Bulldogs' Parks 'the real deal'
NEDERLAND -- Name Nederland's best football player after two games in the 2002 season. You'd never guess it without help.
Since you've looked at this feature story's headline and accompanying mug shot, you've cheated. The answer has been a punter/place kicker/backup wide receiver.
Curtis Parks is not performing at the level of just any old toe in Southeast Texas. He's the best all-around at what he does. He belongs in a Division 1 school's program next season, if he continues to kick as well as he has.
Parks just takes a football field and tilts it, that's all. The 17-year-old son of Joe and Cathye Parks is capable of delivering the spectacular -- like a game-winning 54-yard field goal.
That opportunity could arrive Friday night when Nederland (1-1 and 0-0) hosts No. 7-rated West Orange-Stark (3-0 and 1-0) at 7:30 in Bulldog Stadium.
Of course those type of opportunities are dreams of a lifetime. There's no certainty that a long-distance field goal will settle a WO-S/Nederland outcome. But there's certainty that the kicking game in general may have a large bearing on the outcome.
Parks' performance in two games has been close enough to perfect. He punted six times at La Marque for 253 yards. La Marque's punt return squad ran those six punts back a total of four yards. That means Curtis compiled a net average of 41 1/2 yards a punt at La Marque.
If you're into stats, you take 249 yards and divide it by six and you get 41 1/2. That's good enough to be employed by either of the state's pro teams.
"Your net average is probably more important than the regular (punt) average because you try to have good hang time," said Parks, who attended kicking camps last summer at Tulane and Rice.
The weird thing about it is Parks needs the publicity. Texas, Texas A&M, LSU, they need to know about this 6-1, 190-pounder who is also a fine student. Typical of Nederland's players over the last several years, Parks has received precious little college attention.
And he's not JUST a good punter. Curtis booted a 45-yard field goal last Friday night at West Brook to go with his 46-yard field goal in last year's 4A Division I regional playoff victory over Magnolia. How far can Parks kick a field goal. In case we need to know this Friday night, let's ask him.
"I've kicked a 63-yarder during practice," he said. "So I believe anything from 60 in but I'm accurate from 50 in."
Nederland head coach Larry Neumann watched from the sidelines and said last week's 45-yarder would have been good from 55 yards easily.
"The Good Lord has blessed Curtis with great genetics but he's worked very hard," Neumann said. "He's very committed to what it takes to be a good kicker. I think he will go Division 1. His bad punts are 35, 40 yards and his really good ones are boomers with maximum hang time."
Curtis' father, Joe, stood about 6-6, 230 and stood out as a basketball star at Nederland and Stephen F. Austin State University. That height came in handy last Friday at West Brook because two high snaps came in Parks' direction.
For stat keepers, Curtis punted once at WB for 46 with no return yardage. His net 46 average did not begin to reveal Curtis' value as a punter and an athlete against the Bruins. Parks jumped to catch a high snap on Nederland's second play of the second quarter. The 46-yarder stopped dead at West Brook's one-yard line.
After West Brook answered with its own 46-yard punt to Nederland's 42, the Bulldogs' offense produced another three-and-out, forcing Parks to punt again with the line of scrimmage being Nederland's 44. The ensuing high snap forced Parks to improvise but he completed a 21-yard pass to Travis Davis.
"When I ran to pick up the ball, I was thinking about punting it," Parks said. "When I picked it up, I saw Travis Davis was open, so I just threw it to him."
You want more of Curtis' superior work? You got it. The senior kicked off seven times in the West Brook game. One landed in the end zone. Another was caught at the goal. Two more were caught at the Bruins 1. One traveled to the 9 and two more to the 15. When a kickoff man boots the ball that high and deep, it usually helps the return team to get downfield in good shape and force the opposing offense to start deep in its own territory.
If the Cowboys, Texans, Longhorns or Aggies need a first-rate kicker, they can call Larry Neumann about this guy. Curtis Parks is the real deal.
BULLDOG BITES
Nederland's film-grade leaders against West Brook were running back Daniel Tompkins and Ben Davis (both at 86), defensive end Chris Pierce and safety Colin Weber (85), safety Julian Nunez (81) and Tyler Nemeth (80).... Tackle leaders at WB were Pierce with nine, LB Darin Smith (6 solos and 2 assists), CB Evan Foxworth (5 and 4), OLB Ross Matt (5 and 3) and safety Julian Nunez with 5.... Ben Davis should be ready to go Friday night. Davis departed the game early in the third quarter with cramps and never returned.... Senior LB Johnny Pittman (rotator cuff) returned to practice on Monday but his status for Friday's WO-S game remained doubtful. Lineman Casey Adams returned Monday after being sidelined by a high ankle sprain.... Dogs are still considering numerous personnel changes, especially on defense, after playing only two games.... The NHS student body will have a pep rally Friday at 2:30 in the Dogdome. Langham elementary school students will greet the Dogs onfield before the game Friday night and will conduct their own pep rally for NHS players on Thursday at 2 p.m.