New Braunfels linebacker Tom Wort decided he couldn’t wait any longer.
After taking informal visits to three college campuses, Comal County’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year announced Wednesday morning that he was committing to play college football with the Oklahoma Sooners.
“It was a big day for me today,” he said. “I’ve been talking with (New Braunfels head football coach) Caniford and my family about this the last couple of days. I couldn’t stop thinking about my visit to Oklahoma and I made my decision a few days ago.
“So this morning I pulled the trigger and decided to go to Oklahoma.”
Verbal commitments are non-binding, and don’t become official until a recruit signs a letter of intent. However, Wort said Oklahoma coaches couldn’t have been happier. He said he first told OU defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Brent Venables, then spoke with head coach Bob Stoops around noon.
“They were really happy for me,” Wort said. “(Stoops) was happy. We talked for a while and after the conversation, I was committed.”
Wort, a 6-0, 210-pounder, transferred to New Braunfels from Rhode Island last spring and impressed New Braunfels coaches right off the bat. He dominated the spring game and the first scrimmage in the fall. He consistently stepped up his play during a dream season for the Unicorns, who finished 13-1 and advanced to the Class 4A-Division I state semifinal.
Wort was the District 26-4A and Herald-Zeitung’s top player on a unit that allowed just 244.2 yards per game. He led the Unicorns with 199 total tackles, 104 solos and included 11 for losses. He caused four fumbles, hauled in three interceptions, and recorded five pass breakups, three hurries, four sacks and 16 “big hits.”
Among the other schools courting the junior were USC, Florida, Nebraska, Miami and Maryland. But there were many more.
“He had offers from quite a few schools and took informal visits to some that were close — LSU, Oklahoma and Texas A&M,” Caniford said. “From what I understand he had a great feeling at Oklahoma and thought he would fit in there. He felt the opportunity was something he was excited about, and he decided to go ahead and make the commitment.
“I think that he didn’t intend on committing this early, but he had such a great feeling about Oklahoma. He really liked it, so he committed and put it behind him.”
Juniors can make commitments, but cannot officially visit campuses or sign letters of intent until their senior years. Wort said he will take his only official visit to the OU campus in Norman, Okla. sometime in the fall, then sign with the Sooners on the first day allowed, which will be Feb. 5, 2009.
Wort played the latter part of last season with a cracked foot, which was surgically repaired earlier this spring. He says he’s fully recovered.
“I’m fully healed now and cleared — and I’m ready to play spring football,” he said.
Spring practice begins at New Braunfels on April 28, and Wort says he’s glad to have completed the recruiting process.
“I’m glad to put it behind me — it felt so right at Oklahoma,” he said. “I get along with the coaches and it’s something I wanted to do. It was out there, and I felt like I should take it.”
