The rich just keep getting richer.
Alabama has landed a commitment from quarterback Ricky Town (Ventura, Calif./St. Bonaventure), the No. 2-ranked pocket passer in the Class of 2015.
The four-star prospect is No. 42 in the ESPN Junior 300 and chose the Tide over Texas, Georgia and Stanford. After visiting each of those schools this summer, he was ready to end his recruitment.
"It's been a long time coming," said his father, Rick Town. "Texas, Georgia and Stanford made it tough on him, and he liked all of those schools. Alabama just had too many boxes checked. He really felt like it was a great fit for him."
Town's Monday morning pledge comes less than two months after the Crimson Tide locked up a commitment from the No. 2 pocket passer of the 2014 class, Norman (Okla.) North's David Cornwell.
Town, a 6-foot-4, 190-pound junior, took an analytical approach to making his big decision. His father said Town poured over spreadsheets filled with data about his favorite schools, their offenses and their academics.
"This wasn't on a whim," Rick Town said. "It's been in the works for a while. Ricky doesn't like leading people on. He wanted the other teams to know what his intentions were early so they could do what they have to do."
So Town called Alabama's Doug Nussmeier on Monday morning. After a few minutes of small talk, the offensive coordinator figured out what was happening.
"It was so funny. I touched base with Coach Nuss and said, 'Hey, what's up man?'" Rick Town said. "I talked to him for a little bit, and eventually he said, 'Wait, is he committing here?' I said I'd let Ricky tell him that. And he said, 'Wow. I'm fired up. This is amazing.'"
Town had eight other offers to consider, and his father knows plenty more will likely come in the next two years. But he's done with recruiting and will get to work to enroll early at Alabama.
"He's not the kind of guy who wants more offers. It doesn't mean anything to him now," Town said. "The schools he really wanted to look at all looked at him. There was nothing for him to gain by hanging on and waiting."
Town becomes the fifth member of Alabama's 2015 class, and all five are in the ESPN Junior 300.
How does a California quarterback end up spurning offers from USC, UCLA and Stanford? Rick Town knows he'll get lots of questions about that in the coming months. But Alabama made too much sense.
"People are going to be surprised a kid from California would go to the SEC and get out of California," Town said. "But it really fits Ricky's personality. He's more of a Southern-type person. He's all business. This is a really good fit."