Sorry for the change in format this week, working from the road.
RAIDERS OFFER JUCO DT
Texas Tech inked three immediate impact junior college defensive linemen in its 2010 signing class, and it looks like the program hopes to add at least one more in 2011. The Red Raiders have offered a few already, and the latest is Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College's Sylvester Williams.
"They came down about a week ago and checked me out," Williams said. "They were interested in me so they extended me the offer. I talked to Coach (Sam) McElroy again today (Thursday) and he just talked again about how interested they are in what I can do."
Though Williams has just begun to build a relationship with Texas Tech, it appears as if its coaching staff has somewhat of an "in" with the Coffeyville program.
"I'’ve talked to Coach McElroy the most. We're just beginning to get to know each other, I don't really know too much about him yet," Williams said. "I know he’s really close with the coach here, Coach (Dariun) Dulin. He seemed like a good guy."
Williams also holds offers from Baylor and Louisiana Tech, and North Carolina and Oklahoma State have been showing interest as well. He doesn't know a lot about the Red Raiders, but is interested in learning more.
"I don't know too much about them," he acknowledged. "I know they've got a good background and I've heard good things. They look like a good school and definitely something that I might like to be a part of. "
The 6-foot-3, 310-pound prospect hopes to have a decision made by the end of July and lists a top three of North Carolina, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.
2013 ATHLETE LIKES TECH
Although Mount Ulla (N.C.) West Rowan athlete Desmond Jackson has more than a few years before transitioning to the next level of competition, the 2013 standout has already seen his list of potential suitors blow up over the past couple of months.
"I've heard from quite a few schools lately, but right now the guys I'm hearing from the most are Florida, they sent me a hand-written letter inviting me to their camp so I was excited about that," he said. "I also received one from Clemson, Wake Forest, Tennessee, Southern Miss, and Kansas. Those are the ones who have shown me the most interest lately."
Regardless of the attention from so many schools, Jackson is still only beginning his recruitment and he's got everyone even out of the gates.
"Right now, I don't have a favorite," he said. "I like Texas Tech a lot, but they haven't shown much interest so far. So, now I'm going to camps this summer at Florida and Clemson for sure. My parents and I will then sit down and decide who else I'm going to go see this summer."
The affinity for the Red Raiders might seem strange coming from a native of North Carolina, but this is not a new thing for Jackson.
"I've always grown up liking Tech. I've been a fan of them and Ohio State for a long time. They were two of my favorites as a little kid growing up," he said. "I've never been out there to Lubbock, but I like the family atmosphere they seem to have going on. I've watched them on television several times. My favorite wide receiver came from there in Michael Crabtree. I've just been paying attention to them for a while, so I definitely have interest there."
The 5-foot-9, 160-pounder also has an open mind with regard to what position he might play in college. That has come in handy recently as he made a surprising position switch in the spring, from receiver to running back.
"They were going to use me as a wide receiver on varsity until a couple of weeks ago when we started working out and our coach saw me at running back," Jackson said. "He seemed to like me there, so I guess he'll try me there.
"I don't really see myself being able to play that in college, though. I think my size would hurt me on that level. I kind of see myself as being able to fill that slot receiver kind of role when I get to college. I'd like to be used as a receiver, preferably."
Jackson has just under 1,000 days until the 2013 National Signing Day arrives and he plans on using all of the time he needs before making a decision.
"Right now I'm thinking that I'll take my time and explore my options. At the moment I think my number one would be Florida because they've shown me a lot of love, sending me stuff out every week," he said.
It seems clear, however, that certain concessions might be made if an offer was to come his way from Lubbock, Texas or Columbus, Ohio.
"As of right now, if Texas Tech was to offer me I'd probably want to commit because I really like them. I'd feel the same way about Ohio State. Like I said, those have been my favorites since I was a kid."
Jackson is still waiting to add his first offer, but has thus far been shown interest by Auburn, Cal, Clemson, Colorado, Duke, East Carolina, Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Kansas, LSU, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Oregon, Pittsburgh, South Carolina and Wake Forest.
EVERYONE IS EVEN FOR GREEN
Orlando (Fla.) Olympia defensive end Deon Green has been in contact with Texas Tech over the past few weeks. He said there is not a lot that he knows firsthand about the Red Raiders, but is familiar with their reputation.
"I think they are a new program," Green said, "but when I first found out it was pretty exciting. They are a kind of new program, but they've gotten a lot of attention and have been pretty good, actually really good these few years."
The 6-foot-3, 251-pound prospect is being recruited by Texas Tech running backs coach Chad Scott.
"Coach Scott, he's a younger guy and from what I can see he is a real calm guy," Green said, "a real calm and collected guy. I feel like he is a more take-it-easy kind of guy, from what I can see."
There are a few schools in play for Green, but he said none are standing out more than others. He said he is really interested in any school that is showing him interest.
"Right now," Green said, "I'm really interested in every college that is interested in me. Whatever college is interested in me, I'm interested in them. I'm not really favoring any college more than any other college."
When the recruiting process began, Green was leaning towards leaving the state of Florida for his college career. As time has past, though, that feeling has changed.
"I really wanted to leave," Green said, "but now it's more of what college is going to be right for me rather than just leaving Florida. Now, if I can find a college that's my best fit in Florida, then good, but if I have to leave to find a good college, then I will."
Green has not set up an visits, yet, but he said he will start soon because he is looking to graduate early. He knows what he wants in a school, now he is just trying to find it.
"I'm looking for a place that I can get along with the coaching staff," Green said," where I can get along with the surroundings, I can get along with the people there, and a place that feels like I'm at home."
BYERS LOOKING FORWARD TO VISITS
Rock Hill (S.C.) Northwestern defensive end Roderick Byers has been in contact with many schools around the country so far in his recruiting process, but right now things are pretty slow.
"Nothing has really changed because I haven't gone anywhere yet," Byers said.
The 6-foot-4, 262-pounder has been in contact with Texas Tech and most often with outside linebackers coach Robert Prunty.
"Yeah I have talked to Texas Tech a little bit, Coach Prunty, who came from Hargrave is recruiting me," he said.
Byers likes his relationship with Coach Prunty because it's not always all about football with him.
"He is a really good man, he doesn't really talk that much about football, he is always talking to me about life and other stuff like that and football is the last thing he talks to me about," Byers said. "But he is a good person and I could see myself being coached by him for the next four years."
Coach Prunty and the other Texas Tech staff see Byers potentially coming in and helping right away and in the same spot that he is used to playing in South Carolina.
"He just told me that if I come there then right when I get there I will have a chance at playing because they don't have that many lineman and that's what they need," Byers said.
With Texas Tech still hot on the trails for the services of Byers, no one really stands out right now early on.
"I'm really just talking with everyone right now and just soaking up this whole recruiting process," Byers. "But really whoever is showing interest in me right now I am interested in their school as well."
Though he doesn't have any listed favorites right now, he does have a timetable for when he would like to make his decision.
"I would like to have my decision made up by the time season starts, but I don't know right now," Byers said.
Byers holds offers from Maryland, South Carolina, Texas Tech and Wake Forest.
STALLWORTH EXPECTING MORE OFFERS
Carrollton (Texas) Newman Smith linebacker Jeremy Stallworth has started to feel the recruiting process heat up. He said he has started getting more and more letters from different Big 12, ACC and SEC schools. Thus far, Texas Tech is the only school to offer, but he thinks that will change in the near future.
"Well lately I have been getting a lot of letters from a lot of Big 12 schools and some SEC and ACC schools," Stallworth said. "I have Nebraska, Colorado, Texas Tech and Oklahoma for the Big 12 and in the SEC we have Alabama and Vanderbilt and then the ACC I have Florida State and then Purdue and some others."
Stallworth said he would not be surprised to see an offer from Nebraska or Alabama soon. As far as his current offer goes, the 6-foot Stallworth said he talks to the Red Raiders frequently and speaks with Coach James Willis more than anyone else.
"He's cool," Stallworth said of Willis. "He's a real down to earth guy. I went up there for my junior day on the 17th, and I sat down and talked to the coaches from the defensive staff and watched a little game film and he was just a really laid back guy."
While talking with the coaching staff, Stallworth said they told him they had already picked out a position that he would play in their defensive scheme.
"They have an outside linebacker that plays safety and outside linebacker and they call him their money guy," Stallworth said, "and they said that I would play that position. And they said I would most likely I would play right away as a freshman if I was to come there. "
Stallworth said he wants to see what other legitimate offers he will receive before making his college decision, but he said he will definitely be taking one of his official visits to Texas Tech.
"I love the campus," Stallworth said. "It's a real nice campus even though it's like in the middle of nowhere it's still a great campus. The weather might be sucky sometimes, but other than that, it's a great campus and I have a lot of friends that go there. It's not like I would be going there blindfolded; I have people there to lay a foundation with."
ANOTHER HOOPS PROSPECT IN THE MIX
We mentioned earlier tonight that Utah transfer Marshall Henderson had decided to enroll at Texas Tech and join Pat Knight's basketball program. He was not the only visitor the Red Raiders had in town this weekend.
Sulphur (La.) guard Chip Armelinhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/texastech/basketball/recruiting/player-Chip-Armelin-75899 was also checking out the Red Raiders. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound prospect is a little bit like Lawrence Cayou -- a football prospect that signed with Texas Tech in February -- in that he's very talented, but no one expected him to qualify. Though Armelin hasn't qualified yet, it looks extremely likely that he will.
Sulphur, Louisiana might ring a bell because that's also the hometown of former Texas Tech star Martin Zeno. Armelin is similar to Zeno in size and play-style -- he's extremely athletic.
So why is Armelin visiting the Red Raiders? Javarez Willis, one of the program's 2010 signees, has not yet qualified. And though his situation looks positive, and Texas Tech is planning on him joining the roster this summer, the team's coaching staff is doing its due diligence in case the unexpected happens. From what we understand, Willis just needs to hit a certain grade in one class, nothing major.
QUICK HITS
* Odessa (Texas) running back, and recent Texas Tech commit, Bradley Marquezhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/texastech/football/recruiting/player-Bradley-Marquez-94739 does hope to play baseball for Dan Spencer's team once he hits campus next summer. He met with the baseball team's coaching staff when he visited Lubbock a few weekends ago and told RRS that they said he would have a spot on the team. Marquez also told RRS that the football staff indicated that he would be able to play baseball.
Interestingly enough, Marquez is actually former teammates with freshman phenom Jamodrick McGruder -- the two played together in elementary school before McGruder's family moved away from Odessa.
* Texas Tech 2010 signee Dartwan Bush will be participating in -- and is arguably the odds-on favorite to win -- the 5A state shotput final next Saturday. Bush posted the best throw of any participant during last week's regional meets, an impressive 64-09.25.
* Midland (Texas) Christian offensive lineman Bobby Thompson was not offered by TCU this week. There was some thought that the Horned Frogs would touch base with him on Thursday or Friday and extend an offer, but that didn't end up happening. Thompson wants to have a decision made here in the next couple of weeks, so TCU's delay in getting an offer sent out is a big deal.
RAIDERS OFFER JUCO DT
Texas Tech inked three immediate impact junior college defensive linemen in its 2010 signing class, and it looks like the program hopes to add at least one more in 2011. The Red Raiders have offered a few already, and the latest is Coffeyville (Kan.) Community College's Sylvester Williams.
"They came down about a week ago and checked me out," Williams said. "They were interested in me so they extended me the offer. I talked to Coach (Sam) McElroy again today (Thursday) and he just talked again about how interested they are in what I can do."
Though Williams has just begun to build a relationship with Texas Tech, it appears as if its coaching staff has somewhat of an "in" with the Coffeyville program.
"I'’ve talked to Coach McElroy the most. We're just beginning to get to know each other, I don't really know too much about him yet," Williams said. "I know he’s really close with the coach here, Coach (Dariun) Dulin. He seemed like a good guy."
Williams also holds offers from Baylor and Louisiana Tech, and North Carolina and Oklahoma State have been showing interest as well. He doesn't know a lot about the Red Raiders, but is interested in learning more.
"I don't know too much about them," he acknowledged. "I know they've got a good background and I've heard good things. They look like a good school and definitely something that I might like to be a part of. "
The 6-foot-3, 310-pound prospect hopes to have a decision made by the end of July and lists a top three of North Carolina, Oklahoma State and Texas Tech.
2013 ATHLETE LIKES TECH
Although Mount Ulla (N.C.) West Rowan athlete Desmond Jackson has more than a few years before transitioning to the next level of competition, the 2013 standout has already seen his list of potential suitors blow up over the past couple of months.
"I've heard from quite a few schools lately, but right now the guys I'm hearing from the most are Florida, they sent me a hand-written letter inviting me to their camp so I was excited about that," he said. "I also received one from Clemson, Wake Forest, Tennessee, Southern Miss, and Kansas. Those are the ones who have shown me the most interest lately."
Regardless of the attention from so many schools, Jackson is still only beginning his recruitment and he's got everyone even out of the gates.
"Right now, I don't have a favorite," he said. "I like Texas Tech a lot, but they haven't shown much interest so far. So, now I'm going to camps this summer at Florida and Clemson for sure. My parents and I will then sit down and decide who else I'm going to go see this summer."
The affinity for the Red Raiders might seem strange coming from a native of North Carolina, but this is not a new thing for Jackson.
"I've always grown up liking Tech. I've been a fan of them and Ohio State for a long time. They were two of my favorites as a little kid growing up," he said. "I've never been out there to Lubbock, but I like the family atmosphere they seem to have going on. I've watched them on television several times. My favorite wide receiver came from there in Michael Crabtree. I've just been paying attention to them for a while, so I definitely have interest there."
The 5-foot-9, 160-pounder also has an open mind with regard to what position he might play in college. That has come in handy recently as he made a surprising position switch in the spring, from receiver to running back.
"They were going to use me as a wide receiver on varsity until a couple of weeks ago when we started working out and our coach saw me at running back," Jackson said. "He seemed to like me there, so I guess he'll try me there.
"I don't really see myself being able to play that in college, though. I think my size would hurt me on that level. I kind of see myself as being able to fill that slot receiver kind of role when I get to college. I'd like to be used as a receiver, preferably."
Jackson has just under 1,000 days until the 2013 National Signing Day arrives and he plans on using all of the time he needs before making a decision.
"Right now I'm thinking that I'll take my time and explore my options. At the moment I think my number one would be Florida because they've shown me a lot of love, sending me stuff out every week," he said.
It seems clear, however, that certain concessions might be made if an offer was to come his way from Lubbock, Texas or Columbus, Ohio.
"As of right now, if Texas Tech was to offer me I'd probably want to commit because I really like them. I'd feel the same way about Ohio State. Like I said, those have been my favorites since I was a kid."
Jackson is still waiting to add his first offer, but has thus far been shown interest by Auburn, Cal, Clemson, Colorado, Duke, East Carolina, Florida, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Kansas, LSU, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Carolina State, Ohio State, Oregon, Pittsburgh, South Carolina and Wake Forest.
EVERYONE IS EVEN FOR GREEN
Orlando (Fla.) Olympia defensive end Deon Green has been in contact with Texas Tech over the past few weeks. He said there is not a lot that he knows firsthand about the Red Raiders, but is familiar with their reputation.
"I think they are a new program," Green said, "but when I first found out it was pretty exciting. They are a kind of new program, but they've gotten a lot of attention and have been pretty good, actually really good these few years."
The 6-foot-3, 251-pound prospect is being recruited by Texas Tech running backs coach Chad Scott.
"Coach Scott, he's a younger guy and from what I can see he is a real calm guy," Green said, "a real calm and collected guy. I feel like he is a more take-it-easy kind of guy, from what I can see."
There are a few schools in play for Green, but he said none are standing out more than others. He said he is really interested in any school that is showing him interest.
"Right now," Green said, "I'm really interested in every college that is interested in me. Whatever college is interested in me, I'm interested in them. I'm not really favoring any college more than any other college."
When the recruiting process began, Green was leaning towards leaving the state of Florida for his college career. As time has past, though, that feeling has changed.
"I really wanted to leave," Green said, "but now it's more of what college is going to be right for me rather than just leaving Florida. Now, if I can find a college that's my best fit in Florida, then good, but if I have to leave to find a good college, then I will."
Green has not set up an visits, yet, but he said he will start soon because he is looking to graduate early. He knows what he wants in a school, now he is just trying to find it.
"I'm looking for a place that I can get along with the coaching staff," Green said," where I can get along with the surroundings, I can get along with the people there, and a place that feels like I'm at home."
BYERS LOOKING FORWARD TO VISITS
Rock Hill (S.C.) Northwestern defensive end Roderick Byers has been in contact with many schools around the country so far in his recruiting process, but right now things are pretty slow.
"Nothing has really changed because I haven't gone anywhere yet," Byers said.
The 6-foot-4, 262-pounder has been in contact with Texas Tech and most often with outside linebackers coach Robert Prunty.
"Yeah I have talked to Texas Tech a little bit, Coach Prunty, who came from Hargrave is recruiting me," he said.
Byers likes his relationship with Coach Prunty because it's not always all about football with him.
"He is a really good man, he doesn't really talk that much about football, he is always talking to me about life and other stuff like that and football is the last thing he talks to me about," Byers said. "But he is a good person and I could see myself being coached by him for the next four years."
Coach Prunty and the other Texas Tech staff see Byers potentially coming in and helping right away and in the same spot that he is used to playing in South Carolina.
"He just told me that if I come there then right when I get there I will have a chance at playing because they don't have that many lineman and that's what they need," Byers said.
With Texas Tech still hot on the trails for the services of Byers, no one really stands out right now early on.
"I'm really just talking with everyone right now and just soaking up this whole recruiting process," Byers. "But really whoever is showing interest in me right now I am interested in their school as well."
Though he doesn't have any listed favorites right now, he does have a timetable for when he would like to make his decision.
"I would like to have my decision made up by the time season starts, but I don't know right now," Byers said.
Byers holds offers from Maryland, South Carolina, Texas Tech and Wake Forest.
STALLWORTH EXPECTING MORE OFFERS
Carrollton (Texas) Newman Smith linebacker Jeremy Stallworth has started to feel the recruiting process heat up. He said he has started getting more and more letters from different Big 12, ACC and SEC schools. Thus far, Texas Tech is the only school to offer, but he thinks that will change in the near future.
"Well lately I have been getting a lot of letters from a lot of Big 12 schools and some SEC and ACC schools," Stallworth said. "I have Nebraska, Colorado, Texas Tech and Oklahoma for the Big 12 and in the SEC we have Alabama and Vanderbilt and then the ACC I have Florida State and then Purdue and some others."
Stallworth said he would not be surprised to see an offer from Nebraska or Alabama soon. As far as his current offer goes, the 6-foot Stallworth said he talks to the Red Raiders frequently and speaks with Coach James Willis more than anyone else.
"He's cool," Stallworth said of Willis. "He's a real down to earth guy. I went up there for my junior day on the 17th, and I sat down and talked to the coaches from the defensive staff and watched a little game film and he was just a really laid back guy."
While talking with the coaching staff, Stallworth said they told him they had already picked out a position that he would play in their defensive scheme.
"They have an outside linebacker that plays safety and outside linebacker and they call him their money guy," Stallworth said, "and they said that I would play that position. And they said I would most likely I would play right away as a freshman if I was to come there. "
Stallworth said he wants to see what other legitimate offers he will receive before making his college decision, but he said he will definitely be taking one of his official visits to Texas Tech.
"I love the campus," Stallworth said. "It's a real nice campus even though it's like in the middle of nowhere it's still a great campus. The weather might be sucky sometimes, but other than that, it's a great campus and I have a lot of friends that go there. It's not like I would be going there blindfolded; I have people there to lay a foundation with."
ANOTHER HOOPS PROSPECT IN THE MIX
We mentioned earlier tonight that Utah transfer Marshall Henderson had decided to enroll at Texas Tech and join Pat Knight's basketball program. He was not the only visitor the Red Raiders had in town this weekend.
Sulphur (La.) guard Chip Armelinhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/texastech/basketball/recruiting/player-Chip-Armelin-75899 was also checking out the Red Raiders. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound prospect is a little bit like Lawrence Cayou -- a football prospect that signed with Texas Tech in February -- in that he's very talented, but no one expected him to qualify. Though Armelin hasn't qualified yet, it looks extremely likely that he will.
Sulphur, Louisiana might ring a bell because that's also the hometown of former Texas Tech star Martin Zeno. Armelin is similar to Zeno in size and play-style -- he's extremely athletic.
So why is Armelin visiting the Red Raiders? Javarez Willis, one of the program's 2010 signees, has not yet qualified. And though his situation looks positive, and Texas Tech is planning on him joining the roster this summer, the team's coaching staff is doing its due diligence in case the unexpected happens. From what we understand, Willis just needs to hit a certain grade in one class, nothing major.
QUICK HITS
* Odessa (Texas) running back, and recent Texas Tech commit, Bradley Marquezhttp://rivals.yahoo.com/texastech/football/recruiting/player-Bradley-Marquez-94739 does hope to play baseball for Dan Spencer's team once he hits campus next summer. He met with the baseball team's coaching staff when he visited Lubbock a few weekends ago and told RRS that they said he would have a spot on the team. Marquez also told RRS that the football staff indicated that he would be able to play baseball.
Interestingly enough, Marquez is actually former teammates with freshman phenom Jamodrick McGruder -- the two played together in elementary school before McGruder's family moved away from Odessa.
* Texas Tech 2010 signee Dartwan Bush will be participating in -- and is arguably the odds-on favorite to win -- the 5A state shotput final next Saturday. Bush posted the best throw of any participant during last week's regional meets, an impressive 64-09.25.
* Midland (Texas) Christian offensive lineman Bobby Thompson was not offered by TCU this week. There was some thought that the Horned Frogs would touch base with him on Thursday or Friday and extend an offer, but that didn't end up happening. Thompson wants to have a decision made here in the next couple of weeks, so TCU's delay in getting an offer sent out is a big deal.
