The Red Raider Confidential is sponsored by Cardinal's Sports Center. If you need Texas Tech gear or Under Armour apparel, the best place to go in our opinion is Cardinal's -- they have a tremendous location in Lubbock (Slide and S. Loop 289), a store in Plano and a fantastic selection on their website.
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.
---
Tech tight end target Beau Sandland announced he would officially visit Lubbock from Dec. 7 to Dec. 9 earlier in the week and then announced he would visit Miami Nov. 30 through Dec. 2 on Thursday.
The Red Raiders will be Sandland's final official visit, thus can make the last impression.
"The dates that were chosen were chosen by the schools," Sandland said. "Both of them wanted me to visit so I asked them for a first date and a second date in case they'd both want the same dates. They both wanted me to come Dec. 8 and both of their backups was Nov. 30. I looked at my list and Texas Tech offered me a few days before I got Miami offer so I took Tech on Dec. 8 as they preferred and will go to Miami first."
Sandland still has a top five and not much has changed recently.
"I'm still really serious about all of them," he said. "At some point after I take these last two officials I'll narrow it down to three just to make it a little easier going into signing day.
In the meantime, Sandland has one final junior college game to play Saturday.
"We have a bowl game this Saturday," he said. "Mt. San Jacinto. A team we lost to in Week 2. We finished the regular season 8-2. Should have been 10-0, definitely should have been 9-1. It's been a successful season for the most part and it's fitting we get another shot at them One more game.
"I definitely think you have to keep proving yourself week in and week out. Nobody's perfect and there's always room to improve. I'll try to help the team get the win. Hopefully we'll be able to go out there Saturday and get this win."
- Graham
---
When we spoke with Jacksonville (Fla.) Eagle's View Academy 2014 quarterback D.J. Gillins, the recent Tech commit planned to help the coaching staff recruit elite talent to Lubbock along with the help Princeton (Texas) wide receiver Jakari Dillard.
T.V. Williams is one of two prospects front and center on the duo's radar.
"That guy, he's super-fast," Gillins said about watching highlights of Williams. "Jakari said he is someone that is really interested in Tech and that he talks to all the time about Tech."
Another prospect from Gillins' neck of the woods he would like to see in the red and black is Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cardinal Gibbons 2014 wide receiver George Rushing.
The four-star quarterback came away extremely impressed with Rushing after competing with him at a Florida State camp this past summer and is urging the Tech coaching staff to take a good hard look at the wide receiver.
"When I was at the Florida State camp, he was the best receiver out of all the receivers that were there and that was including the ones they already offered," Gillins said. "That dude George Rushing is probably the best receiver I've ever seen and I've seen a lot of good receivers from 7-on-7's and traveling teams."
- Rosen
---
McKinney (Texas) 2014 wide receiver T.V. Williams is not only a prospect on the radar of current Tech commits, but has been on the Tech coaching staffs list of priorities for a while.
The 5-foot-10, 160-pound wide receiver has taken a flurry of visits so far this season to places like Oklahoma State, Baylor, TCU, Texas A&M, Houston, SMU, and to Lubbock in October for their game against Oklahoma. After thorough research and evaluation, one school is standing out the most to the McKinney wide receiver.
"Tech is a big one that's standing out right now," Williams said. "I like Baylor, Oklahoma State. Texas A&M is a good one and I still keep in touch with Houston a lot. Houston is my only offer still. Any team with a spread, I'm always going to look at them no matter what."
Houston would face a tough decision if the coaches finally decide to extend an offer, which he thinks could happen in the near future.
"Tech is standing out a lot," he said. "I have a really good relationship with Sonny Cumbie, so that means a lot to me," he said. "To get an offer from Tech, I would probably consider committing. I would have to talk to my dad and sit down with my mom and figure everything out so I don't know if that would happen. They would definitely be top two, top three for sure."
If Williams didn't commit immediately upon receiving a Tech offer, Jakari Dillard would likely be blowing up his phone trying to convince him to become a Red Raider.
Williams and Dillard met at the Rivals Underclassmen Challenge this past summer where the two wide receivers instantly hit it off and became good friends.
"Is he pumping up Tech to me? Oh yeah, he definitely is," Williams said, laughing. "Me and Jakari, we talk a lot. He actually came to one of my games when they were in a bye week and we talked after. Me and him are pretty good friends."
Williams list his top six as Tech, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Texas A&M, TCU and Houston in no particular order, although it certainly seems like he the Red Raider's to lose if they want him.
- Rosen
---
Tech's in the market for a few JUCO offensive lineman, and Corsicana (Texas) Navarro Junior College tackle and former Tech signee Aleon Calhoun may fit that bill perfectly. The Red Raiders are clearly in the picture, as well as a few other schools, the second time around.
"Texas Tech, South Florida, SMU, Oklahoma State, and Baylor are (the schools I've been talking to," he said. "I've still been talking to them (Tech). They want me to come down there."
It looks like Calhoun will do just that. He's hoping to make a visit within the next month before he makes a decision in December.
"I don't know the date yet, but I know I will visit out in December," Calhoun said.
When Calhoun signed with Tech back in 2010, Tommy Tuberville had just taken the reins of the football program. Things have obviously changed a lot since them and the big lineman's biggest interest in Tech is the difference between the program then and now.
"I'm looking for how the program has changed with the new coaching staff," he said.
The man in charge of recruiting the JUCO tackle is offensive line coach Chris Thomsen. Thomsen has been talking to Calhoun for a while and Calhoun likes the way that the former ACU head coach runs things in the trenches.
"I talk to Coach Thomsen," he said. "I mean, he's a great guy man. He's been doing good things out there this fall the Red Raider way."
Tech's offense is really appealing to Calhoun as well. He feels that he's a big, explosive blocker that's best when pushing people around in the run game and would fit great into Neal Brown's system.
"Oh man, it's the type of offense I love," he said. "It's an explosive offense, and I'm an explosive lineman."
As far as competition for Calhoun's signature, it looks like it will come down to Tech, SMU, and South Florida. Calhoun has several Navarro teammates out at USF and it's an appealing school.
Tech is likely the last visit that he'll take however, so in my opinion, the Red Raiders are in great shape at this point. We'll see how things develop between now and the December signing day.
- McKay
---
Many Tech fans are well aware of the fact that Visalia (Calif.) College of the Sequoias cornerback Steven Nelson recently decomitted from Georgia.
Nelson, who visited over the summer, had a fantastic time in Lubbock and felt, at the time, that the Red Raiders would be his choice should things turn south with the Bulldogs.
Well, it looks like Tech is out of the picture at this point with Nelson. Things will come down to Oregon State and Ole Miss.
"I feel like Oregon State is number one, and second is Ole Miss," he said.
The Red Raiders are a distant third.
So why has Tech taken a tumble down the JUCO cornerbacks list?
"Texas Tech is a good program," Nelson said. "I like the coaching staff over there also. It's a thing over there, I don't like the way -- they teach the cornerbacks how to play a certain way. I'm more of a guy that likes to play my own kind of technique. I don't like to be treated like a robot. It's one of those type things. I just want to play."
The allure of the NFL is also huge for Nelson. The coaching staff at Oregon State has a lot of professional experience with organizations like Chargers and Colts, and Green Bay rookie defensive back Casey Heyward, a friend of Nelson's, was coached by the secondary coach at Ole Miss.
"I feel like coaches should know that I'm a guy that's trying to get to the NFL. I'm not just a player that's just trying to help the team. I'm a team player, but I'm trying to play in the NFL as well."
It looks like Tech will clearly have to look somewhere else should they want another JUCO corner this fall.
- McKay
This post was edited on 11/16 9:47 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.
---
Tech tight end target Beau Sandland announced he would officially visit Lubbock from Dec. 7 to Dec. 9 earlier in the week and then announced he would visit Miami Nov. 30 through Dec. 2 on Thursday.
The Red Raiders will be Sandland's final official visit, thus can make the last impression.
"The dates that were chosen were chosen by the schools," Sandland said. "Both of them wanted me to visit so I asked them for a first date and a second date in case they'd both want the same dates. They both wanted me to come Dec. 8 and both of their backups was Nov. 30. I looked at my list and Texas Tech offered me a few days before I got Miami offer so I took Tech on Dec. 8 as they preferred and will go to Miami first."
Sandland still has a top five and not much has changed recently.
"I'm still really serious about all of them," he said. "At some point after I take these last two officials I'll narrow it down to three just to make it a little easier going into signing day.
In the meantime, Sandland has one final junior college game to play Saturday.
"We have a bowl game this Saturday," he said. "Mt. San Jacinto. A team we lost to in Week 2. We finished the regular season 8-2. Should have been 10-0, definitely should have been 9-1. It's been a successful season for the most part and it's fitting we get another shot at them One more game.
"I definitely think you have to keep proving yourself week in and week out. Nobody's perfect and there's always room to improve. I'll try to help the team get the win. Hopefully we'll be able to go out there Saturday and get this win."
- Graham
---
When we spoke with Jacksonville (Fla.) Eagle's View Academy 2014 quarterback D.J. Gillins, the recent Tech commit planned to help the coaching staff recruit elite talent to Lubbock along with the help Princeton (Texas) wide receiver Jakari Dillard.
T.V. Williams is one of two prospects front and center on the duo's radar.
"That guy, he's super-fast," Gillins said about watching highlights of Williams. "Jakari said he is someone that is really interested in Tech and that he talks to all the time about Tech."
Another prospect from Gillins' neck of the woods he would like to see in the red and black is Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cardinal Gibbons 2014 wide receiver George Rushing.
The four-star quarterback came away extremely impressed with Rushing after competing with him at a Florida State camp this past summer and is urging the Tech coaching staff to take a good hard look at the wide receiver.
"When I was at the Florida State camp, he was the best receiver out of all the receivers that were there and that was including the ones they already offered," Gillins said. "That dude George Rushing is probably the best receiver I've ever seen and I've seen a lot of good receivers from 7-on-7's and traveling teams."
- Rosen
---
McKinney (Texas) 2014 wide receiver T.V. Williams is not only a prospect on the radar of current Tech commits, but has been on the Tech coaching staffs list of priorities for a while.
The 5-foot-10, 160-pound wide receiver has taken a flurry of visits so far this season to places like Oklahoma State, Baylor, TCU, Texas A&M, Houston, SMU, and to Lubbock in October for their game against Oklahoma. After thorough research and evaluation, one school is standing out the most to the McKinney wide receiver.
"Tech is a big one that's standing out right now," Williams said. "I like Baylor, Oklahoma State. Texas A&M is a good one and I still keep in touch with Houston a lot. Houston is my only offer still. Any team with a spread, I'm always going to look at them no matter what."
Houston would face a tough decision if the coaches finally decide to extend an offer, which he thinks could happen in the near future.
"Tech is standing out a lot," he said. "I have a really good relationship with Sonny Cumbie, so that means a lot to me," he said. "To get an offer from Tech, I would probably consider committing. I would have to talk to my dad and sit down with my mom and figure everything out so I don't know if that would happen. They would definitely be top two, top three for sure."
If Williams didn't commit immediately upon receiving a Tech offer, Jakari Dillard would likely be blowing up his phone trying to convince him to become a Red Raider.
Williams and Dillard met at the Rivals Underclassmen Challenge this past summer where the two wide receivers instantly hit it off and became good friends.
"Is he pumping up Tech to me? Oh yeah, he definitely is," Williams said, laughing. "Me and Jakari, we talk a lot. He actually came to one of my games when they were in a bye week and we talked after. Me and him are pretty good friends."
Williams list his top six as Tech, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Texas A&M, TCU and Houston in no particular order, although it certainly seems like he the Red Raider's to lose if they want him.
- Rosen
---
Tech's in the market for a few JUCO offensive lineman, and Corsicana (Texas) Navarro Junior College tackle and former Tech signee Aleon Calhoun may fit that bill perfectly. The Red Raiders are clearly in the picture, as well as a few other schools, the second time around.
"Texas Tech, South Florida, SMU, Oklahoma State, and Baylor are (the schools I've been talking to," he said. "I've still been talking to them (Tech). They want me to come down there."
It looks like Calhoun will do just that. He's hoping to make a visit within the next month before he makes a decision in December.
"I don't know the date yet, but I know I will visit out in December," Calhoun said.
When Calhoun signed with Tech back in 2010, Tommy Tuberville had just taken the reins of the football program. Things have obviously changed a lot since them and the big lineman's biggest interest in Tech is the difference between the program then and now.
"I'm looking for how the program has changed with the new coaching staff," he said.
The man in charge of recruiting the JUCO tackle is offensive line coach Chris Thomsen. Thomsen has been talking to Calhoun for a while and Calhoun likes the way that the former ACU head coach runs things in the trenches.
"I talk to Coach Thomsen," he said. "I mean, he's a great guy man. He's been doing good things out there this fall the Red Raider way."
Tech's offense is really appealing to Calhoun as well. He feels that he's a big, explosive blocker that's best when pushing people around in the run game and would fit great into Neal Brown's system.
"Oh man, it's the type of offense I love," he said. "It's an explosive offense, and I'm an explosive lineman."
As far as competition for Calhoun's signature, it looks like it will come down to Tech, SMU, and South Florida. Calhoun has several Navarro teammates out at USF and it's an appealing school.
Tech is likely the last visit that he'll take however, so in my opinion, the Red Raiders are in great shape at this point. We'll see how things develop between now and the December signing day.
- McKay
---
Many Tech fans are well aware of the fact that Visalia (Calif.) College of the Sequoias cornerback Steven Nelson recently decomitted from Georgia.
Nelson, who visited over the summer, had a fantastic time in Lubbock and felt, at the time, that the Red Raiders would be his choice should things turn south with the Bulldogs.
Well, it looks like Tech is out of the picture at this point with Nelson. Things will come down to Oregon State and Ole Miss.
"I feel like Oregon State is number one, and second is Ole Miss," he said.
The Red Raiders are a distant third.
So why has Tech taken a tumble down the JUCO cornerbacks list?
"Texas Tech is a good program," Nelson said. "I like the coaching staff over there also. It's a thing over there, I don't like the way -- they teach the cornerbacks how to play a certain way. I'm more of a guy that likes to play my own kind of technique. I don't like to be treated like a robot. It's one of those type things. I just want to play."
The allure of the NFL is also huge for Nelson. The coaching staff at Oregon State has a lot of professional experience with organizations like Chargers and Colts, and Green Bay rookie defensive back Casey Heyward, a friend of Nelson's, was coached by the secondary coach at Ole Miss.
"I feel like coaches should know that I'm a guy that's trying to get to the NFL. I'm not just a player that's just trying to help the team. I'm a team player, but I'm trying to play in the NFL as well."
It looks like Tech will clearly have to look somewhere else should they want another JUCO corner this fall.
- McKay
This post was edited on 11/16 9:47 AM by A. Dickens
