Matt Elam Then Matt Elam Now

By: LONNY DEMAREE



The Date:
August 2011 - The opening day of the high school season

The Scene:
Lindsey Wilson College in Kentucky.

The occasion:
John Hardin High School versus Lexington Henry Clay High School in a football contest.

This writer is a friend of the Henry Clay kicking coach. His main thing is the owner of the Cox Clothing Store in the old Festival Market in downtown Lexington. How that friendship developed - don't ask me. I have often traveled to out of town games as a traveling companion to Henry Clay football games. Lindsey Wilson was one of them. Henry Clay suffered it's worse defeat in many years.

I knew absolutely nothing about John Hardin's football team. And as the game developed amongst several good John Hardin players on the field #69 kept jumping out at me. In my vast experience of watching high school football if their a standout on the field he will quickly jump out at you. Who is this kid? I was informed that he was Matt Elam. Without a program in hand that's all I knew.

I immediately informed Joker Phillips that he needed to take a serious look at this kid. I later discovered that this kid was only a sophomore.

Now on the verge of perhaps becoming a Wildcat and having seen him twice since then - what a catch for the Wildcats if they can get him. I last saw Elam against Louisville Seneca in Louisville the first game of the just concluded season. Among other attributes what impress me was the fact that he played every down on defense and every down on special teams. At his size that to me was a testament to his stamina.

So perhaps the affable Elam will announce for the Wildcats today at the Army All-American All-Star game in San Antonio, Texas on national TV. Under Stoops anomalies just keep on coming.