STEPHENVILLE ? Tarleton head football coach Sam McElroy has announced the 2009 recruiting class that consists of 26 future student-athletes who signed national letters-of-intent on Wednesday ? the NCAA's national signing day.

“This is a really talented group of athletes,” said the Texan head football coach.  “This is probably the most athletic group we have signed since I have been here.  We have a lot of speed and a lot of talented skill players.”

The list of all-district players is long, and the Texans have signed seven all-state players, four district most valuable players and the UIL 2A Defensive Player of the Year.

“We have four players who played on state championship teams this year and several who have received all-district and all-state honors,” McElroy said.  “The list includes good size on the offensive line and more defensive guys than offensive guys, but that is what we recruited more this year.  These guys can really run and we believe we filled the holes we felt we needed to address.”

McElroy believes this class will contribute to the program for years to come.

“I am not going to say that none of these kids will end up helping us in the fall because there are usually a handful that will,” McElroy said.  “But we want the majority of this class to come in and have a year to get ready to contribute to the program in major ways in the future.  We want them to come in here and grow without pressing them into a major role as a true freshman.  We feel this class will help us continue the winning tradition to which this program has grown accustomed.”

The Texans, who finished the 2008 season 8-3 overall and just missing the NCAA playoffs, will open the spring football schedule on Monday, Feb. 23.  The team will host the annual Purple/White Spring Scrimmage on Friday, March 27 at 7 p.m. before hosting the Bobby Fox Memorial Golf Tournament on Saturday, March 28.

2009 Tarleton Football Signing List