QB would jump at AM offer

It's still hard to believe but Joe Mauro, one of the top quarterbacks in Texas, is still sitting without a scholarship offer in mid-July. The 6-foot-4, 199-pound dual-threat quarterback from Hurst (Texas) L.D. Bell has done about everything you can ask on the field and off the field this summer at camps to prove that he's worthy. Yet the offer hasn't come yet.

"Utah was the first to mention an offer, but I haven't received it yet," Mauro said. "They told me they're pretty close to offering me when I went to camp there. So I'm not sure how that will work out."

"I would almost be willing to say I would change positions if a big time team wanted me to. I just want to play football. I'm trying to find a place with highly rated academics, which helps Northwestern a lot. I'm thinking about majoring in engineering so I'd like to go somewhere that has a good engineering program plus a good football program."

This summer Mauro has camped at Houston, Texas, Texas A&M, Northwestern, UTEP, SMU and Utah. He is scheduled to be going to a one-day camp in Tulsa in a few weeks and that's his last stop on a long summer tour.

"I've been talking to A&M and Utah a lot, plus all of the teams I went to camp at have been talking to me," he said. "I'm getting a lot of hand-written stuff from Tulane. SMU is recruiting me hard and they tell me I'm pretty high on their list of recruits."

"A&M, SMU, and Northwestern seem to be the most interested in me right now. I really like A&M a lot. They just have a special thing going down in College Station. The atmosphere is amazing. I'd probably jump all over it if they decided to offer me a scholarship."

Known both for his running and passing ability, Mauro expects more chances to put the ball up in the air as a senior.

"We've always been more of a running team and this season we're going to a four-wide offense," he said. "Last season we just ran the ball all the time so I'm not completely sure how good I will be with our new spread offense. I'll learn a lot about myself and my ability after this season, but at camps I am throwing the ball pretty well. Because of our team running the ball I haven't gotten many offers and that's been pretty discouraging. But hopefully I can open some eyes this season with the new offense."

The new offense could also allow Bell to sneak up and surprise some people throughout the state.

"Coach is pounding into our heads that we're going to be the surprise team in the Metroplex this season, if not the whole state. We're really planning on doing well. There's a lot to be answered for myself and my team."