Fuente’s Texas roots extending to recruits

Top 30 tight end will pay visit to U of M

pus and football facilities ahead of scheduled visits the next two weekends to Texas and Colorado. Hobbs, who is 6-3 and 230 pounds, will be one of as many as six Texas players making official visits to the U of M this weekend.

Horn High football coach Rodney Webb said Hobbs has an interest in the U of M because of Fuente, whose work as co - offensive coordinator at TCU the past few seasons is familiar to Texas-area recruits and coaches.

Before being named the U of M’s coach last month, Fuente spent the past three seasons as TCU’S co - offensive coordinator. During that

stretch the Horned Frogs set single -season records for touchdowns, points scored and first downs.

‘‘I think a kid like Vincent would be a good fit in that type of offense,’’ Webb said.

Fuente also was involved in developing quarterback Andy Dalton, who will be a candidate for NFL Rookie of the Year after a strong first season with the Cincinnati Bengals.

‘‘We’re all familiar with what he did at TCU,’’ Webb said.

Hobbs was a first-team all- district selection for Horn High after a season in which he caught 45 passes for 583 yards and two touchdowns. Webb said he expects Hobbs, ranked among the nation’s top 30 tight ends according to Rivals.com, to improve in college.

‘‘Tight end is still a relatively new position for him,’’ Webb said. ‘‘He is actually a much more polished receiver. He is an excellent route runner and has the best hands of any kid I’ve coached in 21 years.’’

Webb said Horn High’s offense employed a four-wide receiver set and Hobbs played inside receiver as a sophomore and junior. Webb said he knew Hobbs would eventually move to tight end, but he didn’t want to move him back and forth.

‘‘We didn’t want him to be a jack of all trades and a master of none,’’ Webb said. ‘‘So we waited to make the move.’’

Webb said he had to convince Hobbs to play football because, as a freshman, Hobbs was set on a basketball career. He is a post player for Horn High.

‘‘By his sophomore year he realized football would be his ticket (to college),’’ Webb said.

While impressed with Fuente’s background, Webb said U of M assistant James Shibest, the former Arkansas receiver, has done a good job recruiting Hobbs.

‘‘I’ll say this, coach Shibest is an impressive guy,’’ Webb said. ‘‘I can tell when a player immediately forms a bond with a coach. And (Hobbs) has.’’

In addition to Memphis, Hobbs has received offers from Colorado State, New Mexico, Louisiana-monroe and Marshall. While interested, Texas has not offered.

Note: Ex-georgia Tech signee Antonio Foster, a 6-4, 300-pound lineman from Northeast (Miss.) Community College, has enrolled at the U of M and signed a National Letter of Intent.

— Phil S tukenborg: (901) 529-2543