4-Star QB Tristen Wallace Opens Up on Decommitment and What's Next

Tristen Wallace's commitment to Texas Tech was considered a soft one after he committed in early January. The 4-star dual-threat quarterback decided to part ways with the Red Raiders Thursday evening, per 247Sports' Daniel Paulling.

So what's next for Wallace? Right now, the DeSoto (Texas) High School standout is undecided on where he wants to go, but he knows what he wants.

"Honestly, I just want the best for me," Wallace told Bleacher Report Thursday. "I feel that I made a mistake committing so early. I just want to weigh all my options."

Wallace added that he's looking for three things in a future college home: "Coaching, education and a spread, uptempo offense." There are a few programs that could provide everything he wants. While he is emphatic about keeping all options open, there are five teams to keep an eye on as his process continues.

Ohio State is a place fit for a dual-threat quarterback, as we've seen with Braxton Miller, J.T. Barrett and Cardale Jones. The reigning national champions have seven commitments so far, and five of the seven are offensive recruits. Ohio State needs a quarterback pledge, and landing the nation's No. 3 dual-threat option wouldn't be a bad look.

Additionally, Wallace would once again be teammates with running back Dontre Wilson, who was a senior when Wallace was a freshman backing up TCU's Desmon White at DeSoto.

Baylor is another team to watch. The Bears already have a quarterback commit in 4-star Zach Smith, but when it comes to competition, Wallace is fearless. Baylor has grown into a consistent Big 12 championship contender, and scoring points using a fast offense has been coach Art Briles' calling card.

Texas is another team to keep an eye on. SMU, Baylor and Texas are the three teams closest to home—all within a three-hour drive—and coach Charlie Strong and his staff are earning the respect of recruits around the state. Texas also has a quarterback commit in 4-star Shane Buechele, but again, Wallace doesn't mind competing for a starting spot.

Wallace also has family on the Texas campus. Per William Wilkerson of Scout.com, Wallace's older sister, Leilani, is a student who works in the football office.

One school that could score a big win against the Power Five conferences is SMU. The Mustangs are contenders for three reasons. First, DeSoto is roughly a 20-minute drive from the SMU campus. Second, Wallace's old head coach, Claude Mathis, who saw enough potential in Wallace to make him a varsity player as a freshman, is SMU's new running backs coach. Lastly, the enthusiasm of the new coaching staff, led by head coach Chad Morris, has made SMU football an exciting topic of discussion around the Dallas area.

Then there's still the idea of returning to Texas Tech. Wallace said he wanted to do extensive research within his process, and the Red Raiders have a high-octane offense that produces numbers for quarterbacks and wide receivers. A visit or two to the campus could change Wallace's mind.

Wallace said he doesn't have any upcoming unofficial visits scheduled, but you can believe that he'll be doing his own research on these five schools, and others. Nebraska, UCLA and Louisville are three other programs that could land the quarterback.

He has time to make an educated decision. Look for Wallace to keep his process at a slow, steady pace as he finds the school that fits best.

Damon Sayles is a National Recruiting Analyst for Bleacher Report. All quotes were obtained firsthand. All player ratings are courtesy of 247Sports' composite ratings. Follow Damon via Twitter: @DamonSayles