ANDREWS Throughout their high school careers, Andrewsβ Beau Narrell and Casey Buck have put in the work.
From early-morning weight room sessions to after-school lifts and traveling to different camps, the Mustangsβ senior duo has done more than enough to garner attention from colleges from around Texas.
Wednesday afternoon at The Dome inside Andrews High School, Buck and Narrell signed their letters of intent to play college football in the fall.
Narrell inked with UTPB, while Buck chose to attend Wayland Baptist University in Plainview.
βIt just really felt like home,β Buck said about his decision. βFor a long time I was real nervous because I didnβt know where I wanted to go, I was still unsure.
βI had choices and I was like βman I just donβt know if Iβve found the right fit yetβ and then I went on my visit to Wayland and it was just like βman, this is where I need to be.β It just felt like God was pushing me there.β
Both Narrell and Buck were three-year starters at Andrews. Over that span, the Mustangs compiled a record of 30-7, won three district championships and four playoff games.
Buck started both ways for the Mustangs this past season as a middle linebacker and running back. He finished the 2017 season with 73 tackles, 15 solo tackles, four tackles for loss, a sack, three knockdowns, four fumbles caused and two fumble recoveries.
On offense, Buck finished with 80 carries for 575 yards and 10 touchdowns. Buck added that the Pioneers, who play at the NAIA level, are interested in him playing middle linebacker.
On his visit in Plainview, Buck said he loved the people at Wayland and when he talked to current players, they only had great things to say. He even got to chat with a professor.
βI just loved it,β Buck said. βEver since I was a kid I always dreamed of playing college football and itβs always something Iβve wanted to do. Now, itβs surreal, itβs coming into reality now. Itβs just awesome to think about.β
Narrell will make the 40-minute commute from Andrews to UTPB as one of a few local signees to ink with the Falcons this year. Pecosβ Bubba Henson, Greenwoodβs Matthew Groeschel and Midland Leeβs Grant Brown also signed with the Lone Star Conference school.
In 2017, Narrell played both defensive end and wide receiver for the Mustangs. On defense, Narrell finished with 53 tackles, 13 solo tackles, five tackles for loss, four sacks, four hurries and one fumble caused.
βI think that the main key with UTPB is theyβre close to home, theyβre affordable and theyβre a new program that Iβm looking forward to hopefully helping to make prosperous in the future and do some great things.β
Narrell doesnβt know which position where heβll be playing for the Falcons yet. He thinks it will either be at wide receiver or somewhere on defense.
Andrews head coach Ralph Mason thinks Buck and Narrell will fit into their respective programs right away.
βTheyβre both led by outstanding men, staffs that care about kids and I think itβs going help that transition because a lot of times, kids go off to college and itβs totally different than the high school experience and that discourages a lot of them,β Mason said. βI think theyβre going to feel that same kind of feeling at Wayland and UTPB. I think itβs not going to be that big of an adjustment for them.”
Both Narrell and Buck said theyβll use a lot of what they learned at Andrews to succeed collegiately. They were a part of Masonβs first group to go through his entire program from seventh grade on up.
βWeβve had great coaches that have taught me almost everything I know even all the way down to when I played in YFL in second grade, I had great coaches even then,β Buck said. βIβm just blessed to be in the place I am today.
βI wouldnβt think itβs any different having the family of brothers out there playing on Saturdays just instead of Friday nights.β
{{tncms-inline account=”EricBlumOA” html=”<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: Andrews&#39; Casey Buck (<a href="https://twitter.com/caseybuck_15?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@caseybuck_15</a>π and Beau Narrell (<a href="https://twitter.com/NarrellBeau?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NarrellBeau</a>π signed their letters of intent to play college football at Wayland Baptist and UTPB earlier today. Hear from both of them below about their decisions. <a href="https://t.co/QvxXQ0Vov5">pic.twitter.com/QvxXQ0Vov5</a></p>&mdash; Eric Blum (@EricBlumOA) <a href="https://twitter.com/EricBlumOA/status/961356175576129538?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 7, 2018</a></blockquote>” id=”961356175576129538″ type=”twitter”}}
Permian β Brother Miller (Abilene Christian University, football)
Permian β Ethan Easley (Cisco Junior College, football)
Permian β Seth Higdon (Cisco Junior College, baseball)
Andrews β Casey Buck (Wayland Baptist University, football)
Andrews β Beau Narrell (UTPB, football)
Greenwood β Matthew Groeschel (UTPB, football)
Greenwood β Sloan Stephens (Tarleton State, football)
Monahans β Tylan McCalister (Cisco Junior College, football)
Pecos β Bubba Henson (UTPB, football)
Crane β Cris Martinez (Sul Ross State University, football)
McCamey β Trajan Johnson (Franklin Pierce University, football)