I’m back and glad to be back. Let’s get to it.

Since being gone I realized that there were commits and decommits and it was a bit tough to follow, but I’m here to help (I’m here to help me). There were 3 decommitments over the past 2 weeks or so, all 3 were defensive backs: Ramonz Adams; Swayde Griffin; and TJ Tillman. Rivals has undergone a rebrand, which is interesting (check out the landing page for Red Raider Sports). There were 3 new commits and they were all 3 offensive linemen.

+ Patrick McMath (6-4/265) committed on 6/18 and is a 3-star from Katy Texas (Rivals | 24/7 Sports | On3).

+ Garin Maley (6-6/260) a 3-star from Papillion, Nebraska (Rivals | 24/7 Sports | On3). As an aside, the word “papillion” is French for butterfly and there’s a 1973 movie called Papillon staring Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman that I have watched, but do not know why I did.

+ Elias Gillen (6-6/310) a 3-star from Rapid City, South Dakota (Rivals | 24/7 Sports | On3).

Men’s basketball and women’s basketball released something called their “matrix” and it’s a fancy way to say who they will play this next year. Gone is the home-and-home series for basketball, but rather there will be teams you only host at home, teams you only play on the road, and teams that you will have the home-and-home series with.

Men’s Basketball
Home-and-away: Arizona, Arizona State, Houston, Oklahoma State, TCU
Home-only: Baylor, UCF, Colorado, Iowa State, West Virginia
Away-only: BYU, Cincinnati, Kansas, Kansas State, Utah

Women’s Basketball
Home Only: BYU, Utah, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Cincinnati, West Virginia
Away Only: Arizona, Arizona State, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, UCF
Home and Away: Colorado, Houston, TCU

Texas Tech hired University of Louisiana head coach Gerry Glasco as the next head coach for the softball program after Craig Snider left for an assistant coach position at Tennessee. Glasco has a terrific resume, has gone to the NCAA Tournament every year except for the COVID year:

Known s one of the nation’s top offensive coaches and recruiters, Glasco has been part of successful softball programs throughout his career with three trips to the Women’s College World Series, seven appearances in an NCAA Super Regional and 15 selections for an NCAA Regional between his time as the head coach at Louisiana (2018-24) and as an assistant at both Georgia (2009-14) and Texas A&M (2015-17).

Louisiana won at least 40 games in each of Glasco’s six full seasons, finishing with 50 or more victories twice in 2019 and then again in 2023. The Ragin’ Cajuns were a combined 136-18 (.883) in Sun Belt play under Glasco, including a 22-2 overall mark each of the past two seasons, the latter of which earned Louisiana a top-16 national seed to host its own NCAA Regional. Over his collegiate career, Glasco has never missed an NCAA Regional in his 15 eligible seasons.

Dave Campbell’s Texas Football’s Carter Yates went in deep with 2025 Texas Tech commit Lloyd “Chubby” Jones, III and and how Joey McGuire flew into Mineral Wells to offer tight end Prestynn Harrison.

The official site has a Q&A with T.J. Toppin:

Who is your role model in life?
“My mom. I’ve seen how hard she works every day and the sacrifices she’s made for me and our family. She’s taught me that everything happens for a reason and to put trust in what you’re doing and the ones you care about the most. Success doesn’t happen right away for everyone but if you put in the time and commit you can be successful.”

Who’s a player you see shades of yourself in?
“Antawn Jamison. He had a soft touch in the paint. Lived in there. I want to play like he did.”