Texas A&M-Commerce - 2009 Recruiting Class

Need Help:
Quarterback - Starter Terry May0 (2nd LSC North) and primary backup Trent Miller are gone, leaving the Lions with no experience at QB.

Running Back - Maurice DuPont is the only running back currently listed on the Lions roster - he rushed for 130 yards last year.

Defensive Secondary - Courtney Edmond (1st LSC North), Alex Contreras (2nd LSC North) and Elliot Jones (HM LSC North) are all gone. Kurt Rossum (2nd LSC North) returns as does Cory Whitfield, A. J. Billings, Ameer Ali and Shea Rodriguez - but all will be seniors.

Need Depth:
Wide Receiver - The LSC North receiver of the year (Willie Thorton) is gone. Carlton Richard, Matt McLaren and Danny Stark have also moved on. Ernest Quander and Taylor Fore are the only returnees who registered double digits in receptions.

Offensive Line - Darron Sheppard (1st LSC North) is gone. R. J. Brisbon (LSC North Co-Lineman of the year) leads a group back that includeds 6 who started at least 3 games - three are seniors though.

Defensive Line - Ricky Hope (LSC North Lineman of the Year) was a senior last year. William Green (1st LSC North) is back and joined by fellow starter Andrew Schwapp, Andree' Smith and DeCarlas Lue. Of the six returnees with game experience, five will be seniors.

Good Quality/Depth:
Linebackers - (If Andrew Gamboa is back - he was listed as a senior last year, but is on the current roster - if he's not back, this position moves up to the needs depth category). Gamboa and Chad Washington were both 1st team LSC North honorees. Senior Ramon Jackson returns as do juniors Stephen DeGrate and Arsenial Richardson, and soph. Austen Brewer.


The Lions lost several talented seniors off of last year's squad, and with the change in coaching staffs, lost some underclassmen as well. The positions that look okay for this year are senior-heavy, so they will need reinforcements for the future.

The new coaching staff, led by Guy Morriss, got off to a late start in recruiting. The former staff relied heavily on transfers, with relatively few high school recruits being signed. There is an apparent change in philosophy as well. We say apparent, because to date, just seven signings have been announced, and they are all high school recruits. A few to watch for - QB Brandon Colquitt, RB Aaron Wingfield, OL Connor Wise, and DL Nova Finau. QB Ricky Beaty (Henderson State) and RB Jamar Mosely (Washburn) have also transferred in and should compete for starting positions right away.

LSC Ranking - 13 (with current announced signings)

Overall Grade - Incomplete
Needless to say, TAMC is playing it close the vest. They will obviously announce more signings and transfers. When that happens, we will revisit their ranking.