Recruiting thread (2016)
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This isn't a desperation offer by any means. As @Scholz has posted in the past, full-time playcaller and part-time offensive line coach [wink], Joe Wickline, has been talking with Tope Imade for a couple of months. He's told him to "be patient;" that he wanted to do some more eval of him. Now Wick's decided this big ol' "Grizzly Bear" will fit well in his cage.
Per 247Sports:
Aggressive player who plays through the whistle every play. Great kid who is very coachable and will go the extra mile to be great. Really like this kid, has great upside with the ceiling to be great one day once he works out the kinks. Good athlete who also throws the shot put and discus on the track team.
Imade sports a long and athletic frame with long arms and levers. Big, athletic OL prospect with excellent size and frame. Knee bender with good flexibility and athleticism. Weight room star that can lift the house and has a 515-pound squat. Powerful run blocker with exceptional power in hips and legs. Moves well laterally with excellent feet for a big man. Fires off ball, rolls his hips underneath him at contact and will bring his feet. Gets into set position, showing good flexibility in his hips and ankles. Shows good punch, uses his long arms and hands to manipulate DL. Shows decent change of direction in pass pro and when working up to the second level. Athletic enough to hit moving targets in space.
Comes with some technical flaws and is very raw. Gets exposed when he gets back on his heels and plays high during pass protection.
Per Scout:
Imade is a big, tall, long-armed lineman prospect who could possibly play guard or tackle at the next level, though guard appears to be his best fit. Consistently finishes blocks, whether at the LOS or when blocking at the second level. Athletic enough to chase down blocking assignments. Great frame. Sometimes plays a bit stiff with high pad level. Overall a strong high major-caliber OL prospect.
Imade is a massive prospect with long arms and big hands who excels in the run game, where he's a mauler with the strength and power to dominate in close quarters. He also possesses the athleticism to chase targets while pulling or advancing to the second level.
DT Mike Williams (Fort Worth All Saints Episcopal)
"UTL" is Texas' "Under the Lights" camp in July:
Notes from the road (24/7):
-Coach Robinson was in the Golden Triangle today to see RB Devwah Whaley (Beaumont Central) and RB Kameron Martin (Port Arthur Memorial).
-after Coach Watson saw 2017 QB Jaylon Mascorro (Refugio) throw, an offer should be coming in the "near future."
-a staff member checked on ATH Grayland Arnold (Kountze) today.
-2017 LB Baron Browning (Kennedale) was offered by Ohio State.
DT Jordan Elliott (Houston Westside)
Update on DE Brandon Bowen of Trophy Club Byron Nelson (24/7):
“I’m interested in Texas,” Bowen said. “I know Charlie Strong really pushes his kids. Texas has a good defensive line, and I know he can push me to become a better player. He can get me to the next level. I look at his NFL development and the academics at Texas, and I’m impressed.”
“While I was down there, I only got to stay in the track area,” Bowen said. “I want to go back this summer. I love Charlie Strong and how he does his work. So I want to get to meet him and sit down with him to talk about the program. I want to get a good look at everything.”
OL Tope Imade from Arlington Bowie talks about receiving a UT offer (24/7):
“Coach Wickline called me and said that they were going to go ahead and offer me,” Imade said. “I was so happy. I was shocked, really. I just said wow to myself. It’s just hard to explain.”
“Right now, it’s even,” Imade said. “I’m going to talk to my dad about it and narrow things down. But I really like Texas. I like the academics and the program as a whole. I also like their history of Nigerian players like Brian Orakpo.”
“I like Coach Wickline,” Imade said. “I think he’s a funny guy, and that’s what I need in a college coach. He said if I go to Texas, he expects me to work hard and be a bad ass.”
"UTL" is Texas' "Under the Lights" camp in July:
Notes from the road (24/7):
-Coach Robinson was in the Golden Triangle today to see RB Devwah Whaley (Beaumont Central) and RB Kameron Martin (Port Arthur Memorial).
-after Coach Watson saw 2017 QB Jaylon Mascorro (Refugio) throw, an offer should be coming in the "near future."
-a staff member checked on ATH Grayland Arnold (Kountze) today.
-2017 LB Baron Browning (Kennedale) was offered by Ohio State.
DT Jordan Elliott (Houston Westside)
Update on DE Brandon Bowen of Trophy Club Byron Nelson (24/7):
“I’m interested in Texas,” Bowen said. “I know Charlie Strong really pushes his kids. Texas has a good defensive line, and I know he can push me to become a better player. He can get me to the next level. I look at his NFL development and the academics at Texas, and I’m impressed.”
“While I was down there, I only got to stay in the track area,” Bowen said. “I want to go back this summer. I love Charlie Strong and how he does his work. So I want to get to meet him and sit down with him to talk about the program. I want to get a good look at everything.”
OL Tope Imade from Arlington Bowie talks about receiving a UT offer (24/7):
“Coach Wickline called me and said that they were going to go ahead and offer me,” Imade said. “I was so happy. I was shocked, really. I just said wow to myself. It’s just hard to explain.”
“Right now, it’s even,” Imade said. “I’m going to talk to my dad about it and narrow things down. But I really like Texas. I like the academics and the program as a whole. I also like their history of Nigerian players like Brian Orakpo.”
“I like Coach Wickline,” Imade said. “I think he’s a funny guy, and that’s what I need in a college coach. He said if I go to Texas, he expects me to work hard and be a bad ass.”
I was as well, I didn't think we led or would necessarily get him but to not make the top 8 surprised me and I'm not sure what to think of it and I am not sure what direction our DT recruiting is going. It looks like we are going to get Daniels but thats not a sure thing yet i would love to get Madabuike because I think hes a future 3 tech and i was hoping to get Elliot. I have no idea how many we are taking, i do like the some of the offers to the louisiana DTs but thats always a tough pull. Obviously i would have liked to have gotten Hulk and Oliver as well.
By now, the majority of Longhorn fans understand the attributes it takes to be a Charlie Strong guy.
Strong wants guys who are going to stay out of trouble and abide by his core values. Strong likes guys who are physically and mentally tough. A degree of confidence is a quality attribute Strong wants his players to have. Strong also wants guys who are not afraid to compete.
When 28 players signed with Texas in February, most of us assumed those players had the swagger and work ethic Strong demands. There was no way of telling if some of the incoming freshman did not fit the criteria because you never know how high school players are going to react after signing a scholarship. Some players believe their work is done, while others think the job is just beginning.
This slice of news proves this incoming class of freshmen could be the guys who turn around the football program.
There is currently a text message chain with around 20 incoming Longhorn freshmen that is active throughout the day. These young men are not talking about the latest fashions. They are not exchanging thoughts about music or movies. The future Texas players are not exchanging jokes with each other.
Instead, they are constantly competing against each other by texting pictures and videos of their workouts every day.
Whenever a player is about to start his workout, he lets everyone in the group know what is about to occur. As the football player works out, he has a friend capture the workout through videos or pictures. Most of the guys prefer to share their workouts through video to add a degree of realness to the chain.
From what I have been told, when guys in the group message receive the updates, they are motivated to top their future teammate during their own workout. Receiving the updates also helps guys stay motivated because it is easy to discover who is not working out by the silence.
The competition has also helped guys develop a bond.
Many of the players were aware of guys in their signing class, but did not have a relationship with them. As the months have passed, all the players participating in the exchange have become friends, and each one is looking forward to meeting each other when players report to campus at the end of this month.
This is a positive sign for Strong and his staff. The competitiveness and bond this group has should help develop the cohesiveness the Longhorns lacked last season. One of the biggest complaints from players last season was the lack of mental toughness on the team. Strong's incoming freshmen are not lacking in the confidence or competitive department.
Of course, we are learning to expect nothing less from Charlie Strong guys. (Richardson)
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The recruiting battle has always been waged by coaches who battle against each other for players. Each coach has perfected his pitch to recruits and parents, and each understands how to sell his program and university. Most coaches learned the art of recruiting early in their coaching career. Most coaches can sell kids on their program with their eyes closed.
However, the new war being waged is through social media.
Coaches are always going to promote their programs by direct contact, but many athletic departments throughout the country have shown a commitment to promoting their schools through social media. Now there is a scorecard to show the digital ranking of each university.
Jason Matheson, Auburn's Assistant AD/ Digital, began tracking the social media presence of major universities two years ago. Matheson, who previously worked at Oklahoma, originally put together the numbers for internal use. They eventually decided to make the numbers public.
The way we look at it is we want to be just as competitive in digital as our teams are on the field, on the court, or in the pool, Matheson said. I think it really translates into every facet of athletics, and the athletic departments. Different marketing areas, media relations areas, the development areas, ticketing. Everybody competes. We kind of look around, especially in college athletics. There's a lot of peer comparison.
In something like social, when you have a concrete number where you can compare apples to apples, it just made sense in the sports context, and doing a top 25.
Matheson created eight social media categories and ranked the top 25 schools in each. Texas appeared in nearly every category, but was only at the top of one.
Here is how the Texas athletic department ranked in each category:
- 3rd in Facebook followers
- 25th in Facebook engagement (shares, likes, posts, etc.)
- 19th in Twitter followers
- No rank in Instagram followers
- 13th in YouTube subscribers
- No rank in Vine followers
- 1st in Pinterest followers
- No rank in Periscope followers
To read the entire list, click here.
I asked Matheson to give me his input on Texas rank, and he believes the Longhorns have so many resources, social media does not have to be a priority.
To me it's pretty simple, Matheson said. When you're big and you're successful, especially when you're big, you think of a freighter in the ocean. It takes a while to turn that freighter. It's huge. Each athletics department has a different culture. It's based on where they are, what the history of the athletics department is. Again, I'll be fully honest. I'm from Oklahoma. I was at OU for a long time. Frankly, OU defines itself a lot of times by doing more with less than what Texas has. Beating Texas with players from Texas. OU is a smaller school, fewer resources, but we can compete head-to-head with Texas, because they are the biggest kid on the block.
Again, it's decisions within the athletics department on resources and emphasis. In a school like Texas, in a market like Austin, they just don't have to work as hard. We share a state with Alabama. Those fans have been accustomed to success. In life, some people have to outwork other people to get the same amount of exposure, and Auburn has to outwork an Alabama to get the same amount of exposure. I think the same thing is true with Oklahoma and Texas. Some of this is my opinion as an outsider. I have never been inside the Texas athletic department. They do certain things very, very well. I think some schools it's just what they decide to emphasize.
Regardless, Matheson believes winning on the social media field helps to attract fans, athletes, parents, and ticket buyers in a non-traditional way.
The bottom line is we want to fish where the fish are, Matheson said. If you're talking to the ticket office, if you're talking about marketing, talking about recruiting, we're all competing against each other. It's society as a whole. You know where people are. We look at Instagram, for example, and we know the demographics there, and it skews younger than a Facebook. Our content there is skewed differently. It's visual. We're trying to show kids who are possibly coming up and want to be recruited what it's like to be playing for Auburn. What is it like to be an Auburn Tiger. We want to show them and really take them behind the scenes.
The other point is we're trying to humanize the athletics department. It's a lot harder to sit up in the stands and yell at a kid when you've seen pictures of them going to read to a class. They're students first. In today's environment, in most schools. I was at Oklahoma. I went to OU-Texas for 11 years. I know what it's like to sit there, your team is not doing well, the receivers drops the ball, and that kid just gets blasted, especially on social media. We have to turn the tables, and we use social media to really connect with our fan base, and we're always recruiting fans and student athletes. You've got to be where your people are, and that's where they are. (Richardson)
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A couple weeks ago, kicker Jon Coppens had Longhorn fans talking when he posted the following tweet:
Done with the process. I am enrolling in the McCombs School of Business and will be playing Football at the University of Texas! #Hookem
Jon Coppens (@joncopp33) May 6, 2015
So who is Coppens? We caught up with him this week to get some background.
Moving around: Coppens grew up in the midwest and went to school in Minnesota before moving to Texas as a junior. He attended Flower Mound Marcus as a junior and finished his high school career by going to Fort Worth Nolan Catholic last year.
Doing it on his own: Coppens was a one-time commitment to Rice and said he had about 15 Division I offers, but he decided to try to walk on at Texas. He got accepted on his own and once that happened, he knew he was going to Texas.
"They (the coaches) said if I wanted to walk on, let them know and I did. I guess I'm part of the team now.
"They said it was a great decision, that coming to UT is one of best decisions I'll ever make. They said report to the football offices when I get there."
Whatever is needed: Coppens said he plans to come in and be ready for whatever is asked of him. If the coaches need him to play in some capacity, he'll be thrilled to take the field. If they need him to sit back and wait his turn, he's fine with that too.
"I think I'm pretty unique. I have really a strong, explosive leg, very consistent," Coppens said. "I think if I get the opportunity to play, I think I'll do pretty well."
Jack of all trades: Coppens said he can kick off, kick field goals and he also punts. Punting is the one area in which he needs to continue to work. When he hits a big punt, he said he's competitive with anyone, but he needs to work on connecting more consistently. He has a coach that will help him work on that this summer before enrolling at Texas for the fall semester.
Big leg indeed: Coppens said the furthest kick he's hit in practice is 70 yards. In a game it's 45 yards.
"I feel very comfortable from about 55 and in. I feel I can be 90 percent form that range. I'm pretty confident in my ability."
He has the leg, how about the mental toughness?: "I don't think you're going to find a more mentally tough kicker than me. I played in three different high schools, three different coaches in three year. I've been in so many styles, so many programs. Coach Strong, how great a coach he is, I think I'll do just fine. I feel I'm pretty much ready for anything. I'm very confident. I think the football you get in Texas really prepares you well for a school like Texas. The fans at Texas - I want them to see me. I like the thought of them watching me kick. I'm excited about that." (Suchomel)
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We mentioned last night that Aurora (CO) Regis Jesuit tight end Jack Stoll will be taking a visit to Texas next Wednesday (more details HERE).
A bit more details on Stoll, who has Texas, Nebraska and Colorado as his top three.
Spring evaluation visit pays off: Jeff Traylor visited Stoll earlier this week. It was after that visit that Stoll set up the unofficial visit to UT, likely the last before he decides sometime this summer.
Stoll on Traylor: We message over twitter on a weekly basis about anything. We're building a good relationship. To me, he seems like a great guy, even a better coach. I could definitely see myself playing for coach Traylor for four or five years for sure."
Upcoming stops: Stoll visits Texas next week. June 13 he'll be at Nebraska. He'll then stop by Colorado in the next couple weeks. After those three trips, he'll begin to work towards making a decision.
Stoll on each of his three finalist:
Colorado - "Obviously, CU is about an hour away. As I've constantly said, geography doesn't play a huge role. But I see it as a building program, getting something going. The past two years, you can see a difference. Games are getting a lot closer, can see a little progress getting made. Having a few teammates go to CU in the past few years, it's def intriguing. I know a few guys there, but I just find CU as a growing program on the rise, has a lot of potential in the future."
Nebraska - "Obviously, Nebraska is a very, very solid program, with great tradition up there. Everything from their coaches to some of the recruits I know, it seems really great up there. They have a great atmosphere up there. They're definitely dedicated to wining. It's a culture that seems it's used to winning, and they don't want to lose it."
Texas - "It's like Nebraska - phenomenal tradition. Just the name 'Texas Longhorns, it just says it all. Phenomenal tradition. A wining culture, great atmosphere. They have great competition, just to me it seems like a place where people really care about football. Football is one of the most important things down there. That just excites me with the atmosphere. The coaching staff and players there, it really excites me." (Suchomel)
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One of Texas' new offers went to Rivals100 DB Trayvon Mullen, out of Coconut Creek (FL). Mullen ranks No. 74 on the Rivals100 and is the nation's No. 4-ranked cornerback.
Notes of interest: Mullen recently released the following top 10:
Still open minded these are just the schools I feel are very high with me right now. Not excluding anyone 💯 pic.twitter.com/WAUeBtTu23
— Mantis.tm1â“‚ï¸ (@Mullen_1era) May 11, 2015
I asked Mullen where Texas would fit in, if at all, now that the Longhorns have offered.
"They would probably be in the top 10."
Mullen did say he would "probably visit" Texas either this summer or on an official visit.
Not afraid to leave home: If you look at the list, you'll notice that Mullen isn't completely locked into the idea of staying close to home. He does have Florida State and Florida on the list, but he has two schools from the state of Texas in his top four.
"It's not hard at all to get me to leave. I'm open to going anywhere, basically," Mullen told me this week.
Thoughts on the UT offer: "I was excited. It was a school I always wanted. They just put guys to the next level, produce really well."
My thoughts: Mullen was a man of few words when I talked to him this week, but it does sound like he has some level of interest in Texas. Whether it will pay off in the long run is tough to say and the Longhorns have some tough competition, but Texas has at least put itself into consideration with the recent offer. (Suchomel)
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Dallas Bishop Dunne DB Chevin Calloway is a member of the Rivals100 to Watch list, and Texas jumped into the mix this week with a scholarship offer to the 2017 standout.
Key quote: "It's one of my dream schools, one of the schools I've been liking for a while."
"I was pretty excited. It makes me more interested, looking at the college. The academic part, they have great academics, the type of defense they run, things like that."
Possible visit coming up: Texas informed Calloway about it's camps in June and the coaches told him they'd love to see him there. Calloway said he'd "probably" hit one, but needs to talk to his parents to set up plans.
Schools to watch: Calloway said he's open at this point because he hasn't visited many schools (he mentioned only Baylor and Ok State visits).
"From those visits, I like Baylor a lot. It's a nice campus, nice facilities, I like the academic part of it. That's one of my standout schools right now, only because I haven't seen many other schools."
He knows his history: When asked what stands out about Texas, Calloway said it's because UT's reputation of being "DBU" and putting a lot of defensive backs into the NFL. Calloway also likes UT's academic reputation.
Calloway on his strengths: "I think I'm good at man on man, playing press. I'm really good at being aggressive and being physical. I'm not going to make it easy for a wide receiver to run his route. I'm going to try to throw his timing off." (Suchomel)
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Texas made a big impression with its offer to 2016 defensive end Caleb Roddy. The Denham Springs (LA) product has seen his stock pick up of late, and the Longhorns are very much under consideration.
Key quote: "It's a rally big offer. definitely. I have legitimate interest in Texas for sure. I'll probably make an unofficial this summer. If not, I'll definitely take an official visit there."
"It was a pretty big honor. I had been waiting on it. My coach asked me for a list of schools that hadn't offered that I'd like to hear from and Texas was at the top of the list."
Schools standing out: "Auburn, LSU, A&M, Arkansas - they're all up there. Texas is definitely up there in that group with them."
Watch out for LSU: The in-state power hasn't offered yet, but Roddy talked to LSU d-line coach Ed Orgeron this week. Orgeron told him to show up at a camp on June 9 and if he performs well he'll have an offer.
"They'd be really high on my list. But after I take my visits, I'm sure a school could get me away. I'm not locked in yet." (Suchomel)
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A quick note on UT 2015 signee Du'Vonta Lampkin ...
Ever since he committed to Texas back in July of last year, there's been a lot of talk about the Cy Falls defensive tackle and whether or not he'd qualify at Texas. We continue to hear discussion that Lampkin has work to do before he can be cleared, and a source close to the situation confirmed as much this week.
Lampkin is taking at least one correspondence course, we were told, and it's possible he could have to take another (or others) that would spill over into the summer, meaning there's a chance he won't be able to enroll for the first summer session.
"He still has work to do but everyone has know that all along," the source said.
We'll follow up on this one but it sounds like Lampkin may have to really race to the finish line if he's going to enroll with the remaining incoming freshmen in early June.
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I caught up with 2016 North Shore defensive back Eric Monroe earlier this week. The four-star prospect currently has Texas at No. 4 on his list, but things could change depending on where other top defensive backs in the class end up.
“It would be nice to play with some of the top guys at the next level. I would like to play with guys like Deontay Anderson, Dontavious Jackson, The Shark (Jeffrey McCulloch) and Brandon Jones. If it doesn’t happen then it isn’t meant to be but it would be cool to play on the same team as some of those guys.â€
The near five-star recruit said he has a good relationship with Charlie Strong, and seeing Strong’s ability to develop guys into future NFL draft picks is something he does not ignore.
“I was actually shocked to see how many guys from Louisville and Texas were drafted. You typically see the same schools put guys in the league, like LSU, Alabama and USC. To see how many Louisville players have gotten drafted under Strong is shocking and impressive.â€
Texas has some ground to make up with this recruitment, but it’s too early to say the Longhorns are entirely out of it with Monroe. The coaches appear to be putting more of an emphasis of speaking with Monroe and are trying to get him to visit so he can sit down with Strong. Monroe has indicated his interest in visiting Austin, but nothing is set in stone. Monroe plans to announce his decision on national television at The Opening in July. (Gaspar)
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Texas recently offered Kennedale linebacker Baron Browning and the offers continue to pour in for the 2017 prospect. Browning has a decent amount of interest in the Longhorns, and his recent visit to Austin was nothing but positive. The main reason is because of the time Strong and linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary took out of their day to sit down with the linebacker.
“I sat down and had a one-on-one talk with Coach BJ. We got along really well. He was teaching me about how to excel at the game. He’s a really good coach and I could definitely see myself playing for a coach like that.â€
Browning said most head coaches are too busy to say anything more than “Hi†and “Bye†on unofficial visits, but Strong sat down with the prospect and his grandfather and talked for more than 45 minutes.
His overall visit was positive, and he had a much better experience in Austin than he did earlier this year in College Station.
“I went to A&M’s junior day earlier this year and it did not go well,†Browning said. “I didn’t get the chance to speak with Coach Chavis or Coach Hagen. None of the coaches really talked to me, so it wasn’t the best experience. Coach Hagen called me later to apologize.â€
It’s still very early in the process and things can change when dealing with recruits, but Texas currently appears to be in good standing with Browning. (Gaspar)
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There appears to be some miscommunication in whether or not ATH Chase Lucas and WR N'Keal Harry hold offers from Texas. I was told the Longhorns have interest in the two Chandler (AZ) prospects, and offers may come in the near future, but neither prospects have received an official offer. This can obviously change, but a source close to the program informed me that as of Thursday morning, no official offers from Coach Strong have been extended. (Gaspar)
Strong wants guys who are going to stay out of trouble and abide by his core values. Strong likes guys who are physically and mentally tough. A degree of confidence is a quality attribute Strong wants his players to have. Strong also wants guys who are not afraid to compete.
When 28 players signed with Texas in February, most of us assumed those players had the swagger and work ethic Strong demands. There was no way of telling if some of the incoming freshman did not fit the criteria because you never know how high school players are going to react after signing a scholarship. Some players believe their work is done, while others think the job is just beginning.
This slice of news proves this incoming class of freshmen could be the guys who turn around the football program.
There is currently a text message chain with around 20 incoming Longhorn freshmen that is active throughout the day. These young men are not talking about the latest fashions. They are not exchanging thoughts about music or movies. The future Texas players are not exchanging jokes with each other.
Instead, they are constantly competing against each other by texting pictures and videos of their workouts every day.
Whenever a player is about to start his workout, he lets everyone in the group know what is about to occur. As the football player works out, he has a friend capture the workout through videos or pictures. Most of the guys prefer to share their workouts through video to add a degree of realness to the chain.
From what I have been told, when guys in the group message receive the updates, they are motivated to top their future teammate during their own workout. Receiving the updates also helps guys stay motivated because it is easy to discover who is not working out by the silence.
The competition has also helped guys develop a bond.
Many of the players were aware of guys in their signing class, but did not have a relationship with them. As the months have passed, all the players participating in the exchange have become friends, and each one is looking forward to meeting each other when players report to campus at the end of this month.
This is a positive sign for Strong and his staff. The competitiveness and bond this group has should help develop the cohesiveness the Longhorns lacked last season. One of the biggest complaints from players last season was the lack of mental toughness on the team. Strong's incoming freshmen are not lacking in the confidence or competitive department.
Of course, we are learning to expect nothing less from Charlie Strong guys. (Richardson)
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The recruiting battle has always been waged by coaches who battle against each other for players. Each coach has perfected his pitch to recruits and parents, and each understands how to sell his program and university. Most coaches learned the art of recruiting early in their coaching career. Most coaches can sell kids on their program with their eyes closed.
However, the new war being waged is through social media.
Coaches are always going to promote their programs by direct contact, but many athletic departments throughout the country have shown a commitment to promoting their schools through social media. Now there is a scorecard to show the digital ranking of each university.
Jason Matheson, Auburn's Assistant AD/ Digital, began tracking the social media presence of major universities two years ago. Matheson, who previously worked at Oklahoma, originally put together the numbers for internal use. They eventually decided to make the numbers public.
The way we look at it is we want to be just as competitive in digital as our teams are on the field, on the court, or in the pool, Matheson said. I think it really translates into every facet of athletics, and the athletic departments. Different marketing areas, media relations areas, the development areas, ticketing. Everybody competes. We kind of look around, especially in college athletics. There's a lot of peer comparison.
In something like social, when you have a concrete number where you can compare apples to apples, it just made sense in the sports context, and doing a top 25.
Matheson created eight social media categories and ranked the top 25 schools in each. Texas appeared in nearly every category, but was only at the top of one.
Here is how the Texas athletic department ranked in each category:
- 3rd in Facebook followers
- 25th in Facebook engagement (shares, likes, posts, etc.)
- 19th in Twitter followers
- No rank in Instagram followers
- 13th in YouTube subscribers
- No rank in Vine followers
- 1st in Pinterest followers
- No rank in Periscope followers
To read the entire list, click here.
I asked Matheson to give me his input on Texas rank, and he believes the Longhorns have so many resources, social media does not have to be a priority.
To me it's pretty simple, Matheson said. When you're big and you're successful, especially when you're big, you think of a freighter in the ocean. It takes a while to turn that freighter. It's huge. Each athletics department has a different culture. It's based on where they are, what the history of the athletics department is. Again, I'll be fully honest. I'm from Oklahoma. I was at OU for a long time. Frankly, OU defines itself a lot of times by doing more with less than what Texas has. Beating Texas with players from Texas. OU is a smaller school, fewer resources, but we can compete head-to-head with Texas, because they are the biggest kid on the block.
Again, it's decisions within the athletics department on resources and emphasis. In a school like Texas, in a market like Austin, they just don't have to work as hard. We share a state with Alabama. Those fans have been accustomed to success. In life, some people have to outwork other people to get the same amount of exposure, and Auburn has to outwork an Alabama to get the same amount of exposure. I think the same thing is true with Oklahoma and Texas. Some of this is my opinion as an outsider. I have never been inside the Texas athletic department. They do certain things very, very well. I think some schools it's just what they decide to emphasize.
Regardless, Matheson believes winning on the social media field helps to attract fans, athletes, parents, and ticket buyers in a non-traditional way.
The bottom line is we want to fish where the fish are, Matheson said. If you're talking to the ticket office, if you're talking about marketing, talking about recruiting, we're all competing against each other. It's society as a whole. You know where people are. We look at Instagram, for example, and we know the demographics there, and it skews younger than a Facebook. Our content there is skewed differently. It's visual. We're trying to show kids who are possibly coming up and want to be recruited what it's like to be playing for Auburn. What is it like to be an Auburn Tiger. We want to show them and really take them behind the scenes.
The other point is we're trying to humanize the athletics department. It's a lot harder to sit up in the stands and yell at a kid when you've seen pictures of them going to read to a class. They're students first. In today's environment, in most schools. I was at Oklahoma. I went to OU-Texas for 11 years. I know what it's like to sit there, your team is not doing well, the receivers drops the ball, and that kid just gets blasted, especially on social media. We have to turn the tables, and we use social media to really connect with our fan base, and we're always recruiting fans and student athletes. You've got to be where your people are, and that's where they are. (Richardson)
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A couple weeks ago, kicker Jon Coppens had Longhorn fans talking when he posted the following tweet:
Done with the process. I am enrolling in the McCombs School of Business and will be playing Football at the University of Texas! #Hookem
Jon Coppens (@joncopp33) May 6, 2015
So who is Coppens? We caught up with him this week to get some background.
Moving around: Coppens grew up in the midwest and went to school in Minnesota before moving to Texas as a junior. He attended Flower Mound Marcus as a junior and finished his high school career by going to Fort Worth Nolan Catholic last year.
Doing it on his own: Coppens was a one-time commitment to Rice and said he had about 15 Division I offers, but he decided to try to walk on at Texas. He got accepted on his own and once that happened, he knew he was going to Texas.
"They (the coaches) said if I wanted to walk on, let them know and I did. I guess I'm part of the team now.
"They said it was a great decision, that coming to UT is one of best decisions I'll ever make. They said report to the football offices when I get there."
Whatever is needed: Coppens said he plans to come in and be ready for whatever is asked of him. If the coaches need him to play in some capacity, he'll be thrilled to take the field. If they need him to sit back and wait his turn, he's fine with that too.
"I think I'm pretty unique. I have really a strong, explosive leg, very consistent," Coppens said. "I think if I get the opportunity to play, I think I'll do pretty well."
Jack of all trades: Coppens said he can kick off, kick field goals and he also punts. Punting is the one area in which he needs to continue to work. When he hits a big punt, he said he's competitive with anyone, but he needs to work on connecting more consistently. He has a coach that will help him work on that this summer before enrolling at Texas for the fall semester.
Big leg indeed: Coppens said the furthest kick he's hit in practice is 70 yards. In a game it's 45 yards.
"I feel very comfortable from about 55 and in. I feel I can be 90 percent form that range. I'm pretty confident in my ability."
He has the leg, how about the mental toughness?: "I don't think you're going to find a more mentally tough kicker than me. I played in three different high schools, three different coaches in three year. I've been in so many styles, so many programs. Coach Strong, how great a coach he is, I think I'll do just fine. I feel I'm pretty much ready for anything. I'm very confident. I think the football you get in Texas really prepares you well for a school like Texas. The fans at Texas - I want them to see me. I like the thought of them watching me kick. I'm excited about that." (Suchomel)
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We mentioned last night that Aurora (CO) Regis Jesuit tight end Jack Stoll will be taking a visit to Texas next Wednesday (more details HERE).
A bit more details on Stoll, who has Texas, Nebraska and Colorado as his top three.
Spring evaluation visit pays off: Jeff Traylor visited Stoll earlier this week. It was after that visit that Stoll set up the unofficial visit to UT, likely the last before he decides sometime this summer.
Stoll on Traylor: We message over twitter on a weekly basis about anything. We're building a good relationship. To me, he seems like a great guy, even a better coach. I could definitely see myself playing for coach Traylor for four or five years for sure."
Upcoming stops: Stoll visits Texas next week. June 13 he'll be at Nebraska. He'll then stop by Colorado in the next couple weeks. After those three trips, he'll begin to work towards making a decision.
Stoll on each of his three finalist:
Colorado - "Obviously, CU is about an hour away. As I've constantly said, geography doesn't play a huge role. But I see it as a building program, getting something going. The past two years, you can see a difference. Games are getting a lot closer, can see a little progress getting made. Having a few teammates go to CU in the past few years, it's def intriguing. I know a few guys there, but I just find CU as a growing program on the rise, has a lot of potential in the future."
Nebraska - "Obviously, Nebraska is a very, very solid program, with great tradition up there. Everything from their coaches to some of the recruits I know, it seems really great up there. They have a great atmosphere up there. They're definitely dedicated to wining. It's a culture that seems it's used to winning, and they don't want to lose it."
Texas - "It's like Nebraska - phenomenal tradition. Just the name 'Texas Longhorns, it just says it all. Phenomenal tradition. A wining culture, great atmosphere. They have great competition, just to me it seems like a place where people really care about football. Football is one of the most important things down there. That just excites me with the atmosphere. The coaching staff and players there, it really excites me." (Suchomel)
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One of Texas' new offers went to Rivals100 DB Trayvon Mullen, out of Coconut Creek (FL). Mullen ranks No. 74 on the Rivals100 and is the nation's No. 4-ranked cornerback.
Notes of interest: Mullen recently released the following top 10:
Still open minded these are just the schools I feel are very high with me right now. Not excluding anyone 💯 pic.twitter.com/WAUeBtTu23
— Mantis.tm1â“‚ï¸ (@Mullen_1era) May 11, 2015
I asked Mullen where Texas would fit in, if at all, now that the Longhorns have offered.
"They would probably be in the top 10."
Mullen did say he would "probably visit" Texas either this summer or on an official visit.
Not afraid to leave home: If you look at the list, you'll notice that Mullen isn't completely locked into the idea of staying close to home. He does have Florida State and Florida on the list, but he has two schools from the state of Texas in his top four.
"It's not hard at all to get me to leave. I'm open to going anywhere, basically," Mullen told me this week.
Thoughts on the UT offer: "I was excited. It was a school I always wanted. They just put guys to the next level, produce really well."
My thoughts: Mullen was a man of few words when I talked to him this week, but it does sound like he has some level of interest in Texas. Whether it will pay off in the long run is tough to say and the Longhorns have some tough competition, but Texas has at least put itself into consideration with the recent offer. (Suchomel)
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Dallas Bishop Dunne DB Chevin Calloway is a member of the Rivals100 to Watch list, and Texas jumped into the mix this week with a scholarship offer to the 2017 standout.
Key quote: "It's one of my dream schools, one of the schools I've been liking for a while."
"I was pretty excited. It makes me more interested, looking at the college. The academic part, they have great academics, the type of defense they run, things like that."
Possible visit coming up: Texas informed Calloway about it's camps in June and the coaches told him they'd love to see him there. Calloway said he'd "probably" hit one, but needs to talk to his parents to set up plans.
Schools to watch: Calloway said he's open at this point because he hasn't visited many schools (he mentioned only Baylor and Ok State visits).
"From those visits, I like Baylor a lot. It's a nice campus, nice facilities, I like the academic part of it. That's one of my standout schools right now, only because I haven't seen many other schools."
He knows his history: When asked what stands out about Texas, Calloway said it's because UT's reputation of being "DBU" and putting a lot of defensive backs into the NFL. Calloway also likes UT's academic reputation.
Calloway on his strengths: "I think I'm good at man on man, playing press. I'm really good at being aggressive and being physical. I'm not going to make it easy for a wide receiver to run his route. I'm going to try to throw his timing off." (Suchomel)
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Texas made a big impression with its offer to 2016 defensive end Caleb Roddy. The Denham Springs (LA) product has seen his stock pick up of late, and the Longhorns are very much under consideration.
Key quote: "It's a rally big offer. definitely. I have legitimate interest in Texas for sure. I'll probably make an unofficial this summer. If not, I'll definitely take an official visit there."
"It was a pretty big honor. I had been waiting on it. My coach asked me for a list of schools that hadn't offered that I'd like to hear from and Texas was at the top of the list."
Schools standing out: "Auburn, LSU, A&M, Arkansas - they're all up there. Texas is definitely up there in that group with them."
Watch out for LSU: The in-state power hasn't offered yet, but Roddy talked to LSU d-line coach Ed Orgeron this week. Orgeron told him to show up at a camp on June 9 and if he performs well he'll have an offer.
"They'd be really high on my list. But after I take my visits, I'm sure a school could get me away. I'm not locked in yet." (Suchomel)
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A quick note on UT 2015 signee Du'Vonta Lampkin ...
Ever since he committed to Texas back in July of last year, there's been a lot of talk about the Cy Falls defensive tackle and whether or not he'd qualify at Texas. We continue to hear discussion that Lampkin has work to do before he can be cleared, and a source close to the situation confirmed as much this week.
Lampkin is taking at least one correspondence course, we were told, and it's possible he could have to take another (or others) that would spill over into the summer, meaning there's a chance he won't be able to enroll for the first summer session.
"He still has work to do but everyone has know that all along," the source said.
We'll follow up on this one but it sounds like Lampkin may have to really race to the finish line if he's going to enroll with the remaining incoming freshmen in early June.
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I caught up with 2016 North Shore defensive back Eric Monroe earlier this week. The four-star prospect currently has Texas at No. 4 on his list, but things could change depending on where other top defensive backs in the class end up.
“It would be nice to play with some of the top guys at the next level. I would like to play with guys like Deontay Anderson, Dontavious Jackson, The Shark (Jeffrey McCulloch) and Brandon Jones. If it doesn’t happen then it isn’t meant to be but it would be cool to play on the same team as some of those guys.â€
The near five-star recruit said he has a good relationship with Charlie Strong, and seeing Strong’s ability to develop guys into future NFL draft picks is something he does not ignore.
“I was actually shocked to see how many guys from Louisville and Texas were drafted. You typically see the same schools put guys in the league, like LSU, Alabama and USC. To see how many Louisville players have gotten drafted under Strong is shocking and impressive.â€
Texas has some ground to make up with this recruitment, but it’s too early to say the Longhorns are entirely out of it with Monroe. The coaches appear to be putting more of an emphasis of speaking with Monroe and are trying to get him to visit so he can sit down with Strong. Monroe has indicated his interest in visiting Austin, but nothing is set in stone. Monroe plans to announce his decision on national television at The Opening in July. (Gaspar)
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Texas recently offered Kennedale linebacker Baron Browning and the offers continue to pour in for the 2017 prospect. Browning has a decent amount of interest in the Longhorns, and his recent visit to Austin was nothing but positive. The main reason is because of the time Strong and linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary took out of their day to sit down with the linebacker.
“I sat down and had a one-on-one talk with Coach BJ. We got along really well. He was teaching me about how to excel at the game. He’s a really good coach and I could definitely see myself playing for a coach like that.â€
Browning said most head coaches are too busy to say anything more than “Hi†and “Bye†on unofficial visits, but Strong sat down with the prospect and his grandfather and talked for more than 45 minutes.
His overall visit was positive, and he had a much better experience in Austin than he did earlier this year in College Station.
“I went to A&M’s junior day earlier this year and it did not go well,†Browning said. “I didn’t get the chance to speak with Coach Chavis or Coach Hagen. None of the coaches really talked to me, so it wasn’t the best experience. Coach Hagen called me later to apologize.â€
It’s still very early in the process and things can change when dealing with recruits, but Texas currently appears to be in good standing with Browning. (Gaspar)
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There appears to be some miscommunication in whether or not ATH Chase Lucas and WR N'Keal Harry hold offers from Texas. I was told the Longhorns have interest in the two Chandler (AZ) prospects, and offers may come in the near future, but neither prospects have received an official offer. This can obviously change, but a source close to the program informed me that as of Thursday morning, no official offers from Coach Strong have been extended. (Gaspar)
Here we go with dumb ass aggy logic thinking they are some big time football team and know football he isn't big enough for the sec and just the right fit with the big 12 GTFO
He has even used the phrase "big time" for money whipping Chavis...
If he would of committed to aggy he would of been like hell yeah great pick up he will be an all american with us because of CHAVIS
You're clearly retarded and lack football knowledge. The reason he is a better fit in the Big 12 IMO is that the Big 12 is a pass first more spread centric league, good for hybrid pass rushers like Fowler and pass rushing DTs like Oliver, the SEC is geenrally a run first league with bigger, drive blocking offensive lines, its not ideal for 270lb DTS on an every down basis. Could he succeed, absolutley and we would have gladly taken him but IMO he fits better in the big 12 due to his skill set.
I guess Michigan didn't make a big time hire for money whipping Harbaugh. Money whipping has nothing to do with it. Stepping up and making a big time hire is what its about any way necessary
Michigan is a Blue Blood program that made the right hire and they were certainly desperate to get back where they belong, Aggy is not and were desperate to go big or go home with their DC hire, they got a good one, but they money whipped a DC... It was your tone and how you phrased it in the other thread. Do you really feel like TAMU is at the level of Michigan, USC, Bama, LSU, Texas, ND, OU, etc? They're not even close! They're finally getting a little money and recognition, that is all! They still aren't accomplishing the major feat of national titles
Aggy has a cool network....
The stupid aggy saying I don't know football? Hahaha hahaha and once again you dumb tard you said "IMO" all you are is a sheep f er and probably still a virgin. I didn't know you were a highly known sports writer with the name pooch
Greg Little told scout he's only 50 percent committed to A&M and taking visits. In other words, he really isn't committed.
Just an observation but I love how you lump yourself in with teams that have won multiple national championships in the last 40 years....one of these things is not like the others. I am still trying to figure out why you are concerned with us moneywhipping him, it would seem not using our resources to get the best DC in the country would be the aggy thing to do.
If I am still a virgin then I now consider my child support a waste of money.
Just an observation, but Aggy loves to use cutoff points to fit their agenda...You didn't answer the questions so you must think Aggy is a blue blood...
It's not a concern, it was a desperate act to get the best they could and he is certainly at the end of his career.
I don't think so but its worrisome any time Saban pushes hard for one of your recruits. Without Kyler I would say ther was a better than 50% chance he flips.
No we aren't and thats fine with me, we are finally starting to invest like one and thats much more important to me. New Money
I've seen what happens to new money when it's not spent properly...
a view from 2012 as Aggy dipped it's toes into the SEC pool...http://247sports.com/Article/Oregon-among-football-elite-80783
They have a shot at being elite, but that means winning titles... Do you think they'll be able to get anyone they want to take the position if Sumlin sinks (I don't)? He's treading water at the moment, it's time to sink or swim!
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I've read several places Kyler and Little aren't close at all. Their only relationship is that Little blocked for him in HS.
Who would have thought that Nick Saban would be the one to profit the most from TAMU's move to the SEC....
I was one of the first who said the SEC was smart having aTm join. Gave the "real" teams like Bama and LSU a stonger presence in Texas while having no real threat of aTm winning anything of significance. And to date.......(and since 1939) it is true...and I stand by "Atm is the Texas Tech of the SEC".....no disrespect to Tech
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