in a cage in our family room,” Austin Allen said. “It was pretty cool.”Blitz is treated like member of the family, Allen said.
“We’ve had her in our Christmas card for a few years,” Allen said. “I love that dog.”
Arkansas commitment and Florida linebacker Jakarri Thomas of Tallahassee Godby said his favorite gift came in 2009 when he received an iPad.
“I was hoping to get some music,” Thomas said. “I looked underneath the tree and didn’t see any music but Iwas just grateful I was able to spend another Christmas with my family. They gave it to me at the end and I was just in shock. I put music on it that same day. “
Arkansas commitment and defensive end Deatrich Wise of Carrollton (Texas) Hebron was about 10 when his father surprised him and his brothers with a golden retriever mix puppy they named Lucky.
“We were opening Christmas presents by the tree and my dad walked in,” Wise said. “And he said, ‘I have a gift for ya’ll’ and the dog ran at us and we were screaming and hollering with excitement. That was one of my best ones. It had a ball full of energy. It was all over the place.”
Unfortunately, Lucky only stuck around for about a year.
“I think he ended up running away,” Wise said.
Highly recruited junior offensive and defensive lineman Jake Raulerson of Celina, Texas, said his best Christmas experience was a trip outside the United States with his brother, sister, parents and grandparents.
“Going on a cruise in the eigth grade,” Raulerson said. “We went to Atlantis Paradise Island in the Bahamas that was really cool. The water park is pretty awesome.”
Pulaski Academy junior tight end Hunter Henry recalled the most challenging Christmas being when he was about 9 years old and traveling from their then-home in Georgia to Arkansas and encountered a winter storm.
“I would probably say that’s the most memorable because of being stuck with no power and the ice storm,” said Henry, who received his ninth scholarship offer from Alabama on Thursday. “We didn’t have power so we sat around the fire.” Receiving his first phone in middle school would rate as his best gift.
“My parents always like to surprise me and give like little gifts in these big boxes and act like they’re real big gifts,” Henry said.“So they got a real big box with the phone in it.”
OUTLAW REMEMBERED
Former Arkadelphia Coach John Outlaw, who coached the Badgers in 1979-1987 and won two state championships, died of an apparent heart attack early Friday morning at 58.
After leaving Arkadelphia, Outlaw coached at Sherman, Texas, before becoming the coach at Lufkin in 1995 and where he had a 162-46-1 record while winning the Panthers’ first state title in 2001. For his career, he had 303 victories.
Arkansas running back and recruiting coordinator Tim Horton said Outlaw, a Central Arkansas graduate, will be missed.
“For so many of the coaches in Texas and in the state of Arkansas, we lost a great friend,” Horton said. “He was a great mentor and a great servant to so many young kids whether it was in Arkansas or Texas. This a great loss for so many people especially the kids at Lufkin high but what a legacy he left because he touched so many lives.”
While at Lufkin, Outlaw coached 174 players who went on to play collegiately, including Arkansas redshirt freshman defensive end Darrell Kelly-Thomas. He was a frequent speaker at the Arkansas coaching clinic held each spring.
E-mail Richard Davenport at [email protected]
Sports, Pages 27 on 12/25/2011