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Wright picks up two big offers, makes visit plans
No one was entirely shocked when, after visiting Texas Tech last month, Belle
Chasse (LA) wide receiver James Wright left saying that the Red
Raiders led for his services. It was a bit surprising, but considering that he
only held three offers from BCS schools at the time, it seemed to make sense.
But as each day passes, more and more options are becoming available to the
6-foot-2, 180-pound wideout.
“I have new offers from Tennessee, Alabama, UCF, Louisiana-Monroe and
Northwestern,” said Wright. “I also have a verbal (offer) from Ole Miss.”
That bumps the total offer count up to nine, but his leader has not
changed.
“My favorite right now, that I’m interested in and that has shown me interest,
has to be Texas Tech overall,” said Wright. “I like their style of play and I’m
more comfortable with the coaches and all that.”
Wright's increased comfort-level with the Red Raiders is not something that he
attributes to them by default just because he has visited Lubbock, he has also
made unofficial visits to LSU and Alabama.
The talented pass-catcher told us that he consistently speaks with Texas Tech
inside receivers coach Lincoln Riley by phone every other week. Here in a month
or so, Wright will be able to speak with the Red Raider assistant in person.
“I plan on going back sometime in June," he said. “I just like the school. It’ll give me a
chance to hang out with the players and the coaches more.”
Aside from Texas Tech, Wright did not name any specific schools that he hopes to
visit this summer.
While this is all good news, Red Raider fans should temper their enthusiasm a
bit as Wright maintains that the earliest that he will make a decision is midway
through his senior campaign.
“I still have a couple more schools that I’m waiting on,” explained Wright. “I’m just waiting till I
have all my options on the table. You really don’t know your options until a
school shows you interest. You never know a school that shows you interest could
be the one. I don’t want to commit too soon.”
Is there any chance that Wright could commit when he visits next month?
“No, probably not. That’s a low possibility. The thought has come across but not
much. I’m really focused on staying open.”
It will be interesting to see if Wright feels any pressure to pull the trigger during his second visit. Remember,
the Red Raiders only have two receiver spots
available and the Louisiana native knows better than anyone that his talents could
flourish in Lubbock.
“They have a history of throwing the ball and they have the tools to throw the
ball. They always have the quarterback that can get the job done.”
How committed is Dial?
Though Sulphur Springs (TX) defensive
end Kedrick Dial should certainly be considered committed to
the Red Raiders, he didn't exactly give the most comforting answer when we asked
earlier this week if he intended to take any further visits.
“I still want to take some visits if someone still really wants me to come,” he
said. “You know, just for the experience.”
So just how committed is Dial?
“I mean, I’m very committed,” he answered. “I talk to Coach (Eric) Russell and
Coach Ruff(in McNeill) like three times a week. I talk to other coaches too,
like offensive coaches and stuff, but mainly those two.”
However, the rangy defensive end did say two schools would pique his interest if
they came calling.
“Like I said, I’m very committed, but if something came along that I thought fit
me better, I’d need to think about it,” he explained. As for which schools might
provide such a fit, “I think probably Texas or OU. If one of them offered, I’d
need to look at it hard, you know. I mean, who wouldn’t?”
In our opinion, there’s not really a lot to worry about at this point. As is the
case with most of Texas Tech’s commits in any given year, if Texas or Oklahoma
offered, they’d likely give them a hard look. That's just reality. At this
point, though, all signs point to Dial signing with the Red Raiders next
February.
Sometimes you worry less about a kid who speaks his mind and is open about
wanting to take visits - Baron Batch, for example - than you do the kid who
swears up and down he’d never take a visit, etc. This may be one of those cases.
Clock working against Guinyard
We mentioned earlier this week that Ennis (TX) wide receiver Kyle
Guinyard has picked up four new offers - Colorado, Kansas, UTEP, Tulsa
- within the last few months. He has held an offer from Texas Tech since late
December.
The 6-foot-1, 180-pound wideout has listed the Red Raiders as his leader both
times that we have spoken with him, in December and last weekend. So what's
taking him so long?
“I haven’t visited them yet,” said Guinyard. “I don’t know much about them. I
don’t want to commit real early and then not like it after I visit.”
Guinyard admits that it means a lot to him that Texas Tech offered him so early
and showed that they really wanted him. While he hasn't had a chance to return
the favor, yet, he has been paying close attention to the Red Raiders over the
last few years. And, of course, Guinyard has kept his eye on Michael Crabtree.
“I like him a lot. He’s real good and he’s one of the receivers that I’ve tried
to watch and learn from when he was playing. I watched how he was running routes
and how he’d get separation.”
Guinyard had a chance to throw the ball around with former Ennis quarterback
Graham Harrell shortly after last month's NFL Draft. He said that they didn’t
talk much about Texas Tech, but he feels like he knows enough about the offense.
“I know that it’s very similar to what we’re running right now in high school.
They throw the ball a lot and I feel like I could get a lot of catches.”
Does Guinyard have any other programs up there on his list with the Red Raiders?
Not really.
“I haven’t really checked out all of them but I like Kansas as my second choice
because they throw a lot, too. They have had a couple of receivers that have had
a lot of catches.”
The truth behind this one is that it appears as if Guinyard is either not
motivated to evaluate his options right now or he does not have the resources
needed to be able to do so. Either way, we wouldn’t expect Guinyard to make a
decision any time before November.
What will be interesting to see with Guinyard - really, with all of Texas Tech's
receiver targets - is what he does if another wideout pulls the trigger,
leaving one open spot. Will he commit sight-unseen, or will he wait until he
visits the South Plains? We think there is a decent-to-good chance that Guinyard,
much like quarterback Matt Joeckel, will run out of time before he’s ready to
make his final decision.
Premium Photo: 2010 DB commit Russell Polk
Russell Polk.
Polk picked off five passes during a recent Dallas (TX) Carter 7-on-7 practice.
Winbush has completely shut it down
Schertz (TX) Clemens linebacker Zac Winbush isn’t Texas Tech’s
most highly-touted verbal pledges in terms of star ranking or other offers, but
he is almost certainly one of the best athletes on their commitment list. We
detailed his track and basketball exploits earlier this week, but it’s his
excellence on the gridiron that has earned him the attention of college coaches
around the country.
“It’s kind of crazy really,” laughed Winbush. “I can’t remember what all schools
have come by this spring to talk to me or watch me, but I know in the last, I
don’t know, probably week or so, there have been a few come through. Oklahoma,
Houston, Rice, Colorado, a few like that came by and told the coaches they came
to get a look at me.”
But don’t expect the explosive 6-foot-2, 200-pound prospect to reciprocate their
interest anytime soon.
“I haven’t been talking to anyone but Tech,” he stated. “I told my coaches to
tell them I don’t need to talk to them because I’m a Red Raider. I’ll shake
their hand out of respect for my elders, but I don’t need to really say anything
other than, ‘Thank you for coming sir, it’s nice to meet you,’ because I know
I’ve got my school.”
Winbush is undoubtedly one of the Red Raiders’ strongest commits, and leading
the charge to make sure he stays that way is defensive line coach Charlie
Sadler.
“I call Tech at least once a week,” said Winbush. “I talk a lot with Coach
Sadler, my recruiting coach. He’s a great guy. He’s made sure I’ve got to talk
to all the coaches, and he’s been real cool. We’ve been talking about what they
expect out of me and how they’re looking forward to having me out there.”
More scoop on Smith
Prior to his commitment to Texas Tech this week, Raceland (LA) Central Lafourche
cornerback Brandon Smith was somewhat of an unknown. This is
somewhat odd, as his highlight video speaks for itself, and he definitely has
the measurables in terms of height, range and speed that Ruffin McNeill and
other defensive coordinators around the country look for in a corner. So what's
the deal? Why did he fly under the radar for so long?
A few days after Smith's commitment, we spoke with a source in the New Orleans
area and he was able to explain why the speedy corner escaped the notice of
almost everyone.
"Last season, the cornerback opposite Smith got hurt in the first game, and
Central Lafourche had to play with their second and third string cornerbacks the
rest of the season," said the source. "From then on, for the most part, teams
completely avoided Smith's side of the field. That's why his stats may not pop
out, but just about every time a play was run to his side or he was thrown at,
he made the play.
"I don't know if you know who Johnathan McKnight is, he's the brother of USC
running back Joe McKnight. I've seen Johnathan McKnight about a half dozen times
the past two years, and Brandon Smith is pretty much a carbon copy of him. Same
size, frame, speed, and hands. Just doesn't have the famous last name."
We asked the source, who has seen virtually every Central Lafourche game over
the past few years, to breakdown Smith's strengths and weaknesses.
"I'd say his strengths are, without a doubt, his speed," the source said. "He
has the hips to play corner, if that's where they decide to keep him. I wish
there was more video of him covering receivers but, like I said, most teams
avoided him. He was matched up against a couple of college receivers last year,
including Mike Barba who signed with Nicholls State. If I remember correctly,
they threw at him 5-6 times in that game and Barba was only able to make one
catch on a slant.
"His biggest weakness is his weight, right now. As soon as football finishes, he
starts up basketball, and plays AAU basketball in the summer, so he runs off any
weight he puts on during football season. He's had trouble at times stopping
larger backs and receivers because of his weight, but he's never afraid to hit.
His frame could easily carry another 15-25 pounds and, once that happens, he
should be very good."
When will Phillips, Mays and Wade arrive?
Swine flu has impacted the arrival of 2009 football signees Jarvis
Phillips and Derrick Mays. Wait, what? Because of the
outbreak of H1N1 flu, the governing body for Texas high school athletics (UIL)
altered its meet schedules, pushing the state meet to the weekend of June 5th.
Because both Phillips and Mays are track standouts, this may postpone their move
to the South Plains.
"That's what I'm still trying to figure out," said Mays. "They pushed all of our
track meets back for the swine flu, now that's in the way."
The situation is a little bit more complicated with Phillips, because he
expected to participate in the state meet and planned accordingly.
Unfortunately, he did not qualify.
"I'm going in June now that track season is over with," he said. "If we had made
state, then the last meet was going to be on June 5th and 6th. I wasn't worried
about it, I was just trying to make the state meet. But we ended up getting
third."
But, for Mays, the state meet could still be in play. If he qualifies this
weekend at the regional meet in Waco, then the Killeen (TX) Shoemaker speedster
will be advancing to Austin in early June.
We'll stay on top of that situation.
As for Myles Wade, he will not be moving to Lubbock next month,
but it isn't because of any track obligations.
"I plan on being down there in early July," he said. "I'm going to stay here
till June so I can spend a little more time with my family before I leave."
Porter favoring the SEC
Waggaman (LA) Archbishop Shaw defensive tackle Elliott Porter
said several times during our conversation with him this week that he had no
favorites and was treating all comers equally.
"No," he chuckled. "I'm open, I'm real open."
True as that may be, the talented big man does seem to favor the idea of playing
in the SEC.
"That's everybody's dream, to play in the SEC," Porter said. "To me, it doesn't
matter, I'm open anyway. It's everybody dream to play in the SEC conference, for
the Alabamas or Floridas, but it's everybody's dream to do that. Everybody's
dream can't come true. It's all about the playing time and education, you know?"
Porter said that he felt that LSU and Alabama were both close to offering him,
and is also hoping to add an offer from another SEC West program.
"I'm planning on going to Ole Miss' senior camp because I want to pick
up an offer from them," Porter said with emphasis."
The Red Raiders certainly have a shot, but the odds do not appear to be on their
side.
Hoops tidbits!
* The feeling is that, as soon as he arrives on campus, 2009 signee
David Tairu will be the best defensive player the Red Raiders have on
the roster. There is some thought that, because of Tairu and the kind of person
he is, his willingness to work very hard on the defensive end will rub off on
the roster in a very positive way.
* Also, with Tairu, don't be surprised to see him paired with John
Roberson in the starting lineup next fall when the season starts. In
this scenario you'd obviously see Nick Okorie be the first
guard off the bench in a sixth-man type of role.
* 2009 signee Brad Reese isn't expected in Lubbock until the
second session of summer school. That is when Roberson and Mike
Singletary will return to the South Plains from spending time working a
John Lucas camp in Houston.
* Former Red Raider Alan Voskuil was a very hot commodity
recently in European professional basketball circles. And while we all know that
the Bedford, Texas product is a heck of a shooter, his stroke from distance was
not the only factor working in his favor. Back in the day, Voskuil's father,
David, met his wife (a Danish citizen) while playing professional basketball in
Denmark. Because of this, Voskuil holds dual-citizenship with the United States
and Denmark. What in the world does this have to do with Voskuil being pursued
by professional European teams? Well, professional European teams have a set
limit of how many Americans they can sign to their roster. Due to his Danish
citizenship, Voskuil does not count towards that limit. Apparently he parlayed
that into a very nice contract, which, of course, is very well-deserved.
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This post was edited on 5/22 3:37 AM by A. Dickens
