Porter shopping
Fort Bend offensive tackle Maurice Porter will take an official visit to Baylor this weekend, his coach James Williams confirmed on Thursday.
"He's looking at his options," Williams said.
Baylor was one of Porter's top schools before he verbally committed to Texas Tech this summer. However, that's always been considered a soft commitment. Fort Bend Marshall enjoyed a great season finishing 13-1 and advancing to the Class 4A Division II state quarterfinals.
Since Tommy Tuberville left Texas Tech for Cincinnati, schools began reaching out to Porter and Baylor has been right at the front of the list. Porter had been scheduled to visit Kansas State this weekend until Baylor moved in.
"Maurice has always been interested in Baylor," Williams said.
Porter is the visiting the same weekend as his high school teammate Darius Moore, already a Baylor commit.
--Todd Wills
Baylor makes Dean's list
Guys like Newton's D.J. Dean are perfect examples of why there's an "athlete" category in the recruiting world.
Dean played a bit of everything for the Texas Class 2A Division I state semifinalists, surpassing the 1,000-yard mark rushing and passing at quarterback, handling all return duties and even punting it a couple of times. But his next level future is likely at cornerback, where Dean had 43 tackles and 4 INTs.
"That's what I want to play in college," Dean said, and that's exactly what Baylor has in mind for him as well.
Though the Bears haven't offered yet, Baylor CBs coach Carlton Buckels dropped by Newton High on Tuesday to talk to the soft verbal commit to Utah. After the face-to-face meeting, Dean said he decided to take a visit to Baylor, most likely set for Feb. 1. He's also planning to visit North Texas and Texas State. Dean is more familiar with Waco than most recruits, so he wants to get to know the staff and players better to help him make his decision.
"I just want to get a feel from the coaches," he said. "My family is from Waco, so I know what's like to live up there."
We'll keep in touch with Dean to see how this unfolds.
-- Jake Shaw
Thrift still growing
The exciting part about Hutto defensive end <.a href=http://rivals.yahoo.com/baylor/football/recruiting/player-Tanner-Thrift-132242;_ylt=ArIsixVtlHJDLTDUME9sONNerJB4>Tanner Thrift is that he still has more room to grow.
When he committed to Baylor in May, he stood 6-5 and 240. Now, Thrift is now at 6-6 and 245. He visited with defensive line assistant Chris Achuff Wednesday to finalize arrangements for this weekend's official visit.
"I'm excited,'' Thrift said. "I've been looking forward to this for a long time. I can't wait to get there in June.''
Baylor has a logjam of young defensive linemen, so there is a realistic chance he would be redshirted in 2013. That's usually the case with most offensive and defensive linemen. Thrift said the coaches are looking at him primarily as a strongside defensive end and would like to see him playing in college at 285. Given that size, length and wingspan, it should be fun to watch this unfold.
There had been some overtures from Oklahoma State, but when Thrift made it known he was committed to the Bears, the Cowboys moved on.
-- Kevin Lonnquist
Jan. 18-20 visitors
San Antonio East Central DB Austin Jupe said he's coming on an unofficial - his official is next week - but it's unknown if that will actually happen. Nonetheless, here's who SicEmSports.com has identified as those who have scheduled their official visit Waco this weekend:
1. Kyle Fulks, DB, Katy
2. Travon Blanchard, LB, West Orange-Stark
3. Darius Moore, OL, Fort Bend Marshall
4. Dionte Savage, OL, Western Arizona C.C.
5. Tanner Thrift, DE, Hutto
6. Christopher Robinson,DT, Shreveport (LA.) Woodlawn
7. Maurice Porter, OL, Fort Bend Marshall
--SicEmSports
Football recruiting changes coming?
The NCAA is meeting through Saturday in Grapevine and likely about to give football coaches the same kind of recruiting electronic flexibility that basketball coaches started receiving this past summer.
Expect the governing body to vote to deregulate the rules when it comes to any and all forms of contact via phone calls, texts, twitter and twitter. Coaches would have unlimited use without following any timelines. Personal contact periods would stay intact.
Should it pass, it could go into effect as early as this summer. July 1 or Aug. 1 are the target dates. That would immediately impact the 2014 class and all others.
"The feedback we've had from the men's basketball has been very positive,'' Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw said. "It's a lifestyle friendly change for coaches. When a coach gets a call from a recruit at dinner, he doesn't have to immediately take it. He can return it when he's done.''
The baton rule, which allowed only seven of the 10 full-time coaches to recruit on the road at the same time, could also change. The NCAA will vote to allow all 10 coaches to recruit simultaneously.
-- Kevin Lonnquist
Other Baylor & Big 12 issues
* Fundraising for the $250 million Baylor Stadium continues to progress. All six founders suites have been sold as well as 30 of the 38 premium suites. In February, all 79 loge boxes will go on sale.
As for the recently announced brick campaign, a method to include the Baylor general population, McCaw said the last report he saw stated more than 700 had been sold.
* Big 12 athletic directors and commissioner Bob Bowlsby will meet Jan. 28-29 at the Big 12 offices to discuss several items including scheduling and bowl partnerships. Don't be surprised if some of those change. One bowl that could be in jeopardy is the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium. West Virginia and Syracuse played in a snowstorm last month.
* When the Big 12 announced its 2013 football schedule in November, the athletic directors also finalized the 2014 schedule. The conference just hasn't announced it.
* Baylor officials are pleased with the early returns of the third-tier rights affiliation with FOX Sports. Meetings are coming up within the next several weeks to set the programming for the spring sports including baseball and softball. The one football game for the 2013 season cannot be determined until the summer after the first- and second-tier partners have made their selections.
* Baylor has yet to draft a second appeal on quarterback Nick Florence's medical redshirt application to NCAA. While there is no deadline to submit it, it seems more than remote that the university can win it. The coaching staff is working under the presumption that the quarterback job will start with the likes of Bryce Petty and Seth Russell.
-- Kevin Lonnquist
Big 12 Basketball Power Rankings
During the Big 12 conference basketball season, SicEmSports unveils its power rankings. We also provide our postseason tournament projections.
1. Kansas - One of the top five defensive teams in the country
2. Kansas State - The last time the Wildcats were 3-0 was 2007-08
3. Oklahoma - Huge stand-up game Saturday at Kansas State
4. Baylor - Bears had only nine 2-point field goals in their loss at Kansas
5. Oklahoma State - Guard Markel Brown has scored in double figures in 14 of 15 games
6. Iowa State - Missed scoring 70+ points in all 16 games by one point Wednesday
7. West Virginia - Guard Jabarie Hinds has scored in double figures in first four Big 12 games
8. Texas - Headed toward its first 0-4 start in Big 12 history
9. Texas Tech - Dusty Hannahs second in conference in 3-point shooting (43.1%)
10. TCU - First in the league in scoring defense (55.3); last in scoring offense (55.2)
Projected NCAA tournament teams: Kansas, Oklahoma State, Kansas State, Baylor
NIT tournament teams: Oklahoma, Texas, Iowa State
--Kevin Lonnquist
b>Emptying the notebook
Emptying the Notebook
* The final 2013 Rivals 100 and 250 national lists as well all new player ratings - meaning those could move from three stars to four or being higher rated in their three star rating - should be released next week.
* We keep hearing that Texas coaches are very frustrated with their late push in recruiting as recruits are either switching or staying with their schools. However, Irving's Rami Hammad is scheduled to visit Texas this weekend. Should he be offered, Texas people are of the belief he'll flip his commitment from Baylor. We'll just see how that plays out.
* With JUCO offensive lineman Tyler Edwards not arriving at mid-semester, that's another situation that the coaching staff will evaluate. It would have been big for him to be on campus to go through spring at center. However, if the coaches like the way the center position develops, there's a chance the staff could just move on.
-- SicEmSports
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