SMU's spring game festivities got started a little early as Clear Springs quarterback Will McBride committed to the Mustangs while meeting with Chad Morris and the coaching staff before the game.

"It really had a lot to do with coach Morris and a lot of the educational opportunities that SMU gives. It was more than just football," McBride explained. "They're building something special there -- it's just taking a little more time to get started."

McBride had offers from Utah State and Bowling Green while UTSA. Louisiana-Lafayette and Boise State were showing a lot of interest in his services. He says he could have expected offers from at least two of those schools but said none could compare to SMU, so why wait?

It was Morris' philosophies that really sold McBride on his future at SMU.

"He was talking about how a lot of his recruits don't see beyond the logo but the few who do have a chance to make a big difference and change the program around," McBride said, "and I want to be a part of that. I just felt like he knows what he's doing and I just feel like we'll have a good relationship and he'll help me become the best football player I can be."

McBride excited the SMU coaching staff before the spring game with his decision. Then he got to go out and see how they operate, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

The 6-foot-2, 200-pound quarterback felt like he could fit in well with Morris' offense from the looks of it.

"Their offense, it looks almost exactly the offense we run at my high school this past year. I was just picturing myself in the QB's shoes and a lot of stuff that they were doing is the stuff that we do," McBride said. "It's just a good combination of pass-run with their offense and I just felt that it was a good fit for me."

McBride did not only focus on the quarterbacks, however. He also spent a good amount of time watching SMU's receiving weapons and can imagine himself throwing to those guys in the future.

"I was actually looking at Courtland Sutton, the huge guy, freshman All-American. I was just thinking, 'I could definitely throw to him,'" McBride said.

McBride will be back at SMU in May for an unofficial visit to the campus. But SMU fans will be waiting until he arrives at SMU for good, hoping he will be able to run the offense right away.