Is TCU Getting A Big12 "Bump" in Recruiting?

[SMUer]

I'm not a Rivals junkie but their commit list, while certainly good, looks a lot like past years.

Committed/Not Yet Signed
Name Pos Ht/Wt Stars Rank
George Baltimore DB 6-0/205 *** 25
Bryson Burtnett TE 6-5/225 ** NR
Sammy Douglas LB 6-2/180 *** NR
Bryson Henderson DE 6-4/245 *** 28
Patrick Morris OL 6-2/288 *** 30
Charlie Reid TE 6-4/225 *** 25
Ty Slanina ATH 6-0/182 *** 30
Steve Wesley DB 6-0/175 *** 44
Paul Whitmill LB 5-11/200 **** 21

Maybe even proven teams have to win first before they reap the recruiting benefits of going small-ball to BCS...

[West Coast Johnny]

No. Patterson continues to offer the best talent in the state but looses out to the Horns. That hasn't changed.

What has changed is that last year Patterson did OK against Aggie, but this year, Sumlin has been winning all the recruiting battles. Baylor has gotten a big time RGIII heisman boost and is winning some recruiting battles with TCU.

TCU is doing very well against Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, and the Big 12 north. TCU recruits like a middle of the road Big 12 team, but they've been doing that for years.

[EastStang]

TCU doesn't pay players the way UT can. If they started to win those battles TCU would be on probation for something faster than you could say Eric Dickerson. I suspect with now five conferences battling for players in Texas, you could see some increased NCAA scrutiny except of course when burnt orange is involved.

[West Coast Johnny]

TCU doesn't pay players the way UT can. If they started to win those battles TCU would be on probation for something faster than you could say Eric Dickerson. I suspect with now five conferences battling for players in Texas, you could see some increased NCAA scrutiny except of course when burnt orange is involved.

Why would Texas pay recruits to commit when every highschool player including almost all of the best from the state would go there for free? Now, had you said Texas gets its highschool talent laid - well then you would be spot on. I guess that's payment of a different sort.

[Oldmins]

You're right on that. There are different ways to pay, and Mac has thought of all of them.

[soccermom]

It has been a well known fact that the ut players have been paid money and nothing has ever happened to them or the program.....which just enables any/all other illegal "payments" to happen. I don't see it changing anytime soon, which is why I hate them.

[Stallion]

OK name one well known fact within the last 25 years. I don't think UT has been seriously implicated in a single illegal inducement case in 40 years. Pony Excess-NOTHING on UT. The only serious violations at Texas were in the 1980s when Texas received probation for payments made by alumni to players already on campus by your typical [deleted] booster. Big [deleted] deal. That [deleted] happened at every school in Texas. Big difference between alumni slipping a few hundred dollars to current players and offering $25,000 and a car to attend a school in the First place. I'll leave a few lines where every prejudiced, hysterical SMU fan can prove me wrong:

ANSWER:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[BIGHORSE]

It looks like your burnt orange pantys went up your crack again, and you had to

pee all over S.M.U. when that happens.

[soccermom]

Stallion, stallion, stallion....how sad that you get so ticked off when this, any any other, TRUE SMU fan doesn't live & breathe burnt orange----especially while on a SMU website. There are several incidents I remember, but the fact is you don't want to hear them. I'm not going to get into an argument with you----especially over a place so insignificant to me as ut. I hate that place and if your reading my sentiments about that place on PONYfans, then maybe you should go to the bleeding orange website. I want to thank you for realizing I'm a hysterical, prejudiced Mustang. My question is...why aren't you?

[ThisIsOurTime]

TCU's recruiting has seen a bump. I am not sure why that other poster is being so negative. TCU has used a different focus than they have in year's past. They have focused heavily on the DFW area and 7 out of the 9 commits are from this area. This is change in recruiting philosophy from the past where TCU would focus more on the smaller towns and classifications. For the last couple of years, TCU is now recruiting and getting some players from the top programs in the area. This is places like Southlake Carroll, Desoto, Euless Trinity, Skyline, etc.

Now, it is true that TCU still lost out on the head to head battles with UT this year. However, they have been able to ward of Texas for players like Patrick Morris whom Texas recently has become very interested in and Morris passed on UT. Hopefully, what you will see is that TCU continues to build good relationships in the DFW area which will lead to TCU winning more of these head to head battles in future years. It is tough to beat UT out for recruits but it seems to be easier the further East you get from Austin. UT is also at a crossroads themselves as they really need a good season this year. They picked up another nice class so far but I have heard rumors of 4 or 5 players looking around and RSJ has already decommitted. If they have a bad season this year, there is no telling where some of those recruits may end up.

So TCU has definitely gotten a bump in recruiting. However, it still remains to be seen how good these paper tigers actually are. The class is currently ranked #27 by Rivals but you could see it move into the top 25 by year end. TCU should end up with a pretty solid class. Probably the most important thing to keep in mind is that this is year 1 for any Big12 bump. TCU has yet to even be on regular television which will be a big boost for their exposure. They also will finally get to play all these teams consistently where they can help or hurt their cause in influencing other future recruits for future years.

[peruna81]

OK name one well known fact within the last 25 years. I don't think UT has been seriously implicated in a single illegal inducement case in 40 years. Pony Excess-NOTHING on UT. The only serious violations at Texas were in the 1980s when Texas received probation for payments made by alumni to players already on campus by your typical [deleted] booster. Big [deleted] deal. That [deleted] happened at every school in Texas. Big difference between alumni slipping a few hundred dollars to current players and offering $25,000 and a car to attend a school in the First place. I'll leave a few lines where every prejudiced, hysterical SMU fan can prove me wrong:

ANSWER:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Edwin Simmons, RB, Hawkins Texas, transcript 'irregularities' successfully addressed, IIRC...wrist slap, orange.

This is a tiresome theme. The University of Texas is an elite, exceptional academic institution, with a historic athletic heritage. It can get virtually any recruit it desires in this state. Always has had that capability, always will.

The great irony is that with all of the arrogance that has become an unnecessary hallmark of UT, they still have felt it neccessary to skirt and flirt with the rules as 'lesser' schools (like SMU, A&M et al) do and have done.

[EastStang]

For years the UT President sat on the Infractions Committee. Ever read "Meat on the Hoof". Anything come of that? No. Saint Darrell would never break NCAA rules. On the 30/30 involving SMU did you see Eric Dickerson's interview? What did he say about UT offering him inducements? UT is a sacred cow and now that it ESPN is its mouthpiece, and has an economic interest in UT staying viable, the NCAA won't bother UT except perhaps for some violation involving Women's Sailing.

[West Coast Johnny]

TCU's recruiting has seen a bump. I am not sure why that other poster is being so negative. TCU has used a different focus than they have in year's past. They have focused heavily on the DFW area and 7 out of the 9 commits are from this area. This is change in recruiting philosophy from the past where TCU would focus more on the smaller towns and classifications. For the last couple of years, TCU is now recruiting and getting some players from the top programs in the area. This is places like Southlake Carroll, Desoto, Euless Trinity, Skyline, etc.

Now, it is true that TCU still lost out on the head to head battles with UT this year. However, they have been able to ward of Texas for players like Patrick Morris whom Texas recently has become very interested in and Morris passed on UT. Hopefully, what you will see is that TCU continues to build good relationships in the DFW area which will lead to TCU winning more of these head to head battles in future years. It is tough to beat UT out for recruits but it seems to be easier the further East you get from Austin. UT is also at a crossroads themselves as they really need a good season this year. They picked up another nice class so far but I have heard rumors of 4 or 5 players looking around and RSJ has already decommitted. If they have a bad season this year, there is no telling where some of those recruits may end up.

So TCU has definitely gotten a bump in recruiting. However, it still remains to be seen how good these paper tigers actually are. The class is currently ranked #27 by Rivals but you could see it move into the top 25 by year end. TCU should end up with a pretty solid class. Probably the most important thing to keep in mind is that this is year 1 for any Big12 bump. TCU has yet to even be on regular television which will be a big boost for their exposure. They also will finally get to play all these teams consistently where they can help or hurt their cause in influencing other future recruits for future years.

It's early yet and time will tell. So you think this year's TCU recruiting class is better than last years so far? I would say that TCU got multiple players last year that moved the needle as far as the national recruiting profile for TCU (Devonte Fields, Tyler Matthews, etc). I haven't seen any improvement in TCU's recruiting after joining the Big 12. In fact, after TCU joined the Big 12, the School lost talent from decommits (Daje Johnson & Edward Pope) and then had a slow finish to the 2012 class.

[Stallion]

EastStang you are wrong. There was not one single half way specific allegation made against UT about illegal recruiting inducements made in 30/30 Pony Excess by Eric Dickerson or any other SMU player. There were about Texas A&M which everybody knew based on factual reports were occuring. I couldn't believe there was a no credible allegation against Texas but there wasn't. This was the time to make those allegations-but nothing. Also, I'm not just talking about the NCAA, I'm talking about any credible media story about a substantial illegal recruiting inducement made against UT. BTW the Edwin Simmons allegations dealt with an pair of $500 boots an alumnus bought for him -I don't think it had a thing to do with a transcript.

[solomouse]

I seem to recall that several ut players pled guilty or no contest to a tax evasion charge that had been transferred to chicago,buried for a while,then received little publicity...by the time these cases were resolved they were lo longer in school,but, i am sure others will have better recall...