LaDainian Tomlinson

jtm0097 · February 1, 2015

I was reading the Dallas Morning News app earlier today and they had an article on LT. Did you know he almost signed with UNT but decided not to because we had turf and TCU had grass? Crazy to think what could've happened if he signed here.

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/01/31/real-grass-played-role-in-ladainian-tomlinson-picking-tcu/

Edited February 1, 2015 by jtm0097

flyonthewall · February 1, 2015

Trivia question, Who was on the coaching staff at TCU when he signed there in 1997?

817Fan · February 1, 2015

RV ???

Marty · February 1, 2015

LT was on with Dunham & Miller earlier this week. George mentioned that Matt Simon told him that he was recruiting a RB that was the "real deal", turned out it was LT. LT said he really liked Simon & NT and even mentioned that A&M got in on him late and invited him down for a visit. The morning he was leaving for College Station, Simon called him and told him that he could come to NT and "make a difference and get this thing headed in the right direction". LT called A&M and told them he was not coming because he was going to NT. The coach on the other end was stunned & said "you're picking North Texas over Texas A&M". Turns out he didn't sign with us either but he mentioned that one reason he went to TCU is that his mother lived in Ft Worth at the time.

BillySee58 · February 1, 2015

LT was on with Dunham & Miller earlier this week. George mentioned that Matt Simon told him that he was recruiting a RB that was the "real deal", turned out it was LT. LT said he really liked Simon & NT and even mentioned that A&M got in on him late and invited him down for a visit. The morning he was leaving for College Station, Simon called him and told him that he could come to NT and "make a difference and get this thing headed in the right direction". LT called A&M and told them he was not coming because he was going to NT. The coach on the other end was stunned & said "you're picking North Texas over Texas A&M". Turns out he didn't sign with us either but he mentioned that one reason he went to TCU is that his mother lived in Ft Worth at the time.

I didn't hear the interview, but I read that LT also said that we had a firm offer out to him, while A&M had not offered him to that point. He felt better about going to visit a school that knew had offered him, instead of going to A&M and maybe leaving empty handed.

Cerebus · February 2, 2015

Did you know he almost signed with UNT but decided not to because we had turf and TCU had grass? Crazy to think what could've happened if he signed here.

My reaction learning this news.

Edited February 2, 2015 by Cerebus

cdizzle86 · February 2, 2015

This officially ruined my morning.

untjim1995 · February 2, 2015

That turf we had at Fouts at the time was basically painted concrete. It literally had no softness at all. We used to water it down before games, just to try and soften it up--Matt Simon read that was supposed to help with limiting knee injuries because the turf wouldn't grab the feet as bad if it was wet. Yours truly got to go out and attach a fire hose and water the field down for hours before a game--such fun to start watering a field at about 7am on a 30 degree morning or at 2:00 on a 95 degree day on turf that added an extra 15 degrees from the radiated heat bouncing back at you...