Richardson gets good news from Texas

Things just won't seem to slow down for Pensacola (Fla.) Escambia running back Trent Richardson. The offers are now coming in by the day rather than the week or month but the pace doesn't bother Richardson. After all, the 5-foot-10 210-pounder runs the 40 in under 4.4 seconds. However, he did have to take a step back and enjoy one of his most recent offers.

Including his offer on Monday from Duke, Richardson lists 15 offers to his credit. On Wednesday of last week offers from Kentucky, Clemson and Florida State all came in. However, it was the offer on Friday that gave him pause.

Richardson had named Texas as one of the schools that he really hoped to hear from in the recruiting process and Friday, the offer came his way.

"It's exciting cause right now I'm just living my dream," Richardson said. "Texas has got a great running back tradition with Campbell to Ricky Williams, to Jamal Charles and Cedric Benson. I'm a running back. I've always loved their running back tradition."

Throughout the early stages of the recruiting process Richardson has never underestimated the importance of the big uglies up front and he recognizes that the success the Texas backs has a direct relationship to the success of its line.

"They always have good offensive lines," he said. "Them boys stay big over there. You know the offensive line coach keeps them right."

Richardson's interest in the Longhorns isn't just lip service. In fact, Richardson already has hundreds of carries under his belt in a Texas uniform. For years, every time he has turned on college football video games, he has created the virtual version of himself and donned him in burnt orange to tote the pigskin.

"In the NCAA Football games, I've always played with Texas," he said. "I made myself on the game and put myself on Texas. I've been doing that for years all the way back to the Gamebreaker game."

Though Richardson seems to be a strong lean to be wearing a Texas uniform when the latest college football video game is released this summer, he insists that in the real world, he doesn't have any leaders.

"I'm just waiting," he said. "I'm a football player and just want to play. I'm about it and I still got a whole nother year. I'm working hard in the offseason and getting ready for our Spring Jamboree and this Nike Camp in April."

Though the Nike Training Camp in Gainesville will not have any combine style testing, Richardson is still working on his 40-yard dash, his three-cone drill and his standing broad jump. He has been clocked as low as 4.37 in the 40 and hopes to maintain that speed.

Strength won't be going by the wayside either. Richardson had a power lifting meet on Monday night in which he bench pressed 335 pounds. Just last week, Richardson maxed out at 350 pounds on the bench press and 335 pounds on the power clean.

Clearly, Richardson's recruitment won't be slowing down any time soon, but Richardson is making it quite evident that he can keep up with the pace.