Southerns Burke is a gamechanger

Russell Meyers has been the head coach at Southern High since 1995, and in that time he's watched more than a few talented players don the Bulldogs blue. Those past stars weren't exactly knocking on the doors of Ohio State, but they had enough gifts to earn a few All-County and All-State honors.

But of the scores and scores of Southern athletes Meyers has coached these last 15 years, none stands out more than Davonte Burke, his do-everything senior.

"He's as good of a player as I've ever had in this program," Meyers said. "He's got good speed, he's got size, he's got quickness, he's got strength, he can jump - everything. He's a solid all-around athlete."

Many coaches are given to hyperbole and exaggeration, especially when speaking on their own players. But it's hard to argue with Meyers' assessment.

Burke is a 6-foot-2, 190-pound specimen cut straight from the pages of a Nike ad. And his game gives credence to his body-builder looks. Last year he played multiple positions on offense, defense and special teams, performing admirably regardless of where he lined up.

"Just put me on the field," Burke said. "I'll play anywhere."

At running back he rushed for 872 yards and averaged over 7 yards per carry. At receiver he tallied 250 yards, averaging 24 yards per catch. Defensively, rotating between cornerback and safety, Burke's recorded four interceptions and numerous tackles the last two seasons. As a kick and punt returner, he returned two kicks for touchdowns last year.

Indeed, Burke practically built a tent in the end zone in 2010. Besides his two kick returns, he recorded 18 touchdowns, 10 of which were more than 50 yards.

"Every time I get the ball in my hands, I can smell the end zone," Burke said. "I know how to score."

Meyers recalls a Week 3 game against South River last year, when his offense stalled early. Trailing 10-0, he called a counter run for Burke. The electric Burke took the hand-off, cut back, dodged a tackler and then dashed 60 yards for a touchdown. Then, later in the game, he took a kickoff back 90 yards untouched for a second score. Southern went on to win, 20-17.

"He's a game-changer, a game breaker," Meyers said. "He has that kind of speed, vision and ability."

Burke is in the spotlight when he's running the football, but defense is where he truly shines. He burst onto the scene his sophomore year at cornerback, when he grabbed four interceptions, including a couple acrobatic plays deep down the field.

But as a strong safety, Burke likes to sneak up near the line of scrimmage, waiting for some poor fullback to catch a swing pass out in the flat. When the 'back turns to corral the throw, Burke pounces.

"I love when that happens," Burke said. "Against Glen Burnie, the fullback caught a pass in the flat and cut upfield. I just hit the guy and he did a flip. I can fill the gaps quickly and deliver the hits."

Burke's multifaceted repertoire stems from natural talent as much as his workout regimen. He's been playing football since he was in elementary school, but as a sophomore at Southern he was still raw. Meyers watched him grow from pure talent to pure football player.

"He had to work on his fundamentals, things like ball security and footwork on defense," Meyers said. "But he really took to the coaching and worked at it; he's gone to camps and he plays three sports, which has really helped him progress."

After football season Burke hits the weight room each day, making sure he stays in shape. In the winter he takes to the hardwood, where he's a starting forward on Southern's basketball team. Then, in the spring, he's on the track working on his speed.

"I work hard on my game; I'm always active," Burke said. "Weights help with my strength, of course. Basketball helps with my footwork. Then track helps me get faster. And when I'm competing against other guys it makes me push even harder."

Burke still has more work to do. For all his talent, he's still lacking in several key areas, which is probably why he hasn't received a scholarship yet. First, his 40-yard-dash time is in the 4.6 range, less than ideal for a frontline safety or cornerback.

"He plays faster than his 40, but his time is slower than it should be," Meyers said. "His start is slow."

Also, Southern uses a zone defense, which can hide certain deficiencies, like speed. Burke hasn't had much experience playing man-to-man, something college recruiters look for when scouting players.

"We didn't play man-to-man much last year, but this year we will," Burke said. "I need work on that. Physical players need to prove they can play man-to-man coverage and hang with receivers."

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Burke has to raise his GPA. Early in his high school career he shrugged off several classes and wound up with a few low marks. He's going to summer school in order to bring them up.

"He needs to qualify academically," Meyers said. "It might be the one big reason why he hasn't gotten an offer yet."

Still, that hasn't kept the scouts from making the trip to Anne Arundel County. Schools like Kansas State, Temple, Syracuse, Maine and Towson have been to Southern to talk to Burke.

"I know I have what it takes to play at that level," Burke said. "I'm willing to work to get there. This year I'm going to show them what I'm about."

Burke is predicting a 1,300-yard, 25-touchdown season to go along with multiple interceptions and a slew of tackles. Meyers, for his part, believes his young stud is fully capable.

He is, after all, the best player he's had in 15 years.

"I expect he's going to be not only one of the best players in the county but also one of the best players in the state," Meyers said. "I know what he can do. He's special."