What's Love Got To Do With It?

I hate to steal from Tina Turner, but the headline just kind of stuck as I've finally managed to getting around to big time recruit Cruz Williams' "decision" to not come to the University of Arkansas and instead go to Louisiana Tech. The 6'5", 4.4 40 yard dash receiver had this to say:

"It hit me a couple of months ago — it just wasn't feeling the same. I thought Arkansas would be my main choice, but when I got there I wasn't feeling the love, so it's like, 'What's the use?'"

The article that quote comes from is hilarious on so many levels.

Let's start with this whole no love quote, because everybody that pays any attention to Razorback football knows that Cruz is not coming to Petrino's wide open, wide receiver's wet dream passing attack because he did not meet entrance requirements into the University of Arkansas. He probably wouldn't be "feeling the love" at Texas Tech either if he was born and raised a Red Raider fan in Lubbock. Stupid thing to say, Cruz.

Let's take a look at this other gem-of-a-quote from Williams:

"I always told myself that Tech is a real good school, academically, and they have a nice football program. If I was going to go to school outside Arkansas, it was going to be at Tech."

Yeah, me too. If I was a four star receiver with a whole host of division one schools hot on my trail and the academics to go anywhere, I'd go with La Tech too, because we all know that La Tech is just a wide receiver pipeline to the NFL!
(In all fairness to Tech, I did a little research here, and there have been a few decent receivers to come out of La Tech like Troy Edwards (1999, seven NFL seasons with the Steelers, Jags, Rams, and Lions), Johnathan Holland (2007, Oakland) Roger Carr (1974, ten years in the NFL mostly with the Colts), and Pat Tilley (1976, 11 years with the St. Louis Cardinals). But, four fairly legit NFL receivers in 30 something years does not a pipeline make. I'm sure Cruz will buck the odds though and be the next Terrell Owens.

Even more funny is that Williams was never officially recruited by La Tech and he did his own research "on the internet" to find out about Tech.

Finally, let's say you are a big-time recruit at wide receiver and you can go about anywhere you want. I don't know about you, but if it were me, besides checking out the coaches and the academics, I'd really want to know what kind of QB I'd have throwing me the ball next year. Let's see what Cruz has to say about that:

"I haven't heard too much about the quarterbacks, but if a quarterback can throw the ball, he can throw the ball. If you can't, you can't. Put me in the game with any QB and I can make a play. Throw the ball my way, and I'm going to go get it."

Knowledge of La Tech's QB's: Zero
Confidence in self to make plays: 10

OK, Hog Tale readers, here you go, I'm going to drop some La Tech QB knowledge on you. So, it's very possible you will know more than Williams does about his own QBs.

La Tech's starting QB, Zac Champion (kudos for the name), graduated this past season leaving:
Junior Michael Mosely (18 games played in two seasons, 422 career passing yards, 3 TDs, 1 Int.)
Redshirt Sophomore Ross Jenkins (1 game played, 26 passing yards)
New recruit Colby Cameron from California.

Now, that is a stacked QB position! Have fun, Cruz, diving for balls five yards to the either side of you and getting your ribs cracked by middle linebackers jumping for balls thrown two feet too high.

The moral of this story is basically you keep your mouth shut and just admit that you're not going where you want to go because you didn't get your work done in the classroom. That you've learned a valuable lesson, and that you're going to make the best of the situation you're in and that you're excited to be going to Louisiana Tech, love the coaches, blah, blah, blah. Don't make up lies to make yourself look better when everyone can see right through them. Good luck, Cruz. But, from the sound of things, you probably won't need it. Go make a play, now.



The most famous La Tech Bulldogger of course would be this man...



(Superl Bowl champion, announcer, and actor Terry Bradshaw proves you can make it big coming out of La Tech. Now, if only Cruz had the blonde bomber throwing him the ball the next four years)