The San Antonio secret

San Antonio (Texas) Marshall outside linebacker Andrew Stevenson has been called the hardest hitter in South Texas by one college coach. Another college coach said that he might be the state's best kept secret, but if you talk to coaches at Oklahoma State, Texas A&M, North Texas, TCU and UTEP, they have to hope the secret stays that way a little longer.

Stevenson, who is 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, admits that he's not the fastest linebacker in Texas. He says his 40-yard dash time is in the 4.8-second range, but what he does have is a physical toughness and hard-hitting style that really opens up a lot of eyes.

"I've been told by a lot of coaches that my style of play is real physical," he said. "I'm not one of the fastest guys, and I'm not going to run a 4.5. But I run downhill and I'm really physical. My motor is always going. I get pumped up for big games."

Stevenson's trek to San Antonio has been an unusual one. With his family in the military, San Antonio is not his native home and he's lived in quite a few different places all over the world.

"I was born in Korea, and we lived there for a little bit," he said. "Then we moved back to the States and then it was off to Crete, Okinawa, Japan, Germany and then finally here to Texas. Because of all the moving, I didn't get to start playing football until the sixth grade. We didn't have it overseas."

But ever since Stevenson landed stateside, he's made the most of his time. Stevenson earned all-district honors as a junior and has impressed several coaches with very good summer camp performances.

He camped at Oklahoma state, TCU and UTEP and is scheduled in the next few weeks to be at both North Texas and Texas A&M.

"North Texas was extremely interested, but coach Dickey told us that they don't like to give out scholarships before kids get into their senior seasons," Stevenson's father, Scott, said. "After the UTEP camp, they told him that they'd been watching him on film and in person and that he is one of the most physical players that they've seen in Texas."

Stevenson said he'd like to impress the A&M coaches this month when he camps up there. He said he's been really impressed with coach Mark Tommerdahl and his recruiting style.

"I just like him," Stevenson said. "He's a really good coach."