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Gulf duo picks up lessons at Army combine

The quarterback and receiver learn how much work they must do on and off the field.

By FRANK PASTOR
Published January 11, 2006

NEW PORT RICHEY - As they walked to their hotel before the U.S. Army All-American National Combine last weekend in San Antonio, Texas, Gulf juniors Alton Voss and Shawn Williamson were surprised by the size of the other athletes.

"We thought we were big, because in our county we're considered big players," Voss said. "We get there, and everybody is bigger than us."

Nevertheless, Voss and Williamson stood tall while competing against more than 500 of the nation's top underclassmen in the NFL-style combine.

Voss, the third-best junior quarterback in the state, according to recruiting Web site FlaVarsity.com (part of the Rivals.com network), was 26th in the 40-yard dash with a time of 4.61 seconds, his best ever. He was timed in 4.65 during skill workouts at Gulf and 4.75 at a combine Dec. 10 at Gulf.

Voss, 6-feet-3, 212 pounds, scored 4.38 in the pro agility drill and 26.5 in the vertical jump.

The 6-foot-3, 190-pound Williamson, one of the county's top receivers, placed fifth in the 40 with a time of 4.5 seconds and 10th in the pro agility drill with a score of 4.1.

Voss credited the work he and Williamson have done with strength and conditioning specialist Rob Oppedisano for helping with their times.

"He knows what he's doing and he doesn't let us get through a drill unless we do it right and understand what we're doing," Voss said. "That, and just repetition, doing it over and over. I think that's what really helped my time to come down."

Voss said he and Williamson took two things out of the experience: a better appreciation for the importance of grades and test scores, and an understanding of how hard they'll have to work to reach the skill level of some of the players at the combine.

"When I was at quarterback, there was about 50 quarterbacks and every single one of them was good," Voss said.

"It showed me I need to start lifting more and (work on) little things like drops on my passing, my throwing, because everybody else is that much better than what is around us."

When they weren't working out in front of coaches and scouts, Voss and Williamson did some sightseeing. They attended the U.S. Army All-American Bowl at the Alamodome and visited the Riverwalk and the Alamo.

"It was interesting, just seeing (the Alamo)," Voss said. "It's a big thing, but the rooms are small. I thought there would be more rooms in it. It's just two rooms and that was it. I was surprised about that. It was something neat to see."

From the sounds of it, so were Voss and Williamson.

[Last modified January 11, 2006, 00:41:19]