Top player in Texas has playoffs on his mind

The top player in the state of Texas is staying busy with a number of different things – talking to coaches, playing in playoff games and getting ready for Thanksgiving. So what is the latest with Alief (Texas) Elsik five-star tight end Tony Hills?

“I think the biggest thing on my mind right now is the playoff game on Saturday,” Hills, who is 6-foot-6 and 260 pounds, said. “We’re playing Aldine Eisenhower and they’re all about power football. We just have to execute and keep the football in our hands.

“Whoever can stay on the field and keep the ball away from the other offense will win.”

Or how about throwing the ball to Hills more?

“That’s a big part of our game plan lately,” he said. “I’ve been getting two or three balls a game thrown in my direction, and that’s a lot more than last year. But I’m still priding myself on my blocking. I’m killing them, and that’s what we’re going to have to do to Eisenhower. We’re going to have to mash them.”

But before the game on Saturday, Hills is likely to take in some mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving. He and his family are heading to El Campo, Texas, to spend time with friends on Thursday. And then after that he plans to head to Austin on Friday for the big Texas-Texas A&M game.

“We’re going to go up after we practice that morning,” Hills said. “We’re going to have to rush up there, but it’s going to be a game that I don’t want to miss.”

Just like the coaches haven’t missed him on the phone the past few weeks. Hills said he’s having a hard time narrowing down what coaches he likes talking to the best, but he said there are a few that do standout.

“There are a few that I really like,” he said.

“Coach (Mac) McWhorter from Texas is a really cool guy that talks to me about everything. Coach (Chris) Vaughn at Arkansas is a really young guy that I can relate too. Then there is coach (Jackie) Shipp at Oklahoma. He’s a cool cat, and coach (Eric) Bieniemy from Colorado has an interesting story to tell.”

And stories they do tell, which is all right for Hills.

“I like hearing where they came from and what they have to say,” Hills said. “It helps me get to know them.”