Houston Offers Arp Running Back + SMU Commitment Kayce Medlock

It just might get interesting for SMU down the home stretch in its quest to hold onto Kayce Medlock.

The Arp running back announced through his personal Twitter account Wednesday evening a football scholarship opportunity from the freshly reconfigured University of Houston program. It's his eighth offer from an NCAA Division I FBS program.

Medlock (5-10, 186) recently finished his high school football career with an appearance in the Class 3A Division II state semifinals. His team upset highly regarded Crockett and Newton squads in consecutive weeks to accomplish the feat before falling to Boling by one point for a final record of 12-3.

Boling went on to lose to Gunter in the 3A Division II title game six days later.

Houston had a bit of a shakeup last month. Former head coach Tom Herman left the team to become the University of Texas' new coach.

The Cougars responded by promoting offensive coordinator Major Applewhite, 38, to its head position. In addition to being offensive coordinator at Houston, Applewhite served as Mack Brown's final offensive coordinator at Texas.

Houston has good traction in East Texas, and the program does not seem to be slipping through its coaching transition. John Tyler quarterback Bryson Smith committed to the Cougars under Herman and reaffirmed his commitment shortly after Applewhite's hiring in spite of new interest from Texas.

Medlock could join Smith as well as former Kilgore running back Kevrin Justice, former Lufkin running back Terry Mark and former John Tyler defensive end Braylon Jones if he opts to accept Houston's offer. Former John Tyler quarterback Greg Ward Jr. and former John Tyler linebacker Tyus Bowser just completed four-year careers at the school as well.

All that being said, SMU is expected to have more native East Texans on its team in 2017.

Houston completed a 9-3 regular season at the time Herman jumped to Texas, and it once was a candidate to become the first non-power five conference team to crack the College Football Playoff following a Week 1 win against Oklahoma.

Without Herman, the Cougars lost to San Diego State in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Medlock, like all college football prospects currently in their senior year of high school, will become eligible to sign with any school that offers him in February.

2017 East Texas Football Players With Division I FBS Offers

• Tristan Allen, Atlanta, LB, 6-3, 206 — committed to Louisiana Tech; additional offer from UTEP (2)
• Judah Bell, Tyler Bishop Gorman, WR, 6-3, 180 — offers from Bowling Green, Coastal Carolina, Houston, Kansas, Memphis, Navy, New Mexico, North Texas, SMU, ULL, ULM, UTSA, Wyoming (13)
• Noah Bush, Athens, LB, 6-1, 216 — offers from Air Force, Army (2)
• Lagaryonn Carson, Liberty-Eylau, DE, 6-4, 261 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, North Texas, Oklahoma, TCU, Tennessee, Texas A&M (9)
• Terrell Cooper, Lindale, DE, 6-3, 240 — offers from Arkansas State, Memphis, North Texas, Texas State (4)
• Trestan Ebner, Henderson, WR, 5-11, 180 — offers from Arizona State, Arkansas, Arkansas State, Baylor, Colorado State, Houston, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi State, Missouri, North Texas, Ole Miss, SMU, Syracuse, UTSA, Texas A&M, TCU, Tulsa (20)
• Montrell Estell, Hooks, WR/DB, 6-2, 180 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Arkansas, Baylor, Kansas, Notre Dame, SMU, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulane (12)
• Octavius Evans, Center, WR, 6-2, 186 — offers from Indiana, Louisiana Tech, Mississippi State, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Texas State, ULL (7)
• Ted Fuller, Harleton, RB, 5-11, 195 — offers from ULM, Wyoming (2)
• Tre Gatlin, Carthage, DE, 6-6, 210 —offer from Wyoming (1)
• Quan Hampton, Texas High, WR, 5-8, 165 — committed to Texas State; additional offer from Kansas (2)
• Austin Hawley, Gladewater, DB, 6-1, 200 — committed to ULM (1)
• Kollin Hurt, Gilmer, DB, 6-3, 175 — committed to Louisiana Tech; additional offers from ULM, UTSA (3)
• Jordan Johnson, Hooks, ATH, 6-0, 195 — offer from Air Force, Army (2)
• Kayce Medlock, Arp, ATH, 5-10, 186 — committed to SMU; additional offers from Army, Colorado, Houston, Navy, Tulane, ULL, UTSA (8)
• Damion Miller, John Tyler, WR, 6-1, 189 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Baylor, Houston, Kansas, Missouri, North Texas, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, SMU, Texas A&M, Texas Tech (11)
• LaMarcus Morton, Gilmer, WR, 6-2, 175 — committed to Oklahoma State; additional offers from Arkansas State, Colorado State, Houston, Indiana, Louisiana Tech, Memphis, New Mexico State, Texas Tech, Tulsa, ULL, ULM, UTSA (13)
• Javonta Mosley, John Tyler, CB, 6-1, 170 — committed to UTSA; additional offers from Arkansas State, Houston, Memphis, North Texas, SMU, Southern Miss, Texas State, ULL, ULM (10)
• Cade Pearson, Texas High, QB, 6-3, 193 — committed to North Texas; additional offer from Wyoming (2)
• Dhailon Phillips, Lufkin, WR, 6-3, 195 — committed to Texas State; additional offers from Air Force, Army (3)
• Dez Robinson, Atlanta, LB, 6-3, 210 — offers from UTEP, Wyoming (2)  
• Kordell Rodgers, Lufkin, QB/ATH, 5-10, 165 — committed to Texas State; additional offers from Arkansas State, ULM (3)
• Makyle Sanders, Tyler Lee, S, 6-1, 177 — committed to North Texas; additional offers from Air Force, Memphis, Navy (4)
• Bryson Smith, John Tyler, QB/ATH, 6-0, 170 — committed to Houston; additional offers from Air Force, Arkansas State, Baylor, Bowling Green, Memphis, New Mexico, North Texas, Purdue, SMU, Southern Miss, Texas, Texas State, Tulane, Tulsa, ULL, ULM, UTSA (18)
• D’Torian Smith, Tatum, DE/LB, 6-3, 225 — committed to Air Force; additional offers from ULM, UTEP (3)
• Major Tennison, Bullard, TE, 6-6, 248 — committed to Alabama; additional offers from Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Oregon, SMU, Texas, Texas Tech, UCLA (14)
• Josh Thompson, Nacogdoches, CB, 6-0, 182 — committed to Texas; additional offers from Arizona State, Arkansas State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Houston, Indiana, Kansas, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech, Minnesota, Missouri, North Texas, Ohio, Oklahoma State, Ole Miss, Penn State, SMU, TCU, Texas State, Texas Tech, Tulane, UCLA, ULM, Utah, UTSA, Washington State, Wyoming (28)
• Lakendrick VanZandt, Henderson, S, 6-1, 196 — committed to TCU; additional offers from Arkansas State, Baylor, Houston, Memphis, Oklahoma State, SMU, TCU, Tulane, Tulsa (9)
• Traveion Webster, Longview, S, 6-0, 197 — offer from ULM (1)