How Baylor and TCU Are Hijacking Recruiting in the State of Texas

It's well established that Texas head coach Charlie Strong has his work cut out for him in rebuilding the Longhorns on the field. As it turns out, though, he's in a separate battle with 2015 preseason Big 12 favorites Baylor and TCU on the recruiting trail. 

And it doesn't look like that battle will end anytime soon, either. 

The Bears and Horned Frogs picked up huge quarterback commitments for the class of 2017 late last month. Baylor received a verbal pledge June 24 from 4-star dual-threat quarterback Kellen Mond.

Two days later, TCU got a commitment from 5-star dual-threat quarterback Shawn Robinson. 

"

It's done! I have Officially Committed To Texas Christian University!

— Shawn Robinson (@Dshawn_12era) June 27, 2015"

Mond is the No. 24 player in Texas and the No. 6 ranked dual-threat quarterback, while Robinson is the No. 1 overall player in Texas and at his position. Granted, these are nonbinding commits; players can change their mind at any time, and a lot can happen between now and National Signing Day on Feb. 1, 2017. 

But Baylor and TCU clearly aren't content to just enjoy the ride or give up their place atop the Big 12 mountain when Texas and Oklahoma turn things around. No, no—these two programs are very much keeping the pressure on the Longhorns and Sooners on the recruiting trail.

Over the past few years, the state of Texas has become less of of a Big 12 stronghold in recruiting and more of an open-season hotbed that every Power Five conference has utilized. This threatens the Big 12's ability to put teams in the College Football Playoff more than anything else. However, as TCU and Baylor are showing, Texas and Oklahoma aren't the only Big 12 programs that can make an impact in Texas recruiting. 

Quality matters more than quantity in recruiting this time of year, but TCU and Baylor have an edge in both categories for the 2016 class. Just three of the 31 total verbals Baylor and TCU have for 2016 and '17 are from outside the state of Texas. 

So why the surge? 

Baylor has been steadily growing its recruiting prowess during the last few years under head coach Art Briles. But what has really helped is Baylor's investment in top-notch facilities, namely McLane Stadium. In an interview with Colt Barber of 247Sports, Mond said Baylor's facilities were the best he had come across: 

"

In June alone, Mond has been on campus at Baylor, Auburn, Clemson and Texas A&M, not to mention multiple trips to Austin to see the University of Texas and other programs throughout. But when it came down to it, the 80, 90 and 100,000 seat stadiums in the cities of each of those programs weren’t what impressed him the most.

...

“I would probably say the stadium and the locker room,” Mond said. “This summer I visited a lot of stadiums and a lot of schools and there are a lot of schools that have bigger stadiums, but not nicer.”

"

That's high praise coming from Mond. Recruits commit to schools for a variety of reasons, but there's no doubt facilities play a role. Baylor's investment in football, beyond Briles, has been something to see. 

As for TCU, the Horned Frogs' new high-powered offense isn't just paying dividends on the scoreboard and stat sheet. Robinson's recruiter was co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Sonny Cumbie, the man responsible for the eye-opening development of current quarterback Trevone Boykin. 

"Since my first visit to TCU I knew in the back of my head it was the place for me," Robinson told Ryan Bartow of 247Sports. "Just the relationship I built with the staff and the family atmosphere."

When you put it all together, Baylor and TCU are positioning themselves for playoff runs, now and in the future. With Baylor and TCU as early playoff favorites in the Big 12, recruits like Mond are thinking about national championships—and it's no longer a long shot like it used to be.   

Is this bad news for programs such as Texas and Oklahoma? Sort of. None of this is to say that Texas or Oklahoma can't finish strong. In fact, that's how the Longhorns finished the '15 class, and that's more of Strong's style anyway. 

But these clearly aren't the days when the Longhorns or Sooners automatically get any blue-chip player from Texas they want. Baylor and TCU, two programs on the rise, are proving they don't plan on having short-lived success. 

Ben Kercheval is a lead writer for college football. All quotes cited unless obtained firsthand. All recruiting information courtesy of 247Sports.