What to expect when you’re expecting: Recruiting

We live in an odd time for recruiting.

It has become a spectacle. While many would argue that this is bad for the players, schools, the sport overall, I don’t mind it as much. For me, as a generic fan, the pomp and circumstance surrounding the fickle, capricious winds of recruiting keeps me interested in the football program where doldrums of content would generally exist. In many ways it is fun, albeit exhausting, to keep track of who has our school in their top ten, when will this person commit, where are we in the Big 12 rankings, who has a new graphic. You feel like you are in an underground society, and that every bit of information passed along by someone you follow on twitter is currency to your friends who are exponentially less interested. We have player countdowns currently. I love it. I will say, however that I am not sure that this model is sustainable, though if I have learned anything in the past year, it is that I should just sit back, kick up my feet, and enjoy it while it lasts.

This era of recruiting is especially tantalizing for Frog fans. We have reached a higher echelon in recruiting, which can be attributed to our recent conference change and our on-field success. In the last two years, we have seen more 4 star recruits than ever before. Twelve of the top all time 20 recruits have occurred within the last two years. historically we have only been able to offer up moral victories on Signing Day as we celebrated Gary’s ability to find diamonds in the rough and take 2 star talent and mold them into players who are competitive at the next level. This eye for talent that Gary has will not cease, however the era of dismissing the celestial moniker of a player is over. We now are constantly in play for the country’s best players. We are entering a period where we will expect to bring in top talent and be in the top 15 for recruiting classes.

Now that we have leveled up in recruiting, what are the appropriate responses to our 2018 class, or rather what should we expect, now that we’re expecting?

I’ll say it simply, we should expect big things from this class.

If you need to pause here to high five a co-worker, walk around the office, or go into the bathroom and dance to Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus. Go ahead, I’ll wait.

I have declared it. It will come to fruition. It is the self-fulfilling prophecy. We will have a top-tier class this year.

It starts with Justin Rogers. If you have any bead (I learned that it was bead and not beat the other day... weird) on the recruiting path, then you are well aware of who Justin Rogers is. For those of us (you) who have lives, then let me give you a quick synopsis. Justin Rogers is a 4 star quarterback from Bossier City, Louisiana. He is a top 100 player in the country, the 6th best at his position, and 3rd in the state. Straight up, dude is a boss.

I know what you’re saying. That’s just one guy, and the savior of our program, Shawn Robinson, is already on campus. While I would debate the nature of his humanity as he might be more than a mere mortal, it is true that he is just one entity or deity.

He also is perhaps the first domino that will start a chain reaction that will ignite the fire of this class. I believe that people are going to act on his lead and follow Justin Rogers to whatever school he decides to call home. Currently, the Crystal Ball prediction for TCU is at 86%.

Here is my HOT TAKE HOMER PREDICTION:

Justin Rogers will commit to TCU on May 31st, as a late birthday present for me. It will then begin a series of chain reactions that lead us to have 12 total commits by the end of the summer.

The commitment of Rogers will will trigger a series of commitments that could include JaMarr Chase (WR) and Ta’Zhawn Henry (all-purpose back). The commitment of Henry could open up an avenue for TCU to pull other people from Lamar like Anthony Cook (CB), D’shawn Jamison (CB), and Al’vonte Woodard (WR). I also think these commitments will give us a fighting chance in landing Keondre Coburn, a Big DT from Houston.

A couple other names to think about as well are Calvin Avery, Darrell Simpson, Taye Barber, Slade Bolden, and Trevor Trout.

Down the road look for the commitment of Terrace Marshall, the coveted 5 star recruit who is a top ten player in the country and has expressed explicit interest in playing with Justin Rogers.

This is an exciting time for Frog fans.

We should expect to land some good recruits, and why shouldn’t we? We have great facilities, great academics, great coaches, to name a few. It’s a great place.

Now it’s time to tap the domino and let the chips fall where they may.