kepdawg
12-05-2007, 10:11 PM
Finally healthy, Celina's Lynn making a big impact
08:52 PM CST on Wednesday, December 5, 2007
By DAVID HINOJOSA / The Dallas Morning News
dhinojosa@dallasnews.com
CELINA – Here's what you get when you ask Celina coach Butch Ford about D'Anton Lynn's virtually injury-free season:
"Shhhh!"
Ford probably has fingers crossed and is knocking on wood, too.
Outside of a mild concussion that kept Lynn out for most of one game, the senior free safety has avoided a major injury for the first time in three seasons. That's big news in Celina.
With Celina three wins away from winning a record eighth state title, Ford hopes Lynn can stay sound.
"I've seen him improve a whole lot," Ford said. "He's missed quite a bit the last two years. He's more comfortable and more relaxed. Everything he does is more of a reaction than a thinking process. And I think he's having fun. That helps, too."
It's always fun when you're winning, and it's been a blast in Celina so far. Celina (13-0) plays Glen Rose (10-3) in the Class 3A Division II Region II final at 4 p.m. Saturday at Justin Northwest.
It hasn't always been a fun ride for Lynn. He moved to Celina before his sophomore season when his father Anthony, a former Celina and Texas Tech football star, got a job as the Cowboys' running backs coach.
Lynn missed the final two games of the season – a year in which Celina won the Class 2A Division II title – because of stingers on his neck and right shoulder.
"I played the whole year, and just to watch the state game was definitely tough," Lynn said.
Lynn lost strength on his right side, and Ford refused to let him play.
"He was not a happy camper with me," Ford said. "He was really frustrated, but believe me, I wanted him in there."
Last season, Lynn tore ankle ligaments during the first scrimmage and missed eight games. Lynn, playing weakside linebacker, said he was never at full strength when he returned and was in pain on every step.
Ford, who is also the defensive coordinator, moved Lynn to free safety this season. Ford said he had been grooming Lynn for the position all along, but his injuries prevented that from happening sooner.
"He's a good athlete and an intelligent kid," Ford said. "He has the capability to make the plays we need back there. He can make the right decisions."
Lynn, who has orally committed to Penn State, figures to be a cornerback in college. But he loves playing free safety.
"I've had a lot of opportunity to get a lot of kill shots," Lynn said. "It's pretty much like a linebacker playing 10 yards off the ball."
Lynn showed off that play-making ability last Saturday when he helped kick-start Celina's 50-23 rout of Pittsburg by returning an interception 45 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. It was his seventh interception this season.
When Lynn moved to Celina, comparisons to his father, who starred at Celina in the mid-1980s, began. Anthony enjoyed a seven-season career in the NFL, where he had a reputation of being a solid special teams player. He was on Denver's back-to-back Super Bowl teams in 1997 and 1998. He also played with San Francisco.
Lynn was bothered by the comparisons at first, but he said he has learned to ignore them.
"Everyone's always asking me about my dad, comparing me to him, expecting me to be like him when I'm someone different," Lynn said.
Lynn has missed his father's presence this season. Cleveland hired Anthony Lynn as running backs coach in January, and he has been able to see his son play once this season, on the Browns' bye week. The family remains in Celina.
Although Lynn misses his father, being close to his family's roots (his mother, Cynda, is from Frisco, and he has several cousins in nearby Pilot Point and McKinney) has been a good thing.
"We have good coaches here and a great community, and they make me feel comfortable," Lynn said. "That definitely helps."
D'ANTON LYNN
School, class: Celina, senior
Age: 18
Position: Free safety
Family: Parents Anthony and Cynda, sister Danielle (13).
Favorite sports teams: Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns
Favorite athletes: Champ Bailey and Carson Palmer
On heading to Penn State: "It reminds me a lot of Celina. There are a lot of old-school coaches – real old school – just like here. Everything is about football. That's how Celina is, and that's the way it is at Penn State."
Class 3A Division II Region II final: Celina (13-0) vs. Glen Rose (10-3), 4 p.m. Saturday, Justin Northwest's Texan Stadium (KXEZ-FM 92.1)
LINK (http://www.hsgametime.com/dfw/sharedcontent/dws/content/topstories/stories/120607dnsponorthcover.1d32903.html)
08:52 PM CST on Wednesday, December 5, 2007
By DAVID HINOJOSA / The Dallas Morning News
dhinojosa@dallasnews.com
CELINA – Here's what you get when you ask Celina coach Butch Ford about D'Anton Lynn's virtually injury-free season:
"Shhhh!"
Ford probably has fingers crossed and is knocking on wood, too.
Outside of a mild concussion that kept Lynn out for most of one game, the senior free safety has avoided a major injury for the first time in three seasons. That's big news in Celina.
With Celina three wins away from winning a record eighth state title, Ford hopes Lynn can stay sound.
"I've seen him improve a whole lot," Ford said. "He's missed quite a bit the last two years. He's more comfortable and more relaxed. Everything he does is more of a reaction than a thinking process. And I think he's having fun. That helps, too."
It's always fun when you're winning, and it's been a blast in Celina so far. Celina (13-0) plays Glen Rose (10-3) in the Class 3A Division II Region II final at 4 p.m. Saturday at Justin Northwest.
It hasn't always been a fun ride for Lynn. He moved to Celina before his sophomore season when his father Anthony, a former Celina and Texas Tech football star, got a job as the Cowboys' running backs coach.
Lynn missed the final two games of the season – a year in which Celina won the Class 2A Division II title – because of stingers on his neck and right shoulder.
"I played the whole year, and just to watch the state game was definitely tough," Lynn said.
Lynn lost strength on his right side, and Ford refused to let him play.
"He was not a happy camper with me," Ford said. "He was really frustrated, but believe me, I wanted him in there."
Last season, Lynn tore ankle ligaments during the first scrimmage and missed eight games. Lynn, playing weakside linebacker, said he was never at full strength when he returned and was in pain on every step.
Ford, who is also the defensive coordinator, moved Lynn to free safety this season. Ford said he had been grooming Lynn for the position all along, but his injuries prevented that from happening sooner.
"He's a good athlete and an intelligent kid," Ford said. "He has the capability to make the plays we need back there. He can make the right decisions."
Lynn, who has orally committed to Penn State, figures to be a cornerback in college. But he loves playing free safety.
"I've had a lot of opportunity to get a lot of kill shots," Lynn said. "It's pretty much like a linebacker playing 10 yards off the ball."
Lynn showed off that play-making ability last Saturday when he helped kick-start Celina's 50-23 rout of Pittsburg by returning an interception 45 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. It was his seventh interception this season.
When Lynn moved to Celina, comparisons to his father, who starred at Celina in the mid-1980s, began. Anthony enjoyed a seven-season career in the NFL, where he had a reputation of being a solid special teams player. He was on Denver's back-to-back Super Bowl teams in 1997 and 1998. He also played with San Francisco.
Lynn was bothered by the comparisons at first, but he said he has learned to ignore them.
"Everyone's always asking me about my dad, comparing me to him, expecting me to be like him when I'm someone different," Lynn said.
Lynn has missed his father's presence this season. Cleveland hired Anthony Lynn as running backs coach in January, and he has been able to see his son play once this season, on the Browns' bye week. The family remains in Celina.
Although Lynn misses his father, being close to his family's roots (his mother, Cynda, is from Frisco, and he has several cousins in nearby Pilot Point and McKinney) has been a good thing.
"We have good coaches here and a great community, and they make me feel comfortable," Lynn said. "That definitely helps."
D'ANTON LYNN
School, class: Celina, senior
Age: 18
Position: Free safety
Family: Parents Anthony and Cynda, sister Danielle (13).
Favorite sports teams: Denver Broncos and Cleveland Browns
Favorite athletes: Champ Bailey and Carson Palmer
On heading to Penn State: "It reminds me a lot of Celina. There are a lot of old-school coaches – real old school – just like here. Everything is about football. That's how Celina is, and that's the way it is at Penn State."
Class 3A Division II Region II final: Celina (13-0) vs. Glen Rose (10-3), 4 p.m. Saturday, Justin Northwest's Texan Stadium (KXEZ-FM 92.1)
LINK (http://www.hsgametime.com/dfw/sharedcontent/dws/content/topstories/stories/120607dnsponorthcover.1d32903.html)