As most of you already know, Trinity Valley C.C. wide receiver and Tech commit Derrick Willies is in Lubbock for an unofficial visit today. I had a chance to catch up with his offensive coordinator - Clay Patterson - and first and foremost, we talked about how he ended up at Trinity Valley after deciding to leave Iowa.
"Well, we had heard Derrick was going to hit the market as soon as he left Iowa, and he hit us up, we hit him up, and it was kind of a mutual fit for us because of what we do offensively. He was looking for an opportunity to get into more of a wide open offense. We led the offense for anyone in college football last year, so it was a good chance for him to get seen, and I think if you look at the people he's looking it, wide open offenses that get receivers the ball. He's an outstanding kid."
As a player, Patterson believes Willies is a home run threat on both downfield and short yardage YAC plays. The head coach loves what he brings to the table off the field, too.
"He's a very explosive guy. downfield especially. He can stretch the field with the best of them. He's a tall kid who can stride out. We were really impressed with the way he caught the ball underneath and then went and scored with it. He brings a lot to the table. The biggest thing he brings off the field is work ethic. He's an example, a leader, great kid. I think he may have been labeled a little bit of a selfish kid because of the Iowa deal, but he's much more than that. He's been unbelievably because he gives our guys something to look at, knows how to work, and he handles stuff like a professional. On the field his hands are really good. There's really not much weakness to him."
Patterson believes Texas Tech's offense is a great fit for the receiver, he gets along with the coaching staff, and it's the kind of place Willies wants to live.
"Well, he wants to be in the south, southern part of the United States or the West Coast, so he was looking location, and then with the offense, he really liked the coaching staff, gelled really well with him, felt like that was a good fit for him. Offensively, what they put up numbers-wise and the history of that system, he really liked that, too."
Patterson has been able to get to know the Tech staff through recruiting over the last few years, and he's a big fan of the group as a whole.
"They're awesome. They're a really down to earth group. They work their butts off. A lot of them have been high school coaches or small school coaches, so they know how to talk to people, and they're not too big time. They do a great job, we love them, and when it comes to our kids liking them, it's been awesome."
Willies is a December grad, so there are now roughly five months until he signs on the dotted line. Patterson believes the wideout is focused on the team right now, but he does believe the pass catcher will sign with the Red Raiders or one of the early programs that offered him, like TCU. Things are good with Tech right now, though.
"What we've talked to Derrick about is that he makes sure to focus on what he's got to get done this fall, and that's what he talks about., that he's focused on helping us win a national championship and catch as many ball as possible. The recruiting stuff is a little bit secondary to him. He doesn't like to talk to media, doesn't get into all that. He just wants to find a home where he can play, and I think that he wants to get it done. I think that's what we're seeing right now. He wants to get it done, and the guys who got in on him early are going to be the frontrunners, and that's what Tech did well. Tech saw what they liked, and they jumped all over it, and that's kind of what has drawn him to it. He wants to be done with it pretty quickly, but he's going to blow up. By the end of the year, he'll have a ton of offers and a great season."
I totally agree with Patterson that Willies is going to blow up, and he already has a bit. We'll try to find out how his visit went today as soon as we can.
"Well, we had heard Derrick was going to hit the market as soon as he left Iowa, and he hit us up, we hit him up, and it was kind of a mutual fit for us because of what we do offensively. He was looking for an opportunity to get into more of a wide open offense. We led the offense for anyone in college football last year, so it was a good chance for him to get seen, and I think if you look at the people he's looking it, wide open offenses that get receivers the ball. He's an outstanding kid."
As a player, Patterson believes Willies is a home run threat on both downfield and short yardage YAC plays. The head coach loves what he brings to the table off the field, too.
"He's a very explosive guy. downfield especially. He can stretch the field with the best of them. He's a tall kid who can stride out. We were really impressed with the way he caught the ball underneath and then went and scored with it. He brings a lot to the table. The biggest thing he brings off the field is work ethic. He's an example, a leader, great kid. I think he may have been labeled a little bit of a selfish kid because of the Iowa deal, but he's much more than that. He's been unbelievably because he gives our guys something to look at, knows how to work, and he handles stuff like a professional. On the field his hands are really good. There's really not much weakness to him."
Patterson believes Texas Tech's offense is a great fit for the receiver, he gets along with the coaching staff, and it's the kind of place Willies wants to live.
"Well, he wants to be in the south, southern part of the United States or the West Coast, so he was looking location, and then with the offense, he really liked the coaching staff, gelled really well with him, felt like that was a good fit for him. Offensively, what they put up numbers-wise and the history of that system, he really liked that, too."
Patterson has been able to get to know the Tech staff through recruiting over the last few years, and he's a big fan of the group as a whole.
"They're awesome. They're a really down to earth group. They work their butts off. A lot of them have been high school coaches or small school coaches, so they know how to talk to people, and they're not too big time. They do a great job, we love them, and when it comes to our kids liking them, it's been awesome."
Willies is a December grad, so there are now roughly five months until he signs on the dotted line. Patterson believes the wideout is focused on the team right now, but he does believe the pass catcher will sign with the Red Raiders or one of the early programs that offered him, like TCU. Things are good with Tech right now, though.
"What we've talked to Derrick about is that he makes sure to focus on what he's got to get done this fall, and that's what he talks about., that he's focused on helping us win a national championship and catch as many ball as possible. The recruiting stuff is a little bit secondary to him. He doesn't like to talk to media, doesn't get into all that. He just wants to find a home where he can play, and I think that he wants to get it done. I think that's what we're seeing right now. He wants to get it done, and the guys who got in on him early are going to be the frontrunners, and that's what Tech did well. Tech saw what they liked, and they jumped all over it, and that's kind of what has drawn him to it. He wants to be done with it pretty quickly, but he's going to blow up. By the end of the year, he'll have a ton of offers and a great season."
I totally agree with Patterson that Willies is going to blow up, and he already has a bit. We'll try to find out how his visit went today as soon as we can.
