Friday can only mean one thing for the discriminating Red Raider fan.
It's time for another edition of the Red Raider Confidential! The ground rules
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Millwood loaded with 2011 talent
Red Raider fans, at least the ones who have been subscribers here for a few
years, should be very familiar with Millwood High School. The tiny school in
Oklahoma City (less than 500 students) produced two top-flight Division I
prospects for the 2007 class in Gerald Jones and
Tramain Swindall. Both visited Lubbock in the spring of 2006 and
eventually received offers. Swindall, obviously, committed and signed with Texas
Tech and Jones signed with Tennessee.
Texas Tech track phenom Gil Roberts also hails from Millwood.
The sophomore won the Big 12 400-meter championship (indoor) earlier this
spring, and earned All-American status at the national meet after falling
two-hundredths of a second short of winning an individual NCAA title.
In the years since Swindall's departure, the Falcons' football program has
continued to develop and send players on to play Division I football. Wideout
Cameron Sanders signed with Utah State this past February and
2010 linebacker Trayvon Henry has already picked up offers from
Texas Tech, Oklahoma State and Kansas State.
But in 2011, Millwood is going to be stacked with talent. While five or
six of the Falcons' sophomores could end up being legit Division I prospects,
three of them have already received verbal offers: receiver/defensive back
Josh Turner, quarterback Kevonte Richardson
and running back Emilio Gatewood.
Tulsa has offered all three, while UNLV has jumped in on Richardson and Turner
has picked up offers from Texas Tech and Nebraska within the past week. The
talented trio also look to pick up offers from Big 12 North school within the
coming weeks, too.
And much like they were when Swindall and Jones were roaming the hallways, the
Red Raiders look to be in the thick of things for this latest group of Falcons.
"Well, we've always - as everybody knows - dealt with Coach (Seth) Littrell,"
said Millwood offensive coordinator Kevin Cox on Thursday. "Once I got the word
that he was going to Arizona, Coach (Clay) McGuire called up to the school,
introduced himself and said, 'Hey guys, I'm going to be in the area. I'm hoping
to follow up and do what Coach Littrell was doing.'
"I sent some film to him early, not a lot of people send out sophomore film, but
I send out film pretty early. You guys (Rivals) have film of Kevonte as a
freshman last year. So I sent down the film, and he called me back and said,
'Man, you've got something here.' He watched the sophomores' film and said, 'We
love Kevonte, we love Josh. We think we're going to do something with them. Let
us get back from spring break and we'll tell you for sure.'
"Once they got back from spring break, Coach McGuire called back and said, 'Hey,
it's official, for Turner we're going to go ahead and extend him an (verbal)
offer.' With Kevonte, he said, 'With him being a quarterback, we want to see him
a little bit in person. So, basically, once he comes down to camp and we see
him, then we'll make a decision on him. But I think there's a great chance that
we're going to go ahead and give him an offer.'"
And though McGuire doesn't have the years of experience in Oklahoma and name
recognition around the state like Littrell, he is getting off to a great start.
"Coach McGuire is in, he's doing what he's got to do to get these guys," said
Cox. "And with Tramain and Gil Roberts being down there, our guys, they have a
love for Texas Tech. Coach McGuire's been busting his butt, he's doing a great
job staying on these guys. Honestly, Texas Tech is - basically, I see Oklahoma
City as just an extension of Texas. They (Texas Tech) grab Oklahoma City guys
like it's in Texas. McGuire's doing a great job."
The early scholarship offers speak to how well the Millwood trio performs on the
field, but they also take care of business in the classroom as well.
"The three sophomores, they are great kids. They are good in the classroom, they're good kids to be around," Cox said. "There's no (grade) concerns. They've got good families and they're going to make sure that they do the right things and get where they need to go."
Millwood will be sending down a contingent, including the trio mentioned here,
to the Fort Worth NIKE Camp early next Month. Henry, Richardson and Turner also
plan on attending a Texas Tech camp this summer.
Haynes hanging in there
We spoke with Orange (TX) West
Orange-Stark athlete James Haynes earlier this week
and he had a little more to tell us about the Red Raiders.
“Trey Franks got an offer from Texas Tech,” he said. “He and I
have been talking about maybe going to the same school if we could both go to a
place that we both want to go to.”
Haynes said that he hasn’t talked to the recruiting coaches recently from Tech,
but that he’s still getting a lot of written letters from them.
"I know that my recruiting coach left Tech. I don’t know my new one yet.”
Since even before the Red Raiders sent Haynes his first offer last September,
the talented junior has always maintained a top two of Texas and LSU and that he
would commit to the first one to offer him first. After adding some additional
offers recently, his plans might have changed a bit.
“I don’t know about that anymore. I wasn’t expecting to get offers from big time
schools like Oklahoma and Florida. I’m waiting to see what I like. I want to
take a visit to those places and, if I like them, then I will commit.”
So Texas, LSU, Oklahoma and Florida. Does Tech really have a shot of
getting a commitment from Haynes?
“Yeah, there’s always a chance. I grew up liking Tech and I still like them.
They run a spread offense and they want me to go as a wide receiver when I get
playtime. I have a good chance of the ball getting in my hands.”
While it's certainly possible, we don't get the feeling that Haynes is telling
us what he thinks we want to hear. Especially after the way he commented on his
latest offer.
“My latest offer is from SMU, but that wasn’t a huge deal to me. There’s not
really a chance I would go there. I’m not going to just have them wait on me. So
no, I wouldn’t go there.”
Also, to clarify on his position, Haynes said that Tech wants him at wideout
while Oklahoma and Florida feel he’d be best on defense. This isn't much of an
advantage, if one at all, as Haynes still said that he’s fine with either side
of the ball.
Is it still going to be an uphill battle? Yes. But to count Tech out of it at
this point when they were on him way before anyone else and the fact that he’s
said that he grew up liking Tech, don’t scratch them out of the equation just
yet.
San Antonio DT talks Texas Tech
We checked in with Texas Tech defensive tackle target Torrea Peterson
earlier this week, and the San Antonio-area product definitely isn’t short on
offers.
“It’s going well,” said Peterson, who now holds 10 written, Division I
scholarship offers. “It’s exciting and surprising at the same time. It’s a
blessing to have it happen to me. I’m just rolling with everything.”
The 6-foot-4, 300-pound lineman is really feeding off the momentum he’s been
building lately, and named a few schools that have stuck out to him thus far.
“I’ve been hearing a lot from Alabama, Oregon, Kansas and Colorado State. That’s
about it. Baylor has been at me real good, along with Oklahoma.”
So no interest in the Red Raiders?
“Tech is a cool school. They’re in my top five, to tell you the truth. I know
the coaching background of Mike Leach. He’s a pretty good coach. I know that
their defensive coordinator is Ruffin McNeill. It’s a great football team. Their
uniforms give them a boost too! That Under Armor is tight!”
Peterson has never been to the Hub City.
“I’ve heard that it’s a very lively town because of Texas Tech. They have a
hyped-up student body and the games are really crowded. I know that it’s a great
playing atmosphere, too.”
Though the Red Raiders are known for their offense, Peterson was eager to talk
up McNeill's group.
“To tell you the truth, I know that their offense overshadowed their defense but
their defense was underrated. Their defense is still a big part of them winning
their games. Their defense was pretty good last year.”
Is McNeill’s defense at Tech something that Peterson would like to be a part of?
“Possibly, I still would need to see the coaching staff. I’m open to them as an
option. I’d like to visit them sometime before next season starts. I do plan on
visiting out there.”
While we are not sure if Peterson indeed has as much interest in Tech as he
expressed, time will certainly tell.
Scouting 2011 prospects Josh Turner and Kevonte Richardson
Since Rivals has yet to post the sophomore highlights of Josh
Turner, and maybe not everyone has seen the videos for Kevonte
Richardson or Emilio Gatewood, Oklahoma City (OK)
Millwood offensive coordinator Kevin Cox graciously agreed to provide us with a
scouting report on all three prospects.
WR Josh Turner
"He's a little different. He's still really young, really young. Still kind of
growing into his body. The thing that sets him apart, like I tell everybody,
he's just so dang physical. That's what sets him apart from everybody. You'll
see his film as a cornerback, and he just blows people up. He jumps routes so
great.
"He's going to be a corner, in my opinion, at the next level. Just because he
has all the makings of a great corner. He could be 6-2 by the time he graduates.
He probably will fill out about 185-190. As a freshman, that's the last time we
clocked him in the forty, and he ran a 4.51. We had that on three watches -
4.51, 4.50 and 4.51, so it's legit. We haven't timed him since.
"I do know he's pretty explosive. He ran, just the other day in the three-cone
drill, he ran a 7.12. He's a really explosive guy, he's got about a 38" inch
vertical and can dunk the basketball any way you want. He's really explosive,
he's really fast and he's really physical.
"He could play wide receiver. A couple of guys that I've talked to project him
as a wide receiver, free safety or corner at the next level. He could play all
of those. He's a big-time wide receiver for us. He was actually our No. 2 guy
this past year, because we had a kid that averaged over 30 yards a catch that
signed with Utah State (Cameron Sanders). He was our No. 2 guy who will be our
No. 1 guy. And he wasn't a slouch, either, he averaged about 18 yards per catch
and had about seven or eight touchdowns.
"The scouting report people say on him, 'Hey, this kid is a fast receiver who
will go up and get a ball over people.' I think the first clip on his film, he
outjumps a kid from Star Spencer, who is a pretty good athlete. And Star Spencer
is a pretty big-time program around here. He just goes up and just snatches it
away.
"He's got great range, he can just do a little bit of everything. We use him
running the ball on reverses. I think he had two reverses this year - the first
time he touched a ball on a reverse, he went about 78 yards for a touchdown. The
second time, he went about 50 for a touchdown. He can just make people miss,
he's really strong for his size.
"Right now, he weighs about 170-175. He's got that weird strength where he's not
really weight room strong, he's just naturally strong. He's just an outstanding
player and also the thing that sets him apart is that he's just so smart.
Football-wise, he's extremely intelligent, picks up on things very fast.
Understands where to break routes off, understands as a DB where routes are
going, what receivers want to do. That's why he can jump routes so good because
he understands the game of football extremely well."
QB Kevonte Richardson
"We got him as a freshman. We weren't going to start him the first couple
of games, we were just going to work him into it slowly. Then we got an injury
with our starting quarterback and Kevonte got thrown into the fire. The thing
is, as a freshman, we said, alright, we are going to try and limit his mistakes
for him. Finally, we just said, 'No, the hell with that. Kevonte go play some
football.'
"As a freshman, he threw for 1,400 yards and ran for 600, and he only started
eight games. As a freshman, he could make every throw. He throws a 15 yard out
as well as any kid in college right now. His arm is just unbelievably strong. He
can do things that not a lot of kids can do.
"Everybody compares him to Gerald (Jones). The last two quarterbacks that we've
had at Millwood, Donovan Woods and Gerald Jones, both of them were All-American.
One of them just won a Super Bowl ring with the Steelers, and obviously Gerald
is at Tennessee playing. So he had big, big shoes to fill. Everybody always
compares him with those guys and to be quite honest, he's got a chance, if he
keeps progressing, to be better than both of them. He throws the ball as well as
they did, and Donovan was a good thrower in high school. Kevonte, he's just so
natural, he ran a 4.48 40 at the Top Gun Challenge. It's so effortless for him.
"Obviously, we're trying to find to find the schools that fit his style of play.
He's an exceptional dual-threat quarterback that can run and pass with anybody. So, basically, I called Texas Tech and said, 'Hey, I know this
guy is a little different than what you normally take but, guys, he can throw
the ball with anybody.'
"Him and Josh, theyr'e going to be compared to Tramain and Gerald. They play the
same positions as those two played, and that's who people see them as, Tramain
and Gerald. I think they can go to even greater heights. Those two kids are
great kids, great players and they do everything the right way."
RB Emilio Gatewood
"He's like a little waterbug. He's about 5-8, 175. The thing about him is
that this kid is so freakishly strong, he works so hard in the weight room. I
believe his max bench press is around 285, his squat is around 440-450, and his
dead lift is around 460 pounds. For a guy his size, that's getting it up in the
weight room pretty good. He's also been clocked at a 4.47 in the 40. He was a
100 meter qualifier as a freshman last year.
"This past year, he rushed for about 500 or 600 yards for us, but that was
because we had three senior running backs in front of him. He started at free
safety, but we're going to roll him down to strong safety this year - that's
more his natural defensive position. He had around 81 tackles and three
interceptions.
"I say he's a little waterbug because he can definitely make people miss, but
the kid is so strong and so powerful, a lot of the time he chooses not to make
people miss, he chooses just to run them over. He understands how strong he is,
and what he can do, so he just says, 'You know what, I'm not going to go around
you. I'm just going to go through you.'
"As a tackler, he actually knocked himself out two times last year, by hitting
people. We'd go out there on the field and he'd look up at us and go, 'What the
heck is going on?' And it's just because he hits people so far. He's kind of our
enforcer on defense. Even though we have Trayvon who's a big thumper, this
little guy is back in the secondary just roaming around. Anytime someone comes
across the middle, it's lights out. He's definitely the guy, during film
sessions, the 'oohs' and the 'ahhhs,' that's when you hear them, when he's
making a hit."
Potential receiver option? Maybe.
The Woodlands (TX) The Woodlands wide receiver Randy Knust is
not an individual that most Texas Tech fans have on their radar right now, but
maybe he should be. Though he currently only boasts one offer (SMU), the 6-2,
200-pounder says that Texas Tech sends him letters almost every day.
It’s that kind of attention that gave him a big enough reason to make the length
drive to Lubbock last month for the Red Raiders’ Junior Day.
“I looked at the campus and everything. I’ve been to A&M and LSU and they’re
right up there. I met the coach and toured the facilities. We met some of the
players; it was a lot of fun.”
For the 2010 prospect, it’s easy for him to see what makes the Red Raiders
attractive.
“They have the spread offense and they throw the ball a lot. I met the wide
receiver coach and he seems like a really nice guy. From watching this past
year, their wide receivers catch at least 60 balls a year. That just sounds
really good to me.”
One thing is for sure: Knust is definitely digging the amount of love that he’s
receiving from Tech.
“They send me letters all the time and some hand-written ones. I’ve been invited
up to their spring game and Junior Day. I’ve talked to their coaches on the
phone, just normal recruiting stuff.”
Knust says that Tech is definitely a future potential option for him and he’ll
continue to keep them in mind.
Premium Q&A: Rivals250 OL Trent Spurgeon
Have you visited Texas Tech before?
TS: "I went there in January. My sister had an indoor
track meet there and that was the reason that I went."
What’d you think?
TS: "It’s different because it’s out in the middle of
nowhere. It’s different from what I’ve seen but I like the middle of nowhere.
I’m not a city boy by all means. I liked it. The campus is as nice as it could
be in the desert. It’s not really green but I’m not going there because of the
grass."
Could you see yourself spend four or five years down there?
TS: "They definitely throw the ball more. I like a big
high-powered offense that could score at any point. Coach Leach is a character
and it’d be fun to play for him."
What was offensive line coach Matt Moore like?
TS: "He’s nice. I don’t’ really know how he coaches. I haven’t
seen him in action but he’s nice and genuine. He seems like he’s going to do
anything he can for me to be better."
Do you have any plans to visit Texas Tech in the near future?
TS: "I think we’re going some time in April to watch a
spring practice."
Could Tech take a four-star RB?
After receiving an early commitment from Dallas (TX) Pinkston running back
Aaron Spikes, the Red Raiders are no longer actively recruiting
that position for the 2010 class. Unless there is some unexpected attrition
before or after the season, we don’t expect to see any more offers go out
(unless it's to an athlete-type who could play multiple positions) as Texas Tech
doesn't graduate a running back in 2009.
Still, if one of their original running back offers actively showed interest in
attending Texas Tech, then perhaps the coaching staff would try to make it work.
For example, Denison (TX) Denison prospect D.J. Jones is one of
those that’d be hard to turn away.
Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your perspective) for Texas Tech, it
doesn’t sound like they’ll have to worry about that.
“I really like Texas A&M and SMU,” said the four-star, Rivals250 prospect.
“They’re close to home and they’re really recruiting me hard.”
Just out of curiosity, we threw out the mention of Tech.
“At Tech, I’d really have to work on my catching ability. I’d have to work on
that more if I went there. They’re more of a passing team. I’m going to be
catching more this spring because I haven’t done that much. I’m not going to be
running at all. I just need more work on that.”
Without confidence in being a complete running back, it doesn’t sound as if Tech
is missing much anyway.
“I know Anthony Hines that went there because he came from my school. He said he
liked it and that it’s a good school. He said that the town might not be much
but being a college football player there, they take care of you real well.”
Though Jones says that he plans on heading to “pretty soon”, he also said that
he’d be going with his quarterback Jordan Taylor. Of course, much like with
running back, quarterback is another position that the Red Raiders have already
addressed for 2010.
Still, there is something to be said about being the first to jump on board.
“They (Texas Tech) were my first offer. That means a lot. They sent me a lot of
stuff in the mail and I know that they want me to visit. They’ve let me know
that they are interested and there’s nothing wrong with that.”
So what’s working against Tech? Depth chart issues? Style of offensie?
“The negative thing is that I’d be out there in the desert. I call it the
desert. That’d be the only bad thing, location. Other than that, there’s nothing
wrong with it.”
With a running back already secured for Tech ? no harm, no foul.
White looking at Tech?
Four-star, Rivals100 wide receiver DeAndrew White is
undoubtedly one of Tech’s top targets this year, but from what we can tell, he
might be itching to get out of Texas.
“I’m kinda liking the SEC to be honest with you,” said White. “As far as Texas
schools go, Tech and A&M have both offered but they’re both about the same. I
might visit Texas Tech later, but I’m not sure right now.”
The good news for Tech is that recruiting ace Dennis Simmons is White’s
recruiter, so there is still hope.
“The wide receivers coach, Coach Simmons, I’ve talked to him,” said White. “We
had a good, long conversation and he seems really cool. Hopefully I’ll get to
know him better in the future.”
If Simmons can work his magic, look for Tech to sneak into White’s top five, but
if not, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him commit to Alabama, Florida, or LSU.
Wright high on the Red Raiders
Though Louisiana native James Wright insisted that he was
fairly neutral and didn’t yet have a top five, when we asked him if any one
school that had offered him was standing out, he changed his tune a little bit.
“I’d have to say Texas Tech,” he stated. “They’ve really caught my eye, I’ll
tell you that. I don’t know what more you could ask for as a receiver, I don’t
see what could be better. They throw the ball around a ton, and that’s about the
best you can hope for.”
At that point, Wright confessed he did indeed have a top group of schools,
though he stressed it was very fluid.
“Well, USC would have to be my favorite,” he said. “Followed real close by Texas
Tech, then LSU, then Alabama, then Florida, then Miami.”
That, of course, made us wonder where he stood with the SEC schools he was
looking at, so I asked him about his home region.
“Even if LSU or Alabama offered me, I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily a huge fan of
either school,” he explained. “They’re great schools and all, but it’s not like
if they offered I’d jump at the chance, you know? I’m not being disrespectful to
my state or anything, just being honest. I’d consider them, but I’m not, like,
dying to play there.”
Wright would be a very nice get for the Red Raiders, and if they can make a good
impression when he visits in a few weeks, they could be in good shape.
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This post was edited on 3/29 6:48 PM by A. Dickens
