Carter talks new offer from Texas Tech, plans to officially visit
Related: Following the Future | Red Raider Confidential
The name McLane Carter might sound familiar to some recruiting junkies on RedRaiderSports. It was December of 2014, and blue-chip quarterback prospect and longtime Texas Tech commit Jarrett Stidham left the Red Raiders without a quarterback commitment after flipping to Baylor.
At the time, the coaching staff immediately started to contact other 2015 quarterback prospects. One of the players who received a call from Coach Kingsbury and his staff was McLane Carter.
The former Gilmer Buckeye ended up having a very eventful month in January of 2015 before eventually signing with Incarnate Word.
"Yes, I spoke with Texas Tech out of high school," Carter said. "It was late, I started talking with Coach Kingsbury during basketball season. It was actually really late into January of 2015, but it was Texas Tech, Florida and Michigan all talking with me about an offer. Coach Kingsbury actually came to Gilmer and attended one of my basketball practices to watch me workout.
"I kept talking with Kingsbury and Tech, same with the new coaches at Florida and Jim Harbaugh at Michigan. A few schools, including Texas Tech, offered me a preferred walk on opportunity at the time. I didn't take that originally and ended up getting a last minute D1 offer from Incarnate Word in San Antonio. I really wanted to play D1 football and ended up taking the offer."
Carter spent the summer and fall semesters at UIW, then decided to transfer and start over at a junior college closer to home.
"I went to Incarnate Word for the summer and the fall, then ended up transferring in the spring," Carter said. "The transition from high school to college, all while being a student athlete really kicked by butt. I wanted a change and I'm really glad that I gave myself a second chance.
"I ended up at Tyler Junior College and I'm very grateful for the coaches here. I accepted their challenge and have really grown as a person during my time here. I signed up for extra hours, winter-mesters, mini-mesters and really anything I could do in order to graduate early. Now I'm set to graduate this December and will have three years to play three years of eligibility at the next level."
The 6-foot-3, 222-pound prospect not only grew physically during his time at Tyler Junior College, but he also excelled on the field for the Indians and earned the conference MVP this season.
"I started working at a local training facility here in Tyler called APEC," Carter said. "They work with a lot of East Texas athletes and I changed my whole style of play. I run around a 4.6 laser-timed 40-yard dash and feel more mobile, more flexible on the field. I also went on a very strict diet and started running a lot, it's really helped me on the football field.
"We weren't able to have a winning season and make the playoffs, but I was honored to win the Conference MVP and Offensive MVP awards this season. I led the nation in passing and had one of my best seasons at the quarterback position."
While Carter talked with Kingsbury out of high school, the process of receiving an offer from Texas Tech last week actually happened very quickly.
"It was a pretty quick process with Texas Tech actually," Carter said. "I was headed to Old Dominion for an official visit a few Fridays ago, then Coach (Eric) Morris followed me on Twitter and we eventually connected on the phone. He told me that I was No. 1 on their board and that they would be calling me early the next week.
"Coach Morris called back on Monday or Tuesday of last week. We talked about Pat (Mahomes) possibly going pro and how they would need to add a quarterback. They have a backup now who is going to be a senior next season, but mentioned there will be an open competition in the off-season."
The December graduate spoke with the Tech coaches a few times last week, even connecting with head coach Kliff Kingsbury again.
"I talked with Coach Morris and Coach Kingsbury early in the week, then Coach Morris gave me a call the next day and offered me," Carter said. "That was Tuesday, I believe. He wanted to give me time to call my parents, tell my friends and then asked me to give him a call back.
"That's when I spoke with Coach Kingsbury again, and he just stressed the opportunity to compete for a starting job at Texas Tech should Pat leave for the NFL. I know Coach Kingsbury can evaluate quarterbacks with the best and it would be great to play in a system like the Tech offense."
Carter, a left-handed quarterback, would be add a new element to the Tech offense and Coach Kingsbury even joked with him about being a southpaw.
"It actually did come up in our conversations," Carter said. "Coach Morris told me that Coach Kingsbury doesn't usually take JUCO quarterbacks and has never taken a left-handed prospect. So when I look at what he's done with guys like Mahomes and Mayfield, it's special and means a lot that he believes in my abilities."
Carter currently holds six scholarship offers and more programs are beginning to show interest lately.
"From my experience out of high school, I'm used to things happening later in the process, but a few schools have reached out and might get into the mix," Carter said. "Coaches from Oklahoma State, Arizona, South Florida and Ole Miss have all reached out lately. I'm mostly talking with the schools that have offered, but the signing day for early graduates is Dec. 14th, so I plan on having my decision made by then.
"I will be attending the Texas Tech game against Baylor at AT&T Stadium this week, then I'm scheduled to take my official visit on Dec. 2nd out to Lubbock. For now, I don't have any other visits setup before or after, but things can always change."
Currently unrated, Carter finished the season with 3,226 yards and 30 touchdowns to only nine interceptions passing along with 224 yards and two touchdowns rushing. He earned the All-SWJCFC Conference MVP and Offensive MVP.