Three at the top for Texas RB

Midland, Texas running back Baron Batch knew right away on Sunday that coaches could start calling without looking at the calendar as the phone began ringing.

"Purdue called Sunday afternoon," the 5-foot-10, 190-pound Batch said. "That's the only one that has called so far. Coach (Bob) DeBesse is the one who called me. He is a real nice guy. They had offered me a scholarship earlier. He was just filling me in on the school. He wanted me to commit, but I'm not ready for that at this point.

"My top three schools are Texas Tech, Purdue and K-State. Tech is close to home and I like the way the offense is run. And I like the coaches a lot. Coach (Mike) Leach and the running backs coach Seth Littrell are the ones I talked to."

Batch's other two in his top three are more of unknowns that the Red Raiders are at this point.

"I don't know a lot about Purdue," he said. "It is just an unknown right now. I want to get up to a camp there this summer so I can see and learn more. And Kansas State has one of my good friends coming up there. Courtney Greer, is going there and he told me he really liked it. Coach Bob Stanley was down here last week by the school to see my coach."

Batch is holding offers from his three favorites in addition to offers from Duke, UTEP, Houston and Northwestern.

"I am not in any hurry to make a choice. I am just sitting back and seeing what all comes along. I have plenty of time to make my choice."

As a junior, Batch carried the ball 120 times for 900 yards and nine touchdowns rushing. He also had 33 catches for 400 yards and six scores.