The TCU basketball team is moving on from the 2010-2011 season and looking toward the future, in pursuit of new recruits and beginning off-season workouts.

The Frogs are preparing for their last season in the Mountain West Conference before making the move to the Big East Conference.

The national collegiate spring signing period is between April 13 and May 18.

The Frogs didn’t land any new recruits on the fall signing day, so their work for the 2011 season will be done during the month-long signing period this spring.

Looking to the signing period, junior guard J.R. Cadot said it is important to make new recruits feel like a part of the program immediately.

“We have to really embrace everybody and make them feel like it’s a family here so we’re all on the same page,” Cadot said. “Last year we weren’t all on the same page, and that’s why we fell apart.”

Cadot said the upperclassmen on the team know the importance of embracing new players and maintaining team chemistry.

Freshman guard Jarvis Ray said he plans to use his experience from last year’s recruiting process to help new signees.

“We’ve got to let them know what we expect of them,” Ray said. “And we expect them to have a good mentality and to be ready to work.”

According to ESPN.com, the Frogs have a list of six new recruits that are considering TCU among their top schools. That list includes two forwards, three guards and a center.

Head coach Jim Christian was unavailable to comment on the specifics of the recruiting process until after recruits have been signed.

Freshman political science major and TCU basketball fan Michael Millican said he hopes to see a different strategy in recruiting.

“I think we need to focus on bringing in players from the state of Texas,” Millican said. “There is a lot of talent in the Metroplex and around the state and I don’t feel that it is utilized as much as it can be.”

Millican said he attended almost every home basketball game during this past season. ESPN.com’s list of potential TCU recruits has one player from Texas considering the school.

Off the recruiting trail, sophomore center Cheick Kone said the players focus on their workouts, and see prospective recruits only when they come for a visit.

Kone said workouts include weekly conditioning and strength training for the team as well as individual work on the court.

Everyone has their own weaknesses to address, and that is one of the focuses of the early part of the off-season, Kone said.

Alongside Kone, the Frogs have a core of several players who will still be on the roster when the team begins Big East play.

That group includes freshmen Thomas Montigel, Amric Fields, Zack Price, Ray, and sophomores Kone, Nikola Cerina and Garlon Green.

Cadot said the future is bright for the core of young players and their confidence should continue to grow as they progress.

“These guys just need a couple more pieces going into the Big East and they’ll be fine. They’ve got all the talent in the world,” Cadot said.

Cadot said the young players’ confidence will shoot sky-high as they keep playing and gain experience.

Ray said some of that confidence is already there.

“We have a lot of confidence going forward, but we have no choice but to have a lot of confidence,” Ray said.