When Guyer's current seniors were freshmen, there was not a lot of excitement buzzing around the coaches' offices in the football fieldhouse.
The sophomores at that time were loaded with talent, and the younger class was a bit of an afterthought.
"We didn't have these expectations for them," Guyer coach John Walsh. "It was a class that had to buy in to working and doing everything the program stands for, and they did it all. They bought into everything, whether it was lifting or running track or whatever. They trusted the program and set themselves up for success."
Instead, the class of 2012 surprised Walsh and many others in the program by having nine players sign national letters of intent Wednesday, including six who signed with Football Bowl Subdivision programs.
Two of those signees, Dominic Ramacher (Oklahoma State) and Conner Crane (Stanford), have been solid commits for quite some time. And the Guyer teammates had some friendly banter leading up to the Fiesta Bowl last month, which OSU won 41-38 in an overtime thriller.
"A couple of months before the game, we knew there was a possibility of them playing each other, so that's when the trash talking started," said Ramacher, who is the fourth Guyer player to sign with Oklahoma State in the past two seasons. "He thought he had me for the whole game, but then we got him late."
Ramacher, who recorded 95 tackles and three interceptions at middle linebacker in 2011, moved over to the defensive side of the ball for his senior season after starring in a tight end/H-back role in Guyer's offense as a junior. He had 13 offers and four positions from which to choose.
"To be versatile enough to go to middle linebacker as a senior and still get offers at tight end, fullback, H-back and middle linebacker - that means you're a quality Division I [FBS] football player," Walsh said.
Ramacher, the nation's No. 3 tight end according to ESPNU, arrived in Denton as a sophomore from Minnesota, where he was a quarterback. But with former Guyer standout J.W. Walsh at quarterback, he quickly realized that might not be the spot for him.
It took his head coach a bit longer.
"I remember, vividly, J.W.'s junior year and Dom coming in wanting to be quarterback," John Walsh said. "We're sitting in practice Dom's junior year, and I'm standing next to J.W. running the offense. And I'm standing next to the backup quarterback who's 6-3, 225 [pounds] and I thought, 'Man I'm stupid.' We told him we were moving him and he said, 'I've been waiting for you to put me somewhere.'"
Crane's story is another of growth and change.
The summer before his sophomore year, Crane remembers playing a round of golf with his father and telling him then he wanted to go to Stanford.
"The mixture between getting a world-class education and still going to play for the national championship on a year-to-year basis is too good to pass up," said Crane, who wants to become a doctor. "I don't think you can get that at very many places."
As a sophomore, Crane was exclusively a deep threat with his height and speed being too much for defensive backs to handle. As a junior, he played with two other FBS receivers and his role was limited.
But in 2011, Crane came into his own and proved to be a well-rounded, versatile wide receiver who finished with 1,004 yards and 16 touchdowns while averaging 21.4 yards per catch.
"I think Conner had to convince himself and me that he could do more," Walsh said. "I was guilty of that labeling [as strictly a deep threat]. He refused to be that guy. He knew if he wanted to be at the next level, he had to be well rounded. When all those guys left [after 2010], he made it clear that he would run everything for us. He became a versatile guy for us, and he was definitely the go-to guy."
John Ferguson, a 6-4, 240-pound offensive tackle, will continue his career at Navy, where he will move to defensive end.
Ferguson said the chance to serve his country and compete in the Big East beginning in 2015 was a key factor in choosing the Midshipmen over Air Force and Louisiana-Monroe.
"I fell in love with the coaches and the way they do things there," Ferguson said. "They're actually going to the Big East my junior year, so I was excited about that opportunity, too."
Also signing national letters of intent on Wednesday were running back Sebastain Williams (Angelo State), safety Ryan Williams (McMurry) and kicker/punter Josh King (McMurry).
With nine signees, Crane said he is proud of his classmates for the progress they showed over the past few years.
"During our freshman year no one really thought we'd be much," Crane said. "The class ahead of us obviously was lights out and had so many guys. No one thought we'd be that. We just worked hard, and hard work really paid off for this group. We're a talented group, but we really worked to get where we are. I'm proud of that."
ADAM BOEDEKER can be reached at 940-566-6872. His e-mail address is aboedeker@dentonrc.com .
