Shugarts out; Tomlinson getting noticed

No one is immune to the injury bug. Junior offensive lineman J.B. Shugarts has missed the past three games with a staph infection, which he had surgery on to remove.

"I should be back this weekend," he said Wednesday. "This is the first time in nearly a month that I've been able to sweat. The infection really only hurt when I tried to play or practice."

While he's been sidelined by an infection, Shugarts is over a dozen official offers, the last being Boston College. The others include Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Duke, Florida, Ole Miss, Virginia Tech, Miami, Texas Tech and LSU. One name not mentioned is the University of Texas.

"I like Texas but they won't offer until they have this 2007 class signed,"

he said.

Shugarts will be at the Texas/Oklahoma Red River Shootout this weekend and has plans to see the Ohio State/Michigan game later this year.

He plans on hooking up with buddy Justin Johnson, another talented junior prospect from Gilmer, Texas. Johnson favors both Texas and Oklahoma with former teammates on both teams.

"We talk all the time," Shugarts said. "We've become good buddies and I know he likes both of those schools."

Shugarts' teammate Matt Tomlinson is also benefiting from the buzz around the junior.

Tomlinson (6-5, 260-pounds) is the other Bearkat bookend, who has been offered by UTEP and is receiving interest from Indiana, Oklahoma State and Houston.

"I'm open right now as far as recruiting," he said. "I just want to play Division I football. The attention that J.B. has gotten has helped my a lot.

I get a lot more attention because of the coaches that are recruiting him."

Junior kicker Randy Bullock is also benefiting. Bullock is a nationally-ranked kicker and could be the top in the nation coming into next year.

"He kicks it out of the end zone on every kick," Klein coach Stan Labay said. "He's accurate and long and will get a scholarship next season."