Liberty’s Norris hopes to duplicate another local receiver’s success at Southern Utah

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Monday, Jan. 25, 2010 | 12:44 p.m.

It didn't take much for Liberty High senior wide receiver Anthony Norris to be convinced he could flourish on the Southern Utah football team.

Norris took his recruiting trip to the Cedar City, Utah, school this weekend and had a chance to visit with Thunderbirds receiver Tysson Poots, who shined at Coronado High in Henderson.

Seeing the success Poots had at the next level was all Norris needed to give the Football Championship Subdivision — formerly 1-AA — school a verbal commitment. Commitments are non-binding and don't become official until national signing day Feb. 3.

Poots had 297 career receptions for 2,745 yards and 35 touchdown in three years. He caught 85 passes for 1,081 yards and 15 touchdowns last fall, leading the Great West Conference in receptions, receiving yards per game and scoring.

"Tysson is an All-American and plays my position, so he is going to help me learn the offense," Norris said. "He said that everyone gets bigger as soon as they get up there."

The 6-foot-4, 215-pound Norris had 18 receptions for 287 yards and two touchdowns in 2009, switching from wide receiver to tight end midway through the season to better fit into Liberty's run-first offense.

"He is more of a possession type of receiver," Liberty coach Rich Muraco said. "When we moved him to tight end, he was a good blocker. He has a good frame and will be able to put on (some bulk). When you see him in person, you are impressed with him physically."

Norris plans to train with Poots this summer and said he could compete for playing time as a freshman.

"Tysson is going to teach my how to use my body," Norris said.

Norris, who also had interest from UNLV and South Dakota, is the first from Liberty to receive a football scholarship, Muraco said. The program, which debuted in 2003, also won its first playoff game in 2009, beating Canyon Springs in the Sunrise Regional quarterfinals.