(Ketch)
* We'll start out with a quick note on UTSA edge transfer Trey Moore, who did not sign with the Longhorns or anyone else on NSD. The vibe I keep getting when I've checked in with people this week has been very calm and there's a general sense that this will play out when it plays out, but that things look very good for the Longhorns. One source told me that he hasn't heard a single thing this week about Moore that would cause an alarm bell to ring. It sounds like everyone just needs to sit tight.
* As it relates to Texas A&M wide receiver Evan Stewart, there's just not anything to report on from the Texas side. I was told that his side initiated some contact to indicate that interest existed and that the Longhorns have simply conveyed no interest. One person I spoke with indicated that the NIL market for Stewart wasn't nearly as high as he would likely have hoped and indicated that LSU might be a landing spot. Another non-UT source told me on Thursday that there's a cloud around Stewart not being a team-first guy and that the school he's connected to also wasn't going to make a play with him, despite being in need of wide receiver help through the Portal. All of this kind of reminds me of what someone told me a couple of months of being wary of guys wanting Jordan Addison money and not having anywhere near Addison's production levels.
* A quick mea culpa. More than a week ago, I mentioned that Ryan Watts might be getting some run ay safety in the bowl game against Washington, but it looks like I misunderstood what was being communicated to me. Watts isn't moving for the bowl game, but if he returns to Texas for the 2024 season (and it seems like a strong possibility), it appears that there's a very good chance that he would make a full-time move to safety. Forgive me for the mistake.
* For those keeping score at home, only 5 of the 21 HS recruits that signed with the Longhorns on Wednesday will not be enrolling early in the spring. Those five are WR Freddie DuBose, DL Melvin Hills, OL Nate Kibble, CB Santana Wilson and kicker Michael Kern.
* One name mentioned to me this week as a player that has had a good start to bowl workouts and has generally improved quite a bit since the start of the season - true freshman linebacker Deron Gullette. "He's starting to get there," a team source said.
* I talked with a Washington Huskies source on Thursday following the announcement that the Huskies' OL has won the Joe Moore Award (given to the best offensive line in the country). "The guys know this is their toughest assignment of the season, but I haven't sensed any fear. One of the guys told me that playing such a good group will make winning the game even sweeter. There is 100-percent belief behind the scenes that they are better than Texas as a group."
*****
(Anwar)
*. Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian‘s message to the team after they returned from break was “The standard is the standard.” Sarkisian told the players that they may have more free time since they are out of school but the expectations remain the same and stay focused. In addition, Sarkisian pushed his players during their first practice to get them refocused on the goal of winning a championship.
* Sarkisian intended for the incoming freshmen to participate in bowl practice after signing day this week. I was told Sarkisian wanted those guys to participate on the scout team and get the 15 practice days allotted during bowl preparations. However, when Sarkisian discussed his plan with the leadership council, they did not support the idea, according to my sources. The players felt like they had a tight-knit locker room, and did not want to mess with what has been working. They wanted to focus more on competing for a national championship, than breaking in new players. In addition, I was told they did not want to take reps away from scout team members who have helped get them prepared for games this season. From what I was told, Sarkisian was initially surprised by their feedback, but respected their decision. As a result, incoming freshmen were informed last week that they would not be able to participate in bowl practices.
* Texas safety Jerrin Thompson said Jelani McDonald is a player he expects to step up with the first-half suspension of Derek Williams and departure of Jalen Catalon.
* I was told Longhorn backup quarterback Arch Manning has looked good this week. He has made good throws and been praised for his decision-making. The speed of the game has slowed down for Manning. I’m told continues to gain confidence.
* Unless something changes, the plan is for players to officially announce whether they are leaving or returning for another season after the season concludes.
* The Longhorns will depart for New Orleans on December 27 and are expected to arrive at Louis Armstrong International Airport around 3 PM.
*****
(Suchomel)
The early signing window is still open, with players who didn’t sign on Wednesday having through Friday to make a late move (or wait until the February 7 signing day). Let’s take a look at some of the guys who are still on our radar …
* Calabasas (CA) WR Aaron Butler –uncommitted – I had an update on Butler earlier on Thursday. He’ll sign on Friday with either Washington, Arizona or Texas. If it’s Texas, he’ll sign without having given the Horns a visit. Would seem odd, but Butler is apparently the type that doesn’t mind going against the grain of what’s conventional. We’ll see how that one falls on Friday.
* Longview DL Dealyn Evans – Texas A&M commitment – Evans has kind of been all over the place this week, so I wouldn’t label anything with him as a certainty. He told us on Wednesday night that he doesn’t know when he’s going to sign, so it could be this week or he could go ahead and wait until February. Considering he’s said he wants to take some OVs in January, including one to Texas, I’d expect him to wait until February to sign but it’s still somewhat up in the air.
- Lafayette (LA) Acadiana DT Dominick McKinley – Texas A&M commitment – Texas will continue to chip away here, with McKinley not planning to sign until February. He has official visits set for Tennessee and LSU in January. Those two, along with A&M, Texas and Oklahoma, all have a shot.
* Greenville (MS) St. Joseph DT Alex Foster – Baylor commitment – Foster took a Texas official visit last weekend and will wait until February to sign. If the UT staff pushes here, Texas has a great shot. Foster told OB he loved the visit and getting to see the “real” side of the UT coaches. “They like me as a player and think that I have a lot of raw talent that just needs to be honed and developed,” Foster said. “(They said) I can be an NFL player.”
* Timpson ATH Terry Bussey – Texas A&M commitment – There’s been some speculation that Texas could target Bussey as a replacement for Aeryn Hampton. Makes perfect sense with Bussey waiting until February to sign, but the Longhorns are playing from behind right now. LSU is the bigger threat to the Aggies.
* UTSA edge Trey Moore – Not much new to report on this one. Most people we talked to this week thought this one would be done by now. Texas and Alabama are the two teams currently in play and the confidence level in Austin is much higher than what we’ve heard it is in Tuscaloosa.
* Texas added two 2025 commitments this week from tight end Emaree Winston and defensive tackle Brandon Brown. The Horns’ third pledge in that cycle, QB KJ Lacey, was once again on Auburn’s campus last weekend, with high school teammate Ryan Williams, who recently re-classified to the 2024 class. Lacey took three game-day visits to Auburn in the fall in addition to last week’s non-game-day visit. Lacey continues to say the right things about his Texas commitment (and he seems genuinely happy), but Auburn is beginning to feel like a school we should be watching very closely, especially if Williams winds up signing with the Tigers (instead of Alabama) in February.
*****
(Aaron/Zach)
* LHP David Shaw had a 3.09 ERA in 26 appearances last season before his year ended early with an arm injury. Sources have told OB that Shaw is participating in baseball activities and is expected to be a full-go for the 2024 season.
* The note above is especially important due to the loss of Notre Dame transfer Will Mercer, who suffered an arm injury and will miss the season. The bullpen has been a weakness for the Horns over the past two years and it will be up to guys like David Shaw, Heston Tole, Cody Howard, Max Grubbs, Ace Whitehead, Luke Harrison and others to hold down the fort at the end of games in 2024.
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