The Recruiting Guy

Hogs' DB commitment runs wild on offense

Tanner McCalister
Tanner McCalister

ROCKWALL, Texas -- If there was such a thing as an Ironman award given to high school football players, Arkansas Razorbacks defensive back commitment Tanner McCalister would be a strong candidate.

McCalister, 6-0, 185, 4.44 seconds in the 40-yard dash, rushed 20 times for 305 yards and 3 touchdowns while also playing 45 snaps on defense and recording 5 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, a pass breakup and an interception to help Rockwall-Heath (Texas) defeat Irving MacArthur 48-9 on Sept. 15.

"To go almost every snap on defense and still rush those yards on offense is an amazing feat," Rockwall-Heath Coach Mickey Moss said.

Going into Friday's game at Tyler Lee, McCalister had 415 yards and 7 touchdowns on 36 carries and a reception for 7 yards along with 17 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, an interception and 2 kickoff returns for 18 yards.

McCalister -- who chose the Razorbacks over scholarship offers from Mississippi State, Missouri, Virginia, Oklahoma State, TCU, Washington State and others -- said it was tough getting out of bed after his big performance Sept. 15.

"They took care of me on Saturday," McCalister said. "I got an ice bath, and I guess the pain felt better knowing I had the game the night before."

Moss, who played football at Southern Arkansas University, coached at Magnolia and Hamburg before moving to Texas. He wasn't surprised by McCalister's endurance after seeing him go through offseason workouts.

"At the end of our strength and conditioning camp we run 50 forties, and for him and the skill kids they have to all be under five seconds, and when he's running his last two forties, he's running in the 4.6 range," Moss said.

McCalister has outstanding strength for a defensive back.

"I think he benched 315, he squatted 440 and his power clean is in the 280-290 range, and he runs a 4.4," Moss said.

Prior to getting to Rockwall-Heath, McCalister played running back and struggled with the thought of being moved to defensive back, but he trusted Moss' decision to move him. He played as a freshman and started as a sophomore.

"I just believed in him," McCalister said. "If that's something he wanted me to do, then I'll play it. He's my coach, so I had to listen to him. I just knew I would get through it. I just worked hard at it and tried to perfect my craft."

He recorded 55 tackles, 6 tackles for loss, an interception, 3 forced fumbles, 2 recovered fumbles and a a pass breakup as a junior at cornerback.

The past two semesters, McCalister has recorded a 4.0 grade-point average.

"My junior year ... it wasn't that my grades were bad, my grades were perfectly fine, but my mom told me you don't want to have any questions about you getting into any school you want," McCalister said.

Moss said McCalister is very coachable and accepts hard coaching without sulking.

"He allows me to push him," Moss said. "He allows me to coach him hard. He allows his coaches to do that. Sometimes you have kids that are very, very talented but won't let you do it. Tanner doesn't, as we say, 'get butt hurt' because he gets yelled at. He listens, and he then steps it up."

Hogs lose commitment

Mesquite (Texas) Horn athlete Maureese Wren announced on Twitter on Friday he was reopening his recruitment and is no longer committed to the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. The Razorbacks were recruiting him as an outside linebacker, but Wren wants to play receiver.

While visiting with Wren at his school Wednesday, he was struggling with the idea of not playing receiver in college. The Razorbacks aren't likely to sign a receiver in the 2018 class.

The Hogs now have 11 commitments.

Email Richard Davenport at [email protected]

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Sports on 09/24/2017

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