Langley signs with Tech; Smith says he will, too
Two years ago, Scott Smith left the University of California, where his college football career started. But in choosing a new school, he remembered a piece of advice from one of the former Cal assistants: After going on a recruiting visit, take two days to think it over before making any decisions.
Smith, a 6-foot-7, 275-pound defensive end who starred this season at Butler (Kan.) Community College, said Thursday he has orally committed to Texas Tech. After taking a recruiting visit to Arkansas last weekend, Smith returned to his native Hawaii and put his telephone aside, leaving Tech and Arkansas coaches in the dark Monday and Tuesday.
It probably didn’t help Tech coaches’ anxiety level that Smith didn’t send them any official paperwork on Wednesday, the first day of the mid-year signing period, but Smith said he’s going to.
Langley
“Two days passed, and I thought about where I wanted to be, and that was Texas Tech,” Smith said, adding that one of the former Cal coaches told him to impose a two-day waiting period after returning from a visit before making any pledges.
Smith is ranked as the top junior-college defensive line prospect in the nation by the Rivals.com recruiting service and the No. 4 JUCO recruit overall. He said Thursday he would get around to faxing his paperwork when he had time later Thursday or Friday. Another transfer made it official Thursday when Donald Langley (6-2, 295), a defensive tackle from Copiah-Lincoln (Miss.) Community College, faxed his letter of intent to Tech.
Langley also spent Wednesday taking a little more time to ponder the decision. Like Smith, he visited Arkansas last weekend.
“I’m a big family guy,” said Langley, adding that he consulted with “every single one” of his family members the last few days. “It’s been hectic. I’ve got to make sure that it’s the right place for me, and make sure my dad and family agree. My family liked Tech and I liked Tech, and we just made it happen.”
Langley spent his freshman and redshirt freshman seasons at Tennessee, but when the Volunteers made a coaching change from Phillip Fulmer to Lane Kiffin, he didn’t like the new staff as much as the old one. Now that his Tech signing is official, Langley plans to attend the Chick-fil-A Bowl Dec. 31 in Atlanta to watch his best friend from childhood, Virginia Tech tight end Andre Smith, play against his old school.
“I’m going to watch Tennessee get beat up on a little bit,’’ Langley said. “Then I’ll make it to Lubbock and get ready to win a Big 12 championship.”
Andre Smith and Langley both are from Germantown, Md., where, coming out of Seneca Valley High School two years ago, Langley had 55 scholarship offers and took official visits to Oklahoma, Texas, Penn State, Michigan and Tennessee. After making 10 sacks in eight games this season, he said he had offers from North Carolina, Michigan State, Louisiana Tech and Georgia.
Langley left Tennessee last spring. He now says Vols defensive line coach Ed Orgeron “didn’t really try to reach in deep and get the best football player he could out of me.”
Langley still has time to deliver on his potential, and his confidence isn’t lacking.
“If I can be recruited on a national level two times and go to a big-time program like Texas Tech, it can’t be just me talking a good game,” Langley said. “The proof’s on film. I really am excited about the opportunity to go to Texas Tech and get coached by coach (Charlie) Sadler and coach (Mike) Leach and coach Ruffin (McNeill).”
Langley and Scott Smith both said they planned to move to Lubbock in early January, which will enable them to go through spring practice.
Smith visited Tech the weekend of the Red Raiders’ 41-13 win over Oklahoma. He said knowing he still had his Arkansas trip scheduled was the only thing that made him stop short of committing after the Tech-OU game.
“That was huge, seeing the atmosphere,” he said. “I really felt comfortable. I liked the coaching staff, and I felt comfortable with the boys on the team. It seemed like an easy decision for me.”
Tech will be the fourth college stop for Smith, who has bulked up since entering Cal as a 6-6, 230-pounder. He transferred after one year, sat out the 2008 season at Arizona and then spent the fall semester at Butler, where he was credited with 74 tackles, including 261/2 tackles for loss and 14 sacks. He also had 11 quarterback pressures, four fumble recoveries and two pass breakups.
In addition to Tech and Arkansas, Smith said UCLA and Baylor offered him scholarships during this recruiting go-round.
Asked what set him apart, Smith said, “Obviously, my size. I have good size and being able to have pretty good agility and speed for my size. I like to consider myself a playmaker.”
Eligibility-wise, Smith has two years left to play two seasons. Though South Florida recruited him with the idea of converting him to defensive tackle, Smith said he has never played anything but defensive end from youth football on, and Tech coaches indicated that’s where they plan to use him.
To comment on this story:
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The Langley, Smith signings have, I feel, improved the capabilities of the Texas Tech defense in 2010 to not match, but exceed everything this year’s team has accomplished. We were initially concerned about depth, but that is no longer a concern, as these players appear to have the qualities to enable them to become impact defensive players for the Red Raiders immediately. The hard work and efforts of the coaching staff is paying off in dividends we fans have not witnessed for some time. The reason for our exuberance is the fact that Tech’s commitment list is improving in quality by leaps and bounds each and every year. Congratulations to the new Red Raiders and welcome to Raiderland, USA.
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Folks, this is Leach, Leach, Leach; combined with Ruff, Ruff, Ruff. Tech must make certain nothing disturbs the atmosphere of the football coaching climate at 4th and University. NOTHING. If this means Mr. Hance must “step in” again to preclude a problem, then he must do so sooner rather than later. On paper, Smith is the top sign since Byron Hanspard.
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Looks like we are recruiting a bunch of pirates. I hope they don’t mutiny or jump ship any time soon.
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Hey fellas, welcome to Texas Tech. Work as hard in the classroom as apparently you have on the football field and your stay at Tech will make memories for life.
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The Pirate gang is shaping up pretty nice for next year. We need a big win at the Alamo Bowl to springboard us into next season.
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great recruits!! Things are REALLY looking up for the Red Raiders! We will be a team to be feared for years to come! I’m starting to really like this new tradition! ;)
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Kids that bounce around from school to school usually have an over inflated ego which makes them hard to coach. Only time will tell if these guys are the talented and committed players behind the hype or if they are showboats who cannot work within a disciplined system. It is thrilling when we can get players with such apparently great credentials. It speaks highly of our program’s evolving national stature. I wish both Langley and Smith great success at Texas Tech. I hope that the Golden Bears and the Volunteer’s losses were our gain!
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Somebody is doing something really RIGHT on the Recruiting trail! These two are bound to be “keepers” SOMEWHERE! Let that somewhere be Texas Tech, and NOW. I think that these two will love Coach Ruff’! Definitely. GO TECH! nmredraider1 in Albuquerque
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What separates the pretenders from the contenders are potential NFL D-linemen. Don’t think these guys are impressed with the cool factor of the great Mike Leach. These guys are drawn to a strong, father figure of a D-coordinator named Ruffin. Whatever it takes to keep Ruffin McNeill as Tech’s DC and/or next head coach, we need to do it!
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well I guess we will stay pretenders, two many risky players. pretty soon we will recute stragitht from cell block c.
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Kids that bounce around from school to school usually have an over inflated ego which makes them hard to coach.
I guess McCain found that out with Palin.
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From an outside observer (alum) in CC, Tx., I am really excited not only of the upcoming Alamo bowl, but the upcoming season. I truly believe that the 2010 season may be a Big 12 championship year for Tech, perhaps more!! I think Coach Leach has finally got all the pieces of the puzzle. Wreck’EM Tech.
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prospector, that would be too… go somewhere besides a&m and learn to spell…
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I agree with CC Raider that 2010 may be a big 12 championship year for our Red Raiders! 2011 and 2012 may also be championship years for our Red Raiders!
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straight shooter……what you wrote makes no sense. Ruff has the job because of Leach. Coach Leach is possibly the greatest offensive coordinator of this era. Most of us clearly see how fortunate we are to have him.
Ruff is good in his role, and maybe the reason these defensive kids are attracted to Tech. But, do not underestimate the what we have in Coach Leach. I do not think Coach Ruff hesitates to be within Caoch Leach’s Staff.
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First things first: Tech must have a strong showing against Michigan State in order to solidify prospects. We need to come into this bowl game with a chip on our shoulder after our crappy performance at the Cotton Bowl.
Now, on our 2010 season…mental preparation in key!! 6 away games will be challenging, but I see our last game being a huge hurdle! Essentially, we must take one game at a time and play as a team! Top prospects transferring is great, but does not allow much time for “gelling”. We simply cannot afford another A&M bust like this year!!
WRECK ‘EM TECH!!!!!!!!
RAIDER…………….POWER!!!!!!!!!!!!
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