By FRED CONLEY
T-H Sports Editor
As the Forrest City Mustang football team works toward the conclusion of spring drills, all eyes have been focused on senior offensive lineman Stephen Henry.
And there have been many pairs of eyes on the practice field the last couple of weeks.
The Mustangs will play a Blue-White scrimmage game today at 3:30 p.m., and Henry, once again, is sure to draw a crowd.
Henry, at 6-3, 335, is being and has been called the "best offensive lineman in the state."
He has become the state's "biggest prize."
That's the state of Arkansas, not Northeast Arkansas and not the AAAAA-East Conference. The whole state, border-to-border.
No less than a half-dozen Division I college coaches have already placed their bid for the Mustang lineman, who didn't even start playing football until his ninth grade year.
The University of Arkansas has already offered Henry a scholarship. Ken Hatfield and his Rice Owls have been watching Henry as has Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Oklahoma State, Arkansas State and almost all of the in-state AIC schools.
That list will grow longer before Henry makes his decision.
Henry is the first Mustang football player since the late 1980s to draw this much wide-spread attention.
Recently Henry impressed the coaches at the FCA Combine held in Fayetteville.
"He was in a class by himself," according to Forrest City Coach Donnie Willis. "He is deserving of this attention, because he has worked hard to get to this point.
"He is power packed and a very strong kid and has made great strides since his sophomore season," Willis added. "But the one thing that sets him apart from all of the others is his size.That is something you can't teach.He a special young man."
Henry isn't just big -- he's big and quick and agile and he loves the game.
Henry will begin his senior season with the Mustangs at a trim 335 pounds, down from more than 350 last season when he started every game for the Mustangs. As a sophomore, he didn't start, but he played a lot of minutes.
Willis says Henry still has a "lot of raw talent," but noted that going into his senior season, "he is right where he needs to be."
He is close to being a called a "complete lineman."
But Henry isn't the only Mustang player drawing preseason attention.
Willis said there is a good quarterback battle brewing as the Mustangs head into their 2003 schedule -- riding a great deal of anticipation.
Senior Tae Chism, who logged valuable playing time a year ago, is leading the QB pack at this point, "based largely on his past experience. But Chism is being pushed by Terrance Ware, Ben Horton and Marcus Fair.
The Mustangs' backfield will house such backs as Corey Embry, Andre Johnson, Andrew Embry, Demarcus Sinclair and Goldie Hicks.
"We have a lot of incoming sophomores who are already making impressions with the coaching staff," Willis said. "Granted they are young and raw in the skill areas, but the talent level is high and I believe that many of them will play a lot for us this next season."
Chism and Fair will lead the Blue team today while Ware and Horton will call the signals for the White team.
The Mustang coaches held a "draft" Wednesday to determine today's Blue and White rosters.
Both teams are filled with lots of talent which should make today's scrimmage interesting as well as fun to watch.
The White team will be coached by Jeff Hudson, Monty Thornton, Chuck Sartin and John Burgess.
Willis, Tommy Wheetley and Reggie Murphy will coach the Blue team.
But make no mistake, Henry is certain to be the scimmage's "biggest" drawing card today.
Willis says Henry is taking the media blitz in stride.
"I've talked to him abut the attention he is getting already and the attention he will continue to get all through the football season," Willis said. "He is handling it well and he has to stay focused on his grades, graduation and working hard. He is taking that attention and turning it toward the entire Forrest City football team and those players who have the ability to become in the future Division I prospects themselves. He knows. He's well-grounded."