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The newest offer extended by the Texas Tech coaching staff went out to Harker Heights (Texas) offensive tackle Chris Hughes on Wednesday. In fact, he's picked up all his offers since Sunday afternoon, making for a trio of Tech, North Texas, and Kansas so far.
"They've been going pretty good. It's really been popping off since Sunday. I'm really blessed with all the offers that I've been receiving lately."
Some of that may have to do with the fact that he took home the O-line MVP at the NFTC regional combine over the weekend, and Hughes was pretty satisfied with his performance.
"I feel like I did pretty good, but I feel like I could've done better on some things, especially my forty and other parts of some drills, but I felt like I did really good overall."
As far as things with Tech, the Harker Heights prospect has been in touch with OL coach Lee Hays for some time now, but things have picked up over the last few days, for sure.
"Texas Tech, things are going good. I was just talking to Coach (Hays) last night, and everything is going good with them. They started talking to me some about a month or two ago, but they just majorly started talking to me in the past few days."
Hughes said that Hays loves his potential and believes the OT could be a great college O-lineman someday.
"He said he likes me and my athleticism, thinks that I could be a great attribute to their team and offensive line. He was telling me about how they have a few great offensive linemen and how they did the last few years, and he said I could be just as good as them or better. But, he's a really nice guy, really easy to talk to, really respectful, and that's what I really like about him."
He likes what he's heard about Texas Tech so far, too.
"Texas Tech, from what I know, has a great team, facilities, and like faculty, cause I know some people that went out there."
No visits have been set yet for Hughes, but he's hoping to hop around the state and maybe even make it up to Kansas over the next few months.
"Nothing really set in stone yet with travel and money and all that kind of stuff, maybe hit some local schools, see how far out I can go," he said. "I'm going to try and make it out to every school that offered me for sure, though."
What many may not realize, however, is that Hughes has two Longhorns in the family. Texas DE Naashon Hughes and OT Camron Hughes, who both started at times in 2014, are his older brothers. Hughes has heard quite a bit about the program under Charlie Strong from his bros, but that won't influence him in making a decision down the road.
"I do have two older brothers that play at Texas, Camrhon Hughes and Naashon Hughes," he said. "They tell me about it all the time, and I've been down there, but I'm really not trying to depend on my brothers to pick where I go to school. I'm really just trying to find the best place for me."
It's also worth noting that the Horns haven't been in heavy contact with him as of yet. Hughes currently holds offers from Texas Tech, North Texas, and Kansas.
- McKay
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If you recall, Frisco (Texas) 2017 center Jack Anderson visited Lubbock back a few weeks ago for Tech's first junior day of the spring, and he had a great time on his trip. Things are pretty routine for him when he visits Tech now since he's been quite a bit, but he had a great time hanging out with the coaches and other prospects in town.
"I don't think I can really learn anything new with as many times as I've been down there, but it was just good to be with some other prospects and guys. At some of the other junior days, there were like 100 kids, and there were like 15 to 20 at this one, so it was good to hang out with Eno, Jordan, all them, my friends, but it was just a good time to watch the team practice and see how Coach Hays is with his players."
Anderson really enjoyed getting to watch Tech practice, noting how fierce and competitive things got throughout the day.
"I mean, the energy was crazy. They even had this big fight and that was awesome, just getting after it, which was great. I think the energy was really, really good out there."
In fact, Anderson spent an extra day or two in Lubbock longer than most recruits, staying until Monday. He got to sit in on a few meetings and spend more time around Coach Hays and offensive GA and former Tech center Stephen Hamby, and he loved getting to see them interact with their players.
"I mean, it was good to just see Coach Hays and Coach Hamby, and they just joke around a lot in those meetings, and it was good to get to see them in the meetings and go through everything on Sunday since I stuck around longer than most of the other recruits until Monday. It was just good to see how he interacts with his players and the relationships he has with them, and I've just bonded really well with him."
The 2017 prospect thought that Wylie (Texas) WR Jordan Whaley and Wylie (Texas) East 2017 RB Eno Benjamin, both of whom visited with him, had a great trip, too.
"I think Eno had a great time and really could see himself playing there, and with Jordan it's the same way. I think the coaching staff really made them feel at home, too."
As for the rest of his spring, Anderson is taking things by ear as far as other visits, but he's been very happy with how things have been going overall so far with his recruitment.
"It's been good for sure, just enjoying it, and I think some more schools are getting to ready to pull the trigger and everything. I felt like I did really well at the Opening regionals last week, too. I think that went really well for me. I went against some five star kids a year older than me, and I think I more than held my own."
- McKay
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The month of March is almost over and the coaches will be able to get back out on the road in less than a month in mid-April. Several prospects are hearing from the Texas Tech coaching staff and expect to see them around when spring practices start at their respective schools.
Mansfield (Texas) Summit safety Vernon Scott is hearing from Texas Tech corners coach Kevin Curtis and the two have been connecting on a daily basis.
“I have been talking with Coach Curtis every day,” Scott said. “We first got in touch about two weeks ago and he is a real cool, down to earth coach. We talk about how I’m doing, get to know one another and just connect on a day-to-day basis.
“Coach Curtis likes my size, thinks that I can cover well and told me that is what they really need at Tech right now. He also likes how I’m interchangeable and can play some corner as well. We talked about their defense and how they mostly play man-to-man with the safety over the top, and I liked that because it can help you get ready for the league.”
Scott is hearing from a number of programs at the moment, but believes that Coach Curtis and Texas Tech are currently showing the most interest.
“I’m still looking for that first offer, but a lot of schools are showing interest,” Scott said. “Coaches from Kansas, Louisiana Tech, LSU, Oklahoma, Louisiana Monroe, Purdue, Rutgers and of course Texas Tech have been reaching out lately.
“I feel like Texas Tech is showing the most interest because I have been connecting with Coach Curtis every day for the past 2-3 weeks. He actually sent me a hand written letter this week saying that he cannot wait to see me in person and they are close to an offer in my opinion.”
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound prospect has already visited one SEC program and would like to take a few more visits later this month or next month.
“I went to the LSU junior day and talked with Coach (Les) Miles,” Scott said. “I’m going back to LSU for a camp in June and was recently invited to the ULM junior day on March 28th as well. I was talking with Coach Curtis about possibly visiting Tech sometime soon, but we have to figure out the dates.
“Coach was telling me that Texas Tech is a great school for academics and said they have a really good family atmosphere with great tradition out in Lubbock. He told me the way that the Tech fans and students support the team and love the football program is amazing.”
Scott expects the Texas Tech coaches to stop by during the spring evaluation period and we will stay in touch with him to see where things go with the Red Raiders.
- Clare
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Another prospect the coaches have been in touch with lately is Fort Worth (Texas) Arlington Heights strongside defensive end Patrick Jones.
Jones currently holds an offer from SMU and is hearing from both the Texas Tech coaches and the TCU coaches.
“SMU is my only offer right now, but I really like the new coaching staff they have,” Jones said. “It reminds me a lot of my high school because when I first got here we had a new coaching staff and I remember what it was like to implement a new defense.
“I have visited both SMU and TCU because they are here in town and close to home. I have a brother, Ty Barrett, at TCU and I have been around the TCU program a lot because it is very close to my school. I really like both TCU and SMU right now, but I also just started talking with the Texas Tech coaches this past month.”
Jones initially heard from Texas Tech offensive coordinator and area recruiter Coach Eric Morris, but has been connecting with Coach Kevin Curtis a lot over the past few weeks.
“I first heard from Coach Morris once or twice, then I started hearing from Coach Curtis at Texas Tech,” Jones said. “My head coach went to Texas Tech and I have heard it is a pretty cool place. Last week, over spring break, Coach Curtis and I started building a really good connection.
“I like Coach Curtis because we really didn’t talk a lot of football. I like basketball a lot, even though I have never really played myself. Coach Curtis mentioned that he and the most of the coaching staff at Tech still play basketball against one another in their spare time. We both really like Kobe Bryant and it was just really cool because we had a much different conversation than I have had with most coaches.”
The 6-foot-3, 277-pound prospect went on to share more about his conversations with Coach Curtis.
“Coach told me they really like my film,” Jones said. “All of the coaches really like my explosiveness, my ability to get off the line and engage with the offensive lineman quickly. We didn’t really talk about a particular position in their defense, but I know that is what they liked about me.
“The plan is for the Tech coaches to come down when our spring practices start and they want to watch me practice in person. From there, I believe they could come through with an offer, but I don’t know. The coaches told me they are looking to add several defensive lineman in my class so I’m going to keep in touch with Coach Curtis and hopefully impress them when they visit for our practices.”
Jones expects the Texas Tech coaches to stop by during the spring evaluation period and we will stay in touch with him to see where things go with the Red Raiders.
-Clare
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The Texas Tech coaches have spent time around the Hightower (Texas) program in Missouri City over the past year and recently started recruiting another prospect from the Canes’ talented 2016 class.
Hightower (Texas) corner Julian Chandler has been in contact with the Texas Tech coaching staff for a few months.
“Coach (Zac) Spavital stopped by the school in January and met with our coaches,” Chandler said. “He got my highlight tape and shared it with the rest of the coaching staff at Texas Tech. All of the coaches started following me and I have been in touch with Coach (David) Gibbs and Coach (Kevin) Curtis from Tech ever since.”
Chandler went on to share more about his conversations with the new Texas Tech defensive coordinator and corners coach.
“Coach Gibbs told me they really like my size and speed,” Chandler said. “He asked me if I was familiar with the defense they ran at Houston. I was and we talked about it for a little bit and he believes that I would be a good fit for what they do on defense.
“Coach Curtis and I haven’t really talked a lot of football, but he keeps in touch with me on a daily and weekly basis. He checks in on me, asks me how everything is going and we have just gotten to know one another a little bit.”
The 5-foot-11, 165-pound prospect currently holds one offer from Louisiana Tech and is hearing from a number of programs lately.
“I have an offer from Louisiana Tech and took a visit out there to see the program over the summer,” Chandler said. “I’m also hearing from Baylor, Nevada, Texas, Louisville, Purdue, TCU, Texas Tech and a few others right now. A lot of programs are wanting to see me this spring before considering an offer, but all of the coaches seem to really like my highlight tape.
“I have also taken visits to Houston, Texas and TCU this offseason. I’m going to Baylor this weekend for their Friday Night Lights scrimmage too.”
The Texas Tech coaches are part of the group that wants to see Chandler in person this spring and the standout prospect feels that he is high on the Red Raiders’ list at the moment.
“Coach Curtis told me they want to come see me in person later in April once our spring practices get started,” Chandler said. “I believe an offer could come from there because Coach Curtis told me they have only offered a few corners so far, but that they are really looking forward to watching me practice in person next month. He told me that it was a high priority for them.”
Chandler expects the Texas Tech coaches to stop by during the spring evaluation period and we will stay in touch with him to see where things go with the Red Raiders.
- Clare
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With new Director of Player Development, Emmett Jones, now in place the Texas Tech coaches have put an emphasis on trying to own the DISD and Dallas area when it comes to recruiting area prospects.
The coaches have a new prospect on their board with Duncanville (Texas) safety Jaron Bryant now hearing from the Texas Tech staff.
“I have been in touch with Coach (Kevin) Curtis from Texas Tech for about a month now,” Bryant said. “We have been building a relationship and he just usually asks me how I’m doing. We talk about what is going on here at Duncanville and what they are doing in spring practices at Texas Tech.
“The coaches have watched my highlight tape and want to come out to our spring practices to evaluate me in person. Coach Curtis told me they like the way I come down and make tackles, how I see the field and my overall technique. They also liked how I force turnovers and make interceptions. I had four interceptions last year and several pass break-ups too.”
Bryant currently holds offers from Texas State and Hawaii with interest from a few other programs.
“Recruiting is going well, but I feel it is really just getting started,” Bryant said. “I have a few recent offers from Texas State and Hawaii. I’m also hearing from Texas Tech and Arkansas State a lot right now. TCU is actually my favorite college, I’m from Fort Worth and I would like to play at home.
“I went out to the Texas State junior day and do not have any other visits setup right now. I plan on camping with TCU, Houston, Oklahoma State and any other satellite camps being held here in the DFW area.”
The 6-foot, 170-pound prospect is still learning more about the opportunity at Texas Tech, but what are his thoughts on the Red Raider program?
“I really like their Architecture program,” Bryant said. “That is what I would like to major in at college and I have heard they have a really good setup at Texas Tech. I went to a game when Texas Tech played at the Cotton Bowl a few years ago and I really liked the atmosphere, and how the fans supported the team. I still have a lot more to learn about the program, but I like what Coach Curtis has had to say so far.”
Bryant expects the Texas Tech coaches to stop by during the spring evaluation period and we will stay in touch with him to see where things go with the Red Raiders.
- Clare
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Looking to bolster their defense in the 2016 class, Texas Tech has looked up to the state of Oklahoma for some help in Santa Fe (Ok) prospect Calvin Bundage. Texas Tech’s Cornerbacks coach, Kevin Curtis keeps in constant contact with the three-star standout.
“I actually spoke with him today, and we just talked about how our day was going. We talked about what I want to do, and what things I was looking forward to doing in college.”
Bundage picked up an offer from the Red Raiders last year in early December. The Red Raiders and coach Curtis have since been cultivating a good relationship which could pay off for Texas Tech.
“We talk about everything. We’ve been talking for awhile, so we’ve built up a pretty good relationship and can pretty much talk about anything. Texas Tech was the fourth school in the recruiting process to offer me, and I’ve been talking to coach Curtis ever since then,” Bundage said.
“I really like coach Curtis, I think he is a great guy. I think he will really help me in making my decision on where I'm going.”
According to Bundage, him and coach Curtis talk a lot about life and other non-football aspects, but have started to spend some time talking about football and Bundage’s on-field role in the Tech defense.
“We talk about schemes, where they want to play me and how they want to use me and things like that.”
“They see me as a down safety type in a hybrid type role. I really like the role that they have for me,” he said.
“We talk about how I feel like I can bring a more physical presence, especially among the safeties. I think I would be able to just leave it all out on the field.”
The Oklahoma recruit expresses a lot of interest in the Tech program and likes what he sees from the school. Specifically, what sticks out to him about Tech and what does he like about the school in Lubbock?
“It’s a good program, and I like the coaches a lot.”
“I think they are a good group of guys and they like to have a lot of fun. They just know the game well too.”
What Bundage likes about Tech coincides well with what he wants from a future school.
“I’d have to say a good coaching staff and the chance to play early is what I’m really looking for right now.”
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound safety/outside linebacker prospect has not made a visit out to the South Plains as of yet, but it is something he is interested in moving forward. Bundage also gave a quick preview of what he wants from his visit out to Tech.
“I haven't made it out yet, but I definitely do plan on making it out. There aren't any official plans yet, but it is something on my mind.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing the coaches and seeing the players. I really want to talk to the players and see what they think about Texas Tech and the school there.”
The number two prospect in the state of Oklahoma already holds offers from the three Oklahoma schools as well as many others including Tech, Michigan, Arizona, Tennessee, and TCU to name a few. Bundage is enjoying the process right now and hears a lot from the nine schools that have offered him.
“It’s going real good. I’m enjoying it. All the schools that have offered me have really been talking to me the most.”
A few other offers may be on the way as well for the number 36 outside linebacker prospect.
“I think USC and Florida are pretty close. It would be pretty cool to receive offers from some Florida schools and California schools and see what they have to offer.”
A lot of schools have thrown their hat in the ring for the prospect’s talents, but Bundage has no favorites at the moment.
“It’s hard to say right now, it’s early in the process and a lot of schools are in my ear, so I can’t really say who is sticking out the most right now.”
- Kohnle
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The Red Raiders extended an offer to Mandeville (La.) outside linebacker Johnathan Picone in mid-February. Picone has picked up a number of offers recently and Texas Tech as well as a lot of other schools are vying for his services.
“I have about 8 offers right now, Southern Mississippi, Toledo, Troy, Western Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, Texas Tech, Tulane, Colorado State. I’ll probably get an offer from UL within the coming weeks, I think they are close to pulling the trigger,” Picone said.
“All the schools that have offered me have been keeping up with me on a weekly basis.”
Picone possesses a lot of raw athletic ability and hopes to show off his ability at an upcoming combine in his area. Picone has a lot of small school offers at the moment but expects his offer list to really grow after he shows his worth at the combine.
“A lot of schools are waiting to see how I do in the Nike combine in New Orleans on March 28th. I’m going to blow it out, I know I’m going to blow it out. I’m trying to break that 100 Sparq score and if I do that then maybe I will receive an invite to The Opening which would be big and will help in my recruitment.”
Texas Tech is squarely in the mix for Picone’s services and the Louisiana linebacker enjoys what Tech has to offer. Picone has unofficial and official visits to Texas Tech on his mind and already has a thorough understanding of what he wants to see from the school in Lubbock.
“I definitely will be taking an official visit to Texas Tech. There is no doubt in my mind that they will be one of my five visits. As far as unofficial visits go, I would definitely like to get out there before September to catch a practice and hang with the coaches, but I have to work that out with my parents.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of energy, I just want to go where the energy is. Some schools and their practices, it’s very dismal and it’s very unattractive. I just think when you go to a school with an explosive offense, the defense has to match that. I know coach Kingsbury is an offensive genius, so I’m expecting to see a defense that has a lot of turnovers, just a wild defense. I’m hoping to see guys that can go out and make plays on the ball, make big hits, and look really aggressive. I’ll also obviously be looking for nice facilities, indoor practice field, all that stuff. I don’t know what they have to offer as far as that goes, so I would really want to check that out. I also know academically Tech has great programs, so it would be great to check those out as well.”
Picone’s interest in Texas Tech is reciprocated by the Tech coaching staff as he has had up to three coaches recruiting him from the staff throughout the process including new defensive coordinator, David Gibbs.
“Kevin Curtis and coach Spavital. Coach Curtis is the main recruiter for my area, Louisiana, so I talk to him more than anybody else. Coach Spavital is my position coach, so I talk to him pretty regularly as well. I talk to coach Gibbs, the defensive coordinator too. I’ve spoken with all the coaches before, but I mainly keep up with those three.”
“They usually just ask me stuff like what type of things I’m looking for and stuff. They are just interested in trying to figure out what I’m looking for and then focus on that area when talking to me. We just talk about my film a lot and how explosive it is. They talk about my motor, which is probably my greatest asset, just making a lot of plays from behind, just running through people and making tackles. They mention my first step quickness a lot and my pass rush. They just talk to me about my film and how they want me to play inside linebacker at Tech.”
Picone has done his research in regards to Texas Tech and really loves Tech’s new head man on defense.
“Coach Gibbs is awesome. He has NFL experience, his defense at Houston was number two in takeaways in the country these last couple of years, so I know he coaches the type of defense I want to play in, just an aggressive defense that gets the ball all the time. I think he is a great coach and a great DC.”
For schools needing immediate help at linebacker, Picone becomes an attractive option as he has plans to enroll early at whatever school he commits to. Picone hopes to boost his status as a freshman by enrolling early which will not only help him but could pay off for Texas Tech as well.
“I feel like I can play early at Tech, I know that if I decide to go there that I’ll be enrolling early for the spring, so I’ll be there a semester early to go through spring ball and all of that. I’ll be a freshman just trying to learn and pick up the defense as quickly as possible to get a better chance of playing early.”
Some schools might be wary of Picone being from Louisiana since some prospects in that area have reservations about leaving the state. Picone has a different mindset when it comes to leaving his home and is all about leaving if there is opportunity elsewhere.
“I’m very prepared to leave home and make my mark at Texas Tech or any other school. It is not a problem for me at all. I know it is a problem for some Louisiana kids to get away from home, but I’m prepared to leave and go to Texas Tech if that is the best school for me.”
Leaving home is not a problem for the 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker if the school he wants to go to is the right fit. For a school to be the right fit for Picone, there are a few things he is specifically looking for from his future college.
“I’ll probably pick the school I want to go to based off of the actual school and how much I like the coaches. I just want to go to a school where I can compete at the highest level, which doesn’t necessarily mean a power-five school because I know teams in C-USA and stuff like that schedule a lot of SEC and Big 12 schools in non-conference. I want to go to where I can fit and where the coaches want me. That’s probably number one right now, I just want to go somewhere where the coaches want me. It’s not necessarily the biggest offer, but the school that wants me the most.”
“I also want to go somewhere as far as a college town goes that’s just in full support of their college football team. I think it would be cool to go somewhere where you are basically a celebrity. I just want to go somewhere where football is a priority,” he said.
Picone finished his Junior season with 54 tackles and 7.5 sacks earning All-District 6-5A first team defense honor in Louisiana.
- Kohnle
This post was edited on 3/20 10:34 AM by A. Dickens
If you're in the Lubbock area and looking to get into shape, but don't know where to start, check out the website for Cardinal's Fitness. You can sign up for individual classes -- no contract or membership required -- that are good for people at any fitness level.
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The newest offer extended by the Texas Tech coaching staff went out to Harker Heights (Texas) offensive tackle Chris Hughes on Wednesday. In fact, he's picked up all his offers since Sunday afternoon, making for a trio of Tech, North Texas, and Kansas so far.
"They've been going pretty good. It's really been popping off since Sunday. I'm really blessed with all the offers that I've been receiving lately."
Some of that may have to do with the fact that he took home the O-line MVP at the NFTC regional combine over the weekend, and Hughes was pretty satisfied with his performance.
"I feel like I did pretty good, but I feel like I could've done better on some things, especially my forty and other parts of some drills, but I felt like I did really good overall."
As far as things with Tech, the Harker Heights prospect has been in touch with OL coach Lee Hays for some time now, but things have picked up over the last few days, for sure.
"Texas Tech, things are going good. I was just talking to Coach (Hays) last night, and everything is going good with them. They started talking to me some about a month or two ago, but they just majorly started talking to me in the past few days."
Hughes said that Hays loves his potential and believes the OT could be a great college O-lineman someday.
"He said he likes me and my athleticism, thinks that I could be a great attribute to their team and offensive line. He was telling me about how they have a few great offensive linemen and how they did the last few years, and he said I could be just as good as them or better. But, he's a really nice guy, really easy to talk to, really respectful, and that's what I really like about him."
He likes what he's heard about Texas Tech so far, too.
"Texas Tech, from what I know, has a great team, facilities, and like faculty, cause I know some people that went out there."
No visits have been set yet for Hughes, but he's hoping to hop around the state and maybe even make it up to Kansas over the next few months.
"Nothing really set in stone yet with travel and money and all that kind of stuff, maybe hit some local schools, see how far out I can go," he said. "I'm going to try and make it out to every school that offered me for sure, though."
What many may not realize, however, is that Hughes has two Longhorns in the family. Texas DE Naashon Hughes and OT Camron Hughes, who both started at times in 2014, are his older brothers. Hughes has heard quite a bit about the program under Charlie Strong from his bros, but that won't influence him in making a decision down the road.
"I do have two older brothers that play at Texas, Camrhon Hughes and Naashon Hughes," he said. "They tell me about it all the time, and I've been down there, but I'm really not trying to depend on my brothers to pick where I go to school. I'm really just trying to find the best place for me."
It's also worth noting that the Horns haven't been in heavy contact with him as of yet. Hughes currently holds offers from Texas Tech, North Texas, and Kansas.
- McKay
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If you recall, Frisco (Texas) 2017 center Jack Anderson visited Lubbock back a few weeks ago for Tech's first junior day of the spring, and he had a great time on his trip. Things are pretty routine for him when he visits Tech now since he's been quite a bit, but he had a great time hanging out with the coaches and other prospects in town.
"I don't think I can really learn anything new with as many times as I've been down there, but it was just good to be with some other prospects and guys. At some of the other junior days, there were like 100 kids, and there were like 15 to 20 at this one, so it was good to hang out with Eno, Jordan, all them, my friends, but it was just a good time to watch the team practice and see how Coach Hays is with his players."
Anderson really enjoyed getting to watch Tech practice, noting how fierce and competitive things got throughout the day.
"I mean, the energy was crazy. They even had this big fight and that was awesome, just getting after it, which was great. I think the energy was really, really good out there."
In fact, Anderson spent an extra day or two in Lubbock longer than most recruits, staying until Monday. He got to sit in on a few meetings and spend more time around Coach Hays and offensive GA and former Tech center Stephen Hamby, and he loved getting to see them interact with their players.
"I mean, it was good to just see Coach Hays and Coach Hamby, and they just joke around a lot in those meetings, and it was good to get to see them in the meetings and go through everything on Sunday since I stuck around longer than most of the other recruits until Monday. It was just good to see how he interacts with his players and the relationships he has with them, and I've just bonded really well with him."
The 2017 prospect thought that Wylie (Texas) WR Jordan Whaley and Wylie (Texas) East 2017 RB Eno Benjamin, both of whom visited with him, had a great trip, too.
"I think Eno had a great time and really could see himself playing there, and with Jordan it's the same way. I think the coaching staff really made them feel at home, too."
As for the rest of his spring, Anderson is taking things by ear as far as other visits, but he's been very happy with how things have been going overall so far with his recruitment.
"It's been good for sure, just enjoying it, and I think some more schools are getting to ready to pull the trigger and everything. I felt like I did really well at the Opening regionals last week, too. I think that went really well for me. I went against some five star kids a year older than me, and I think I more than held my own."
- McKay
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The month of March is almost over and the coaches will be able to get back out on the road in less than a month in mid-April. Several prospects are hearing from the Texas Tech coaching staff and expect to see them around when spring practices start at their respective schools.
Mansfield (Texas) Summit safety Vernon Scott is hearing from Texas Tech corners coach Kevin Curtis and the two have been connecting on a daily basis.
“I have been talking with Coach Curtis every day,” Scott said. “We first got in touch about two weeks ago and he is a real cool, down to earth coach. We talk about how I’m doing, get to know one another and just connect on a day-to-day basis.
“Coach Curtis likes my size, thinks that I can cover well and told me that is what they really need at Tech right now. He also likes how I’m interchangeable and can play some corner as well. We talked about their defense and how they mostly play man-to-man with the safety over the top, and I liked that because it can help you get ready for the league.”
Scott is hearing from a number of programs at the moment, but believes that Coach Curtis and Texas Tech are currently showing the most interest.
“I’m still looking for that first offer, but a lot of schools are showing interest,” Scott said. “Coaches from Kansas, Louisiana Tech, LSU, Oklahoma, Louisiana Monroe, Purdue, Rutgers and of course Texas Tech have been reaching out lately.
“I feel like Texas Tech is showing the most interest because I have been connecting with Coach Curtis every day for the past 2-3 weeks. He actually sent me a hand written letter this week saying that he cannot wait to see me in person and they are close to an offer in my opinion.”
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound prospect has already visited one SEC program and would like to take a few more visits later this month or next month.
“I went to the LSU junior day and talked with Coach (Les) Miles,” Scott said. “I’m going back to LSU for a camp in June and was recently invited to the ULM junior day on March 28th as well. I was talking with Coach Curtis about possibly visiting Tech sometime soon, but we have to figure out the dates.
“Coach was telling me that Texas Tech is a great school for academics and said they have a really good family atmosphere with great tradition out in Lubbock. He told me the way that the Tech fans and students support the team and love the football program is amazing.”
Scott expects the Texas Tech coaches to stop by during the spring evaluation period and we will stay in touch with him to see where things go with the Red Raiders.
- Clare
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Another prospect the coaches have been in touch with lately is Fort Worth (Texas) Arlington Heights strongside defensive end Patrick Jones.
Jones currently holds an offer from SMU and is hearing from both the Texas Tech coaches and the TCU coaches.
“SMU is my only offer right now, but I really like the new coaching staff they have,” Jones said. “It reminds me a lot of my high school because when I first got here we had a new coaching staff and I remember what it was like to implement a new defense.
“I have visited both SMU and TCU because they are here in town and close to home. I have a brother, Ty Barrett, at TCU and I have been around the TCU program a lot because it is very close to my school. I really like both TCU and SMU right now, but I also just started talking with the Texas Tech coaches this past month.”
Jones initially heard from Texas Tech offensive coordinator and area recruiter Coach Eric Morris, but has been connecting with Coach Kevin Curtis a lot over the past few weeks.
“I first heard from Coach Morris once or twice, then I started hearing from Coach Curtis at Texas Tech,” Jones said. “My head coach went to Texas Tech and I have heard it is a pretty cool place. Last week, over spring break, Coach Curtis and I started building a really good connection.
“I like Coach Curtis because we really didn’t talk a lot of football. I like basketball a lot, even though I have never really played myself. Coach Curtis mentioned that he and the most of the coaching staff at Tech still play basketball against one another in their spare time. We both really like Kobe Bryant and it was just really cool because we had a much different conversation than I have had with most coaches.”
The 6-foot-3, 277-pound prospect went on to share more about his conversations with Coach Curtis.
“Coach told me they really like my film,” Jones said. “All of the coaches really like my explosiveness, my ability to get off the line and engage with the offensive lineman quickly. We didn’t really talk about a particular position in their defense, but I know that is what they liked about me.
“The plan is for the Tech coaches to come down when our spring practices start and they want to watch me practice in person. From there, I believe they could come through with an offer, but I don’t know. The coaches told me they are looking to add several defensive lineman in my class so I’m going to keep in touch with Coach Curtis and hopefully impress them when they visit for our practices.”
Jones expects the Texas Tech coaches to stop by during the spring evaluation period and we will stay in touch with him to see where things go with the Red Raiders.
-Clare
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The Texas Tech coaches have spent time around the Hightower (Texas) program in Missouri City over the past year and recently started recruiting another prospect from the Canes’ talented 2016 class.
Hightower (Texas) corner Julian Chandler has been in contact with the Texas Tech coaching staff for a few months.
“Coach (Zac) Spavital stopped by the school in January and met with our coaches,” Chandler said. “He got my highlight tape and shared it with the rest of the coaching staff at Texas Tech. All of the coaches started following me and I have been in touch with Coach (David) Gibbs and Coach (Kevin) Curtis from Tech ever since.”
Chandler went on to share more about his conversations with the new Texas Tech defensive coordinator and corners coach.
“Coach Gibbs told me they really like my size and speed,” Chandler said. “He asked me if I was familiar with the defense they ran at Houston. I was and we talked about it for a little bit and he believes that I would be a good fit for what they do on defense.
“Coach Curtis and I haven’t really talked a lot of football, but he keeps in touch with me on a daily and weekly basis. He checks in on me, asks me how everything is going and we have just gotten to know one another a little bit.”
The 5-foot-11, 165-pound prospect currently holds one offer from Louisiana Tech and is hearing from a number of programs lately.
“I have an offer from Louisiana Tech and took a visit out there to see the program over the summer,” Chandler said. “I’m also hearing from Baylor, Nevada, Texas, Louisville, Purdue, TCU, Texas Tech and a few others right now. A lot of programs are wanting to see me this spring before considering an offer, but all of the coaches seem to really like my highlight tape.
“I have also taken visits to Houston, Texas and TCU this offseason. I’m going to Baylor this weekend for their Friday Night Lights scrimmage too.”
The Texas Tech coaches are part of the group that wants to see Chandler in person this spring and the standout prospect feels that he is high on the Red Raiders’ list at the moment.
“Coach Curtis told me they want to come see me in person later in April once our spring practices get started,” Chandler said. “I believe an offer could come from there because Coach Curtis told me they have only offered a few corners so far, but that they are really looking forward to watching me practice in person next month. He told me that it was a high priority for them.”
Chandler expects the Texas Tech coaches to stop by during the spring evaluation period and we will stay in touch with him to see where things go with the Red Raiders.
- Clare
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With new Director of Player Development, Emmett Jones, now in place the Texas Tech coaches have put an emphasis on trying to own the DISD and Dallas area when it comes to recruiting area prospects.
The coaches have a new prospect on their board with Duncanville (Texas) safety Jaron Bryant now hearing from the Texas Tech staff.
“I have been in touch with Coach (Kevin) Curtis from Texas Tech for about a month now,” Bryant said. “We have been building a relationship and he just usually asks me how I’m doing. We talk about what is going on here at Duncanville and what they are doing in spring practices at Texas Tech.
“The coaches have watched my highlight tape and want to come out to our spring practices to evaluate me in person. Coach Curtis told me they like the way I come down and make tackles, how I see the field and my overall technique. They also liked how I force turnovers and make interceptions. I had four interceptions last year and several pass break-ups too.”
Bryant currently holds offers from Texas State and Hawaii with interest from a few other programs.
“Recruiting is going well, but I feel it is really just getting started,” Bryant said. “I have a few recent offers from Texas State and Hawaii. I’m also hearing from Texas Tech and Arkansas State a lot right now. TCU is actually my favorite college, I’m from Fort Worth and I would like to play at home.
“I went out to the Texas State junior day and do not have any other visits setup right now. I plan on camping with TCU, Houston, Oklahoma State and any other satellite camps being held here in the DFW area.”
The 6-foot, 170-pound prospect is still learning more about the opportunity at Texas Tech, but what are his thoughts on the Red Raider program?
“I really like their Architecture program,” Bryant said. “That is what I would like to major in at college and I have heard they have a really good setup at Texas Tech. I went to a game when Texas Tech played at the Cotton Bowl a few years ago and I really liked the atmosphere, and how the fans supported the team. I still have a lot more to learn about the program, but I like what Coach Curtis has had to say so far.”
Bryant expects the Texas Tech coaches to stop by during the spring evaluation period and we will stay in touch with him to see where things go with the Red Raiders.
- Clare
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Looking to bolster their defense in the 2016 class, Texas Tech has looked up to the state of Oklahoma for some help in Santa Fe (Ok) prospect Calvin Bundage. Texas Tech’s Cornerbacks coach, Kevin Curtis keeps in constant contact with the three-star standout.
“I actually spoke with him today, and we just talked about how our day was going. We talked about what I want to do, and what things I was looking forward to doing in college.”
Bundage picked up an offer from the Red Raiders last year in early December. The Red Raiders and coach Curtis have since been cultivating a good relationship which could pay off for Texas Tech.
“We talk about everything. We’ve been talking for awhile, so we’ve built up a pretty good relationship and can pretty much talk about anything. Texas Tech was the fourth school in the recruiting process to offer me, and I’ve been talking to coach Curtis ever since then,” Bundage said.
“I really like coach Curtis, I think he is a great guy. I think he will really help me in making my decision on where I'm going.”
According to Bundage, him and coach Curtis talk a lot about life and other non-football aspects, but have started to spend some time talking about football and Bundage’s on-field role in the Tech defense.
“We talk about schemes, where they want to play me and how they want to use me and things like that.”
“They see me as a down safety type in a hybrid type role. I really like the role that they have for me,” he said.
“We talk about how I feel like I can bring a more physical presence, especially among the safeties. I think I would be able to just leave it all out on the field.”
The Oklahoma recruit expresses a lot of interest in the Tech program and likes what he sees from the school. Specifically, what sticks out to him about Tech and what does he like about the school in Lubbock?
“It’s a good program, and I like the coaches a lot.”
“I think they are a good group of guys and they like to have a lot of fun. They just know the game well too.”
What Bundage likes about Tech coincides well with what he wants from a future school.
“I’d have to say a good coaching staff and the chance to play early is what I’m really looking for right now.”
The 6-foot-3, 200-pound safety/outside linebacker prospect has not made a visit out to the South Plains as of yet, but it is something he is interested in moving forward. Bundage also gave a quick preview of what he wants from his visit out to Tech.
“I haven't made it out yet, but I definitely do plan on making it out. There aren't any official plans yet, but it is something on my mind.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing the coaches and seeing the players. I really want to talk to the players and see what they think about Texas Tech and the school there.”
The number two prospect in the state of Oklahoma already holds offers from the three Oklahoma schools as well as many others including Tech, Michigan, Arizona, Tennessee, and TCU to name a few. Bundage is enjoying the process right now and hears a lot from the nine schools that have offered him.
“It’s going real good. I’m enjoying it. All the schools that have offered me have really been talking to me the most.”
A few other offers may be on the way as well for the number 36 outside linebacker prospect.
“I think USC and Florida are pretty close. It would be pretty cool to receive offers from some Florida schools and California schools and see what they have to offer.”
A lot of schools have thrown their hat in the ring for the prospect’s talents, but Bundage has no favorites at the moment.
“It’s hard to say right now, it’s early in the process and a lot of schools are in my ear, so I can’t really say who is sticking out the most right now.”
- Kohnle
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The Red Raiders extended an offer to Mandeville (La.) outside linebacker Johnathan Picone in mid-February. Picone has picked up a number of offers recently and Texas Tech as well as a lot of other schools are vying for his services.
“I have about 8 offers right now, Southern Mississippi, Toledo, Troy, Western Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, Texas Tech, Tulane, Colorado State. I’ll probably get an offer from UL within the coming weeks, I think they are close to pulling the trigger,” Picone said.
“All the schools that have offered me have been keeping up with me on a weekly basis.”
Picone possesses a lot of raw athletic ability and hopes to show off his ability at an upcoming combine in his area. Picone has a lot of small school offers at the moment but expects his offer list to really grow after he shows his worth at the combine.
“A lot of schools are waiting to see how I do in the Nike combine in New Orleans on March 28th. I’m going to blow it out, I know I’m going to blow it out. I’m trying to break that 100 Sparq score and if I do that then maybe I will receive an invite to The Opening which would be big and will help in my recruitment.”
Texas Tech is squarely in the mix for Picone’s services and the Louisiana linebacker enjoys what Tech has to offer. Picone has unofficial and official visits to Texas Tech on his mind and already has a thorough understanding of what he wants to see from the school in Lubbock.
“I definitely will be taking an official visit to Texas Tech. There is no doubt in my mind that they will be one of my five visits. As far as unofficial visits go, I would definitely like to get out there before September to catch a practice and hang with the coaches, but I have to work that out with my parents.”
“I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of energy, I just want to go where the energy is. Some schools and their practices, it’s very dismal and it’s very unattractive. I just think when you go to a school with an explosive offense, the defense has to match that. I know coach Kingsbury is an offensive genius, so I’m expecting to see a defense that has a lot of turnovers, just a wild defense. I’m hoping to see guys that can go out and make plays on the ball, make big hits, and look really aggressive. I’ll also obviously be looking for nice facilities, indoor practice field, all that stuff. I don’t know what they have to offer as far as that goes, so I would really want to check that out. I also know academically Tech has great programs, so it would be great to check those out as well.”
Picone’s interest in Texas Tech is reciprocated by the Tech coaching staff as he has had up to three coaches recruiting him from the staff throughout the process including new defensive coordinator, David Gibbs.
“Kevin Curtis and coach Spavital. Coach Curtis is the main recruiter for my area, Louisiana, so I talk to him more than anybody else. Coach Spavital is my position coach, so I talk to him pretty regularly as well. I talk to coach Gibbs, the defensive coordinator too. I’ve spoken with all the coaches before, but I mainly keep up with those three.”
“They usually just ask me stuff like what type of things I’m looking for and stuff. They are just interested in trying to figure out what I’m looking for and then focus on that area when talking to me. We just talk about my film a lot and how explosive it is. They talk about my motor, which is probably my greatest asset, just making a lot of plays from behind, just running through people and making tackles. They mention my first step quickness a lot and my pass rush. They just talk to me about my film and how they want me to play inside linebacker at Tech.”
Picone has done his research in regards to Texas Tech and really loves Tech’s new head man on defense.
“Coach Gibbs is awesome. He has NFL experience, his defense at Houston was number two in takeaways in the country these last couple of years, so I know he coaches the type of defense I want to play in, just an aggressive defense that gets the ball all the time. I think he is a great coach and a great DC.”
For schools needing immediate help at linebacker, Picone becomes an attractive option as he has plans to enroll early at whatever school he commits to. Picone hopes to boost his status as a freshman by enrolling early which will not only help him but could pay off for Texas Tech as well.
“I feel like I can play early at Tech, I know that if I decide to go there that I’ll be enrolling early for the spring, so I’ll be there a semester early to go through spring ball and all of that. I’ll be a freshman just trying to learn and pick up the defense as quickly as possible to get a better chance of playing early.”
Some schools might be wary of Picone being from Louisiana since some prospects in that area have reservations about leaving the state. Picone has a different mindset when it comes to leaving his home and is all about leaving if there is opportunity elsewhere.
“I’m very prepared to leave home and make my mark at Texas Tech or any other school. It is not a problem for me at all. I know it is a problem for some Louisiana kids to get away from home, but I’m prepared to leave and go to Texas Tech if that is the best school for me.”
Leaving home is not a problem for the 6-foot-2, 215-pound linebacker if the school he wants to go to is the right fit. For a school to be the right fit for Picone, there are a few things he is specifically looking for from his future college.
“I’ll probably pick the school I want to go to based off of the actual school and how much I like the coaches. I just want to go to a school where I can compete at the highest level, which doesn’t necessarily mean a power-five school because I know teams in C-USA and stuff like that schedule a lot of SEC and Big 12 schools in non-conference. I want to go to where I can fit and where the coaches want me. That’s probably number one right now, I just want to go somewhere where the coaches want me. It’s not necessarily the biggest offer, but the school that wants me the most.”
“I also want to go somewhere as far as a college town goes that’s just in full support of their college football team. I think it would be cool to go somewhere where you are basically a celebrity. I just want to go somewhere where football is a priority,” he said.
Picone finished his Junior season with 54 tackles and 7.5 sacks earning All-District 6-5A first team defense honor in Louisiana.
- Kohnle
This post was edited on 3/20 10:34 AM by A. Dickens
