Bates ready to take the reins
“I’m looking forward to stepping up and playing both ways this season,” Bates said. “I’m also looking forward to being the team’s featured back.”
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“For about the last six years De La Salle has always had one of the state’s best backs,” Bates said. “I am working very hard so that I can follow that tradition.”
“I think this is the hardest working team I’ve been,” Bates said. “Everyone arrives an hour early to practice.”
It looks like De La Salle foes will have to be very ready when they suit up against Bates and his Spartan teammates. If playing De La Salle wasn’t hard enough, after all the Spartans have won 139 straight games. Now opponents have to play a De La Salle team of very talented overachievers.
Bates benches 310, squats 455 and has a very explosive 37-inch vertical.
Bates was selected all-area and all-league selection as a junior after Bates logged 77 tackles and picked off four passes as a safety. Bates rushed for 747 yards and 16 touchdowns as Maurice Drew’s understudy in 2002.
Bates has offers from Arizona, Cal, Colorado, Colorado State, Oregon, Oregon State, UNLV, Wyoming and Utah.
All schools are recruiting Bates as an athlete. He will come to his first college camp with the opportunity to play on either side of the ball.
Most of the schools recruiting Bates have told him they he’s one of the best corners in the nation.
Does Bates have a favorite?
“Right now Oregon is my top school, but Cal is a very close second,” Bates said. “I also like Colorado, Oregon State and Florida.”