Best Arkansas high school RB: Darren McFadden or Basil Shabazz

[Big Papa Satan]

The AAA has screwed around with naming conventions a lot, but 4A football was the highest/largest classification played in the state during the Shabazz era.

I know, I know.  It was 4A when Shabazz was at PB, and 4A when McFadden was at Oak Grove in 2004.  2004 4A is now today's 5A.

wasnt DW pretty well known coming out of high school? I dont follow incredibly closely but seems like it.

on shabazz, the lack of the internet and the knowledge on him everywhere is pretty amazing. It was up there, for me, with knowing about this corliss kid from russellville that was an amazing bball player in the 9th grade.

pre internet, pre cable (for me in rural ar), etc....

DW was known, but IIRC, there was no consensus on who was a better RB: him or Dedrick Poole.  Never mind that Poole's own teammates were yelling "Dedrick who?!" at him sitting in the stands watching Williams run wild at the season opener at Quigley in 2001.  I was sitting a few rows back listening to the entire amusing situation.

Anyway, my point was that as time goes on, perhaps people's perceptions of talented athletes grow.  Shabazz's highlights, however, prove that he was a freakishly-talented athlete.  Ran a little upright, but very, very good nonetheless.

[HawgWild]

/quote]

Yep

[DoubleReedHawgCaller]

Basil Shabazz......






The End.

[FANONTHEHILL]

Best I watched in HS. Shabazz, second best McFadden, best I played against Juju Harshaw.

[Cotton]

DW > DF

I watched both multiple times.

[BumpieJohnson]

Shabazz over D-Mac because of two players, C.C. Macon and Lance Boykins. They keep McFadden touches in his Soph. And Jr. years at a minimum. Boykins was a beast, he is in my top 10 running backs I seen in high school.

[urkillnmesmalls]

Best I watched in HS. Shabazz, second best McFadden, best I played against Juju Harshaw.

He broke my brother's arm in Jr. High football.  He was holding onto his leg with one arm, and Juju just kept stomping on his other arm trying to get free and hairline fractured it.    

[BumpieJohnson]

He broke my brother's arm in Jr. High football.  He was holding onto his leg with one arm, and Juju just kept stomping on his other arm trying to get free and hairline fractured it.    

JuJu is my cousin

[urkillnmesmalls]

JuJu is my cousin

He was a beast. 

[BumpieJohnson]

He was a beast. 

He and my uncle used to argue on who was the best running back in the family.

[DeltaBoy]

I know Basil scored like 5 TD's in the game but didn't Jerry average like 260 per game as a Sr? He must have had some big games with that average...

Yep still Brinkley never won a state title with Jerry; PB did with Shazbazz .

[thirrdegreetusker]

Anyone remember Keniko Logan's junior year? Seems like he started out by going over to Tulsa for a non-conf game, and rushing for about 300 yards. He was just a beast that year.

[AUSTXHOG]

There were players in the nineties breaking all sorts of records who didn't have the talent to play major college football.  Point is that you can't just go by career stats.

Now that you brought it up, there was a RB in the nineties whose high school career reminded me a lot of Dyer's, because both began receiving attention very young (8th grade?) and both were breaking Arkansas high school records constantly.  Seems like he just didn't have the talent to play major college football, and while Dyer became a 5 star recruit, this guy just disappeared off the radar.  It wasn't Jonathan Adams, Dedric Poole, Deangelo Williams or any of the usual names.  Anyone have a clue who I'm talking about?

You talking about Vernon Hicks from Elaine?

[AUSTXHOG]

Sabil Basshaz.... Amazing all around athlete..best ever seen in person.  Best I've played against is Madre Hill.  Tyrone Henry from Rivercrest was a beast too.

[Dominicanhog]

There were players in the nineties breaking all sorts of records who didn't have the talent to play major college football.  Point is that you can't just go by career stats.

Now that you brought it up, there was a RB in the nineties whose high school career reminded me a lot of Dyer's, because both began receiving attention very young (8th grade?) and both were breaking Arkansas high school records constantly.  Seems like he just didn't have the talent to play major college football, and while Dyer became a 5 star recruit, this guy just disappeared off the radar.  It wasn't Jonathan Adams, Dedric Poole, Deangelo Williams or any of the usual names.  Anyone have a clue who I'm talking about?

Billy Warren...

[AUSTXHOG]

Billy Warren set records @ Newport from 79-81.  It could be who redeye was talking about, but I was looking in the 90's timeframe.

[Dominicanhog]

Billy Warren set records @ Newport from 79-81.  It could be who redeye was talking about, but I was looking in the 90's timeframe.

I knew he was earlier than the 90's but could not think of any big names that had not been mentioned...

Who was the big back from West Memphis that signed with the Hogs?

[jseinfeld50]

I knew he was earlier than the 90's but could not think of any big names that had not been mentioned...

Who was the big back from West Memphis that signed with the Hogs?

DeArrius Howard

[Big Papa Satan]

JuJu is my cousin

So.  Is the supermarket meat story true?

[Big Papa Satan]

Shabazz over D-Mac because of two players, C.C. Macon and Lance Boykins. They keep McFadden touches in his Soph. And Jr. years at a minimum. Boykins was a beast, he is in my top 10 running backs I seen in high school.

Combine that with McFadden being moved to QB in the wishbone part of his senior year. 

[Hoggish1]

You are an inquisitive lil fella aren't ya?

It would be Darren.

PRJ

Actually, Sweet Feet likes to stir the pot.

The answer would be Darrin, Sweet Feet, but that's not why you asked the question in the first place, is it....?

[scottwillrazbackfan1]

Billy Warren set records @ Newport from 79-81.  It could be who redeye was talking about, but I was looking in the 90's timeframe.

Billy Warren was one of the greatest High School RB of all time. Tore up his knee in the HS All-star game and was never the same at the U of A.

[BumpieJohnson]

So.  Is the supermarket meat story true?

From what I understand it was a set up. But we don't speak on it much, however it was one of the reasons my mother told me I could not go to the U of A.

[hawg66]

Yep still Brinkley never won a state title with Jerry; PB did with Shazbazz .

I saw Brinkley play Harrison in War Memorial.  Eckwood had a bad game for him, only around 160 yards rushing.  He also completed two or three passes, kicked off, punted for a 40 yard average, kicked the extra points, and dominated Harrison's offense from the safety spot.

Eckwood was being recruited by Kansas, and after the game the Jayhawks recruiter was talking to him when a swarm of kids knocked the recruiter out of the way to get Eckwood's autograph.  My buddy and I stood open jawed and stared at Gale Sayers, who was being ignored for Eckwood.

[Fatmanhog]

Shabazz had the most speed I have seen on the football field. That man could fly. I know DMAC had an extra gear or 7 and was great in his own right and one of my all time favorite Hogs, but Basil was hands down the better HIGH SCHOOL RB. I swear that guy was the touched by the hand of God for sheer athletic ability. Dude was a beast.

[OLDHOG]

I am old enough to remember both very well. Shabazz was amazing, pure athletic genius. Mcfadden was a beast with a head and heart for greatness. As far as the most successful, no brainer, gotta go with DMAC. 

[kingofdequeen]

I am old enough to remember both very well. Shabazz was amazing, pure athletic genius. Mcfadden was a beast with a head and heart for greatness. As far as the most successful, no brainer, gotta go with DMAC. 

be careful out there on that limb.

[Hogpkins]

I was at that 1990 state championship game. My older brother was on the A-High Razorbacks JV squad that year.  I was 10 years old and I remember the whole week leading up to the game, Basil Shabazz suddenly became a household name in Txk.  All around town everyone had buttons and stickers that said "Shabazz Who?" and other silly swipes. I had no idea who he was but it was obvious he must be someone special. I've never seen a high school player become that locally famous, or infamous, before or since.

I remember it was really cold that night in Little Rock. Lots of blanket and hot chocolate around the stands. We had Mike Cherry starring at QB. And then the Shabazz show began....

It was the most miserable game for a fan who had traveled to LR thinking we were going to beat Shabazz that night, yet I knew I was witnessing something amazing.  He could not be tackled. He ran backwards sometimes, maybe even did a flip or two -- it was magical.  I remember my mom saying, "Oh my god, how is this possible?!"

[kingofdequeen]

"Oh my god, how is this possible?!"

dude just really wanted to play baseball that spring. 

[urkillnmesmalls]

I was at that 1990 state championship game. My older brother was on the A-High Razorbacks JV squad that year.  I was 10 years old and I remember the whole week leading up to the game, Basil Shabazz suddenly became a household name in Txk.  All around town everyone had buttons and stickers that said "Shabazz Who?" and other silly swipes. I had no idea who he was but it was obvious he must be someone special. I've never seen a high school player become that locally famous, or infamous, before or since.

I remember it was really cold that night in Little Rock. Lots of blanket and hot chocolate around the stands. We had Mike Cherry starring at QB. And then the Shabazz show began....

It was the most miserable game for a fan who had traveled to LR thinking we were going to beat Shabazz that night, yet I knew I was witnessing something amazing.  He could not be tackled. He ran backwards sometimes, maybe even did a flip or two -- it was magical.  I remember my mom saying, "Oh my god, how is this possible?!"

What your mother said sums it up precisely.  Never seen anything like it.  I know some have said that was his best performance ever, and it probably was, but the two other times I saw him play, it looked about the same...he just didn't get that many touches. 

Two words.  Utter Domination.  That's what it was, and I've never seen anything like it before or after.     

[DeltaBoy]

What your mother said sums it up precisely.  Never seen anything like it.  I know some have said that was his best performance ever, and it probably was, but the two other times I saw him play, it looked about the same...he just didn't get that many touches. 

Two words.  Utter Domination.  That's what it was, and I've never seen anything like it before or after.     

I was there too and I had 2 Ark High Players on my Team at Super Summer at Arkadelphia.  They were gunning to win state with Mike Cherry leading the way but Basil had other plans on that cold night in the ROCK!

[OLDHOG]

be careful out there on that limb.

Yea it's shakey out here, Ha!

[Dugann]

been through both of them at hype to performance, Dmac hands down.

[redeye]

You talking about Vernon Hicks from Elaine?

That may be him.  I meant during the nineties and there were 2-3 similar cases in that span, but only one that we heard about for years.  Vernon Hicks was one of them.

What ever happened to him?

Billy Warren...

I don't remember Billy Warren.  Where did he play in high school?

[Razorbax]

Wasn't Hicks like 21?

You talking about Vernon Hicks from Elaine?

[Razorbax]

So who is going to tell the story.....

From what I understand it was a set up. But we don't speak on it much, however it was one of the reasons my mother told me I could not go to the U of A.

[Big Papa Satan]

So who is going to tell the story.....

It's legendary.

[rowdy1]

high school...........no question......Shabazz
but DMAC by far overall...not even close

[poloprince]

Shabazz had more skill and was a freak athletically.

[bvillepig]

I didn't get to see Shabazz.

I can't believe any one could have been better than a healthy Eckwood. As good maybe but not better.

[DeltaBoy]

I saw both in HS and Basil was better than Jerry.

[jvanhorn]

Jerry Eckwood.

[pigskenG]

I never saw them in person, only HS highlight film, or what they later did in college. I can put guys based on what I've seen in different categories:
(1) Best all round Arkansas HS back that never made it to college: Basil Shabazz, great all purpose back. power, speed, and moves.
(2) Best HS back that did make it to college and then to the NFL: Darrin McFadden, but you could see from the start that he was strictly a downhill runner. May have been a better safety from what I can tell in HS films.
(3) If injuries hadn't slowed him down: Jerry Eckwood. Came to Ark with a bad back (if I remember correctly), over the first eight games in his sophomore year he averaged 8.6 yards per carry, reminded me of Shabazz, but then hurt his knee and was never quite the same, even though he did get drafted and play about 3 years for Tampa Bay.
(4) What could have been (and my biggest disappointment): Eric Mitchel. I believe he could have gone to Arkansas and become an All-American at either RB or QB, and we sure could have used him at the time. But instead, he goes to Oklahoma and spends his career as a back up RB and back up QB to Jamile Holliway for four years. (you can find youtube film on him at OU, unbelievable.) After all this time I still haven't forgiven him for not going to Arkansas.

[DeltaBoy]

I would add to #4 Delta Legend Veron Hicks who ran a lot like Basil but was not smart enough to get in college any where.  As for him being 21 that is just a rumor they made him quit his SR year because the best they could figure he had turned 19 the summer between his JR and SR year.  He was born out on a Farm and had no legal Birth Certificate.

[Dominicanhog]

I saw both in HS and Basil was better than Jerry.

I also saw both on more than one occassion, and as I said before, I'd give a slight edge to Jerry.  That's why everyone has an opinion.

[PonderinHog]

I don't remember Billy Warren.  Where did he play in high school?

Newport

[mecoach]

If we go by career stats, wouldn't it be Michael Dyer?

Not even in the same breath with most of the others being mentioned. 

[doc53]

I saw all of them play....as someone stated earlier, Shabazz was the best I ever saw and in my mind,not a close decision. Jerry Eckwood would be next,followed by Madre,Darren,and Cedric.

[FATHAWG08]

Shabazz over D-Mac because of two players, C.C. Macon and Lance Boykins. They keep McFadden touches in his Soph. And Jr. years at a minimum. Boykins was a beast, he is in my top 10 running backs I seen in high school.

Shabazz played mostly defense in his career. Glover let him loose his Senior year. Shabazz ran for over a 1,000 yards during the playoffs his Senior year. Shabazz is
not only the best RB. He is the best High School Football to ever play in Arkansas. It is a shame his career turned out the way it did.

[hawkhawg]

I think that Madre ranks ahead of DMAC for High School.  But Shabazz is the best.