Newton’s Gabe Foster Adds Offers From Texas State + Arkansas State

Newton’s Gabe Foster Adds Offers From Texas State + Arkansas State

Newton running back and defensive back Gabe Foster received an offer from Texas State on Wednesday and added a scholarship opportunity Thursday from Arkansas State. (Rob Graham, ETSN.fm)

It's starting to get a little cramped around Newton running back and defensive back Gabe Foster.

The senior earned a college football scholarship offer from Texas State on Wednesday. Arkansas State followed Thursday afternoon.

Foster (6-2, 180) announced the new invitations through his personal account.

With the additions of the Bobcats and Red Wolves into the mix, Newton's leading scholarship holder now owns solid interest from nine differing universities. Four are from the FBS sphere.

Louisiana-Monroe and Purdue are the other schools from the highest level of competition recruiting Foster.

Texas State enters the situation on the heels of a 7-5 season. It has been bowl eligible in two of its three seasons as an FBS school, but is still seeking its first bowl game invitation.

Dennis Franchione will begin his fifth consecutive campaign with the program in September. He got his Division I head coaching start with the Bobcats between 1990 and 1991 when the school belonged in the FCS and then advanced to New Mexico, TCU, Alabama and Texas A&M before returning to San Marcos.

Arkansas State's success in recent years speaks for itself. Prior to 2014, its past three head coaches spent a season in Jonesboro, Ark., before being courted by other schools.

The list of one-and-done coaches is comprised of Mississippi's Hugh Freeze, Auburn's Gus Malzahn and Boise State's Bryan Harsin.

Blake Anderson's return for a second season, perhaps influenced by a $3 million buyout clause through his first two years, gives the Red Wolves' program continuity for the first time since the 2010 season.

Arkansas State did not have much trouble despite the coaching turmoil. It has reached the GoDaddy.com Bowl in Mobile, Ala., for four straight seasons.

Anderson led the team to a 7-5 regular season record. The campaign ended with a loss to Toledo in Mobile.

Foster helped guide Newton to the Class 3A Division II state championship game last season. He recorded 586 offensive yards and 14 touchdowns on 91 carries and made 66 tackles on defense in addition to an interception.

The Newton standout, like all prospects in the 2016 graduating class, will become eligible to sign with any program that offers on Feb. 3.

2016 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers

  • Austin Anderson, OL, Mineola, 6-4, 289 – committed to Texas A&M; additional offers from Arizona State, Arkansas State, Auburn, California, Cincinnati, Houston, Illinois, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech, Miami, Michigan, Mississippi State, Missouri, North Carolina, North Texas, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, SMU, Southern Miss, TCU, Texas, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulsa, Vanderbilt (27)
  • Riley Anderson, OL, Mineola, 6-5, 287 – committed to Texas A&M; additional offers from Arizona State, Arkansas State, Auburn, California, Cincinnati, Houston, Illinois, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech, Miami, Michigan, Mississippi State, Missouri, North Carolina, North Texas, Northwestern, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, SMU, Southern Miss, Texas, TCU, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulsa, Vanderbilt (27)
  • Demarco Boyd, RB/LB, Gilmer, 6-0, 215 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Baylor, Florida State, Texas A&M (4)
  • Gabe Foster, RB/DB, Newton, 6-3, 180 — offers from Arkansas State, Purdue, Texas State, ULM (4)
  • Ke’Mon Freeman, QB/ATH, Liberty-Eylau, 5-11, 188 – offers from Arkansas State, North Texas, SMU (3)
  • Travon Fuller, CB, Athens, 6-0, 160 — committed to Texas A&M (1)
  • Alex Gregory, WR, Nacogdoches, 5-11, 175 —offers from Texas State, ULM (2)
  • Zach Hall, ATH, Tyler Lee, 5-11, 170 – offers from Baylor, Texas Tech (2)
  • La’Darius Hamilton, LB, Corrigan-Camden, 6-1, 220 — offer from ULL (1)
  • Adrian Harris, OL, John Tyler, 6-2, 290 — offer from ULM (1)
  • Jerrod Johnson, OL, Lufkin, 6-2, 290 — offer from ULM (1)
  • Keenen Johnson, ATH, Alto, 6-1, 190 – offers from SMU, ULL (2)
  • Brandon Jones, S, Nacogdoches, 6-0, 190 — offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Baylor, Boise State, California, Florida State, Georgia, Houston, Kentucky, Louisiana Tech, Louisville, LSU, Maryland, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, SMU, Stanford, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Tulsa, UCLA, USC, Washington State (38)
  • Braylon Jones, DT, John Tyler, 6-3, 285 – offers from Air Force, Army, Colorado State, Houston, Navy (5)
  • Bronson Massie, DE/LB, Lufkin 6-3, 202 – offers from California, Colorado State, Louisiana Tech, Texas State, Washington (5)
  • Denzel Mims, WR, Daingerfield, 6-4, 180 – committed to Baylor; additional offers from Arkansas State, North Texas, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulsa (6)
  • Cody Mitchell, TE, Jasper, 6-5, 225 — offers from Illinois, Louisiana Tech, Missouri, Texas State, ULL (5)
  • Kendrick Rogers, WR, Frankston, 6-6, 207 — committed to Texas A&M; additional offers from Arkansas State, Cincinnati, Houston, Louisiana Tech, Memphis, Mississippi State, North Texas, SMU, ULL, ULM (11)
  • Micahh Smith, DB, Marshall, 5-11, 185 — offer from Texas State (1)
  • Aphonso Thomas, RB, Van, 5-10, 180 — committed to Nebraska; additional offers from Colorado State, Kansas, Nevada, Texas State (5)
  • Jeremy West, OL/DL, Chapel Hill, 6-2, 297 — offer from ULL (1)
  • Andre Wiley Jr., OLB/S, Liberty-Eylau, 5-10, 170 – offers from Arkansas State, Army, Louisiana Tech, Navy, Texas State (5)
Filed Under: Newton
Categories: Class 3A, Football, News, Recruiting

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