How Dak’s NFL career started in Haughton

SHREVEPORT, La. ( KTAL/KMSS ) — Dak Prescott’s impressive NFL career all started in a small town in Louisiana called Haughton.

“Anytime you get a kid that is advanced as he is, especially in the quarterback position,” said former Haughton head coach Rodney Guin. “It’s a big deal.”

Dak Prescott had spent a big chunk of his childhood growing up around the Haughton football program, especially because his older brothers played for the Buccaneers. So, Coach Guin knew he was getting a special player years before Dak started high school.

“We were fortunate to watch him in middle school play because he played for us,” recalled Coach Guin. “He was always hanging around the field, trying to soak up whatever football he could.”

Dak started for the Buccaneers as a junior. His senior year he led Haughton to a 12-1 season making it to the state quarterfinals.

Coach Guin remembers hat senior class as something special.

“His class that he graduated with had a lot of good football players in it,” Coach Guin said. “They were very close. When Dak was there, it was some of the most fun I had coaching while at Haughton.”

That 2010 season holds one of Coach Guin’s favorite memories of Dak, Haughton’s 27-21 victory over district rival Parkway.

“His senior year, the Parkway game, was one of the greatest games that I had at Haughton,” relived Coach Guin. “He played injured in that game and kind of diced those guys up for the district championship.”

Dak set the goal for himself to play college football and did everything to make that dream come true.

When he was playing for Mississippi State, one game sticks out to Coach Guin and most Dak Prescott fans. A play many people thought could be his Heisman moment against the Bayou Bengals in 2014.

“That night at LSU,” recalled Coach Guin. “When he went down there and just kind of destroyed the tigers that night in Tiger Stadium, that was a great one too.”

Coach Guin shares that the three time-pro bowler and now highest paid NFL player in history, is excellent at remembering where he came from and respecting those who helped him along the way.

“He’s been so appreciative of what I’ve done for him, and what other coaches have done for him,” added Coach Guin. “Not just coaches, but people in the Haughton community too. He’s never taken things for granted, and he knows who helped him get where he is now. He remembers that and it means a lot to all of us.”

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