Phantom Stang
01-07-2010, 06:31 PM
In wake of Leach firing, Tech pledge contacted by rival schools
By Adam Zuvanich on January 6th, 2010 120 Comments Printer-Friendly
Texas Tech pledge Beau Carpenter, a 6-foot-7, 275-pound offensive tackle from Sulphur Springs, said Oklahoma and Oklahoma State coaches called him the day after Mike Leach was fired.
“I had OSU and OU calling me, saying it’s not too late (to switch) because you haven’t started classes and everything,” Carpenter said Tuesday. “They said we can still work it out and everything.”
Carpenter’s father, Jeff, said Arkansas and Miami (Fla.) coaches also have tried to make late pitches, but Beau Carpenter said he remains solid to Tech. He signed a financial aid agreement with Tech in December, allowing him to enroll at midterm, and he plans to move to Lubbock on Sunday and start classes on Jan. 13.
Carpenter said his only concern is that Tech’s new head coach employs a spread offense similar to Leach’s.
“That’s one of the reasons I committed to the school, because they run the spread so well,” he said. “I would have loved to see Leach stay and everything, but I didn’t commit to him. I committed to the school.”
If he had a choice, Carpenter said he would prefer to see Ruffin McNeill, Tech’s defensive coordinator and interim head coach, named as Leach’s successor.
“He’s a real nice guy and seems like he loves the players and everything,” Carpenter said. “That’s the guy I would want to stay, for sure, and be the head coach.”
Carpenter said he’s been in contact with two other Tech commitments: defensive end Kedrick Dial, his high school teammate at Sulphur Springs, and offensive tackle Denton Simek of Prague, Okla.
“(Dial) said he’s still staying,” Carpenter said. “He said he would like to see coach McNeill stay, but either way, he said he would stay.
“Denton Simek, I had him on Facebook and I said, ‘Are you staying?’ I saw something on (Rivals.com) that said he was reconsidering. He said, ‘Well, it just depends. Are you?’ I said I’m solid either way.”
Another Tech pledge, defensive back Russell Polk of Dallas Carter, told The Avalanche-Journal last week he remains “100 percent” committed to the Red Raiders. Linebacker Fred Harvey of Memphis, Tenn., said the makeup of Tech’s next coaching staff would determine whether he sticks with his commitment, as did the father of Denton Ryan quarterback Scotty Young and the guardian of Lakeland (Fla.) receivers Ben and Javares McRoy.
LINK (http://www.redraiders.com/2010/01/06/in-wake-of-leach-firing-tech-pledge-contacted-by-rival-schools/)
By Adam Zuvanich on January 6th, 2010 120 Comments Printer-Friendly
Texas Tech pledge Beau Carpenter, a 6-foot-7, 275-pound offensive tackle from Sulphur Springs, said Oklahoma and Oklahoma State coaches called him the day after Mike Leach was fired.
“I had OSU and OU calling me, saying it’s not too late (to switch) because you haven’t started classes and everything,” Carpenter said Tuesday. “They said we can still work it out and everything.”
Carpenter’s father, Jeff, said Arkansas and Miami (Fla.) coaches also have tried to make late pitches, but Beau Carpenter said he remains solid to Tech. He signed a financial aid agreement with Tech in December, allowing him to enroll at midterm, and he plans to move to Lubbock on Sunday and start classes on Jan. 13.
Carpenter said his only concern is that Tech’s new head coach employs a spread offense similar to Leach’s.
“That’s one of the reasons I committed to the school, because they run the spread so well,” he said. “I would have loved to see Leach stay and everything, but I didn’t commit to him. I committed to the school.”
If he had a choice, Carpenter said he would prefer to see Ruffin McNeill, Tech’s defensive coordinator and interim head coach, named as Leach’s successor.
“He’s a real nice guy and seems like he loves the players and everything,” Carpenter said. “That’s the guy I would want to stay, for sure, and be the head coach.”
Carpenter said he’s been in contact with two other Tech commitments: defensive end Kedrick Dial, his high school teammate at Sulphur Springs, and offensive tackle Denton Simek of Prague, Okla.
“(Dial) said he’s still staying,” Carpenter said. “He said he would like to see coach McNeill stay, but either way, he said he would stay.
“Denton Simek, I had him on Facebook and I said, ‘Are you staying?’ I saw something on (Rivals.com) that said he was reconsidering. He said, ‘Well, it just depends. Are you?’ I said I’m solid either way.”
Another Tech pledge, defensive back Russell Polk of Dallas Carter, told The Avalanche-Journal last week he remains “100 percent” committed to the Red Raiders. Linebacker Fred Harvey of Memphis, Tenn., said the makeup of Tech’s next coaching staff would determine whether he sticks with his commitment, as did the father of Denton Ryan quarterback Scotty Young and the guardian of Lakeland (Fla.) receivers Ben and Javares McRoy.
LINK (http://www.redraiders.com/2010/01/06/in-wake-of-leach-firing-tech-pledge-contacted-by-rival-schools/)