KFDM COOP Posted January 29, 2009 Report Posted January 29, 2009 Dugat Dayton’s first Parade All-American By Dave Rogers Published January 28, 2009 Monday morning was special for A.J. Dugat. That’s when he found out he’d made the Parade All-American football team. “When I got to school and I was walking up, coach Lawney (Dayton assistant coach Butch Lawney) said ‘I’ve got something for you,’†Dugat recalled. “Usually, he’s cracking jokes, but he handed me the paper (with the All-Americans listed) and said, ‘You’re special.’†The Dayton High receiver who, according to MaxPreps.com, led the state of Texas with 1,776 receiving yards, is believed to be the first Dayton athlete to win the prestigious award. This year’s list of standout athletes, including 58 in all from 25 states, announced Sunday, was the 48th consecutive year for the Parade All-American list to be selected by a panel of coaches, journalists, scouts and recruiters. “This is pretty good stuff,†said Dayton coach Jerry Stewart, who saw the District 19-4A MVP catch 113 passes in all, good for 21 touchdowns, and run for seven more scores in a 13-2 state runnerup season for the Broncos. “We’re real proud of it.†So, apparently is Dugat. He recalled a phone call earlier this week from a recruiter at the University of Houston, the school with whom he plans to sign next week. “I talk to them every day,†Dugat said. “Coach said ‘I never recruited a Parade All-American before.’ “I said, ‘You’re talking to one now.’†The 6-foot, 195-pound, already a first-team All-State pick by The Associated Press with a second All-State team (the Texas Sports Writers’) expected later this week, drew inspiration from his Parade All-American selection. “I was surprised,†he admitted. “It makes me excited. It makes me want to work harder.†Dugat’s schedule already includes playing for the Dayton basketball team. And he said he plans to also run track and play baseball for his high school before winding up his senior year of high school. He also has a couple of summer all-star games on his docket. So how can he work harder? “I want to get more awards, get in more magazines,†he said. Dugat is one of 10 Texans among this year’s Parade All-Americans, a list headed by Parade Player of the Year Garrett Gilbert, quarterback from Lake Travis. Also on the list is Sulphur Springs quarterback Tyrik Rollison. Rollison led the team that beat Dayton in the Class 4A Division II state championship game last month. Gilbert and Lake Travis beat Dayton in the 2007 state semifinals. “We’ve had a dubious distinction in Dayton the last two years to play against a Parade All-American quarterback,†Stewart noted. “If you want to figure out what kept us from the state championship, there’s two pretty good quarterbacks.†Stewart said he had hoped the Dayton signal-caller Cody Green would join Dugat on the Parade All-American team. “I really thought Cody was going to make it,†the coach said. “He had 63 touchdowns accounted for (37 passing, 26 rushing), so he was close.â€
NDNWarrior Posted January 29, 2009 Report Posted January 29, 2009 Good for him.....a good kid! He deserves it!
stealthninja Posted January 29, 2009 Report Posted January 29, 2009 congrats! very small group ever attains that.
stevieray Posted January 29, 2009 Report Posted January 29, 2009 Congrats....that's a great list to be a part of I love Coach Stewart's quote...Not many schools can say that! “We’ve had a dubious distinction in Dayton the last two years to play against a Parade All-American quarterback,†Stewart noted. “If you want to figure out what kept us from the state championship, there’s two pretty good quarterbacks.â€
rollinac Posted January 29, 2009 Report Posted January 29, 2009 I hope someone took some cells from that kid when he was a freshman and we can somehow clone him. There may not be another one like him in purple for a long time...
NDNWarrior Posted January 29, 2009 Report Posted January 29, 2009 I hope someone took some cells from that kid when he was a freshman and we can somehow clone him. There may not be another one like him in purple for a long time... Hey, if you did, pleeezzzeee send some PNG's way! ;D
Backflipper Posted February 4, 2009 Report Posted February 4, 2009 I still think he is way too good to play for Houston. The only Houston team that he should be playing for will be the Texans. I sure wish that he would go to Texas or any other school that would put him on TV every Saturday.
rollinac Posted February 4, 2009 Report Posted February 4, 2009 I chuckle at the 75 grade he received on ESPN. Makes you wonder how many games these "experts" truly watch.
Backflipper Posted February 4, 2009 Report Posted February 4, 2009 I feel the same way. So, I still havent heard if it is OFFICIAL... Is it U of H for Dugat? I know its his life and not mine but, wouldnt you rather play for a National Championship then to play against Rice and Sam Houston?
HoopInsider_Cooper Posted February 4, 2009 Report Posted February 4, 2009 Art Briles never signed a Parade All-American at U of H....Kevin Sumlin did in his 2nd year.
stevieray Posted February 4, 2009 Report Posted February 4, 2009 Art Briles never signed a Parade All-American at U of H....Kevin Sumlin did in his 2nd year. Because Briles made life easier for Sumlin than it was for him when he was hired at Houston
rollinac Posted February 4, 2009 Report Posted February 4, 2009 Briles signed Baylor's best class in what...their entire history maybe? U of H may be on the upswing judging by their latest class...
rapayne Posted February 4, 2009 Report Posted February 4, 2009 Congrats to a fellow Bronco and now fellow Coog!!! Sumlin is the man and Art Briles can go choke on it!
PURPLE 4EVER Posted February 5, 2009 Report Posted February 5, 2009 Nice article in the chronicle today.... This is the hidden content, please Sign In or Sign Up “We’re going to win with Texas guys. As I’ve said since the first day I got here, we’re the fourth-largest city in America and the greatest football-playing state in America, so we’re going to find 25 guys that we can win with.†The most glittering gem Cougars’ class is Dayton’s A.J. Dugat, a dynamic wide receiver who was first-team All-State and a Parade All-America selection after finishing with 1,755 receiving yards and scoring 28 touchdowns last season. “A.J. is a very, very exciting player with the ball in his hands,†Sumlin said. “He’s a guy that I would call a ‘wire-to-wire’ player. That means that he’s a threat to score anytime you get the ball in his hands. I think he’s going to come in here and really compete and push some people.
dayton Posted February 5, 2009 Report Posted February 5, 2009 classy! I would've let that one sort itself out.
rollinac Posted February 5, 2009 Report Posted February 5, 2009 Really uplifting man, really. Nice job throwing a kid under the bus for smoking pot on a forum page. One can only wonder how your daughter "knows" they're smoking pot unless she either been there or taken part. Good job dude...maybe Toups can put you on the cover of his DVD's. I've got news for you...pot is everywhere from NY to LA to Amsterdam.
stevieray Posted February 6, 2009 Report Posted February 6, 2009 Congrats to a fellow Bronco and now fellow Coog!!! Sumlin is the man and Art Briles can go choke on it! Are you mad because he left? Are you mad because he took a higher paying job? Guess you have already forgotten all the good things Briles accomplished with the program....
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