Parish players make big headlines
Over the past few weeks the sports names that have dominated the headlines in the River Parishes are Jordan Jefferson, Ed Reed, Mike Scifres, Rufus Porter and Darrington Sentimore. But another Destrehan High School standout came to the head of the class this week as a wide receiver/return specialist Damaris Johnson.
Johnson, who was passed over by most of the big-time schools in the nation during recruiting process due to his lack of great size, has more than made his presence felt as a freshman at Tulsa University.
Last week in the 10th Annual GMAC Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, Johnson set a new Tulsa school record for receiving yards in a bowl game when he caught 6 passes for 135 yards and 1 touchdown in the Golden Hurricanes 45-13 win over Ball State.
The 5-7, 170 pound end also rushed for 76 yards on 3 carries and he returned 3 kickoffs for 63 yards in the GMAC Bowl game.
Even more impressive is that Johnson finished his freshman season not only as the leading pass receiver at Tulsa, but he finished 5th nationally in all-purpose yards with 2,475 yards of total offense.
Tulsa head coach Todd Graham is elated over the play of the all-time leading receiver in Destrehan High School history.
“Damaris was never intimidated by college football,” Graham said.
“Many freshmen players come in very talented, but they have never played against guys that have the same type ability. Damaris came in and his game never changed. He picked up quickly what we threw at him offensively and he was a great kickoff return man for us. I am excited about coaching him the next three years and he is really one of the most dynamic offensive players I have ever been around as a freshman.”
Anyone that ever saw Damaris Johnson play at the high school level knew that you couldn’t measure his football skills by his size alone and Johnson has become a real impact performer in college football.
There are strong rumors circulating in NFL circles that Terry Robiskie, who went to Second Ward High School in Edgard, is being seriously considered to become the next head coach of the Oakland Raiders.
Robiskie was considered one of the top prep quarterbacks in the nation at Second Ward High School before signing on with LSU. Robiskie lettered four years at running back at LSU before playing pro football for the Oakland Raiders.
After his playing career Robiskie became an assistant coach for the Raiders, Washington Redskins-where he was an interim head coach during the 2000 season, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and currently is the wide receivers coach for the Atlanta Falcons.
The father of Ohio State All-Big 10 wide receiver Brian Robiskie has reportedly told Raiders owner Al Davis that if he gets the head coaching job he already has pieced together a coaching staff.
Former Destrehan High School standout defensive tackle Darryl Richard, who earned 2nd team All-ACC honors as a senior at Georgia Tech, has been invited to play in the 2009 East-West Shrine game in Houston, Texas on Jan. 17.
Richard, who accounted for 34 tackles, 10 tackles for losses and 4 quarterback sacks as a senior, has also been invited to work out at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Indiana from Feb. 18-24.
Head coaches, general managers and scouts from all 32 teams will be at the Combine to work out, medically test and get one-on-one interviews with every prospect invited.
The 6-2, 290 pound defensive tackle is projected to be a fifth round pick in the 2009 NFL draft and he is one of just 20 senior defensive tackles invited to the Combine workout.
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