Just like our old buddy, Hannibal Smith, I love it when a plan comes together.
I thought it would be interesting to look to see how the class rounded into focus over the past year. Yes, year. Let’s recap how Texas Tech’s 2016 class came together.
February Commits: 1 — Da’Leon Ward
The earliest commit came from Da’Leon Ward, the running back from Skyline, who committed shortly after signing day last year, on February 17, 2015.
April Commits: 1 — Giovanni Pancotti
Giovanni Pancotti committed in April and then, the staff hit the road and found themselves with a handful of commits in May.
May Commits: 7 — Antoine Cox-Wesley, Jett Duffey, Bryson Denley, DeQuan Bowman, Derrick Willies, Mychealon Thomas and Brayden Stringer
Antoine Cox-Wesley, Jett Duffey, Bryson Denley, DeQuan Bowman, Derrick Willies, Mychealon Thomas and Brayden Stringer all committed in May. The biggest commits being Willies and Bowman, who Texas Tech needed to commit in order to bolster a receiving corps that needed a boost. The addition of the quarterback, Duffey, after a terrific spring of Elite 11 competition. The Steele-two, Denley and Cox-Wesley, essentially cemented the receiving class.
The funny thing was that there was some serious concern that there were not any defensive commits and the early addition of Mychealon Thomas and Brayden Stringer started the defensive push of players. And then . . . June happened.
June Commits: 7 — DaMarcus Field, Houston Miller, Johnathan Picone, Noah Jones, Jordyn Brooks, Ivory Jackson, T.J. Vasher
Another huge month, starting with Vasher and Jackson, two West Texas kids. Then Fields committed on the 13th and then Miller and Picone committed the next day, the 14th, with Jones committing two days later, then Brooks, two days after that.
That’s 14 commits in two months. That’s a ton.
July Commits: 3 — Nick McCann, Zach Adams, Travis Bruffy
These three commits didn’t happen until late July, Nick McCann on the 21st, with Bruffy and Adams both committing on the 28th. That’s a lot of size to add in a week.
August Commits: 2 — Joseph Wallace, Clarence Henderson
Skyline strikes as Texas Tech received commits from both Wallace and Henderson on the same dates. These were the last two commits before fall practice started and the last two commits until late December
October Commits: 1 — Kevin Moore
Moore was a player that Texas Tech and Kevin Curtis had been working on for quite some time and Moore took his time before pulling the trigger for Texas Tech.
November Commits: 2 — Desmon Smith, Bailey Smith
The two Smith’s committed in November, Desmon Smith decommitted from Texas State earlier in the year before deciding on Texas Tech, while Bailey committed a day after Desmon. Bailey completed the offensive line class, and Desmon nearly completed the defensive backs class.
February Commits: 1 — Douglas Coleman
Coleman may be the finishing piece to the class, although wh oknows what can happen on National Signing Day. I wouldn’t get your hopes up, but there’s a chance that Texas Tech could still grab a few commits. Coleman did finish out a very athletic recruting class in the secondary. Lots of height and lots of range with these players.