(Anwar)
Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian hired Miami Dolphins assistant defensive line coach Kenny Baker, which led to an obvious question on Thursday.
Who?
Baker was relatively unknown before we learned he would replace Bo Davis on Sarkisian’s staff. Heck, I checked in with multiple sources in Miami who knew nothing about him before finally finding people who knew anything about Baker.
The best way to start this discussion about Baker is to discuss the big picture before diving into specifics about Sarkisian’s recent addition.
* I was told Sarkisian believes he has a team that can compete for a national championship in 2024. Ketch previously reported that fact and Sarkisian’s aggressiveness in the transfer portal is a reflection of that belief.
* There is a belief inside the building that Sarkisian’s offense will be hard to contain once Texas enters the SEC. I was told Sarkisian’s offense is designed to beat man coverage, which you rarely see in the Big 12. The staff believes they will be able to create matchup nightmares and have instant success in the SEC this season.
* As for the defense, Texas wants to stop the run, get pressure with four defensive linemen, and play man on the backend. That is why Sarkisian is focused on improving the secondary during this offseason.
With that background, let us proceed to Baker.
* I was told Sarkisian is starting to infiltrate his staff with NFL players because he wants coaches who understand X’s and O’s. In addition, Sarkisian wants coaches who know how to teach and develop young players. Sarkisian is very focused on the developmental aspect of the program. That is the reason why he hired former Jacksonville receivers coach Chris Jackson before last season.
* One great source in Miami told me Baker is viewed as very talented. Multiple people said Baker is a great coach who understands how to teach defensive linemen.
* One of Baker’s strengths is his use of analytics. That is a trait my sources believe will help Sarkisian and the defensive staff.
* Another word used to describe Baker was “workhorse.”
* Not only is Baker viewed as a hard worker, one source told me “he never bitched” about his workload. In fact, Baker relished working long hours and on weekends.
* I was told not to overreact to Baker being a Senior Bowl coach. Those roles are given to assistants who are working their way up the coaching ladder.
* Nobody was able to predict Baker's success as a recruiter at Texas.
Overall, Sarkisian’s hiring of Baker is not sexy. However, Sarkisian hired a young coach with the reputation of being a hard worker with the ability to teach X’s and O’s.
*****
(Ketch)
* While the Longhorns wait to hear the final word on Jabbar Muhammad's recruitment in the coming days, the pursuit for a high-level cornerback will not end if they miss out. Whether it's taking advantage of the situation at Michigan or pursuing someone in the sprig, the quest to upgrade the roster isn't over.
* Nothing has changed since my last report on Muhammad this week. There's a sense that Oregon is the team to beat and that they have flexed some NIL muscle in their recruitment.
* If you're wondering, I've kicked the tires on interest levels between Arizona All-Pac 12 cornerback Tacario Davis and the Longhorns, but I've come across zero signs at this point that there's mutual interest. Give the connections between David and Texas co-DC/linebackers coach Johnny Nansen, there was some early thought that the Longhorns might emerge as major players for Davis, but it seems more likely that he could exit the Portal and return to Arizona. " I know from their side, there’s a lot of confidence that he’s gonna be coming back and there’s been a pretty good success rate with that," a source told me.
* I told with one Arizona source this week about Nansen and was told, "That guy is a rock star and just been looking for a place to show people how much of a rock star he is. He just needs a bad ass opportunity and he'll be acknowledged as a rock star by everyone soon enough."
* I still fully expect the Longhorns to add another interior defensive lineman in late April or May if a target isn't found soon through any of the places that have seen head coaching turnover.
* Spoke to a source that got a chance to see Texas cornerback signee Santana Wilson last wee at the Senior Bowl and this is what he passed along: "I really liked his demeanor and approach all week. He has a tough task as most of the receivers on his team have played well over the four days of practice. He’s had to shake off a couple plays that didn’t go his way, but he’s been able to follow plays when he’s allowed catches with pass breakups or solid coverage. He built a nice little competition with Clemson signee Bryant Wesco, and they’ve battled all week. He’s a no-nonsense type of player who has really just gone about his business this week. Everything has a bit of a caveat at this event since they have rarely gone fully live, but I can’t remember a time when he’s had a bad play so far this week. He’s been beat a couple times but the receivers he’s covered have also been good in their own right.
* The same source on Texas OL signee Brandon Baker: "It’s been more difficult to evaluate the linemen since there were only a couple of brief one-on-one periods through the four days leading up to the game. Still, Baker stood out from the group in pretty much every way. He’s bounced back and forth between the tackle spots, but he’s played loose and really looks the part of a top offensive lineman. He’s looked exceptional in all the other elements of the practices, and was someone that was bringing players together on his team, speaking to his leadership abilities as well."
*****
(Suchomel)
* How fast is new Texas running back commitment Raycine Guillory? If you watch his film, the simple answer is “fast enough.” Guillory told OB he won’t be able to run track this spring but as a freshman, he ran a 10.8 and he said he’s in the 4.4 range in the 40-yard dash. By comparison, Jaydon Blue’s fastest time as a freshman was a 10.97 (Blue ran a 10.7 as a junior).
* How highly is Guillory thought of by those with Aledo connections? A certain former Longhorn five-star from Aledo thinks Guillory is the real deal and even compared him to Bijan Robinson in terms of his potential.
* KJ Lacey had planned to visit Texas this weekend with then uncommitted teammate wide receiver Ryan Williams, but that is no longer expected to happen. Williams, of course, re-committed to Alabama on Wednesday. Lacey is reportedly set to visit Miami this weekend while in town for a 7v7 Tournament. Look for Lacey to get back to Austin later in the spring, likely during the spring season, where he can watch Texas practice.
* Speaking of Texas commits and Miami, 2025 defensive tackle commitment Brandon Brown is also expected to visit Miami this weekend. He’ll also hit USC next weekend. Needless to say, getting Brown on campus will be a top priority for new Texas DL coach Kenny Baker once he’s officially announced.
* When Deuce Williams committed to Texas on January 1, I asked him which of his Shadow Creek teammates was most likely to join him at Texas. His answer … WR Jacorey Watson. Watson attended UT’s junior day last week wearing a Texas beanie, so that’s a small, yet positive sign. “(Deuce) is on me every day at school. If I come to school wearing a Texas hat he’s always on me. If I wear a different school, he’s on me about that,” Watson said. “Me and him a are locked in. We’re planning to be teammates.”
* Watson got some one-one-one time with Chris Jackson during the visit and the two discussed how Watson would potentially fit in with UT’s scheme and depth chart. This weekend, Watson will hit LSU. Texas, LSU, Ole Miss and Missouri are the four schools standing out in this one but it’ll likely come down to either UT or LSU in the end. Look for a decision in the summer.
* Prior to last weekend, Texas had already offered one Bridgeland offensive lineman in Jonte Newman. That number became two during UT’s junior day with the staff extending an offer to Ryan Fodje. “It felt good to get that offer. Texas is a good school,” Fodje said. “It was a true honor to be able to talk to the Texas coaches. Coach Flood is a very awesome coach and I look forward to meeting up with them sometime in the future.” Fodje will visit Texas A&M and Houston this weekend and says he likely won’t make a commitment until after his senior season ends.
*****
(Ketch)
One 2025 hoops recruit to keep an eye in the coming months is Orlando (Florida) Oak Ridge small forward Jamier Jones, who ranks 26th overall nationally in the current Rivals rankings and has the Longhorns among his favorites, along with Kanas, Cincinnati, Ohio State, South Carolina, Houston and Providence. “I’ve got good options already, but I’m still open to everyone,” Jones told Rivals this week. “Everyone wants me on the wing, and that’s definitely where I feel comfortable. It’s just all about where I’m connecting the most with the staff and the opportunity when that time comes.”
Another 2025 hoops kid that is talking up the Longhorns is rising 6-7, 200-pound forward Winters Grady. The nation's No.17 ranked overall player is from Lake Oswego, Oregon, which just happens to Kevin Love's old stomping grounds. According to Grady, the Longhorns are on a list with Oregon, UCLA and Washington as the schools that contact him the most. His mom (Oregon State) and ad (Colorado State) both played college hoops. It looks like the Longhorns are running fourtth on his list at the moment. “I want to visit UCLA and take officials to Oregon and Indiana," Grady told Rivals. "Those are the three I know for sure.”
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