Senior wide receiver TJ Vasher is entering his fifth year in Lubbock and according to the lengthy wideout, he realized he never left his mark at Texas Tech besides getting a letterman jacket.

Vasher said he spent time in deep conversations with his father back in Wichita Falls and head coach Matt Wells, talking about his goals and what he needs to do to reach the dream of playing in the NFL.

“Really proud of TJ the last three months. He has I think just you know he’s changed focus in terms of his priorities,” Wells said. “When I say that I mean my daily routine my habits matching up with my goals and my dreams. What you got now is he's gained 15 pounds. He weighs 216 right now. Coach thinks he’ll have him up over 220 by the summer. The way he comes into the building – he's ready to go. This is a TJ Vasher I think at this point right now just say at this point that we all want right now and he's really working on his game. I think he has a chance to if he stays focused and does what he needs to do he’ll have a really good senior year.”

Vasher said he’s feeling the best he’s ever felt at this point in the offseason. He mentioned it’s been a grind maintaining his speed and agility but trusts in coaches to keep him at his peak.

More on his change, Vasher said not accomplishing and winning like he wants to sparked this turnaround for him. He added that everything is falling into place for him.

“I think those conversations started last January and I think the maybe the seriousness of them and maybe for TJ maybe you can ask that to TJ but I think you know we've had multiple conversations throughout the year,” Wells said. “I just think TJ is a guy that's at the end of the season the light I think kind of flickered and it really flipped on in January. He did a lot of work on his own in the offseason the time that we were away in late, late December and he came back ready to roll. He had a really good seven-week offseason.”

Here’s what Vasher said on those conversations:

“Yeah. We’ve had a lot of conversations but those conversations those deep ones with him talking my dad also just coming into what needs to be done.”

The plan to use Vasher’s size on this offense doesn’t change, though. The expectations are to get him the ball to make a play and to utilize him near the end zone.

“I think you just gotta continue to get him the ball whether it's quick game, it's dropback, it's play-action.” Wells said. “I think he's one of the best red zone threats, if not the best, in the Big 12. When you're 6’6” you got basketball skills and long arms and he can high-point a ball. I think that helps him in that area but he's gotta become a better route runner, a better open field wideout too.”

Here’s what Wells had to say about the early-enrollees that are on campus at the moment:

“Devin Drew, still you know he's big and strong,” Wells said. “He's going to add depth to our d-line. Has a long ways to go. Krishon Merriweather has hit the ground running, literally and figuratively. The guy can flat run. You know the first two days, he took two steps forward, he took two steps back and he didn't even move out of that spot and he still outran guys to the ball now. He's really cleared his cleats and you can tell he's really taking coaching and he made a couple of really nice plays late in this practice today. Krishon is going to be a really, really good addition. Brandon Randle is limited right now and I mentioned that because of a shoulder surgery he had last fall. Ja’Lynn Polk, I've talked about him. Came in 180 pounds January 15th and weighs 196 today and he's really done a lot of good work. He's bought into the nutrition plan and eating right, lifting. It's important to him. He flashes. He's going with the twos at times – twos and threes kind of mixed there but when he gets out there he doesn’t stand out like a freshman that doesn't know what he's doing. I think he’s got, obviously, a very bright future.”

“Ethan Carde – still kinda like Devin. And this is something I think they’ll be further along as spring goes on. Still very early, practice four for the o-line and d-line. Playing receiver and linebacker is a whole lot closer to playing receiver and linebacker in high school to college than it is the o-line, d-line. I think there’s just such a bigger gap in terms of strength and girth that those guys still gotta get.”

On the past recruiting days:

“That’s called spending every day of recruiting on recruiting,” Wells said. “We take time every day, whether it's phone calls to these high school coaches, it's evaluating tape and its Facetiming with these recruits. It's just so important. It's constant touch and you've noticed that. Two big junior recruiting weekends and a lot, of a lot of our first-round draft picks have been on campus. And I can't be about any more blunt in that. What's interesting is to see the repeat trips to Lubbock and that just takes a staff that's passionate about recruiting and that understands that the two ways to get this program where we all want it, and that's to get to the month of November and compete for a Big 12 Championship, is you gotta recruit. You got to develop and that recruiting just can't stop. You got to go and go and go and you got to keep getting these kids on campus and we've had some of those you know not mentioning my name's guys multiple trips on campus. You know guys that came in the fall as juniors and they came in in January now they came in again in March. That's three trips some drove along ways.”

“Th idea is to get them here again in March and again in April,” Wells continued, “as many times we can expose our campus. I think this place sells itself and the people in Lubbock are genuine the crowds. The crowds at the basketball games are real, it's live, it's a great atmosphere. They see that and then they start going, ‘alright, times four for Jones Stadium,’ and what's it gonna be like to play here. I think the vibe in the environment is big time here. The people around town treat our recruits well. They could tell it's important to them and the double T is important to these people around here and I think the more and more we get these kids here on campus and you expose them to that it's going to become like family and home. That's what we wanted to become for these guys and you know we’ve got a few at practice today.”

TE Simon Gonzalez has been suspended indefinitely according to Wells. He added that Gonzalez is still at school as well.

“Suspended indefinitely – two weeks ago,” Wells said about Gonzalez. “Oh yeah, there’s always a chance (to be back).”

LB Brayden Stringer is no longer on the team as well. Wells said that was a decision Stringer made on his own.

Weston Wright has been practicing at guard with Dawson Deaton at center, Wells said about his offensive line. Will Farrar is getting time at guard and center. Casey Verhulst and Zach Adams are working at tackle. Trevor Roberson is getting time on the inside at guard and at tackle as well.

Wells said he spoke with a couple of GMs in the NFL who told him that Jordyn Brooks interviewed well. His stock is rising in the NFL Draft. Wells said Brooks is carrying himself well.

Wells said practice on Thursday will be treated as their first spring scrimmage. They'll work in different situations with around 85 plays. They'll be in full pads before Spring Break. What does he want them to do over the break? "Stay away from the coronavirus."