After visiting the University of Texas for the Longhorns' spring football game, offensive lineman Xavier Newman had a pretty good idea that Texas was where he wanted to go to college. Newman listed the Longhorns as his leader following that trip, ahead of Colorado. Four days after his visit, Newman went ahead and made it official, giving the Longhorns their sixth commitment in the 2017 recruiting class.
Key quote: "I was just comfortable with Texas. I like coach Strong, fell in love with it when I went down there with the other 2017 recruits," Newman said. "Like Sam Ehlinger, he really got to my mind when he was telling me about Texas. He was telling me Texas is a good program, Austin is a great place to live, a lot of great things that go with Texas."
Tough decision that really wasn't so tough: Newman went into his Texas visit with a handful of other schools being strongly considered, including Colorado, Texas Tech, Texas A&M and Arizona State.
Even with those schools in the mix, Newman always admitted that there was something he really liked about Texas, and this one had the feel that it would fall the Longhorns' way once Texas got him on campus for a visit. Things fell into place after Newman discussed his options with his mother, and he called Charlie Strong on the evening of April 20 to give his commitment.
"It was a tough decision. It was out of (Texas) and Colorado. I just slept on it," Newman said. "Then on Tuesday morning, I knew here I wanted to go. I told my mom and she said if that's where you really want to go, we can make it happen tomorrow.
"I called coach Strong. He was asking me how I was doing. We chatted for a little while, then towards the end, told him I have some good news. He told me to give it to him and I said 'Coach I want to be a Longhorn.' He said 'Awesome.' He was excited."
Coaches and team members won Newman over: Along with his time spent with other members of the 2017 recruiting class, Newman said it was the connection he felt with the UT coaches and the overall vibe with the program that pushed Texas out in front of every other school. Even the fans had an impact.
"I like coach Strong and coach (Matt) Mattox, the coaching staff as a whole," Newman said. "They really, really had a big impact on me. The fan base is crazy, the alumni base is crazy. All the people down there, I really liked them.
"I think that (visit) the difference maker for me. Basically, the team, how much enthusiasm the players had, the offense Texas runs, I can fit into their offense."
Interior presence: The 6-4, 285-pound Newman can play tackle (he's listed at tackle in the Rivals.com database), but Texas has actually talked to him about playing on the inside.
Newman feels it's that kind of versatility, along with his effort (watch the tape), that was helping make him such a hot recruiting commodity this spring.
"They project me as a guard," Newman said of his conversations with the Texas coaches. "I can bring physical play, versatility, I can play all three positions, I quick feet and I'm able to play through the whistle."
Return visit to UT in the works: Newman doesn't have any dates locked in, but said he'll try to get back down to Austin this summer. He said he'll probably hit a UT camp in June, but will come as a spectator and not work out. He doesn't have any other visits planned.
Other schools not giving up: No big surprise here, but Colorado hasn't completely backed off. Tennessee continues to stay in touch as well.
"I've still been talking to a couple schools. Colorado, Tennessee. They're just saying don't forget about us. I just stay focused on Texas," Newman said.
In talking to Newman, it sure doesn't feel like Texas has anything at all to be worried about. He's pretty happy with his decision and doesn't seem too interested in hearing any other sales pitches.
