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2013 FINAL TOP 25 POLLS
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2013 SEASON STATS
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2014 GRADUATION CEREMONY
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The West Texas Outlaws are now a four-star prestige team!Comment
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I've posted a poll to get your opinion on who should be my starting QB in 2014...check it out:
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I think its Dickson's job to lose.Comment
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A few quick recruiting notes:
The lower-tier Michigan schools managed to land some prime talent. Central Michigan grabbed Brad McCray, the top-ranked HB recruit with 95 speed, who will start immediately for the team. Eastern Michigan grabbed Reggie McAfee, the #2 HB recruit, who will take over as starter once senior Javonti Greene graduates at the end of this season. And Western Michigan landed athlete Andy Burley (78 OVR), ranked #14 overall, who has been converted to wide receiver and will take the #1 spot on the depth chart as a true freshman.Comment
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This recruiting class seems to have separated yourself from the rest of the Sun Belt schleps with the exception of Troy. Two more QBs, though?Comment
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2014 ROSTER PREVIEW
-OFFENSE-
FRESHMAN QUARTERBACK BRANDON PRESTON LEADS A REVAMPED WEST TEXAS OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK
Charles Dickson's two-year stint as the Outlaws starting quarterback was lackluster to say the least, but it appears to have come to an end after losing out to second-year freshman Brandon Preston a in a heated three-way battle for the starting spot in the spring. Preston doesn't have any college experience, but he's a well-balanced young player who has plenty of room to improve on this young offense. Backing him up will be senior Charles Dickson, who could regain that starting spot should Preston struggle early. Brett Brown rounds out the depth chart at #3, while new recruits Lee Robbins and Mike King will redshirt in 2014.
RECRUITING: Dickson's exit at the end of this season opens a hole on the roster at quarterback. The Outlaws will heavily target three-star prospect Jeremy Clifford, a pocket passer out of Richland Hills, Texas.
THE BACKFIELD (HB/FB)
As an athlete out of Seagoville, Texas, Eddie Rucker was the gem of the 2013 recruiting class. Now he'll take over the starting spot at runningback as a second-year freshman, with some pretty big shoes to fill after the departure of DeShaun Sands. Senior Tyree Melton will resume his backup role as a change-of-pace back, and is followed by freshman T.J. Meyer, senior Andrew Brown, and sophomore Derrick Thomas on the depth chart. Rucker will likely factor prominently into the Outlaws' offensive gameplan, but head coach Major Applewhite will look to ween this team off their run-heavy mentality, and transition into a more balanced offense over the course of the regular season. At fullback, senior Joe Lilly enters his third and final season as the team's starter, backed up by sophomore Martin Miller.
RECRUITING: West Texas has six runningbacks on the roster, but with two set to graduate at the end of the year, they'll be active at the position when it comes to recruiting. Four-star prospect Chris Johnson out of Dumas, TX currently has the Outlaws listed as his #1 choice ahead of BCS schools like Texas A&M and Baylor, and could make an immediate impact as a true freshman in 2015 if he commits. Pickings are slim at the fullback position, so look for the team to recruit an extra tight end to move into the position vacated by Lilly at the end of the season.
RECEIVING CORPS (WR/TE)
Three of the team's top four receiving targets from a year ago are graduated, making way for a new-look receiving corps in 2014. Leading the charge is senior Cam Beach, who had seven catches for 148 yards in limited play as the team's slot receiver last season. Second-year freshmen Reggie Robinson and David Hill will see heavy playing time as well at #2 and #3. Sophomore Van Sanders and true freshman Dan Griffin round of the depth chart, while new recruits B.J. Allen and Shane Dixon will redshirt. At tight end, third-year sophomore Van Ricks moves from backup to starter in 2014 to replace the recently graduated Chad Clark. Second-year freshman Jason Simmons will see playing time in two tight end sets, and senior Marvin Watson rounds out the depth chart at the position.
RECRUITING: Five of the team's seven wide receivers are freshman, which makes this group unexperienced, but also gives them unlimited potential to grow into a solid unit in the years to come. Cam Beach's departure will open up a hole on the roster, which the Outlaws hope to fill by recruiting speedy four-star prospect Jason Harris out of Fort Bliss, TX. Harris currently has WTU as his #2 school behind Texas A&M, but ahead of LSU. As for tight end, the team will likely target three-star prospects David Merrill of D'Iberville, Mississippi, and Ryan Dukes of Roma, TX.
OFFENSIVE LINE
Junior David Cox (LT) is the only returning member of the team's 2013 starting lineup on the offensive line. He will be joined by seniors John Quinn (RG) and Robby Mooney (C), sophomore Luke Burks at left guard, and second-year freshman Kevin Douglas (RT). Filling the primary backup roles will be true freshmen Darnell Richardson at guard, Kevin Douglas at tackle, and junior center Stephen Goddard. Kyle Browning (T), Shelton Crosby (G), and Jimmy Evans (C) will all redshirt this season, and are all talented enough to immediately challenge for a starting spot next year.
RECRUITING: The team will look to target one player at each position on the offensive line. The most likely targets are four-star recruit Ryan Weber (T), and three-star recruits Brian Wiggins (G) and Nolan Fields (C), all of whom hail from Texas.
TOTAL RECRUITING TARGETS: 9 (In addition to the eight offensive targets, the team is also recruiting four-star prospect Anthony Coe, an athlete out of Colleyville, TX who has WTU as his #2 school behind Texas A&M)Comment
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2014 ROSTER PREVIEW
-DEFENSE-
TRUE FRESHMAN NICK BOWERS (DE) IS THE UNDISPUTED LEADER OF THE DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE (DE/DT)
Four-star prospect Nick Bowers out of LaGrange, GA was a surprise addition to the recruiting class in the spring, and immediately steps in as perhaps the most talented player on the entire roster. Playing opposite him is senior Ryan Downs, who returns to the starting lineup after recorded 42 tackles and 4.5 sacks last season. Second-year freshman Rodney Anderson and sophomore Reggie Lacey occupy the backup positions, while Josh Brown and Oliver Berry will redshirt. At defensive tackle, senior Sam Browning returns to the starting lineup, and will be joined by junior Perry Lynch, a JUCO recruit out of Amarillo, TX in 2013. Lynch will replace senior Bryan Martindale as a starter, who will now play backup along with Jamaal Jack.
RECRUITING: Three of the team's four defensive tackles will graduate at the end of the season, so this will be an extremely active recruiting area in 2014. Four-star prospect Jon Smith of Keller, TX, and three-star prospects Eric Browning of Wagoner, OK and Wallace Brown of Opelousas, LA are the main targets. It's unlikely that the team will look to recruit any additional defensive ends.
LINEBACKER CORPS (OLB/MLB)
Sophomore Clay Miller is the only returning starter to the linebacker corps after the graduation of defensive leaders Chris Kiniry (OLB) and Tom Terry (MLB). He will be joined by Thomas Robinson (OLB) and true freshman Thomas Payne, who will be moved from outside linebacker to middle linebacker. Freshman Taylor Bentley, sophomore Antoine Potts, and seniors Jared Welsh and Anthony Harley will be the team's primary backups, while recent recruits Joe Fisher and Darrell Palmer will redshirt. Much like the wide receiver position, the Outlaws are very young at linebacker, and are hopeful of what this group can do in the future as they rack up experience.
RECRUITING: There are two open spots on the roster at linebacker heading into next year, which the team hopes to fill by adding four-star prospect Matt Brown (OLB) of Mission Bend, TX, and three-star prospect Michael Pollard (MLB) of Durant, Oklahoma.
CORNERBACK
All six of the team's cornerbacks are back from a year ago, with little change to the pecking order on the depth chart. All eyes will be on Thomas Bray, who recorded 65 tackles, five interceptions, and two touchdowns as a freshman in 2013. Sophomores Zach West and Nate Williams, who combined for 37 tackles, five interceptions, and a touchdown last season will resume their roles as #2 and #3 on the depth chart, respectively. Second-year freshmen Brian Clemons, Jermaine Hall, and sophomore Bryan Bowser round out the depth chart.
RECRUITING: For the second straight year, don't expect the team to target a cornerback unless a real star lands in their lap.
SAFETY (FS/SS)
A.J. Smart and Alfred Billings are graduated, opening the door for a pair of new starters in 2014. Those roles will be occupied by senior Aaron Gibbons (FS) and true freshman Joel Little (SS). Lawrence Carlson and Justin Williams will play backup, and Erik Jack will redshirt in anticipation of taking over for Gibbons as a starter in 2015.
RERUITING: WTU will look to add three players to the roster at safety for next season. Four-star prospect Josh Moore of Andrews, TX, and three-star prospect Joel Woods of Anderson Mill, TX, who currently has the Outlaws as his #1 school of choice, are the likely targets at free safety. Four-star prospect Adam Dunn (SS), who is currently playing his high school ball in WTU's hometown of Odessa, has the team listed as #2 behind Texas A&M.
SPECIAL TEAMS (K/P/RET)
Junior Vernon Weaver will take over for the recently graduated Caleb Reynolds at kicker, while junior Clint Weaver will resume his starting duties at punter. Recent recruit Miguel Witherspoon will redshirt in anticipation of nabbing a starting spot in 2016. Senior wide receiver Cam Beach will handle the kick and punt return duties.
RERUITING: Don't expect any new recruits here.
TOTAL RECRUITING TARGETS: 8Comment
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Thanks for everyone who participated in helping me decide the next starting QB!Comment
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