TCU head coach Gary Patterson and the Horned Frog football program have announced the signing of 20 players to National Letters of Intent.
The Frogs’ 2009 recruiting class features a quartet of four-star signees as ranked by Rivals.com. In the previous eight years combined, TCU had just five four-star recruits.
A total of seven signees landed in Rivals’ final Texas top-100 ranking.
This year’s four-star recruits are tailback Waymon James (Sherman), quarterback Casey Pachall (Brownwood) and safeties Jurell Thompson (Wichita Falls Rider) and Malcolm Williams (Trinity Valley Community College).
James is ranked by Rivals.com as the second-best running back in Texas and the 10th-best back in the nation. He set Sherman season records with 1,939 yards rushing and 26 touchdowns on an 11.3 per carry average as a senior.
Pachall, who turned down scholarship offers from the likes of Florida and Notre Dame, is rated by Rivals as the ninth-best dual-threat quarterback in the nation. As a senior, he passed for 2,808 yards and 31 touchdowns while adding 512 yards rushing.
Thompson is the nation’s 19th-best safety according to Rivals. Williams, the lone junior college transfer, was the 5A Defensive Player of the Year at South Grand Prairie High School. He originally signed with Oklahoma and will have two seasons of eligibility at TCU.
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Pachall, linebacker Tanner Brock (Copperas Cove) and wide receiver Josh Boyce (Copperas Cove) signed financial aid contracts and have already enrolled at TCU. They will take part in spring practice.
“The three kids who have already been in our offseason program have handled the transition as well as anyone we’ve ever had here,” Patterson said. “If the rest are like them, we’ll have one of our best classes at TCU.”
Brock joins his older brother Logan, a rising sophomore tight end, at TCU. Tanner Brock was a three-time first-team all-state selection who totaled 693 career tackles. Boyce had 42 receptions for 837 yards as a senior and was instrumental in a 13-2 season for Copperas Cove.
All but one of the newest Frogs are in-state products. Only linebacker Kenny Cain from John Curtis Christian in River Ridge, La., hails from outside Texas. Cain was a starter on four consecutive state championship teams.
Defense was a focus with this year’s recruiting class as 12 signees, including four linemen, will be on that side of the ball.
Three of the four defensive linemen - Ray Burns, James Dunbar and Bryant House - are from Maud High School. Joining them on the defensive front will be Stansly Maponga, the first player from Hebron High School to wear a TCU uniform.
“We needed to take some defensive and offensive linemen and believe we addressed those areas,” Patterson said.
Bolstering the offensive line will be Waco Midway center Ty Horn as well as Eric Tausch of Jesuit Prep in Dallas, John Wooldridge of Bellaire Episcopal High School and Edna’s D.J. Yendrey.
In addition to Thompson and Williams, Brenham all-state selection Trent Thomas gives TCU a third safety in this year’s recruiting class. Thomas totaled 186 tackles as a senior. Cornerback Michael Venson, an outstanding athlete from Katy Morton Ranch, rounds out the secondary newcomers.
Linebacker Justin Isadore is ranked by Rivals as the fifth-best linebacker in Texas and the 23rd-best inside linebacker in the country.
Dwight Smith from Carthage and Tyler Chapel Hill’s Matthew Tucker join James as 2009 additions to the tailback position.
Smith was the Texas 3A Player of the Year by both the Associated Press and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. He rushed for 2,820 yards and 43 touchdowns as a senior, including 272 yards and five TDs in the state title game. Tucker was a first-team all-state selection after rushing for 2,260 yards and 27 touchdowns his senior year.
2009 TCU Football Signees
Josh Boyce (WR, 5-11, 175, Copperas Cove, Texas; Copperas Cove HS)
Honorable-mention all-state his senior year … totaled 42 receptions for 837 yards … instrumental in Copperas Cove’s 13-2 season … had a 79-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Shoemaker.
Tanner Brock (LB, 6-3, 210, Copperas Cove, Texas; Copperas Cove HS)
A three-time first-team all-state selection … ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 53 player in the state ... recorded 155 tackles, including 101 solo stops, as a senior … included in that total were 13 tackles for loss … his 693 career tackles are the most in school history by nearly 400 … posted 229 stops with 23 TFLs as a sophomore and 227 tackles his junior year in leading Copperas Cove to consecutive 12-3 seasons and 4A Division I state title games … Copperas Cove advanced to at least the state semifinals in three consecutive seasons … his older brother, Logan, is a rising sophomore tight end at TCU … his father, Reb Brock, is the defensive coordinator at Copperas Cove.
Ray Burns (DL, 6-1, 285, New Boston, Texas; Maud HS)
District 17-A Most Valuable Player ... Texas Sports Writers Association first-team all-state selection on the offensive line … recorded 108 knockdown blocks and 38 pancakes ... was also an honorable-mention all-state choice as a defensive lineman … all-Northeast Texas by the Texarkana Gazette ... Bowie County Life Defensive Player of the Year ... totaled 63 tackles, including 17 for loss with seven sacks ... added 26 quarterback hurries and seven forced fumbles ... also blocked a punt ... academic all-state ... lettered in basketball.
Kenny Cain (LB, 6-1, 200, River Ridge, La.; John Curtis Christian School)
A member of The Times-Picayune Top 25 Blue Chip List ... a starter on four consecutive state championship teams … utilized at running back and outside linebacker as a senior … led John Curtis in rushing his final two seasons … ran for 1,235 yards and 16 touchdowns as a senior while adding seven receptions for 128 yards and two touchdowns … posted 32 tackles and three sacks on defense … named the Most Valuable Player of the Class 2A state championship game as he ran for three touchdowns in a 35-14 victory over Evangel in the Superdome … selected to the Sportsman’s Paradise Bowl ... rushed for 1,122 yards and 15 touchdowns on an 8.5 per carry average as a junior ... a four-year letterman in football ... also lettered twice in track and field ... a member of the state championship 4x100 relay team.
James Dunbar (DL, 6-5, 290, New Boston, Texas; Maud HS)
Honorable-mention all-state as a defensive lineman his senior year … received District 17-A Most Valuable Player honors ... was a first-team all-district selection at running back and defensive end ... rushed for 617 yards and 11 touchdowns while adding seven 2-point conversions ... totaled 40 tackles, including 12 for loss, with nine quarterback hurries ... helped lead Maud to a No. 1 state ranking ... chosen to the 2009 All-American Bowl ... also lettered in basketball and track and field.
Ty Horn (C, 6-5, 295, McGregor, Texas; Midway HS)
Ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 78 player in the state ... first-team all-district and all-Centex ... was second-team all-state … totaled 65 knockdown blocks and 48 pancakes ... was also first-team all-district as a junior.
Bryant House (DL, 6-4, 255, Maud, Texas; Maud HS)
Named a second-team all-state selection at defensive end ... was also an honorable-mention pick on the offensive line ... posted 62 tackles, including eight for loss, with 14 quarterback hurries and eight pass break-ups ... recovered three fumbles and caused one ... totaled 78 knockdown blocks and 30 pancakes ... Texarkana Gazette all-Northeast Texas ... selected to the 2009 All-American Bowl ... also lettered in basketball and track and field.
Justin Isadore (LB, 5-11, 210, Beaumont, Texas; Ozen HS)
Ranked by Rivals.com as the fifth-best linebacker in Texas and the No. 51 player in the state … rated as the 23rd-best inside linebacker in the country … all-state and first-team all-district ... recorded a district-best 131 tackles, including six for loss, to go with six forced fumbles and an interception his senior year … a two-time all-Southeast Texas selection … had 114 tackles, four interceptions and four forced fumbles as a junior ... totaled 245 tackles, 10 forced fumbles, eight fumble recoveries, five interceptions and two defensive touchdowns over his junior and senior seasons … named to the Beaumont Enterprise Super Gold Team … a finalist for the 2008 Willie Ray Smith Award, the high school Heisman of Southeast Texas … three-year letterman in football who also lettered twice in basketball … his father, James Garrett, played football at Tyler Junior College and North Texas.
Waymon James (TB, 5-8, 203, Sherman, Texas; Sherman HS)
A four-star recruit by Rivals.com … rated by Rivals as the second-best running back in Texas and the 10th-best back in the nation … also ranked as the nation’s third-best inside runner and No. 103 player in the country ... named to the prestigious Rivals 250 as one of the top 250 players in the nation ... listed as the No. 13 player in Texas ... ran for 1,939 yards and 26 touchdowns, both Sherman records, as a senior … averaged 11.3 yards per carry ... added 36 receptions for 423 yards and four touchdowns … named the Class 3A-4A Offensive Player of the Year for the second straight season by the Herald-Democrat … a Texas High School Coaches Association All-Star ... was the Texas 4A Player of the Week as a sophomore after rushing for 285 yards and four touchdowns in a 48-44 win over rival Denison … ran for three second-half scores, including the game-winning 4-yard carry with less than two minutes to play … holds Sherman career records for rushing yards (4,732), total yards (5,305), rushing touchdowns (54) and total touchdowns (63) … posted a career 10.1 yards per carry average ... had kickoff returns of 99 and 95 yards for touchdowns … ran for over 1,000 yards and scored at least 14 touchdowns as a sophomore and junior … also lettered in track and field at Sherman.
Stansly Maponga (DT, 6-2, 240, Carrollton, Texas; Hebron HS)
The District 6-5A Defensive Player of the Year … totaled 71 tackles, including 5.5 sacks, as a senior … also had over 20 quarterback hurries … helped lead Hebron, after an 0-3 start, to the district championship … the first player in Hebron history to play at TCU.
Casey Pachall (QB, 6-5, 194, Brownwood, Texas; Brownwood HS)
A four-star recruit by Rivals.com … ranked by Rivals as the ninth-best dual-threat quarterback in the nation ... a member of the Rivals 250 as one of the top 250 players in the nation ... listed as the No. 29 player in Texas ... received all-state honors as a senior ... ranked as the No. 21 recruit in the state by Lone Star Recruiting ... passed for 2,808 yards and 31 touchdowns with just 11 interceptions as a senior … added 512 yards on the ground with seven rushing touchdowns … Big Country Super Team first-team quarterback and MVP ... threw for 1,339 yards and nine scores as a junior ... rushed for 424 yards and three scores.
Dwight Smith (TB, 5-10, 218, Carthage, Texas; Carthage HS)
The Texas 3A Player of the Year by both the Associated Press and Dave Campbell’s Texas Football ... first-team All-State ... a Texas High School Coaches Association All-Star ... the East Texas Player of the Year ... rushed for a Carthage-record 2,820 yards and 43 touchdowns as a senior ... ran for 272 yards and five TDs, including a 90-yard score, in a 49-37 victory over Celina in the state title game ... it was Carthage’s first state championship ... lettered three years in football and four in track and field.
Eric Tausch (OL, 6-3, 285, Plano, Texas; Jesuit College Prep)
First-team all-district as a junior and senior … totaled 58 pancake blocks his senior year in being named his team’s Offensive Most Valuable Player … team captain … was the Outstanding Offensive Lineman as a junior … a three-year letterman … also lettered twice in track and field … a regional qualifier in the discus … his father, Terry Tausch, played football at Texas (1978-81) and earned All-America honors before an eight-year career in the National Football League … played seven seasons with the Minnesota Vikings before closing his career in 1989 as a member of the Super Bowl XXIV champion San Francisco 49ers.
Trent Thomas (S, 6-0, 190, Brenham, Texas; Brenham HS)
An all-state selection at linebacker by the Texas Sports Writers Association and Associated Press Sports Editors ... was all-district at both linebacker and fullback ... led Brenham with 186 tackles while forcing three fumbles ... played at safety his first three seasons ... was honorable-mention all-state as a junior ... a two-year starter and three-year letterman ... helped lead Brenham to the Class 4A Region III championship game in 2008 ... also lettered twice in track and field.
Jurell Thompson (S, 5-11, 200, Wichita Falls, Texas; Rider HS)
A four-star recruit by Rivals.com … rated as the nation’s 19th-best safety … also ranked by Rivals as the fifth-fastest safety in the country ... listed as the No. 44 player in Texas ... earned all-state accolades as a junior when he rushed for 907 yards and 18 touchdowns … totaled 55 tackles on defense.
Matthew Tucker (TB, 6-1, 210, Tyler, Texas; Chapel Hill HS)
Ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 90 player in the state ... first-team all-state ... Class 3A Offensive Player of the Year ... rushed for 2,260 yards and 27 touchdowns as a senior ... totaled over 6,000 yards in his career.
Michael Venson (CB, 5-10, 170, Katy, Texas; Morton Ranch HS)
First-team all-district at running back and all-purpose ... also utilized at wide receiver and cornerback … rushed for 1,128 yards and 13 touchdowns on a 6.6 per carry average as a senior ... added 681 receiving yards ... selected to the Space City Classic ... ran for 736 yards and five touchdowns his junior year ... also lettered in track and field.
Malcolm Williams (S, 5-11, 205, Athens, Texas; South Grand Prairie HS: Trinity Valley CC)
A four-star recruit by Rivals.com ... originally signed with Oklahoma after being the 5A Defensive Player of the Year as a senior at South Grand Prairie High School … placed second in the nation with five interceptions, including two returned for touchdowns, as a sophomore at Trinity Valley ... added 41 tackles and three sacks ... averaged 23.0 yards on seven punt returns ... named a co-National Defensive Player of the Week by the NJCAA after he returned both a fumble and interception 60 yards for touchdowns to lead Trinity Valley to a 41-27 victory over Arkansas Baptist as a sophomore ... also earned National Defensive Player of the Week honors as a freshman in an upset victory over No. 5 Georgia Military ... recorded 11 tackles, three pass break-ups, a 54-yard fumble return for a touchdown and an interception in the first overtime ... as a senior at South Grand Prairie, totaled 101 tackles and 12 interceptions ... was the District Most Valuable Player ... also lettered in soccer and track and field.
John Wooldridge (OT, 6-5, 285, Houston, Texas; Episcopal HS)
First-team all-conference as a junior and senior ... was a unanimous pick his senior year ... totaled 60 knockdown blocks while not allowing a sack ... selected to the Reebok Super Team second-team offense ... named to the Texas Top 300 and Top 25 Offensive Linemen ... included among the Rivals.com and ESPN.com Top 100 Offensive Linemen as well as the Scout.com Top 100 Offensive Tackles ... Episcopal’s Most Valuable Player his senior year ... a second-team Dave Campbell’s Texas Football all-state selection as a junior … three-year starter ... lettered three years in football and wrestling as well as two seasons in track and field ... an all-state selection in wrestling.
D.J. Yendrey (OL, 6-3, 240, Edna, Texas; Edna HS)
First-team all-district at both defensive end and tight end as a senior ... was also first-team all-area at tight end … a unanimous first-team all-district selection at defensive end as a junior … totaled 97 tackles, including 11 sacks … also played at offensive tackle … a three-year letterman in football who also earned four letters in track and field ... a regional qualifier in the shot put and discus as a junior ... ran the first leg in the 4x100 meter relay at regionals.
