Apologies for the different format. We'll return to the regular format next week.
FEHOKO
There isn't a whole lot more to say about Texas Tech's standing with Kahuku (HI) Kahuku linebacker V.J. Fehoko that hasn't been said over the past few days.
If he had to choose today, we are confident that he would sign with the Red Raiders. That being said, he seems to be very, very set - as is his right - on measuring and weighing all of his options equally. From a purely Texas Tech standpoint, that obviously isn't great news.
Fehoko has visited the program several times and spent more time in Lubbock than most of Texas Tech's commitments combined. He's very comfortable with the staff and, along with his family, definitely loves the the South Plains. That being said, to drop a cliche, familiarity breeds contempt.
That isn't to say that it is a factor now, because we don't get the impression that it is. But it certainly could be, especially once Fehoko starts taking his official visits.
If we had to handicap it, we would bet that - unless a heavy-weight enters the fray - his recruitment will come down to UCLA and Texas Tech.
RAIDERS HAVE A GREAT SHOT WITH BOWEN
It seems that visits and camps have pretty much all come to a rest for Memphis (TN) Trezevant linebacker Cortez Bowen. He was expected to attend a Memphis camp a few weeks ago, but the senior-to-be explained that he didn’t make it.
"No sir, I didn’t go to their camp," said Bowen. "I was going to go but the schedule didn’t work out."
In fact, that’s the only time that Memphis even came up in the conversation. The Tennessee native did not mention the Tigers when asked who he would want to visit on an official visit this fall.
"I don’t plan on taking all of my visits, just maybe two or three," he said. "Texas Tech is going to be one of my visits and Southern Miss will be one as well."
Bowen has visited Southern Miss and Middle Tennessee State previously, but we like the Red Raiders chances in this one.
"If I had to choose one or two I’d choose Texas Tech and Southern Miss," said Bowen.
Though he wouldn’t say it, we still believe that Tech has the edge on this one right now and it’s mostly because of wide receiver coach Dennis Simmons.
"He’s just a good guy," Bowen said of his recruiting coach. "He’s real cool. When he talks, he talks like he’s one of my people that I hang with. He’s just cool and a down to earth guy."
The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder admitted that he connected with Simmons better than other coaches.
"He wants me to come out because they like my speed," explained Bowen. "They like how I run and attack the quarterback. That’s my job, to get the quarterback.
"He doesn’t have to say much about the school because I know that it’s one of the top elite schools in the country. Of course Tech has a great offense but I definitely feel like I would be a big help."
Another reason we like the Red Raiders' chances is that Bowen didn’t hide the fact that he wants to play for a good football team. Out of his other offers, Texas Tech has the most prestigious program by far.
We’re not sure on when exactly this fall Bowen will visit the Hub City, but we expect a commitment from him shortly afterward, if not while he’s there.
IS PORTER LEANING TOWARD LSU?
Louisiana native Elliott Porter grew up smack dab in the heart of LSU country, yet when the Bayou Bengals came calling last month with a scholarship offer, he didn’t reward them with his commitment. At first, the conventional thinking was that it was because head coach Les Miles wanted Porter not as a defensive lineman, but rather as an offensive lineman. However, Porter revealed to us this week that he isn’t concerned "even a little bit" about which position he plays in college. So why didn’t he commit on the spot?
"I’m not the kind of guy who is going to just jump into something head first without doing my due diligence," he said. "I want to see things and make the right choice. I’m a big LSU fan, I’m not going to lie to you, but that doesn’t mean even for a second that I think that’s the best place for me. It may end up not being right for me."
Still with a self-imposed deadline of "early August" on his decision, it would seem as though LSU has the upper hand. He indicated that he would like to visit three schools: Florida State, LSU, and Texas Tech this summer, but due to financial constraints, he will probably only make the visit to Baton Rouge. In our eyes, that’s a big hurdle for Tech to climb. When we asked him whether or not he could see himself playing at a school he had never visited, he initially replied, "Maybe."
But then he quickly amended his answer, saying, "Actually, probably not. If I don’t visit a school, it would be tough for me to commit to them."
Porter maintained that he wants to visit Tech and likes what they have to offer, and he may potentially end up taking an official to Lubbock even if he’s committed elsewhere, but it doesn’t look promising. If Porter doesn’t make the trip out to the Hub City before August, we’d be very surprised if the Red Raiders stood a chance with the star defensive tackle.
From what we've heard from sources knowledgeable of the Louisiana recruiting scene, the Seminoles lead in a big way at this point.
WADE HOPING TO MAKE AN IMPACT
For four-star signee Myles Wade, his time in Lubbock represents an opportunity to make a statement.
"I want to come in and be the best teammate and best player I can possibly be to help the team out," he explained. "I want to send a message that you can overcome hardship and excel and I want people to know that Texas Tech is where great things can happen. But in order to do that, I have to keep my head down, work hard, and become the best player I can become."
With no remaining redshirt year, Wade is being counted on to come in and provide some depth for the defensive tackle rotation immediately, but, fortunately, he won’t be asked to come in and be the lynchpin of the defense within a month of his arrival. However, don’t expect that to diminish Wade’s work ethic one bit. He is excited about any role he is able to earn and is looking forward to moving into the next phase of his life.
Wade is hoping to earn his undergraduate and graduate degrees within the next three years, a goal he’ll start toward when Tech starts classes here in a few days, and he’s excited about what most people would call a busy workload.
"I’m going to have football and school, and that’s really it," he laughed. "Compared to what I’ve been doing the past year or so, schedule wise, this is going to be great. I’m going to have support and great coaching and encouraging teammates, and those are all things I’ve had to do without. It’s going to be a lot of work, but it’s also going to be a lot of fun."
DON'T COUNT OUT HAYNES YET
No one really knows if Orange (TX) West Orange-Stark product James Haynes is actually going to take a summer road trip like he hopes to. He’s been mentioning for several weeks now that his father was going to pack up the car and they were going to drive around the southern states for a week.
It sounds like it all depends on whether or not Haynes’ dad can get the time off of work. Whether he does or not, it doesn’t look like it would effect Texas Tech either way.
"I wouldn’t visit Tech. I already know enough about them," he said. "It’s in the middle of nowhere, but it’s fun in the middle of nowhere. Once you get there, it’s fun."
Unlike most of the programs that have been pursuing Haynes, the Red Raiders atleast have one individual that hasn’t let the Big 12 program slip of out of the four-star prospect’s mind.
"I’ve been keeping in touch with Jacoby (Franks)," said Haynes. "He’ll talk about the coaches asking about me and his little brother. He’s letting me know about their workouts and everything."
A lot of Tech fans wrote off Haynes almost a year ago when the Red Raiders were the first to offer and all he could talk about was LSU and Texas. Still, he doesn’t have an offer from either, although Florida has since extended a full scholarship.
"I might go to Florida this summer for the Friday Night Lights camp. I really want to check them out."
Besides the Gators, it looks like Texas Tech is primarily fighting Texas A&M and Oklahoma. Stanford and Arkansas are also possibilities, as Haynes has listed them in his top five off and on over the past months.
Haynes told us that he’s wanting to have a decision made by the beginning of the season. If he doesn’t go on any additional visits this summer, then we’re not sure what he’s going to have to base his decision off of.
The only school that he has an offer from and has consistently visited since he was a sophomore is Texas Tech.
While they aren't in the drivers seat, the Red Raiders aren't completely out of the car yet.
FEHOKO
There isn't a whole lot more to say about Texas Tech's standing with Kahuku (HI) Kahuku linebacker V.J. Fehoko that hasn't been said over the past few days.
If he had to choose today, we are confident that he would sign with the Red Raiders. That being said, he seems to be very, very set - as is his right - on measuring and weighing all of his options equally. From a purely Texas Tech standpoint, that obviously isn't great news.
Fehoko has visited the program several times and spent more time in Lubbock than most of Texas Tech's commitments combined. He's very comfortable with the staff and, along with his family, definitely loves the the South Plains. That being said, to drop a cliche, familiarity breeds contempt.
That isn't to say that it is a factor now, because we don't get the impression that it is. But it certainly could be, especially once Fehoko starts taking his official visits.
If we had to handicap it, we would bet that - unless a heavy-weight enters the fray - his recruitment will come down to UCLA and Texas Tech.
RAIDERS HAVE A GREAT SHOT WITH BOWEN
It seems that visits and camps have pretty much all come to a rest for Memphis (TN) Trezevant linebacker Cortez Bowen. He was expected to attend a Memphis camp a few weeks ago, but the senior-to-be explained that he didn’t make it.
"No sir, I didn’t go to their camp," said Bowen. "I was going to go but the schedule didn’t work out."
In fact, that’s the only time that Memphis even came up in the conversation. The Tennessee native did not mention the Tigers when asked who he would want to visit on an official visit this fall.
"I don’t plan on taking all of my visits, just maybe two or three," he said. "Texas Tech is going to be one of my visits and Southern Miss will be one as well."
Bowen has visited Southern Miss and Middle Tennessee State previously, but we like the Red Raiders chances in this one.
"If I had to choose one or two I’d choose Texas Tech and Southern Miss," said Bowen.
Though he wouldn’t say it, we still believe that Tech has the edge on this one right now and it’s mostly because of wide receiver coach Dennis Simmons.
"He’s just a good guy," Bowen said of his recruiting coach. "He’s real cool. When he talks, he talks like he’s one of my people that I hang with. He’s just cool and a down to earth guy."
The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder admitted that he connected with Simmons better than other coaches.
"He wants me to come out because they like my speed," explained Bowen. "They like how I run and attack the quarterback. That’s my job, to get the quarterback.
"He doesn’t have to say much about the school because I know that it’s one of the top elite schools in the country. Of course Tech has a great offense but I definitely feel like I would be a big help."
Another reason we like the Red Raiders' chances is that Bowen didn’t hide the fact that he wants to play for a good football team. Out of his other offers, Texas Tech has the most prestigious program by far.
We’re not sure on when exactly this fall Bowen will visit the Hub City, but we expect a commitment from him shortly afterward, if not while he’s there.
IS PORTER LEANING TOWARD LSU?
Louisiana native Elliott Porter grew up smack dab in the heart of LSU country, yet when the Bayou Bengals came calling last month with a scholarship offer, he didn’t reward them with his commitment. At first, the conventional thinking was that it was because head coach Les Miles wanted Porter not as a defensive lineman, but rather as an offensive lineman. However, Porter revealed to us this week that he isn’t concerned "even a little bit" about which position he plays in college. So why didn’t he commit on the spot?
"I’m not the kind of guy who is going to just jump into something head first without doing my due diligence," he said. "I want to see things and make the right choice. I’m a big LSU fan, I’m not going to lie to you, but that doesn’t mean even for a second that I think that’s the best place for me. It may end up not being right for me."
Still with a self-imposed deadline of "early August" on his decision, it would seem as though LSU has the upper hand. He indicated that he would like to visit three schools: Florida State, LSU, and Texas Tech this summer, but due to financial constraints, he will probably only make the visit to Baton Rouge. In our eyes, that’s a big hurdle for Tech to climb. When we asked him whether or not he could see himself playing at a school he had never visited, he initially replied, "Maybe."
But then he quickly amended his answer, saying, "Actually, probably not. If I don’t visit a school, it would be tough for me to commit to them."
Porter maintained that he wants to visit Tech and likes what they have to offer, and he may potentially end up taking an official to Lubbock even if he’s committed elsewhere, but it doesn’t look promising. If Porter doesn’t make the trip out to the Hub City before August, we’d be very surprised if the Red Raiders stood a chance with the star defensive tackle.
From what we've heard from sources knowledgeable of the Louisiana recruiting scene, the Seminoles lead in a big way at this point.
WADE HOPING TO MAKE AN IMPACT
For four-star signee Myles Wade, his time in Lubbock represents an opportunity to make a statement.
"I want to come in and be the best teammate and best player I can possibly be to help the team out," he explained. "I want to send a message that you can overcome hardship and excel and I want people to know that Texas Tech is where great things can happen. But in order to do that, I have to keep my head down, work hard, and become the best player I can become."
With no remaining redshirt year, Wade is being counted on to come in and provide some depth for the defensive tackle rotation immediately, but, fortunately, he won’t be asked to come in and be the lynchpin of the defense within a month of his arrival. However, don’t expect that to diminish Wade’s work ethic one bit. He is excited about any role he is able to earn and is looking forward to moving into the next phase of his life.
Wade is hoping to earn his undergraduate and graduate degrees within the next three years, a goal he’ll start toward when Tech starts classes here in a few days, and he’s excited about what most people would call a busy workload.
"I’m going to have football and school, and that’s really it," he laughed. "Compared to what I’ve been doing the past year or so, schedule wise, this is going to be great. I’m going to have support and great coaching and encouraging teammates, and those are all things I’ve had to do without. It’s going to be a lot of work, but it’s also going to be a lot of fun."
DON'T COUNT OUT HAYNES YET
No one really knows if Orange (TX) West Orange-Stark product James Haynes is actually going to take a summer road trip like he hopes to. He’s been mentioning for several weeks now that his father was going to pack up the car and they were going to drive around the southern states for a week.
It sounds like it all depends on whether or not Haynes’ dad can get the time off of work. Whether he does or not, it doesn’t look like it would effect Texas Tech either way.
"I wouldn’t visit Tech. I already know enough about them," he said. "It’s in the middle of nowhere, but it’s fun in the middle of nowhere. Once you get there, it’s fun."
Unlike most of the programs that have been pursuing Haynes, the Red Raiders atleast have one individual that hasn’t let the Big 12 program slip of out of the four-star prospect’s mind.
"I’ve been keeping in touch with Jacoby (Franks)," said Haynes. "He’ll talk about the coaches asking about me and his little brother. He’s letting me know about their workouts and everything."
A lot of Tech fans wrote off Haynes almost a year ago when the Red Raiders were the first to offer and all he could talk about was LSU and Texas. Still, he doesn’t have an offer from either, although Florida has since extended a full scholarship.
"I might go to Florida this summer for the Friday Night Lights camp. I really want to check them out."
Besides the Gators, it looks like Texas Tech is primarily fighting Texas A&M and Oklahoma. Stanford and Arkansas are also possibilities, as Haynes has listed them in his top five off and on over the past months.
Haynes told us that he’s wanting to have a decision made by the beginning of the season. If he doesn’t go on any additional visits this summer, then we’re not sure what he’s going to have to base his decision off of.
The only school that he has an offer from and has consistently visited since he was a sophomore is Texas Tech.
While they aren't in the drivers seat, the Red Raiders aren't completely out of the car yet.
