Gilmer Buckeyes

Mirror Photo UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS coaches made a courtesy visit to Gilmer High School recently where they met with the mentor of one of the state’s top Class 3A football programs, Gilmer Buckeyes Head Coach/Athletic Director Jeff Traylor. At right with his arm on the shoulder of his friend, Coach Traylor, is Texas Longhorns Head Coach Mack Brown. At left are two of Brown’s colleagues on the Texas staff, Greg Davis and Ken Rucker. Davis is the Longhorns’ offensive coordinator and also coaches UT quarterbacks while Rucker coaches the running backs at the Big 12 program in Austin.

By JOE DODD The Texas High School Coaches Association recently released their 2006 Academic All-State Football Team and four members of the Gilmer Buckeyes were selected to the elite team. Evin Wilson was named to the first team, while Jud Murry and Adam Turner were named to the second team. Dakota Bickerdike earned honorable mention honors. The teams are selected by a point system that awards points for GPA, class rank and SAT or ACT score. The student/athletes are then placed on teams according to the number of points they have earned. Criteria required to be nominated is an overall GPA of 92 or above, including grades 9-12 and the first six weeks of grade 12. Be a member of the team in good standing at the time of nomination, and be of good moral character. Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor praised the selection of four of his senior players. “Those kids really typify what athletics are supposed to be about,” said Traylor. Turner credits Traylor and his staff for prioritizing academics...

By JOE DODD Gilmer Buckeyes’ senior quarterback G.J. Kinne announced last week that he had accepted a scholarship offer from the University of Texas to play football for the Longhorns, despite giving an oral commitment to Big 12 Conference rival Baylor in July of last year. Kinne’s latest decision is sure to receive the same national attention as his previous moves. As a freshman in 2003, Kinne moved from Mesquite to Canton, where his father, Gary Joe Kinne had just been named the Eagle’s head football coach. Kinne the quarterback, helped Kinne the coach, turn around the Eagles program immediately. Canton went 8-4, and won their first playoff game since 1964. After two years at Canton, the Kinnes turned into a national story when an irate parent walked into the Canton field house and shot Gary Joe in the stomach. Kinne survived the shooting and returned to coach the Eagles for the 2005 season. Canton’s players responded with the school’s best season ever; a 12-2 record before losing to...

By JOE DODD Gilmer Buckeyes’ and future Texas Longhorn teammates G.J. Kinne and Curtis Brown will play in nationally televised football all-star games on Saturday, Jan. 6. Brown will play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl starting at 12 noon on NBC. Kinne will play in the East Meets West High School All-American Football Game starting at 2 p.m. on ESPN-U. The U.S. Army All-American Bowl will be played at the Alamodome in San Antonio, while the East Meets West High School All-American Football Game will be played at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Brown will play cornerback for the West Team despite seeing limited playing time on defense the past two seasons. Brown started at cornerback as a sophomore on the Buckeyes’ 2004 state championship team before moving to receiver his final two seasons. As a receiver Brown totaled 1,944 yards on 103 catches and scored 24 touchdowns. He also ran for 918 yards and scored 9 touchdowns on only 63 carries. Gil...