Houston-area DT close to offers
Katy (Texas) Cinco Ranch held on for a tough 38-35 win over League City (Texas) Clear Springs on Saturday night, despite missing their quarterback as well as their leading rusher in sophomore Jamel James. The Cougars allowed a score on special teams and were hit with a few big plays, but the defense held on.
One of the newest members of that defense is lineman Stuart Mouchantaf, who moved to Cinco Ranch from nearby Morton Ranch this offseason. The 6-foot-4, 280-pound senior anchors the middle for the Cougars and a few colleges could be close to extended offers to the big man.
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"I have to take my SAT on Oct. 9," Mouchantaf said. "This will be the first time; I've never taken it before. After I take it, a few schools have said they're going to offer. My grades are fine but they just want to make sure everything is okay with my academics."
A couple of Big 12 programs have been keeping a close eye on Mouchantaf.
"After the season, they're going to offer," he said. "I've talked to a few schools about it. The main ones would be Oklahoma State and Texas Tech. Notre Dame and Miami, they were talking to me a lot when I was at Morton, but ever since I went to Cinco I haven't heard from them.
"Houston, Baylor and Texas A&M have all been writing me as well. They're recruiting me a little, but the ones that are on me a lot are Oklahoma State or Texas Tech."
With the move to a new school, Mouchantaf says that some schools have lost touch a bit. However, that should change now that the season has started and he is playing well.
"I think a lot of schools sort of lost me in the shuffle," he said. "They didn't realize that I moved to Cinco. I'm concentrating on my season too. I haven't been paying attention to recruiting as much."
The big defender admits that a few programs stand out at the moment.
"If Notre Dame offered, that would be awesome," Mouchantaf said. "That would be a blessing to go there. Miami is the same way because those are like the first two schools that ever recruited me.
"I don't know how it's going to work out. You know, I never know where I'm going to be. To be honest, I think I'll end up at probably Oklahoma State or Texas Tech. I really like those schools too."
Mouchantaf's move to Cinco Ranch puts him in a program with much higher expectations than his previous school. The Cougars made it to the Class 5A-Division I state semifinals a year ago and are currently ranked No. 25 in the country in the RivalsHigh 100.
"There are some really high expectations here," he said. "At Cinco, we have a really good team. There's some top-notch football going on with us and Katy. I just want to go out there and be the best. The expectations are high and we just have to keep working."
Mouchantaf lines up at nosetackle in Cinco's 3-4 defense, but he says he can play a number of positions at the next level.
"Some schools have said tight end or fullback and some have said I'll be playing center," he said. "Most of them are looking at me on the d-line, though. I'd be playing d-end, nose or DT.
"I don't mind any of the spots on the line. I like playing outside on the edge, though. That was my position when I was first on varsity. I played defensive end my first two years but here they needed someone big to hold down the middle, so I play nose."