The starting defensive line at TCU now was basically the starting line at Louisiana’s West Monroe High School.
Chucky Hunter manned the middle, while Terrell Lathan and James McFarland terrorized opposing quarterbacks off the edge.
The three are doing the same now for TCU, which sits on the precipice of advancing into the inaugural College Football Playoff. The Horned Frogs are tied for second in the Big 12 with 28 sacks, and own the league’s third-best run defense.
But before they anchored the defensive line in Fort Worth the trio anchored a state championship defensive line in West Monroe.
“We’ve had some great players come through here,” said longtime West Monroe defensive assistant Jerry Arledge, who took over as head coach after legendary coach Don Shows passed away in the spring. “Those three were outstanding.”
West Monroe has had some outstanding players indeed. But the majority of them, like 2013 first-round draft pick Barkevious Mingo, went to LSU.
Hunter finally bucked that trend, when LSU elected not to offer him a scholarship.
“Chuck started for us as a 15-year-old sophomore,” Arledge said. “He was one of those rare kids built like a fireplug that could also move his feet. We thought he was the best defensive lineman in the state his senior year, and were hoping LSU would offer him. When they didn’t, he decided to go to TCU.
“And we were thinking, what is he doing going to TCU?”
Turned out, Hunter knew exactly what he was doing.
Hunter has been a four-year starter for the Horned Frogs, and earned second-team All-Big 12 honors last year. And while LSU has struggled in the SEC West, Hunter and the Horned Frogs are on the short list of legitimate playoff contenders.
“It wasn’t just about football,” said Hunter, who credits Horned Frogs wide receivers coach Rusty Burns, TCU's primary recruiter in Louisiana, as the main reason he ended up at Fort Worth. “They never lied to me, stood by me when I needed to get my SAT scores up. They did everything the right, and showed me respect.
“People first wondered why I went to TCU. Now, I think they understand.”
Others from West Monroe began to understand, too. And in January 2012, McFarland committed to the Horned Frogs. A month later, Lathan joined him on signing day.
“We knew the success Chuck was having at TCU,” McFarland said. “We thought TCU would be a good place. So we both decided to come.”
The decision has paid off for Lathan and McFarland, and for the Horned Frogs. Lathan and McFarland have been in the rotation on the defensive line since their true freshman seasons. This year, the two and fellow end Mike Tuaua have combined for 15 sacks.
"We're glad that they're here, no doubt about that," said TCU coach Gary Patterson. "It's worked out well. We love Texas kids. But we've had a lot of success with Louisiana kids coming here. Hopefully we'll keep recruiting them."
The West Monroe trio, meanwhile, hope they’re just the first of many that make the same move they did.
“We’re in the process of starting a pipeline,” McFarland said. “We’re creating an atmosphere where West Monroe players are welcome.”
So far, that seems to be working.
Not long ago, Arledge asked one of his top college prospects whether he wanted to play college football. The player surprised him with the answer.
“Only if it’s TCU.”
“It’s turned out those three guys all made a great choice,” Arledge said. “They’re all extremely happy.
“And they’re doing pretty well -- especially compared to what our state institution is doing right now.”