BY DON WILLIAMS l AVALANCHE-JOURNAL

Zachary Winbush has to wait nearly a year until he can make his college choice official, but he says there’ll be no wavering on his part from now to then.

Winbush, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound linebacker for Schertz Clemens, said Tuesday he’s made an oral commitment to Texas Tech. Winbush made 108 tackles last season for a team that reached the second round of the Class 4A Division II playoffs. He was on campus for Tech’s “Junior Day’’ in February.

“The graduation rate was very nice, and I liked the football team,’’ he said. “The defensive coordinator (Ruffin McNeill) convinced me that I should be part of the defense. He just made everything so exciting. It was just wonderful being out there. When I arrived at the school, I just knew I had to be a part of it.’’

The Red Raiders also gained a pledge from Dallas Pinkston running back Aaron Spikes (5-10, 185), who already has 2,800-plus rushing yards before his senior year. Spikes carried 169 times for 1,526 yards — an average of 9.0 per carry — and 16 touchdowns last season. As a sophomore, he carried 180 times for 1,281 yards and 10 TDs.

Spikes was another “Junior Day’’ attendee who said he loved Tech and was just waiting for a scholarship offer, which came Wednesday.

“I liked the environment,’’ he said. “I felt comfortable there. I just liked the whole school. … I’m a Texas boy, so I was a big fan of Texas Tech. I was a huge fan, following them this year.’’

Spikes had scholarship offers from TCU and Kansas State and said West Virginia, Penn State and Pittsburgh are among the other schools who have been recruiting him.

Spikes said he has a 2.8 grade-point average and a 15 on ACT. He plans to retake the latter, needing to score two points higher to meet freshman eligibility requirements.

Winbush plays outside linebacker in a 4-3 defense for Clemens and made first-team all-District 27-4A as a junior. He’ll be a third-year starter in 2009.

Winbush also had been offered a scholarship by Missouri, and he said he has received attention from Texas A&M, Baylor, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas and Kansas State.

The national signing period for next season’s seniors begins Feb. 3, but Winbush said the Red Raiders have nothing to worry about with him.

“I’m a hundred percent for Tech,’’ he said. “I want to go to Tech.’’

Winbush said he has an 88.9 grade-point average in the classroom.

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