Traylon Shead

T

Third Coast

10,000+ Posts
I know there are the doubters due to the level of competition, but the guy's numbers are beyond impressive. One of only 4 players nationally to rush for more than 10,000 yards in HS, #2 all time in Texas HS history behind only the obscene numbers Ken Hall put up almost sixty years ago and most rushing TDs in Texas HS history.
 
Despite not having a "bell cow" at RB this year, I like the options that Shead, Whaley & Newton (and Cody Johnson) give us. With a more traditional QB, I am hopeful that we'll adjust the offensive scheme to more of a prostyle than the zone-read. I prefer my RBs to hit the line of scrimmage with a little momentum.
 
Ken Hall was a big strong boy in the then tiny school of Sugarland. He ran straight ahead and ran over everybody in his path. When he got to aTm and had to run against other big strong boys, he didn't do much at all.
 
I believe that Bear Bryant took some of the blame for the way he used Ken Hall, saying it was one of his greatest mistakes. He must have been okay if he was still able to make it to the pros.
 
Talent's talent, no matter what classification you play in. You don't run for as many yards, and touchdowns, as Shead did through pure luck, even if you're playing nothing but the Little Sisters of the Poor.

This is probably oversimplifying it, but running back is one position where you can make a big impact even as a freshman. Mainly, you've gotta either run over 'em, or find the hole and run through it before they can catch you. Shead seems to have showed in the last three years that he's got that down pretty good...I don't see him being moved to another position once he's on campus.
 
Shead is not Ken Hall. Size and speed = legitimate D1 player.
Think Big Len. For 1A and 2A think Billy Sims, Edwin Simmons. There are plenty others at other positions.
There are also dissappointments, like Anthony Byerly. And plenty others in that category.
I for one think he will be a success at the next level.
Size and speed, now he just needs the work ethic.
 
Rodney Thomas is another small school guy who had success at the college and pro levels. It can and does happen.
 
Bear Bryant said that his biggest regret in coaching was the way he handled Ken Hall. Players went both ways back then and Hall was nowhere near the player on defense that he was on offense. He was basically in Bryant's doghouse the whole time he was at A&M.
 
There was a man in Austin back in the late 80s that was probably the All-Time greatest athlete Central Texas has ever seen....Jason Shead....I hear that Traylon is related. I wouldn't be surprised if he was an absolute stud.
 
David Overstreet was an absolute stud out of Big Sandy. Whatever else Big Sandy was, it wasn't 'Big'! They say that there were a number of games where he only hit the ground during pre-game warm-ups! Probably an exaggeration but I'm pretty sure he had four carries for 160-something yds and four TD's one game.

DO made the mistake of going to OU and then played for the Dolphins in the league. I believe his career was cut short when he died in an automobile accident.
 
A few years ago "Texas Football" had a story about Ken Hall on the 50th anniversayr of Halll's breaking of the national high school rushing record. Seems that Bryant thought he was a linebacker on defense and in his system, linebackers always played fullback on offense. Bryant in his later years lamented how he misused Hall and even wrote a letter to Hall apologizing for this. Hall wrote him back and told him not to be so hard on himself and that he (Hall) had moved on and so should Bryant. It was a good read if you can find old copies of the magazine.

Hall was about 6'2' and about 200 pounds. He also ran a 9.6 100 yard dash. I believe that with this size and speed Hall would have been an excellent running back even today. But tha't just me.
 
Has anyone else watched his highlights on MBTF.com? I was expecting a little speed or a lot of power. He seems like he is just a bigger version of Tre Newton, but that's it. The gamespeed in Shead's highlights are noticeably different from that of other players. I watch DeMarco Cobbs' highlights and he just explodes upfield. He'll make an impact at tailback before Shead. Unless Shead's highlights come on a field with VERY high grass (hard to tell in video).
 
Hershel Walker played 1A ball in Georgia. I've read he was never tackled his entire senior season. Not because he ran over kids but that he would slid down or run out of bounds to prevent contact. Story read it was due to severely injuring (paralyzing I believe) a smaller defender soph or junior year. Regardless, he was a 1A player who came in and dominated his freshman yr in Div1 in a way maybe only Earl did. Came in at 18yrs old and was a man among little boys immediately. And no, I don't see ANY similarities between Hershel and Traylon. I see Traylon getting limited carries if not redshirting this year. I do believe he is the type of kid that will continue to work, be a leader and do all the little things (ala Quan Cosby) until he finds a place to be a solid contributer. After a couple of years he could possibly turn into a slightly bigger Cedric Benson with a better attitude. That may be shooting a little high but I think best case and possible.
 
If he really benches over 400 and squats over 500 and runs a 4.5 it won't take a couple of years. The couple of times he got the ball in the AAA game, he exploded up field.
 
Shead would have to be some kind of BAMF to shoot up the depth chart over Vondrell, Fozzy, CJ, Tre, and Whaley. Especially since he didn't make it in for Spring. I don't doubt that he's a player who can make an impact at some point but it will be shocking if he does not redshirt this year.

PS Owlhorn, delete the f from the end of your sig image address.
 
Jack Pardee wasn't too bad. Christoval is a small place. I think that back in Ken Hall's day, the players, by rule had to go both ways. I don't think you could come out unless you were hurt. Hall had some fumble issues also. I talked to him one time at his BBQ joint in Fredericksburg. He was candid about it. He said he didn't hold any grudges against Bryant, that's just the way things were.
 
Also remember his Offensive Lineman probably matched up similarly (size-wise) to the other teams DLine, so either there was a hole or there wasn't. Plus I'm sure opposing defenses were tailored to stop him, and he still got his yards. He'll have to adjust to the speed of the game, and the first couple times he gets hit he may think about packing it up, but he'll be fine. No guarantees, but he'll be fine.
 
I think that Central Texas kid might have been Jason Burleson out of Hamilton. I saw him play in high school a couple times. He came to Texas as a QB and got moved around until he eventually ended up at TE under Mackovich. His lack of impact IMO had more to do with how he was utilized by McWilliams.
 
Cool and Expatria are correct, according to Mack.
if you watched his press conf Wed he addressed the issue of taking players from smaller schools. I think the question actually was about Shead.
He dismissed the size of the school saying they look at talent skills execution etc.
 
The kid looks pretty damn good to me.

He ain't Earl, but then ain't nobody else been Earl, neither.

We'll know a little more, come October or so.

Meanwhile... so far, so good.
 
"if Bear Bryant had played Ken Hall at tailback instead of fullback no one would have ever heard of John David Crow"

- Johnd David Crow, 1957 Heisman Trophy Winner
 
I think he looks very good. I don't suppose he'll average 15 yards a carry in college, but I don't think even a Big XII defender is going to want to see that guy coming at him, with the simultaneous concern of being run over or juked and gone past.
 
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