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.
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Munday (Texas) athlete Dee Paul is down to Texas Tech and Oklahoma State after his recent decommitment from Big East bound SMU.
Since obtaining his offers from both finalists, the cornerback and kick return prospect has taken official visits to both universities.
"The towns are pretty similar to each other," Paul said. "I think one of the big differences is the people that are there, not the people in the program, just the people. The people at Tech were a lot more friendly and I think had a lot more school spirit. I think the people in Lubbock and Tech -- Tech's crowd was awesome that weekend I went. It was great, even after the game it was great, before the game it was great, and the intensity. You could really feel it in the atmosphere."
Residing quite a bit closer to Lubbock and living in the same type West Texas of atmosphere, the environment in the Hub City provides a little more familiarity and comfort for the senior prospect.
"Tech is like home for us Munday kids because a lot of kids from Munday go to Tech," he said. "I know a lot of kids there and it feels like a real home environment. I think it would be really hard for me to get homesick because I've also got two sisters, one lives in Petersburg, the other lives in Plainview, which isn't too far. I think it would be just real hard for me to get homesick."
My personal take is that Paul, without a doubt, has way better vibes about living in Lubbock than in Stillwater. Factor that in with the track program at Tech and I think the Red Raiders are in excellent shape to pick up his commitment.
Paul plans to take one more visit to each school after his high school season comes to a conclusion and make his decision shortly after.
- Rosen
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It's been a long road for Wesson (Miss.) Copiah-Lincoln C.C. defensive end Jerrell Jordan. It's been just as long of a road for his teammate and fellow Tech commit Terrell Hartsfield.
It's a road that led the dynamic duo to Co-Lin, and it's about to send them on their way to Lubbock in less than two months.
The two defensive ends caused havoc in Mississippi this fall.
Just take a look at their stats. Hartsfield finished with eight sacks, 10 tackles for a loss, five PBUs, two forced fumbles, a blocked kick and 58 tackles. Jordan's numbers are equally as impressive, finishing with eight and a half sacks, an interception and 74 tackles. It all culminated in a 9-2 season, a Mississippi JUCO State Championship, and a berth in the Mississippi Bowl next weekend.
Jordan said that the hard work he and Hartsfield put in over the summer was a huge building block towards success, and the Co-Lin defensive line dominated once everyone found a rhythm.
"Me and Hartsfield, it started during the summer," Jordan said. "Nobody remembers that, but over the summer all we did was work. We hit the weight room hard, we worked on drills, and we prepared. Once we found out who the nose guard and tackle were going to be, we just all synced up. We were all just dogs on that line, just getting after it. It's really that work ethic that brought it out."
The next stop for Hartsfied and Jordan is Tech. It's a daily subject brought up by the roommates, and they're both ready to compete in the spring.
"Oh man, we're so excited," Jordan said. "We talk about it every single day. Hartsfield's my roommate, and we talk about it every single day. We always are talking about how we can't wait to get to Texas. We can't wait t play for Tech and get into that program, buy into what they want us to do. We're just so excited. We can't wait, man. It's like a dream. A dream come true."
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that the Red Raiders have been lacking a pass rush over the last few seasons. Jordan is looking to flip that theme on its head. He thinks he can roll in and help the Red Raiders pressure opposing Big 12 quarterbacks in 2013, and he's ready to give the Tech secondary some time to make big plays.
"I think I can do a lot because I know once I get down there that they're going to put some more weight on me," he said. "I'm just going to keep getting better, and I figure rushing the passer, and putting some pass rushers on that defense, we'll be able to do a lot more damage. Just making a little play will give our D.B.s time back there to make play, messing up timing, getting interceptions, getting in the quarterback's face to mess him up. I think me and Hartsfield, we'll be able to make a big difference."
The man bringing in the two defenders is none other than defensive ends coach Robert Prunty.
When Jordan met Hartsfield at Co-Lin, there were two things that the once and current Tech signee mentioned on a daily basis; Coach P. and the Red Raiders.
Jordan bought into the hype, and now he's ready to get his guns up in January.
"He always talked about Coach P," Jordan said. "He always talked about how he wanted to go to Tech, but he also talked about how Coach P was a good guy, and it's been a little wild for him. He's just as excited as me. I know when I came down here, I didn't really have any friends. Whenever everybody would go home on the weekends, we hung out. He's like a brother to me. The main thing he would always talk about was guns up, he was always talking about that. He talked about Coach Prunty a lot. He talked about how good of a guy he was and how Coach P. was there for him."
- McKay
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Everything is basically the same for Woodland Hills (CA) Pierce C.C. tight end Beau Sandland. The four-star prospect is set to visit Tech Dec. 7 and will make his decision right before JUCO signing day in mid-December.
Sandland realizes part of his success is due to the talent surrounding him like teammate Jaelen Strong, a wide receiver that has been a Tech target since the summer.
Sandland had rave reviews about Strong's abilities.
"I'm not just saying this to promote him, but he's by far and away the best receiver I've ever been around and ever played with," Sandland said. "He's by far the best football player I've ever, ever player with. I don't think I've ever seen anybody as freakishly athletic and come so naturally to him. He has all the tools, he has everything. Barring injury or academic things holding him back, he's definitely going to be one of those guys who will play on Sunday and be drafted."
"He's just dominating. I don't even know what his stats are, but it's disturbing," he continued. "There's nobody even in junior college football that can even match up with him so any school that gets him is lucky. He's going to be one of those guys that's the No. 1 JUCO guys coming out, that only the Oregons, the USCs, the teams that only go after the cream of the crop will be after."
For Sandland, it would be a dream come true to play alongside someone of Strong's caliber at the next level. And a nightmare for the opposition.
"I've had the pleasure of playing with some great receivers here at Pierce Junior College in Joe Morris and Jaelen Strong," Sandland said. "I was talking to Jaelen the other day and was like man wherever I go, you're going to and we need to be at a school together. The amount of things you'd open up for me and I'd open up for you outside would be just crazy. I think if me and No. 22 were on the field at the same time, that would create some huge mismatches and would benefit everybody."
Interestingly enough, when we spoke with Strong back in early August, his top four was Arizona State, Miami, Nebraska and Texas Tech which are all finalists for Sandland. Whether it's pure coincidence or foreshadowing future events, the union at their next stop may have to wait another year while Strong gets his grades in order, something that has been alluded to by both Strong and Sandland at some point in time over the fast few months.
"He's only a freshman so he's still early in on his career and recruiting process," Sandland said about Strong. "I don't know when he's going to be able to leave academically, I think he's going to have to stay another semester. I don't know for sure."
Strong has a long offer sheet that includes the likes of Tech, Arizona State, Miami, Nebraska, Tennessee, Mississippi, Mississippi State among numerous others.
- Rosen
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I ever so briefly got into contact with Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College linebacker Antonio Longino.
He's going to play everything close to the vest and didn't seem very interested in having to explain his college decisions to an outsider. However, we do know he is considering a visit to Tech from other sources along with Hutchinson guard Devonte Danzey who does not have a working phone number at the moment.
"I don't really know. I don't know where I'm going to visit," Longino said. "I don't know anything about visiting right now. So many schools that want me to visit. I think every coach has interesting things to say, but it's hard to read through what they're saying. All these coaches, it's overwhelming so I'm sorting everything out."
- Graham
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A handful of Tech commits have second round playoff football games in Texas today and tomorrow.
Here is a list of where the future Red Raiders will be this weekend. All of the games are being played in Texas:
LG Baylen Brown and O'Conner (9-2) will play Converse Judson (8-3) Sat., 1 p.m. at Comalander Stadium in San Antonio.
WR Dylan Cantrell and Whitehouse (10-1) will leave East Texas for the Metroplex and play Wylie East Fri., 7:30 p.m. at Homer B. Johnson Stadium in Garland.
ATH Justis Nelson and Dallas Christian (11-0) will play Fort Worth Christian (8-3) Sat., 7:30 p.m. at UT-Arlington.
OT Maurice Porter and Fort Bend Marshall (11-0) will play Texas City (9-2) Fri. at 7 p.m. at Galena Park ISD Stadium.
QB Davis Webb and Prosper (9-2) will play Dallas Carter (9-2) Sat., 2 p.m. at the Gopher-Warrior Bowl in Grand Prairie.
WR Jaraki Dillard (2014) and Princeton (10-1) will play Gainesville (11-0) Fri., 2 p.m. in Aubrey.
- Staff
This post was edited on 11/23 8:29 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.
---
Munday (Texas) athlete Dee Paul is down to Texas Tech and Oklahoma State after his recent decommitment from Big East bound SMU.
Since obtaining his offers from both finalists, the cornerback and kick return prospect has taken official visits to both universities.
"The towns are pretty similar to each other," Paul said. "I think one of the big differences is the people that are there, not the people in the program, just the people. The people at Tech were a lot more friendly and I think had a lot more school spirit. I think the people in Lubbock and Tech -- Tech's crowd was awesome that weekend I went. It was great, even after the game it was great, before the game it was great, and the intensity. You could really feel it in the atmosphere."
Residing quite a bit closer to Lubbock and living in the same type West Texas of atmosphere, the environment in the Hub City provides a little more familiarity and comfort for the senior prospect.
"Tech is like home for us Munday kids because a lot of kids from Munday go to Tech," he said. "I know a lot of kids there and it feels like a real home environment. I think it would be really hard for me to get homesick because I've also got two sisters, one lives in Petersburg, the other lives in Plainview, which isn't too far. I think it would be just real hard for me to get homesick."
My personal take is that Paul, without a doubt, has way better vibes about living in Lubbock than in Stillwater. Factor that in with the track program at Tech and I think the Red Raiders are in excellent shape to pick up his commitment.
Paul plans to take one more visit to each school after his high school season comes to a conclusion and make his decision shortly after.
- Rosen
---
It's been a long road for Wesson (Miss.) Copiah-Lincoln C.C. defensive end Jerrell Jordan. It's been just as long of a road for his teammate and fellow Tech commit Terrell Hartsfield.
It's a road that led the dynamic duo to Co-Lin, and it's about to send them on their way to Lubbock in less than two months.
The two defensive ends caused havoc in Mississippi this fall.
Just take a look at their stats. Hartsfield finished with eight sacks, 10 tackles for a loss, five PBUs, two forced fumbles, a blocked kick and 58 tackles. Jordan's numbers are equally as impressive, finishing with eight and a half sacks, an interception and 74 tackles. It all culminated in a 9-2 season, a Mississippi JUCO State Championship, and a berth in the Mississippi Bowl next weekend.
Jordan said that the hard work he and Hartsfield put in over the summer was a huge building block towards success, and the Co-Lin defensive line dominated once everyone found a rhythm.
"Me and Hartsfield, it started during the summer," Jordan said. "Nobody remembers that, but over the summer all we did was work. We hit the weight room hard, we worked on drills, and we prepared. Once we found out who the nose guard and tackle were going to be, we just all synced up. We were all just dogs on that line, just getting after it. It's really that work ethic that brought it out."
The next stop for Hartsfied and Jordan is Tech. It's a daily subject brought up by the roommates, and they're both ready to compete in the spring.
"Oh man, we're so excited," Jordan said. "We talk about it every single day. Hartsfield's my roommate, and we talk about it every single day. We always are talking about how we can't wait to get to Texas. We can't wait t play for Tech and get into that program, buy into what they want us to do. We're just so excited. We can't wait, man. It's like a dream. A dream come true."
It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that the Red Raiders have been lacking a pass rush over the last few seasons. Jordan is looking to flip that theme on its head. He thinks he can roll in and help the Red Raiders pressure opposing Big 12 quarterbacks in 2013, and he's ready to give the Tech secondary some time to make big plays.
"I think I can do a lot because I know once I get down there that they're going to put some more weight on me," he said. "I'm just going to keep getting better, and I figure rushing the passer, and putting some pass rushers on that defense, we'll be able to do a lot more damage. Just making a little play will give our D.B.s time back there to make play, messing up timing, getting interceptions, getting in the quarterback's face to mess him up. I think me and Hartsfield, we'll be able to make a big difference."
The man bringing in the two defenders is none other than defensive ends coach Robert Prunty.
When Jordan met Hartsfield at Co-Lin, there were two things that the once and current Tech signee mentioned on a daily basis; Coach P. and the Red Raiders.
Jordan bought into the hype, and now he's ready to get his guns up in January.
"He always talked about Coach P," Jordan said. "He always talked about how he wanted to go to Tech, but he also talked about how Coach P was a good guy, and it's been a little wild for him. He's just as excited as me. I know when I came down here, I didn't really have any friends. Whenever everybody would go home on the weekends, we hung out. He's like a brother to me. The main thing he would always talk about was guns up, he was always talking about that. He talked about Coach Prunty a lot. He talked about how good of a guy he was and how Coach P. was there for him."
- McKay
---
Everything is basically the same for Woodland Hills (CA) Pierce C.C. tight end Beau Sandland. The four-star prospect is set to visit Tech Dec. 7 and will make his decision right before JUCO signing day in mid-December.
Sandland realizes part of his success is due to the talent surrounding him like teammate Jaelen Strong, a wide receiver that has been a Tech target since the summer.
Sandland had rave reviews about Strong's abilities.
"I'm not just saying this to promote him, but he's by far and away the best receiver I've ever been around and ever played with," Sandland said. "He's by far the best football player I've ever, ever player with. I don't think I've ever seen anybody as freakishly athletic and come so naturally to him. He has all the tools, he has everything. Barring injury or academic things holding him back, he's definitely going to be one of those guys who will play on Sunday and be drafted."
"He's just dominating. I don't even know what his stats are, but it's disturbing," he continued. "There's nobody even in junior college football that can even match up with him so any school that gets him is lucky. He's going to be one of those guys that's the No. 1 JUCO guys coming out, that only the Oregons, the USCs, the teams that only go after the cream of the crop will be after."
For Sandland, it would be a dream come true to play alongside someone of Strong's caliber at the next level. And a nightmare for the opposition.
"I've had the pleasure of playing with some great receivers here at Pierce Junior College in Joe Morris and Jaelen Strong," Sandland said. "I was talking to Jaelen the other day and was like man wherever I go, you're going to and we need to be at a school together. The amount of things you'd open up for me and I'd open up for you outside would be just crazy. I think if me and No. 22 were on the field at the same time, that would create some huge mismatches and would benefit everybody."
Interestingly enough, when we spoke with Strong back in early August, his top four was Arizona State, Miami, Nebraska and Texas Tech which are all finalists for Sandland. Whether it's pure coincidence or foreshadowing future events, the union at their next stop may have to wait another year while Strong gets his grades in order, something that has been alluded to by both Strong and Sandland at some point in time over the fast few months.
"He's only a freshman so he's still early in on his career and recruiting process," Sandland said about Strong. "I don't know when he's going to be able to leave academically, I think he's going to have to stay another semester. I don't know for sure."
Strong has a long offer sheet that includes the likes of Tech, Arizona State, Miami, Nebraska, Tennessee, Mississippi, Mississippi State among numerous others.
- Rosen
---
I ever so briefly got into contact with Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College linebacker Antonio Longino.
He's going to play everything close to the vest and didn't seem very interested in having to explain his college decisions to an outsider. However, we do know he is considering a visit to Tech from other sources along with Hutchinson guard Devonte Danzey who does not have a working phone number at the moment.
"I don't really know. I don't know where I'm going to visit," Longino said. "I don't know anything about visiting right now. So many schools that want me to visit. I think every coach has interesting things to say, but it's hard to read through what they're saying. All these coaches, it's overwhelming so I'm sorting everything out."
- Graham
---
A handful of Tech commits have second round playoff football games in Texas today and tomorrow.
Here is a list of where the future Red Raiders will be this weekend. All of the games are being played in Texas:
LG Baylen Brown and O'Conner (9-2) will play Converse Judson (8-3) Sat., 1 p.m. at Comalander Stadium in San Antonio.
WR Dylan Cantrell and Whitehouse (10-1) will leave East Texas for the Metroplex and play Wylie East Fri., 7:30 p.m. at Homer B. Johnson Stadium in Garland.
ATH Justis Nelson and Dallas Christian (11-0) will play Fort Worth Christian (8-3) Sat., 7:30 p.m. at UT-Arlington.
OT Maurice Porter and Fort Bend Marshall (11-0) will play Texas City (9-2) Fri. at 7 p.m. at Galena Park ISD Stadium.
QB Davis Webb and Prosper (9-2) will play Dallas Carter (9-2) Sat., 2 p.m. at the Gopher-Warrior Bowl in Grand Prairie.
WR Jaraki Dillard (2014) and Princeton (10-1) will play Gainesville (11-0) Fri., 2 p.m. in Aubrey.
- Staff
This post was edited on 11/23 8:29 AM by A. Dickens
