Carthage’s Keaontay Ingram Commits to Texas

With the summer approaching, Carthage soon-to-be-senior Keaontay Ingram ended any suspense related to his recruitment by announcing his college commitment on Tuesday.

Ingram (6-0, 198) pledged to the University of Texas. He made the announcement by tweeting out a video containing his own highlights mixed with images of the Longhorns program.

The Bulldogs' back granted an exclusive interview to Gabe Brooks of Scout.com, outlying his reasons for choosing Texas.

Ingram, ranked as the state of Texas' top running back in the 2018 class by Scout.com, picked the Longhorns over offers from some of the top programs in the country, including Florida State, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and USC.

He became the sixth prospect in East Texas' 2018 class to commit, joining John Tyler LB Tre Allison (SMU), John Tyler OLB/DE Dekalen Goodson (Houston), Marshall OL Chasen Hines (LSU), Texas High WR Tevailance Hunt (Kansas), and West Rusk LB Tyree Wilson (Washington State).

Ingram is the ninth player in the 2018 cycle to commit to Texas, which according to Scout.com, is currently the seventh-highest rated class in the country.

The Longhorns are no stranger to landing commitments from the East Texas area.

Since 2014, Texas has signed nine players from the region, most recently Nacogdoches CB Josh Thompson, John Tyler WR Damion Miller, and Hooks ATH Montrell Estell this past February.

Texas signed Nacogdoches S Brandon Jones and Gilmer LB Demarco Boyd in 2016, Gilmer CB Kris Boyd in 2015, and the trio of Jasper OL Terrell Cuney, Longview WR Dorian Leonard, and Newton RB Kevin Shorter in 2014.

The Horns currently have one other offer out to an uncommitted 2018 East Texas recruit, Arp S DeMarvion Overshown.

Texas has been under new management since late-November 2016 when former Houston head coach Tom Herman took over for the fired Charlie Strong. Prior to his two years at Houston, when the Cougars posted a record of 22-4, Herman won a national championship as the offensive coordinator at Ohio State.

The Longhorns were 5-7 in 2016 under Strong, and 16-21 in his three seasons at Texas.

Ingram, in his first full season as the starting running back at Carthage, enjoyed breakout success as a junior. He finished with 2,225 rushing yards and 31 touchdowns, and added 475 receiving yards with two TD's in 15 games.

His play helped Carthage claim its fifth state championship since 2008 last December. Ingram, on the way to earning Offensive Most Valuable Player honors, rushed for 180 yards and two touchdowns in the Bulldogs' 31-17 win over Abilene Wylie in the Class 4A Division I title game.

Ingram's commitment is non-binding. He will first become eligible to sign with any school that offers him in December.

2018 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers

• Tre Allison, John Tyler, OLB, 6-2, 211 — committed to SMU; additional offers from Arkansas State, Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State, Texas State, Tulane, ULL (7)
• Chance Amie, Tyler Lee, QB, 6-3, 190 — offers from Arkansas State, Bowling Green, Central Florida, Cincinnati, Colorado State, Florida Atlantic, Georgia State, Houston, Iowa State, New Mexico, North Texas, Rutgers, Southern Miss, Syracuse, Tulane, ULL, Virginia (17)
• Xavier Benson, Pleasant Grove, LB, 6-0, 200 — offers from Arkansas State, Army, Memphis, North Texas, Rice, SMU, Southern Miss, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulane, ULL, ULM, Wyoming (13)
• Drake Centers, Tatum, OL, 6-3, 296 — offers from SMU, Texas State (2)
• Kylar Cooks, Liberty-Eylau, OL, 6-5, 252 — offers from Arkansas State, North Texas, Texas State, ULL (4)
• Kris Dike, Van, OL, 6-6, 283 — offers from Colorado, Houston, Memphis, North Texas, Oklahoma State, SMU, TCU, Tulane (8)
• Dekalen Goodson, John Tyler, DE/OLB, 6-2, 209 — committed to Houston; additional offers from Mississippi State, SMU, Texas State, Tulane, ULL (6)
• Trae Hall, Henderson, QB/ATH, 6-3, 185 — offers from Florida Atlantic, New Mexico State, Tulane, ULL, ULM (5)
• Conner Henson, Harmony, OL, 6-3, 243 — offers from ULL, ULM (2)
• Chasen Hines, Marshall, OL, 6-3, 353 — committed to LSU; additional offers from Arizona, Baylor, Louisiana Tech, Minnesota, North Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Rice, Southern Miss, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech (16)
• Tevailance Hunt, Texas High, WR, 6-2, 180 — committed to Kansas; additional offers from Arkansas State, Bowling Green, Florida Atlantic, Houston, Iowa State, Louisiana Tech, Marshall, Memphis, Nevada, North Texas, Oklahoma State, Southern Miss, Tulsa (14)
• Dewaylon Ingram, Carthage, WR, 6-0, 160 — offer from Arkansas State (1)
• Keaontay Ingram, Carthage, RB, 6-0, 198 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Arkansas, Baylor, Colorado, Florida State, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, LSU, Memphis, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Oregon, Oregon State, TCU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, UCLA, USC, UTSA (27)
• Malik Jackson, Lufkin, WR, 5-8, 163 — offers from Arkansas State, Houston, Texas State (3)
• Kameron King, Marshall, OL, 6-2, 275 — offers from Memphis, North Texas, Tulane, ULM (4)
• Trevor Lawrence, Whitehouse, DE, 6-4, 245 — offer from ULM (1)
• DeMarvion Overshown, Arp, S, 6-4, 196 — offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Auburn, Baylor, Clemson, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Houston, Kansas, Kansas State, LSU, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, SMU, South Carolina, Southern Miss, Stanford, TCU, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA, USC, UTSA (30)
• Leonard Parks, Texas High, DE, 6-5, 230 — offer from ULM (1)
• Jonathan Shepherd, Kilgore, WR, 6-3, 196 — offers from Colorado State, Florida Atlantic, Houston, Kansas State, ULM, Missouri, New Mexico, Memphis, North Texas, Oklahoma State, Oregon State, Southern Miss, TCU, Texas State, Texas Tech (15)
• Tyree Wilson, West Rusk, LB, 6-5, 225 — committed to Washington State; additional offers from Houston, Kansas, Memphis, New Mexico, Oklahoma State, SMU, Southern Miss, Texas State, Tulane, ULL, ULM, Wyoming (13)