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Big Weekend On Tap For Football Program
recruiting events the football program has seen in years. Top targets from
around the state, including Rivals250 watch list members
Jonathan Lee and
Kenny Williams, will be making the trip up to the Hub City to check out what
Tommy Tuberville and the Red Raiders have to offer.
This
is the latest list of prospects -- as of print time -- who have confirmed to
RRS that they will be in Lubbock this weekend.
San Antonio (Texas) MacArthur TE
Jace Amaro
Plano (Texas) East OL
Jake Brendel
Rockdale (Texas) OL
Le'Raven Clark
Brenham (Texas) WR
Derek Edwards
Killeen (Texas) Ellison LB
Devon Hocutt (Texas Tech commit)
Denton (Texas) Ryan LB
Ty Hook
Spring (Texas) Westfield WR
Christian Jones
Sugar Land (Texas) Dulles ATH
Zach Lathrop
Allen (Texas) WR
Jonathan Lee
Boyd (Texas) LB
Colton Lyon
Arlington (Texas) Sam Houston OL
Tony Morales
Sugar Land (Texas) Dulles RB
Jarrell Oliver
Missouri City (Texas) Fort Bend Marshall ATH
DeAndre Washington
Pflugerville (Texas) Hendrickson RB
Kenny Williams
Sugar Land (Texas) Dulles CB Zoey Williams
Rowlett (Texas) DE
Zach Wood
Lee Hoping For An Offer
Allen (Texas) wide receiver
Jonathan Lee is one of the latest prospects to confirm to RRS that
he will be on the South Plains this weekend. The Rivals250 watch list member is
already up to 11 early offers and hopes to add one more to his list after
attending Texas Tech's junior day.
"I've been talking to Tech for around a month or so," he said. "I've gotten to
talk with Coach (Sam) McElroy and Coach (Neal) Brown, and basically all the
offensive guys. I haven't gotten an offer from them yet, but I'll be there this
weekend, so we'll see what happens."
Lee is familiar with the Red Raiders' offensive identity and understands that
nothing will change in that regard under new head coach Tommy Tuberville.
"I know they're a passing team. They're supposed to still be throwing the ball
under Coach Tuberville, so that‘s gotten my attention," Lee said. "I know
they've been to a lot of bowl games and had success in the postseason, also."
As a prospect who has drawn interest from programs across the country, Lee says
distance is not a factor, going so far as to say that he's "ready to go
anywhere."
First up for Lee, though, is a trip to Lubbock where he'll look to get a feel
for both sides -- academics and athletics -- of Texas Tech..
"I'll be looking closely at their academics. That's important to me. I want an
opportunity to get a good education," he said. "I also want to check out the
atmosphere around the program. I'd like to see how good the coaching staff is,
how they work together and how they relate to the players. I'll just basically
be trying to evaluate the team overall."
The 6-foot-2, 191-pound prospect has not made many visits this spring due to his
obligations to Allen's track and basketball teams. He's set to visit Iowa for
their junior day on April 17th, but hasn't made plans beyond that.
Wood Excited About Junior Day Trip
Rowlett (Texas) defensive end
Zach Wood will be attending the Red Raiders' junior day as well and is
looking forward to getting a firsthand look at the program.
"I've had quite a bit of contact with them," he said. "I've talked to Coach
(Sam) McElroy a couple of times through e-mail and I've gotten on the phone with
him a few times also. He sounded really excited for me to be there, so I'm
really excited to get there and check it out this weekend."
Wood visited SMU in February -- they have since offered -- and attended a Baylor
practice last weekend. He'll be making the trip to Lubbock with his parents, and
is looking for an environment that he'd be comfortable calling home.
"I really just want to look at the team, obviously. I want to see how the team
interacts with the coaches and vice versa. I want to be able to feel really
comfortable with the coaches when I make my decision," Wood said. "I want to see
what kind of facilities they have, try and see if it's a place where I'd feel
comfortable and feel like I was home."
The 6-foot-4, 245-pounder has drawn interest from teams far away from his
hometown of Rowlett, including an offer from Minnesota, but cites distance as a
non-factor in his decision.
"I'll pretty much go anywhere, distance wouldn't matter," Wood said. "I'm going
to go wherever I want to be, and wherever I can feel comfortable."
Wood is in a unique situation as his Rowlett squad, much like the Red Raiders,
is undergoing a change in defensive scheme.
"I think I could fit in well (in the 3-4)," he said. "We're actually going to be
moving into a 3-4 this year at my high school after running the 4-3 for a long
time. I'll be playing in that now and using that opportunity to prepare myself
for the next level."
Wood lists Arkansas, Baylor, Texas Tech and TCU as the programs recruiting him
the hardest right now, and he'll be making a trip to Fayetteville for the
Razorbacks' junior day on April 17th. He hopes to come to a decision sooner
rather than later.
"I'd like to have a decision made before the spring is over so I can relax
during my senior football season, but I'm just taking it as it comes," he said.
"We'll see how it turns out."
Edwards Has Raiders High On List
Brenham (Texas) wide receiver
Derek Edwards will -- yes, you guessed it -- be in Lubbock this weekend for
Texas Tech's junior day, but the 2011 standout already knows quite a bit about
the university and program after doing a bit of research on his own.
"I've spoken with Coach (Neal) Brown, the offensive coordinator," he said. "I've also
gotten the chance to talk with some of the guys that he's gotten to commit so
far, like
Michael Brewer out of Lake Travis. I've talked to a few guys like that about
Tech."
It will be a family trip for Edwards who will visit Lubbock with his father,
mother, and brother in tow, all looking to learn more about the new regime in
West Texas.
"I know they've got a new head coach in Coach Tuberville, and they're still
going to be throwing the ball a lot," Edwards said. "Academically, I know
they'll graduate me if I do decide to finish school if I don't have the chance
to get to the NFL early. If I want to stay I know I can graduate. I think
athletically and academically it's a very good school."
Even though he already holds offers from some of the top programs in the
country, the 6-foot-1, 163-pounder is approaching the process, and his upcoming
visit to the South Plains, with a simple desire to learn more.
"I really don't know what I'm looking for specifically, right now," he said.
"I'm just going in with an open mind."
Edwards has already made a visit to Fort Worth to see TCU up close, and now
plans on using that as a measuring stick of some sorts.
"I'm really just wanting to compare Tech with TCU since I've been there
already," he said. "Since that I trip, I now kind of have a feel for what a
college is like, so I'll just compare all of my options right now and see what
they have to offer."
Edwards is also on the Brenham track team, competing in the high jump, triple
jump, and 4x100m relay. This has led to a tight spring schedule, resulting in a
limited number of set visits, at this point. Aside from the upcoming trip to
Texas Tech, Edwards also hopes to "visit Oklahoma State sometime soon," and
cites those two as being on his trail the heaviest.
"It's definitely coming down to Texas Tech and Oklahoma State right now," he
said. "They're always sending me stuff in the mail, through the school,
hand-written letters, everything. They've both been on me really hard lately."
Premium Q&A: Eric Stephens
Talk about the first couple of days overall.
ES: "I like the new coaching staff. Everything is a lot more
organized and a lot more structured. I feel that we are really going to excel
this year."
Talk about how the running back position is going to more emphasized more
during this season.
ES: "I am definitely excited about that, getting the chance to
get the ball more. I just want to do whatever it takes to win. I don’t care if
we run for five hundred or if we throw for five hundred, whatever it takes to
win."
Talk about getting the pads on, and how the running game will be showcased
in practice more after the pads are put on.
ES: "As a running back we are really not effective without
our pads. That is our joy, getting into the pads, so we will see how it goes
Friday."
What is Coach Scott like?
ES: "Coach Scott is great. We didn’t know what to expect but
all of the coaches are great, we really like Coach Scott."
Did you get a little bigger this offseason?
ES: "I toned up this offseason. I gained about four or
five pounds. I have gained a little weight and I am feeling good."
What are you shooting for this spring?
ES: "I am shooting for (Baron) Batch, he is a senior and I
understand he only has one year left but I am shooting for him just as Harrison
(Jeffers) is shooting for me. Harrison and I are competing for the No. 2 job,
while I am also competing for the No. 1 job. This spring is just good
competition all the way around."
Do you like the more fast-paced offense?
ES: "Yes, in high school our offense was similar to what they
are doing with the signals and the fast tempo. It brought me back to my roots in
high school and I like it a lot better."
Do you think there are enough snaps for all of the running backs?
ES: "I guess we will see when the season starts. That is
why I need to at least stay No. 2 that way I am not the odd man out."
How excited are you about the run game being more of a consistent presence
than it was last year?
ES: "Definitely, I am just as any running back would be. Leach was
more of an air raid coordinator but we will have the air raid but implement the
running game a little more and we are really looking forward to that as a
backfield."
Jones Looking For Home Feel
(Texas) Westfield wide receiver
Christian Jones will be attending Texas Tech's junior day this weekend with
his mother and brother, which makes sense because he wants to see if he feels
like home around the Red Raiders.
"I’m really looking to see the campus," he said. "I know how they play. I've
talked to coaches about everything they're planning to do down there. I really
want to see if I feel like I'm home there. I haven't heard much about Lubbock."
Jones speaks most frequently to outside receivers coach Tommy Mainord.
"We just check in and he sees what's up and with me and tells me what they're
doing in practice," Jones said. "He talks about the offense and what they're
doing down there."
Though Jones is high on the Red Raiders, a commitment from him this weekend
seems unlikely.
"I don't really know about committing yet because I'm still visiting other
schools and getting more offers," he said. "My mother and I are getting some
other Junior Day visits planned out, but nothing is set yet."
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This post was edited on 3/27 9:22 PM by A. Dickens
