Thursday, February 7, 2008

TCU football signs 15 to national letters of intent

By Pegasus News wire

The TCU football program has announced the signing of 15 players to National Letters of Intent.

Ten of the newest Horned Frogs will play on offense, including four linemen, two wide receivers and two tight ends. Four newcomers will be on defense with one specialist.

TCU signed nine in-state products, while six hail from outside Texas.

"We are very happy with this recruiting class," TCU head football coach Gary Patterson said. "This year's group is concentrated more on the offensive side of the ball compared to last year being focused on defense.

"This is also probably our largest group from outside Texas."

Thirteen of the 15 newcomers are from the high school ranks. The Frogs signed a pair of junior college transfers in wide receiver Marques Parker from North Iowa Area Community College and highly-recruited offensive lineman Zach Roth of Garden City (Kan.) Community College.

"With junior college players, you're looking for immediate help," Patterson said. "Those are need guys."

Three recent junior college signees for the Frogs (defensive backs Quincy Butler, Drew Coleman and Marvin White) are active players in the National Football League.

"We recruit to fill spots because of graduation," Patterson said. "We took three offensive linemen because we'll have five seniors and five juniors at that position next season."

Joining Roth on the offensive line are Texas products James Fry (Smithson Valley High School) and Trevius Jones (Robert E. Lee High School) as well as Rose Hill, Kan., native Blaize Foltz. Foltz is the first player in the history of Rose Hill High School to sign with a Division I football program.

Wide receiver Sam Shutt of Savannah, Tenn., and tight ends Corey Fuller (La Vernia) and Walker Dille (Sugar Land Clements) will help bolster the offense.

Area signees include quarterback Yogi Gallegos (Irving) and running back Edward Wesley (Irving MacArthur).

Defensive additions are highlighted by lineman Jeremy Coleman, who had 24 tackles for a loss with 13 sacks for Fort Bend Marshall High School in Missouri City. Coleman is ranked as one of the top players in Texas.

Louisiana natives and defensive backs Bud Patterson (Bastrop) and Chris Scott (Baton Rouge) arrive at TCU after highly decorated prep careers that also saw them excel on special teams. Patterson averaged 40.1 yards on kickoff returns, while Scott blocked four punts this season in addition to recording 121 tackles.

Greg Burks is the lone signee at linebacker. Burks was an all-district selection as a wide receiver and running back for Spring Woods High School in Houston.

Placekicker Ross Evans from Burnet ranks second in Texas high school history with 37 career field goals.

"We look to bring in players with athletic ability, character, work habits and the academic background where they will succeed," Patterson said.

During Patterson's seven-year tenure as head coach, TCU has had 16 players drafted with 30 in NFL camps. The Frogs have also consistently been among the nation's leaders in graduation rates.

"We've become one of the few schools graduating kids and winning at a high level," Patterson said. "The guys we're putting into the NFL also have their degree. We don't focus on just what they'll do over the next 4-to-5 years but rather the next 40. We want them to be successful in life."

Source: TCU

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