Maea Teuhema
KELLER
MAEA TEUHEMA WILL NEED NO introduction to the quality of SEC defensive ends when he joins the LSU football team next fall because
he’s been battling an SEC-bound defensive end
every day in practice for the last three seasons.
Teuhema, a 6-foot- 5, 330-pound offensive
tackle, matched up against his brother, Sione,
who graduated from Keller last spring before
joining the LSU football team.
LSU took advantage of the two-birds-with-one-stone recruiting special by receiving
commitments from the Teuhema brothers on
the same day in February. Maea will join his
brother, a 6-foot- 3, 220-pound defensive end,
on the Baton Rouge campus following his senior season at Keller.
“My brother and I always wanted to stick to-
gether,” Maea Teuhema said. “We’ve been go-
ing against each other every day, and it’s hard
to beat him. We keep going back and forth. I
have strength, and he has quickness. It’s been
a good challenge throughout high school.”
Maea Teuhema grew up playing basketball
and baseball before getting serious about
football as a freshman at Keller. Coaches at
SEC schools began recruiting Teuhema after
the spring game that season. That’s when he
ramped up his offseason training with a power-
lifting regiment. This year, he competed in the
Texas High School Powerlifting Championships.
“My size has always worked to my advan-
tage,” Teuhema said. “My coaches say I carry
my weight well. I don’t look like I weigh 330
pounds. I’m pretty quick for my size.”
“I think I improved in the running game and
passing game,” Teuhema said. “It always feels
good to take out a couple of people to set up a
big play.”
The Teuhema brothers initially both commit-
ted to University of Texas, but after a visit to
LSU’s campus last winter, they changed their
plans. Although Teuhema admits maintaining
his weight has never been a problem, he is look-
ing forward to the culinary options in Louisiana.
“Keeping weight on comes naturally to me,”
Teuhema said. “But I know Louisiana is the
place to be. It’s a nice place with good food.”
– Dan Guttenplan
Kyler Murray
ALLEN
ALLEN QUARTERBACK KYLER MUR- ray is probably tired of hearing the comparisons between himself and Johnny Manziel or Russell Wilson.
Murray is a 5-11, 180-pound quarterback
with similar traits to Manziel and Wilson, who
have both contradicted conventional wisdom
about the measurables needed to be a prototypical quarterback in college and the NFL.
The similarities start with size, savvy, leadership and physical abilities, but it’s the productivity which adds distinction to Murray’s high
school career.
While Wilson led the Seahawks to an NFL
title, Manziel claimed the Heisman as a freshman in college, and both defied traditional
tendencies found in huddles across the nation,
Murray unequivocally defines the term winner.
Murray’s combination of passing ability, rushing skills and game performances for the Allen
Eagles over the past two seasons is practically
inconceivable. During Murray’s tenure, he has
guided Allen to consecutive Class 5A Division
I state titles and posted a record of 31-1. He
is 26-0 as a starter missing one game with an
injury, 2-time state title game MVP, and named
on every “All-this” list imaginable including the
Gatorade National Player of the Year award.
Murray’s stats demand fantasy league recognition since he has passed for more than 5,000
yards, rushed for 2,500 yards and accounted
for 107 scores in two seasons.
Murray’s near-flawless mechanics, arm strength,
decision-making and leadership abilities have
been honed under his father, Kevin, a former
quarterback that played for Jackie Sherrill at
Texas A&M.
Kevin Murray led A&M to a 1986 Cotton
Bowl victory over Auburn and Heisman Trophy
winner Bo Jackson, the “Johnny Football” of his
generation.
In the game, Murray passed for 292 yards,
breaking Joe Montana’s Cotton Bowl Clas-
sic record and leading the Aggies to a 36-16
win. After the season, Murray was named the
Southwest Conference Offensive Player of the
Year by the Associated Press, The Dallas Morn-
ing News and the Houston Chronicle.
The elder Murray has privately coached a
who’s who of college quarterbacks including
James Franklin at Missouri, Bryce Petty at Baylor, Alec Morris at Alabama, Kenny Hill at Texas
A&M, Seth Russell at Baylor, Russell Bellomy at
Michigan and David Blough at Purdue.
But Kevin’s preeminent protégé returns for
one more season and attracts more attention
than he may want.
With Kyler’s track record he has reached
almost celebrity status with his successes;
including an invitation to ESPN’s “The Opening”
TV show this summer.
Kyler is an outstanding baseball player —
leading the Eagles in batting average, home
runs and RBIs this past season. He punched
his ticket to the Elite 11 finals with an MVP performance at the Nike Football Training Camp in
DeSoto during the middle of baseball season.
He’s confident enough to play Soulja Boy’s
“Pretty Boy Swag” as his walk-up song to hit in
baseball, but he’s not so cocky that he rancors
teammates and coaches.
“I feel wherever I go, I am the best out there,”
Murray said at the Nike Camp. “And I want to
show everybody that I am the best out there
and just be myself.”
Kevin Murray rarely talks about his playing
days with the exception of friendly ribbing of his
own son. Kyler’s ego can be held in check be-
cause “he knows he’s not the best quarterback
in his house,” said Kevin with a sly smile.
– David McNabb
