By Matt Remsberg, Special to SI.com, RISE
Stay humble.
When Terrence Toliver first heard those words from his mother, he was too young to know what they meant. But she's repeated them so many times over the years that he now views them as words to live by.
Whether he was running around the neighborhood and playing catch with his cousin or scorching the competition on youth football fields, Toliver's mom, Sheila Williams, always had the same words of wisdom for her son.
Toliver, now a senior wide receiver at Hempstead, has had plenty of opportunities to heed that mantra throughout a tumultuous high school career. Following his mother's advice has put him in position to choose among the nation's elite college football programs.
"My mom has always tried to keep my head straight," says Toliver, who is rated the nation's No. 2 wide receiver and No. 20 overall recruit in the Class of 2007 by RISE. "I'm thankful she did because it made me who I am today."
Simply looking at his numbers, you'd never know Toliver is one of the most sought-after pass catchers in the country. The 6-foot-5, 190-pound speedster is still consideringschools including LSU and Florida. But is he worthy of his status as the No. 1 wide receiver in Texas?
Absolutely, says Hempstead coach Ricky Sargent. "Teams would see him on film and immediately identify him as the guy they needed to shut down. But he's a competitor and he never got down. He made the most of every opportunity he could."
That's because triple coverage during his junior season was a breeze compared to his freshman and sophomore campaigns. Toliver opened his high school career at Huntsville, where his talent was wasted on sub-varsity squads for much of the season.
He was finally promoted to the varsity team with three games left on the schedule and quickly proved he should have been there all along. His first catch went for a 50-yard touchdown and he was so dominant in the final three games -- catching at least one touchdown in each contest -- that he ended up becoming a unanimous All-District first team selection.
But after such a successful conclusion to his first season, Toliver's humility was instantly put to the test. He and his mother moved from Huntsville to Hempstead prior to his sophomore year, putting Toliver back at the bottom of the barrel. He easily earned a varsity spot at his new school and became the No. 1 option at wide receiver. Unfortunately for Toliver, being the No. 1 option at wide receiver in the Bobcats' triple-option offense turned out to be a crash course in run blocking.
"Each year has seemed to have some sort of roadblock in front of it," says Toliver. "Sophomore year was frustrating, but it's a team game. I was ready for the ball on every play. If I didn't get the ball, I didn't get the ball. But I had to be ready again the next play."
Toliver didn't take plays off or complain about his role. That's not how his mother raised him. He worked hard every down and managed to record 30 catches for 550 yards and 10 TDs as a sophomore, earning All-District first team honors again. But once the 1-9 season was mercifully over, Toliver was more than ready to transfer back to Huntsville for his junior year.
That's when Sargent came to Toliver's rescue. After helping Jasper reach three consecutive Class 3A state semifinals as an assistant coach, Sargent was hired to take over Hempstead's program in the spring of Toliver's sophomore year. The new coach abandoned the triple-option attack in favor of a spread offense, a change that kept one of the state's most dangerous playmakers at Hempstead.
"It wasn't until about a week before our first game that he officially decided to stay," says Sargent, who guided the Bobcats to a 6-4 record last fall. "It was a huge relief for everyone because he's a rare talent. With his size, speed and moves, he's a threat to score on every play."
Size, speed and moves. Those vague terms are seemingly thrown around to describe nearly every potential Division I college football player. But Toliver truly embodies all three. He used his 6-foot-5 frame to average 22 points and seven boards per game for the Hempstead boys' basketball team last winter, proving he knows how to use his body to his advantage. Loft a pass in his direction and he'll go up strong to pull it down every time. He's also capable of simply blowing by defenders. Need proof?
Check out his first-place medals in the 4x400 relay and long jump from last spring's Class 3A state track meet. As an added bonus, Toliver knows how to make people miss.
"He's a wide receiver with running back moves," Sargent says.
Get him the ball in the open field and he'll leave a trail of defenders with broken ankles in his wake. Basically, think Randy Moss without the attitude.
"There are certain kids who start off well and then start taking things for granted," Sargent says. "Terrence started off well and then started working even harder. That's the only way you get to the level he's at now."
And to think, he has his mom's advice to thank for everything.
