I have put off posting the men's review for a few days, not because I dread doing it, but because there are so dang many men on this team (which is actually a great thing). I am using the same highly subjective categories as I used in the women's review: Far exceeded expectations, Exceeded expectations, Met expectations, Disappointments, Redshirts, Others and finally, the new kids coming on board.
First of all there are two kids I simply don't know how to classify. Both of these kids have virtually limitless potential, but had much of their freshmen years scuttled by injury. I was disappointed with them only so far as you can see the incredible talent, but injuries kept us from seeing that talent at its best.
Gil Roberts - FR - this kid is the real deal. He came in with a terrible hamstring and had to be brought along very carefully. I truly believe that Gil has the capability of winning the quarter in the Big 12 - the best quartermile conference in the nation. He did not finish the 400 at conference, but to see him run that 45 anchor leg on the 4X400, you get glimpses of a transcendent talent. If Gil is 100% next year, it will be a pleasure to see him run in a way I have not seen at Tech since Jonathan Johnson.
Bill Lawhorn - FR - ditto almost verbatim what I said about Gil Roberts. Bill has vast potential. He was injured just before the outdoor season and was slowed considerably all spring, but you could see glimpses of fantastic potential. Bill has the gift of running the 100, 200, and 400. If he is 100% in 2009, he could help on the 4X100 and/or the 4X400. If Tech didn't have Gil Roberts, I would probably be comparing Bill to Jonathan Johnson - he has that kind of talent.
FAR EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS
-Shawon Harris - SR - I know it seems like a long time ago, but Shawon actually redshirted 2007 due to nagging injuries that just would not heal up. When a kid comes back from an injury redshirt, you always hold your breath and ask yourself "Will they come back better than before the injury?" In Shawon's case, the answer was a resounding "Yes". Shawon was a leader in every way for this team this year and had an incredible final Tech season. Great to see it from a great kid and one of my favorite Red Raiders of all time.
Michael Cast - SR - I know I tell Mike's story too much, but it is just so good. Walkon kid transfers from another school seeking the coaching that will help him realize his dream of becoming an elite javelin thrower. Early meets don't prove too much, but late last year, Mike started to click and he actually finished 3rd at conference. Mike worked HARD all summer and fall and came back stronger and incredibly determined. All of that work translated into a conference and regional championship and he even qualified provisionally for the U.S. Olympic Trials. That, my friend, is a great story. If Tech could find about 10 more Mike Casts, the Red Raiders would WIN the D-I championships. Congratulations to a great kid and one with an amazing story.
Omo Osaghae - SO - going into the national meet, this was already a great season for Omo, a local product from Monterey. Then, Omo goes off and has an incredible weekend, running 2 consecutive PR's and making the finals of the 110H. In that race, the other finalists were 5 seniors, 1 junior and 2 sophs. Just when you think the string of great hurdlers is coming to an end, Omo shows that he is ready to assume the mantle of the "next great Tech hurdler". Omo could contend for the whole thing next year, if he keeps up the steady improvement he has shown in his first 2 years at Tech.
Harrison Benjamin - JR - Tech's first ever 60-foot shot putter! "Tank" was coming off a devastating leg injury in 2006, which caused him to redshirt all of 2007. Some of the coaches told me they feared he may never throw again. However, he is throwing again AND he is throwing better than ever. 2nd at conference and he placed a hard-luck 9th at nationals, barely missing scoring. I look for him to be up in the 61, 62, even 63 foot range in 2009.
EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS
Julius Walker - a hamstring injury in the finals at conference kept me from putting Julius in the FAR EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS category. With Julius, Tech against has a premier national-class 100 man. He won the conference indoor 60 and was in the race for the 100 crown when he went down. Hamstrings can be really tough, but if Julius is able to come back to 100% he is a legit threat for national honors. AND, he has 2 more years left, since he only used up one year in JC and got his associate's degree in 1.5 years.
Waylon Randolph - SO - a classic case of not judging a kid on his freshman year. Waylon came to Tech last year with an injury from HS days and never really took off. This year, he came in healthy and contended from day one. He didn't quite reach 25 feet this year, but I think he goes past 25 feet early in 2009 and hopefully even threatens the 26 foot barrier.
Brian Porter - SO - jumped very consistently all year, finally breaking the 17 foot barrier for the first time at the regional meet. He missed going to nationals in a jumpoff for the 5th and final spot from the regional meet. Too bad, because Brian had his best 3 jumps of the year at the final three meets of the year and I think he would have kept going UP at nationals. I fully expect to see Brian threaten the 18 foot mark in 2009!
Rodney Mims - Jr - Rodney took another step forward in his quest to become a quality quartermiler, qualifying for the regional meet for the first time in the 400 and barely missing the conference finals in the 400 (he was 9th). Rodney could have given up when Tech brought in a bunch of good, young quartermilers. Instead, he got better and kept his place on the 4X400. Rodney may be the strongest quartermiler on the team (I have always thought he could make a good 800 runner as well). He will fight like everything to keep that spot on what promises to be a national contending 4X400 relay in 2009.
Tyler Menges - SO - Tyler was a nice addition to the team, transferring from SPC where he was the JC indoors SP champ. However, I didn't think his marks at SPC would make him a conference contender. Tyler went out and got stronger and worked on his technique diligently and added almost 4 feet to his PR in the SP and 'lo and behold', he is a conference contender. Tyler only used up one year of eligibility at SPC (he redshirted his freshman year at UTA), so he will still have 2 years at Tech and I fully expect to see Tyler in the 60 foot range as early as 2009.
Brett McDaniel - RS FR - this former 2A state runnerup was off the radar screen all last year as a redshirt. I didn't know what to expect this year from Brett at all. I knew he was a rangy kid, which is good for a discus thrower (long arms equal more torque), but I didn't know how he would convert to college. Then, Brett goes out the first meet of the season and heaves a regional-qualifying throw right off the bat. That throw ended up being his longest throw of the season, but it got him into the "A" group at Texas Relays and it got him instant credibility on the national scene. Brett's 2nd best throw all year was his 4th place throw at conference. We can look for many more good throws from Brett in the next three years and I think he will threaten the 200 foot mark as early as 2009.
Gilbert Limo - FR - Gilbert came to Tech as a total question mark. I expected him to be the 3rd best distance runner at best. He comes to Tech and shows his diversity and quality by qualifying for region in FOUR different events (80, 1500, steeple, and 5K) and placing at conference and going to nationals in the steeple and placing at conference in the 800. Gilbert will be Numero Uno for the Tech distance corps going into next year.
Nathan Lowry - JR - Nathan keeps steadily improving and this year, for the first time, he also placed at conference in the 110H. Nathan is more of a technical hurdler, not great sprinter speed, but strong technical running. I fully expect him to run under 14 flat next year.
Wouter LeRoux - FR - I heard back last fall that Wouter was a great talent, from someone who knows hurdling talent - Shawon Harris! The only smudge on his year was when he was not allowed to run at conference when a teacher entered a grade incorrectly. What a shame (and shame on that indifferent teacher)! Wouter still made it to nationals and I fully expect to see Wouter fighting with the kid from Baylor for the conference championship in the 400H for the next three years!
Rashad Hawk - FR - okay, so I will admit I am a purist and I believe that 40 speed on a football field does not automatically translate into 100 speed on the track. But, this kid is fast no matter where he runs. It shows how fast he is, when Rashad comes out of football (you know, you get beat up in football - but you already knew that) and runs a 10.54 on about 1 week of practice. I hope that Rashad will keep trying to run track after football. In fact, I hope that he runs indoors next year (which finishes before spring practices) and gets a jump on the outdoor season.
Timothy Foster - SO - I was expecting to put Tim into the Met Expectations category until he forced his way onto the 4X400 for regionals and nationals and ran a very solid leg each time. I don't believe that Tim has the incredible raw speed of Lamont Adams, Gil Roberts or Bill Lawhorn, but Tim is tough and smart and he just keeps popping up when you need a quality leg on the relay.
Speaking of Lamont Adams - FR - he is another kid who I thought had a lot of potential, but when I actually saw him run the first time, I realized I had undervalued that potential. Lamont is a big, strong kid who has a powerful running style. He qualified for regionals in his first year at Tech and he ran well on the 4X400 almost all year. Lamont should be a strong team member for Tech for the next 3 years.
MET EXPECTATIONS
Paden Behrens - SO - a former HS quarterback who started learning the javelin last year, Paden continued steady improvement this year. His next step needs to be throwing over 200 feet and I have every reason believe he will do that in 2009.
Logan Culotta - FR - Logan had a good cross country season and ran solidly in the 1500 most all year. Look for him to go under the 4 minute mark in the 1500 early in 2009 and keep pushing his time down.
Bobby Evers - SR - I always thought Bobby would end up breaking 26 feet in the LJ at Tech, but more and more leg problems over the years robbed him of that extra foot to put him over 26 feet. But, he rose to the occasion at the regional meet and earned himself one last trip to nationals.
Anthony Flemons - SO - Anthony stalled out a little bit this year in the triple jump (which I think is his best event) and improved in the LJ to the point that he placed 3rd at conference. I grade him down a bit only because I have such high expectations for Anthony. I still believe he will win the Big 12 in the TJ (where he fouled on all three jumps this year).
Bernard Hammonds - RS FR - jumped pretty decently in his first year competing for Tech. Still needs to improve some more to help at the conference level, but some potential here.
Cory Higgins - SO - Cory was overwhelmed last year as a distance runner from a Class A school (Eula) moving up to D-I. This year, Cory showed great improvement, dipping under 4 minutes in the 1500 three times and also setting a new PR in the 5K. Next year, I believe that Cory will be conference competitive in the 1500.
Silas Kemboi - SO - I actually think Silas may be a redshirt freshman, since he missed all of 2007 with an injury. I did not know what to expect this year, since he missed all last year. Silas showed great promise, qualifying for regional in the 800 and 1500. Unfortunately, he really blew up at conference, but hopefully he will used that experience to improve in 2009.
Lyle Leong - SO - Lyle had a great indoor season, jumping over 7-2. He has a vast talent, but it is hard to change gears and jump outdoors right after football season. However, he is a good enough wide receiver that he will always play football, but he is also a good enough jumper to keep up his track. I give his props for doing both!
John Means - JR - good ol' steady John. John has worked hard and has made himself into a good enough steeplechaser to run at conference 2 years in a row. He improved his PR this year and keeps pushing that PR down. A hard worker and a credit to Van Horn, TX!
Jake Szot - SO - I did not really expect Jake to run outdoors, I thought he would redshirt. But, he has fought hard to come back from injury and twice this year he threatened to run under a 4 minute 1500. He still has a ways to go to be conference competitive, but you could see a little spark this year.
Kelly Wilson - RS FR - steadily improved all year. This was his first season over 16 feet and now he is only 6 inches away from qualifying for regional. I expect to see him get that mark in 2009.
DISAPPOINTMENTS
Chuck Zavala - RS FR - I hate to lead off with Chuck, because I really like this kid and I think he has great potential. However, he tailed off terribly after midseason (nagging injuries) and he never attempted a full decathlon all year and that is not good for a decathlete. I hope that the decathlon does not become a mental barrier for Chuck, because I think he could be a very good decathlete.
Justin Turner - SO - again, I hate to dump on this kid. But, when he jumps you see that there is plenty enough talent to go over 7 feet in the HJ, but he just can't seem to break the barrier. Instead, he jumped 6-6 and 6-8 all year and he is simply too good to be jumping at that height. Hopefully, he gets past 7 foot early in 2009 (indoors?) and moves on to much higher heights in 2009.
Edwin Sang - JR - Edwin had a GREAT cross country season and I thought he was ready to ready go wild on the track. Instead, he muddled through a season where he barely qualified for regionals in the 800. He did partially redeem himself by finishing 7th at conference in the 800, but Edwin should be a contender for top honors in the 1500 and 5K.
Kurtis Limmer - SO - maybe I just expected too much from Kurt, who transferred to Tech after a year at U of Houston. He did not ever break 2 minutes in the 800. Hopefully, having a full year under his belt at Tech will help him jump to the 1:55 range next year.
Jansen Hyde - JR - how can a kid who qualifies for regional in TWO events (110H and 400H) be in my disappointment list? When he doesn't make his grades and does not get to run at conference and regionals. Jansen has great talent, but he has been in and out of the coaching doghouse for 3 years. Jansen has the talent to make it to nationals in both events. He could have helped the Tech cause at conference mightily. Instead, he was left at home for not taking care of business. That is disappointing.
Skye Green - FR - the only reason I put Skye in that category is that I know he can do much, much more. He was very erratic all year and only once really ran close to his potential (when he ran a 10.56). He came back with a terrible time at conference. Many times, it takes a kid a year to get used to college-level competition and I hope that is the case with Skye, because this guy can fly if he gets his act together.
Brandon Anderson - FR - a kid who runs at the 5A state meet (in the 200) should be more competitive in his freshman year. Brandon has some potential, but he only ran twice and did not everwhelm in the 400.
REDSHIRTS
Jamaal Butler - JR - transfer from SPC would have helped with depth, but he was injured early and will seek a medical redshirt.
Matt Davidson - FR - former 4A state qualifier in the 800 looked okay running unattached, including a pretty good race at the TCU meet.
Daniel Ford - FR - don't see Daniel helping Tech
Nick Green - FR - interesting decathlon prospect. Tall rangy hurdler. Hope to see him in a full decathlon in 2009.
Paul Julmeus - FR - don't see Paul helping Tech
Zach Plinario - SO - had a good indoor season, then got injured. Tried to run the 400H one time and was barely able to finish. Tech will seek a medical redshirt for him. Zach could help Tech if he comes back 100%.
Chase Wade - JR - transfer from SPC. If Chase works in the steeplechase he might be able to help Tech.
Brandon Washington - SO - no doubt, Brandon is the key guy in the redshirt group! Tech's best quartermiler in 2007, he rehabbed a broken leg suffered in a freak accident at the 2007 Big 12 conference meet. He could have come back in 2008, but the coaches held him out all year, instead of trying to bring him back in 2008. In 2011, when Brandon wins the 800 at conference, we will be happy they did not rush things! I still think that Brandon comes back as a halfmiler who runs on the 4X400 relay (shades of Jonathan Johnson). He is an extremely likeable, hard-working, everybody-loves-him kind of kid and Tech will greatly benefit from having him back in 2009!
OTHERS
Jeremy Kight - SO - distance runner, who just keeps working and improving, but is not yet conference competitive
Travon Hill-Chadwick - JR - long jumper who jumped in 4 meets
Aaron Greer - SO - injured for better parts of 2 years, Aaron has some potential, but has a ways to go
Noel Conrad - JR - ran twice this year
Joshua CLough - SO - transfer does not look like he will really help
Eric Ayala - SR - Eric has doggedly stuck with it for 4 years, getting to run 3-4 times a year. Never got to run at conference, but have to respect him for sticking it out!
THE NEW KIDS FOR 2009
Zach Dawson - FR from Big Spring - the 4A state champ in the 1600. Tech has been trying to recruit a stud Texas HS distance runner and Zach may be that guy. Txrunning.com has him listed as the 6th top distance recruit in the state. Tech will have a good cross country team and we will see quickly how Zach fares with the returning kids.
Markus Henderson - FR from Lewisville - I have seen this kid run and I can't tell you how excited I am about him. Put Markus on that 3rd leg of the sprint relay (with Julius Walker anchoring) and Tech suddenly becomes a genu-wine national contender. This kid is electric when he runs - people just come out of their seats. And, his best years are ahead of him.
Jamele Mason - FR from Spring Westfield - 2nd in the 5A 300H to his new teammate Brandon Tucker, this kid is really, really good. He is one of the top rated runners in the summer meets. Jamele and Brandon are arguably the top 2 HS Texas recruits for 2008 and Tech got them both!
Clay Smith - FR from Fredericksburg (home of the Battlin' Billies) - 4th in the 4A DT - I have met this kid and he is a tall, rangy kid with long arms and huge shoulders, pretty much a perfect discus thrower. I met the discus thrower from Colorado State that was ranked #3 in D-I DT and this kid probably did not weigh over 220 pounds, yet he throws the discus well over 200 feet. Clay looks just like that Colorado State kid. It is all about long arms and fast feet.
Brandon Tucker - FR from Lewisville - an incredible addition to the team, Brandon won both 5A hurdle races. I saw him in HS and he is a kid who goes over the hurdle FAST. Some hurdlers seem to float slowly over the hurdle, almost in slow motion. The GOOD hurdlers snap up and over the hurdle fast. Bryan Scott used to be the fastest person I ever saw over the hurdle. Brandon Tucker looks like Bryan and I think he has more raw speed than Bryan. That, my friends, is GOOD!
Darrell Roddick - JR transfer from SPC - the JC runnerup in both the High Jump (7-1) and triple jump (51-10). Darrell will help in both events, along with the LJ, where he jumps over 24 feet. Darrell is a tall, lean kid. Loads of talent and potential - 53-54 feet in the TJ and 7-3 or 7-4 kind of potential.
And, I finish with my "I hope my prayer is answered" possible recruit - Aaron Smith, III - Aaron is the former JC national champ in the LJ (over 26 feet), plus he was 3rd in the JC 100 in 2007. He was supposed to be at Tech last year, but did not graduate from SPC at midterm. IF Aaron is eligible, he becomes a national contender in the LJ AND he probably makes the sprint relay. Aaron is from Seagraves and is perfect for Tech - if he can just get eligible! Here's hoping for eligibility!
That's my review/preview for 2008. This men's team was truly disappointing at conference this year, but I truly believe this group, along with the outstanding recruits coming in 2009 will contend to win it all in 2009 and will send several people (and both relays) to nationals contending for points. In 2009 or more likely in 2010, this team will be in the thick of the hunt for a top-5 spot at nationals!!
First of all there are two kids I simply don't know how to classify. Both of these kids have virtually limitless potential, but had much of their freshmen years scuttled by injury. I was disappointed with them only so far as you can see the incredible talent, but injuries kept us from seeing that talent at its best.
Gil Roberts - FR - this kid is the real deal. He came in with a terrible hamstring and had to be brought along very carefully. I truly believe that Gil has the capability of winning the quarter in the Big 12 - the best quartermile conference in the nation. He did not finish the 400 at conference, but to see him run that 45 anchor leg on the 4X400, you get glimpses of a transcendent talent. If Gil is 100% next year, it will be a pleasure to see him run in a way I have not seen at Tech since Jonathan Johnson.
Bill Lawhorn - FR - ditto almost verbatim what I said about Gil Roberts. Bill has vast potential. He was injured just before the outdoor season and was slowed considerably all spring, but you could see glimpses of fantastic potential. Bill has the gift of running the 100, 200, and 400. If he is 100% in 2009, he could help on the 4X100 and/or the 4X400. If Tech didn't have Gil Roberts, I would probably be comparing Bill to Jonathan Johnson - he has that kind of talent.
FAR EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS
-Shawon Harris - SR - I know it seems like a long time ago, but Shawon actually redshirted 2007 due to nagging injuries that just would not heal up. When a kid comes back from an injury redshirt, you always hold your breath and ask yourself "Will they come back better than before the injury?" In Shawon's case, the answer was a resounding "Yes". Shawon was a leader in every way for this team this year and had an incredible final Tech season. Great to see it from a great kid and one of my favorite Red Raiders of all time.
Michael Cast - SR - I know I tell Mike's story too much, but it is just so good. Walkon kid transfers from another school seeking the coaching that will help him realize his dream of becoming an elite javelin thrower. Early meets don't prove too much, but late last year, Mike started to click and he actually finished 3rd at conference. Mike worked HARD all summer and fall and came back stronger and incredibly determined. All of that work translated into a conference and regional championship and he even qualified provisionally for the U.S. Olympic Trials. That, my friend, is a great story. If Tech could find about 10 more Mike Casts, the Red Raiders would WIN the D-I championships. Congratulations to a great kid and one with an amazing story.
Omo Osaghae - SO - going into the national meet, this was already a great season for Omo, a local product from Monterey. Then, Omo goes off and has an incredible weekend, running 2 consecutive PR's and making the finals of the 110H. In that race, the other finalists were 5 seniors, 1 junior and 2 sophs. Just when you think the string of great hurdlers is coming to an end, Omo shows that he is ready to assume the mantle of the "next great Tech hurdler". Omo could contend for the whole thing next year, if he keeps up the steady improvement he has shown in his first 2 years at Tech.
Harrison Benjamin - JR - Tech's first ever 60-foot shot putter! "Tank" was coming off a devastating leg injury in 2006, which caused him to redshirt all of 2007. Some of the coaches told me they feared he may never throw again. However, he is throwing again AND he is throwing better than ever. 2nd at conference and he placed a hard-luck 9th at nationals, barely missing scoring. I look for him to be up in the 61, 62, even 63 foot range in 2009.
EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS
Julius Walker - a hamstring injury in the finals at conference kept me from putting Julius in the FAR EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS category. With Julius, Tech against has a premier national-class 100 man. He won the conference indoor 60 and was in the race for the 100 crown when he went down. Hamstrings can be really tough, but if Julius is able to come back to 100% he is a legit threat for national honors. AND, he has 2 more years left, since he only used up one year in JC and got his associate's degree in 1.5 years.
Waylon Randolph - SO - a classic case of not judging a kid on his freshman year. Waylon came to Tech last year with an injury from HS days and never really took off. This year, he came in healthy and contended from day one. He didn't quite reach 25 feet this year, but I think he goes past 25 feet early in 2009 and hopefully even threatens the 26 foot barrier.
Brian Porter - SO - jumped very consistently all year, finally breaking the 17 foot barrier for the first time at the regional meet. He missed going to nationals in a jumpoff for the 5th and final spot from the regional meet. Too bad, because Brian had his best 3 jumps of the year at the final three meets of the year and I think he would have kept going UP at nationals. I fully expect to see Brian threaten the 18 foot mark in 2009!
Rodney Mims - Jr - Rodney took another step forward in his quest to become a quality quartermiler, qualifying for the regional meet for the first time in the 400 and barely missing the conference finals in the 400 (he was 9th). Rodney could have given up when Tech brought in a bunch of good, young quartermilers. Instead, he got better and kept his place on the 4X400. Rodney may be the strongest quartermiler on the team (I have always thought he could make a good 800 runner as well). He will fight like everything to keep that spot on what promises to be a national contending 4X400 relay in 2009.
Tyler Menges - SO - Tyler was a nice addition to the team, transferring from SPC where he was the JC indoors SP champ. However, I didn't think his marks at SPC would make him a conference contender. Tyler went out and got stronger and worked on his technique diligently and added almost 4 feet to his PR in the SP and 'lo and behold', he is a conference contender. Tyler only used up one year of eligibility at SPC (he redshirted his freshman year at UTA), so he will still have 2 years at Tech and I fully expect to see Tyler in the 60 foot range as early as 2009.
Brett McDaniel - RS FR - this former 2A state runnerup was off the radar screen all last year as a redshirt. I didn't know what to expect this year from Brett at all. I knew he was a rangy kid, which is good for a discus thrower (long arms equal more torque), but I didn't know how he would convert to college. Then, Brett goes out the first meet of the season and heaves a regional-qualifying throw right off the bat. That throw ended up being his longest throw of the season, but it got him into the "A" group at Texas Relays and it got him instant credibility on the national scene. Brett's 2nd best throw all year was his 4th place throw at conference. We can look for many more good throws from Brett in the next three years and I think he will threaten the 200 foot mark as early as 2009.
Gilbert Limo - FR - Gilbert came to Tech as a total question mark. I expected him to be the 3rd best distance runner at best. He comes to Tech and shows his diversity and quality by qualifying for region in FOUR different events (80, 1500, steeple, and 5K) and placing at conference and going to nationals in the steeple and placing at conference in the 800. Gilbert will be Numero Uno for the Tech distance corps going into next year.
Nathan Lowry - JR - Nathan keeps steadily improving and this year, for the first time, he also placed at conference in the 110H. Nathan is more of a technical hurdler, not great sprinter speed, but strong technical running. I fully expect him to run under 14 flat next year.
Wouter LeRoux - FR - I heard back last fall that Wouter was a great talent, from someone who knows hurdling talent - Shawon Harris! The only smudge on his year was when he was not allowed to run at conference when a teacher entered a grade incorrectly. What a shame (and shame on that indifferent teacher)! Wouter still made it to nationals and I fully expect to see Wouter fighting with the kid from Baylor for the conference championship in the 400H for the next three years!
Rashad Hawk - FR - okay, so I will admit I am a purist and I believe that 40 speed on a football field does not automatically translate into 100 speed on the track. But, this kid is fast no matter where he runs. It shows how fast he is, when Rashad comes out of football (you know, you get beat up in football - but you already knew that) and runs a 10.54 on about 1 week of practice. I hope that Rashad will keep trying to run track after football. In fact, I hope that he runs indoors next year (which finishes before spring practices) and gets a jump on the outdoor season.
Timothy Foster - SO - I was expecting to put Tim into the Met Expectations category until he forced his way onto the 4X400 for regionals and nationals and ran a very solid leg each time. I don't believe that Tim has the incredible raw speed of Lamont Adams, Gil Roberts or Bill Lawhorn, but Tim is tough and smart and he just keeps popping up when you need a quality leg on the relay.
Speaking of Lamont Adams - FR - he is another kid who I thought had a lot of potential, but when I actually saw him run the first time, I realized I had undervalued that potential. Lamont is a big, strong kid who has a powerful running style. He qualified for regionals in his first year at Tech and he ran well on the 4X400 almost all year. Lamont should be a strong team member for Tech for the next 3 years.
MET EXPECTATIONS
Paden Behrens - SO - a former HS quarterback who started learning the javelin last year, Paden continued steady improvement this year. His next step needs to be throwing over 200 feet and I have every reason believe he will do that in 2009.
Logan Culotta - FR - Logan had a good cross country season and ran solidly in the 1500 most all year. Look for him to go under the 4 minute mark in the 1500 early in 2009 and keep pushing his time down.
Bobby Evers - SR - I always thought Bobby would end up breaking 26 feet in the LJ at Tech, but more and more leg problems over the years robbed him of that extra foot to put him over 26 feet. But, he rose to the occasion at the regional meet and earned himself one last trip to nationals.
Anthony Flemons - SO - Anthony stalled out a little bit this year in the triple jump (which I think is his best event) and improved in the LJ to the point that he placed 3rd at conference. I grade him down a bit only because I have such high expectations for Anthony. I still believe he will win the Big 12 in the TJ (where he fouled on all three jumps this year).
Bernard Hammonds - RS FR - jumped pretty decently in his first year competing for Tech. Still needs to improve some more to help at the conference level, but some potential here.
Cory Higgins - SO - Cory was overwhelmed last year as a distance runner from a Class A school (Eula) moving up to D-I. This year, Cory showed great improvement, dipping under 4 minutes in the 1500 three times and also setting a new PR in the 5K. Next year, I believe that Cory will be conference competitive in the 1500.
Silas Kemboi - SO - I actually think Silas may be a redshirt freshman, since he missed all of 2007 with an injury. I did not know what to expect this year, since he missed all last year. Silas showed great promise, qualifying for regional in the 800 and 1500. Unfortunately, he really blew up at conference, but hopefully he will used that experience to improve in 2009.
Lyle Leong - SO - Lyle had a great indoor season, jumping over 7-2. He has a vast talent, but it is hard to change gears and jump outdoors right after football season. However, he is a good enough wide receiver that he will always play football, but he is also a good enough jumper to keep up his track. I give his props for doing both!
John Means - JR - good ol' steady John. John has worked hard and has made himself into a good enough steeplechaser to run at conference 2 years in a row. He improved his PR this year and keeps pushing that PR down. A hard worker and a credit to Van Horn, TX!
Jake Szot - SO - I did not really expect Jake to run outdoors, I thought he would redshirt. But, he has fought hard to come back from injury and twice this year he threatened to run under a 4 minute 1500. He still has a ways to go to be conference competitive, but you could see a little spark this year.
Kelly Wilson - RS FR - steadily improved all year. This was his first season over 16 feet and now he is only 6 inches away from qualifying for regional. I expect to see him get that mark in 2009.
DISAPPOINTMENTS
Chuck Zavala - RS FR - I hate to lead off with Chuck, because I really like this kid and I think he has great potential. However, he tailed off terribly after midseason (nagging injuries) and he never attempted a full decathlon all year and that is not good for a decathlete. I hope that the decathlon does not become a mental barrier for Chuck, because I think he could be a very good decathlete.
Justin Turner - SO - again, I hate to dump on this kid. But, when he jumps you see that there is plenty enough talent to go over 7 feet in the HJ, but he just can't seem to break the barrier. Instead, he jumped 6-6 and 6-8 all year and he is simply too good to be jumping at that height. Hopefully, he gets past 7 foot early in 2009 (indoors?) and moves on to much higher heights in 2009.
Edwin Sang - JR - Edwin had a GREAT cross country season and I thought he was ready to ready go wild on the track. Instead, he muddled through a season where he barely qualified for regionals in the 800. He did partially redeem himself by finishing 7th at conference in the 800, but Edwin should be a contender for top honors in the 1500 and 5K.
Kurtis Limmer - SO - maybe I just expected too much from Kurt, who transferred to Tech after a year at U of Houston. He did not ever break 2 minutes in the 800. Hopefully, having a full year under his belt at Tech will help him jump to the 1:55 range next year.
Jansen Hyde - JR - how can a kid who qualifies for regional in TWO events (110H and 400H) be in my disappointment list? When he doesn't make his grades and does not get to run at conference and regionals. Jansen has great talent, but he has been in and out of the coaching doghouse for 3 years. Jansen has the talent to make it to nationals in both events. He could have helped the Tech cause at conference mightily. Instead, he was left at home for not taking care of business. That is disappointing.
Skye Green - FR - the only reason I put Skye in that category is that I know he can do much, much more. He was very erratic all year and only once really ran close to his potential (when he ran a 10.56). He came back with a terrible time at conference. Many times, it takes a kid a year to get used to college-level competition and I hope that is the case with Skye, because this guy can fly if he gets his act together.
Brandon Anderson - FR - a kid who runs at the 5A state meet (in the 200) should be more competitive in his freshman year. Brandon has some potential, but he only ran twice and did not everwhelm in the 400.
REDSHIRTS
Jamaal Butler - JR - transfer from SPC would have helped with depth, but he was injured early and will seek a medical redshirt.
Matt Davidson - FR - former 4A state qualifier in the 800 looked okay running unattached, including a pretty good race at the TCU meet.
Daniel Ford - FR - don't see Daniel helping Tech
Nick Green - FR - interesting decathlon prospect. Tall rangy hurdler. Hope to see him in a full decathlon in 2009.
Paul Julmeus - FR - don't see Paul helping Tech
Zach Plinario - SO - had a good indoor season, then got injured. Tried to run the 400H one time and was barely able to finish. Tech will seek a medical redshirt for him. Zach could help Tech if he comes back 100%.
Chase Wade - JR - transfer from SPC. If Chase works in the steeplechase he might be able to help Tech.
Brandon Washington - SO - no doubt, Brandon is the key guy in the redshirt group! Tech's best quartermiler in 2007, he rehabbed a broken leg suffered in a freak accident at the 2007 Big 12 conference meet. He could have come back in 2008, but the coaches held him out all year, instead of trying to bring him back in 2008. In 2011, when Brandon wins the 800 at conference, we will be happy they did not rush things! I still think that Brandon comes back as a halfmiler who runs on the 4X400 relay (shades of Jonathan Johnson). He is an extremely likeable, hard-working, everybody-loves-him kind of kid and Tech will greatly benefit from having him back in 2009!
OTHERS
Jeremy Kight - SO - distance runner, who just keeps working and improving, but is not yet conference competitive
Travon Hill-Chadwick - JR - long jumper who jumped in 4 meets
Aaron Greer - SO - injured for better parts of 2 years, Aaron has some potential, but has a ways to go
Noel Conrad - JR - ran twice this year
Joshua CLough - SO - transfer does not look like he will really help
Eric Ayala - SR - Eric has doggedly stuck with it for 4 years, getting to run 3-4 times a year. Never got to run at conference, but have to respect him for sticking it out!
THE NEW KIDS FOR 2009
Zach Dawson - FR from Big Spring - the 4A state champ in the 1600. Tech has been trying to recruit a stud Texas HS distance runner and Zach may be that guy. Txrunning.com has him listed as the 6th top distance recruit in the state. Tech will have a good cross country team and we will see quickly how Zach fares with the returning kids.
Markus Henderson - FR from Lewisville - I have seen this kid run and I can't tell you how excited I am about him. Put Markus on that 3rd leg of the sprint relay (with Julius Walker anchoring) and Tech suddenly becomes a genu-wine national contender. This kid is electric when he runs - people just come out of their seats. And, his best years are ahead of him.
Jamele Mason - FR from Spring Westfield - 2nd in the 5A 300H to his new teammate Brandon Tucker, this kid is really, really good. He is one of the top rated runners in the summer meets. Jamele and Brandon are arguably the top 2 HS Texas recruits for 2008 and Tech got them both!
Clay Smith - FR from Fredericksburg (home of the Battlin' Billies) - 4th in the 4A DT - I have met this kid and he is a tall, rangy kid with long arms and huge shoulders, pretty much a perfect discus thrower. I met the discus thrower from Colorado State that was ranked #3 in D-I DT and this kid probably did not weigh over 220 pounds, yet he throws the discus well over 200 feet. Clay looks just like that Colorado State kid. It is all about long arms and fast feet.
Brandon Tucker - FR from Lewisville - an incredible addition to the team, Brandon won both 5A hurdle races. I saw him in HS and he is a kid who goes over the hurdle FAST. Some hurdlers seem to float slowly over the hurdle, almost in slow motion. The GOOD hurdlers snap up and over the hurdle fast. Bryan Scott used to be the fastest person I ever saw over the hurdle. Brandon Tucker looks like Bryan and I think he has more raw speed than Bryan. That, my friends, is GOOD!
Darrell Roddick - JR transfer from SPC - the JC runnerup in both the High Jump (7-1) and triple jump (51-10). Darrell will help in both events, along with the LJ, where he jumps over 24 feet. Darrell is a tall, lean kid. Loads of talent and potential - 53-54 feet in the TJ and 7-3 or 7-4 kind of potential.
And, I finish with my "I hope my prayer is answered" possible recruit - Aaron Smith, III - Aaron is the former JC national champ in the LJ (over 26 feet), plus he was 3rd in the JC 100 in 2007. He was supposed to be at Tech last year, but did not graduate from SPC at midterm. IF Aaron is eligible, he becomes a national contender in the LJ AND he probably makes the sprint relay. Aaron is from Seagraves and is perfect for Tech - if he can just get eligible! Here's hoping for eligibility!
That's my review/preview for 2008. This men's team was truly disappointing at conference this year, but I truly believe this group, along with the outstanding recruits coming in 2009 will contend to win it all in 2009 and will send several people (and both relays) to nationals contending for points. In 2009 or more likely in 2010, this team will be in the thick of the hunt for a top-5 spot at nationals!!
