Cash has vision
After transferring from Lamar High School to Westside High School in the Houston Independent School District, wide out Justin Cash was taking a big risk.
Cash (6-0, 195-pounds) would have probably been Lamar’s starting running back the last three seasons, playing with the likes of Andrew Kelson (Texas), Brandon LaFell and Donald Driver (Texas A&M). Instead, he moved to wide out at Westside where R.J. Jackson had the running back spot locked up.
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Westside was also in its first year of existence, and the varsity football team would be made up of underclassmen – ensuring the program of several losing seasons. Topping all that, Cash had to sit out his sophomore season, since he transferred between two schools in the same district.
Did he let the adversity get to him?
“That is just the breaks, and is in the past,” he said. “There was no reason to look back and whine about it.”
He made the most of his junior season in an offense which showcased Jackson much of the year.
“We didn’t throw the ball that much last season, but I still caught 20 balls for over 450 yards and five touchdowns,” he said. “I also filled in at running back when R.J. was out and had a bunch of return yards.”
Cash had more yards than his former buddies LaFell and Driver, but was snubbed for a first-team, all-district selection.
“Those guys are my boys, but I know that I am better than them,” he said. “They just get so much more exposure because they are the only guys on their team.”
What is getting Cash noticed by colleges, ranging from Oklahoma State to North Carolina, is his physical play and ability to run after the catch. No school has offered to date, but Cash’s current favorites are Arizona, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M and LSU.
“I’ve been a running back since a kid, and what makes me a good receiver, is that I can see the holes develop,” he said. “I play point guard for my high school and AAU team, which also helps my court and field vision.”
His vision couldn’t have been good enough to see into the future during his transfer from a good situation at Lamar to a cloudy one at Westside. Or could it have been?