Tuesday, February 4, 1997

Rhodes commits to Texas Tech

By AL PICKETT / Sports Editor

A call from a pay phone put the finishing touches on what may be Texas Tech's best recruiting class ever.

Dominic Rhodes visited Texas Tech over the weekend. On his way out of Lubbock Sunday afternoon, he stopped at a pay phone and called Tech coach Spike Dykes to say he was going to become a Red Raider.

"I liked it up there," Rhodes said. "I wanted to go there, and my mom said it was OK. She liked it, too."

Rhodes will sign with the Red Raiders on Wednesday, which is the first day that high school football players can sign binding national letters-of-intent.

He must still make the minimum required score on his ACT or SAT tests in order to receive the scholarship and attend Texas Tech, however. He took the SAT on Jan. 25 but doesn't yet have the results back. He will take the ACT on Saturday.

"If I don't make the test score, I'll probably go to a junior college," he said. "But right now I'm just thinking I'm going to Texas Tech.

He became the state's top-rated high school running back after his sensational play during the playoffs in which he led Cooper to the Class 5A Division II state finals.

Rhodes rushed for 2,183 yards and scored 33 touchdowns this season. He finished his career with 3,057 rushing yards and 49 touchdowns.

Rhodes becomes the fourth District 4-5A player to commit to Texas Tech, joining offensive lineman Jason May of Odessa Permian and Midland Lee defensive backs Antwan Alexander and John Norman.