(Anwar)
* I inquired about Texas Longhorn winter workouts this week. Overall, the workouts still consist of lifting and running. The action will not pick up until spring football practice. However, I was told strength and conditioning coach Torre Becton continues to “whoop everybody’s ass” during winter conditioning. The veteran players understand this is a necessary part of the offseason process. Nevertheless, that knowledge does not make the workouts easier while going through the process.
* I was told former Houston receiver Matthew Golden looks like the real deal in offseason workouts. One person praised Golden’s technique and speed. They were not ready to say Golden’s speed matches former Texas receiver Xavier Worthy. That being said, Golden has impressed those inside the building with his speed in real-time.
* Once again, people inside the building cannot stop raving about Brandon Baker. I was previously told Baker was incredibly fluid for an offensive lineman his size. I recently told Baker asks a lot of questions because he is eager to improve. So far, Baker has knocked it out the park.
* Alabama transfer tight end Amari Niblack is recovering from an ankle injury and not participating in offseason workouts. Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian always takes a safe approach with players recovering from injuries during the offseason. There is seemingly nothing to worry about in February.
* I was told Texas receiver Isaiah Bond is a “dog.” Bond has displayed his speed and athleticism during offseason workouts. He has turned a lot of heads so far.
* One person told me Quinn Ewers looks smoother this offseason than last year. When I asked for an explanation, I was told Ewers did not look bad last year but is seemingly more comfortable during this year’s winter workouts. Everything Ewers does is seemingly effortless. Another person told me Ewers is more mature in every area than in previous seasons.
* The players will have one more week of winter conditioning before spring break, which begins on March 11. Spring practice begins on March 19.
* The Big 12 will hold its own Pro Day at the Ford Center at The Star in Frisco on March 28 and 30. Players from Baylor, BYU, UCF, Cincinnati, Houston, Iowa State, Kansas, K-State, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas Tech, and West Virginia are currently scheduled to participate in the event. When I asked those within the program about Longhorn players not participating in this event, I was told they are focused on Texas’ Pro Day, which will be held on March 20.
*****
(Suchomel)
* There’s been some recent A&M buzz with priority DL target
DJ Sanders and while that may prove to be true in the long run, Sanders’ coach says not to believe it. “Really and truly, nobody does,” coach Grady Rowe said about people thinking they know what Sanders will wind up doing. Rowe would go on to say that he and Sanders literally laughed at some of the reports of him favoring A&M. The Aggies are definitely in contention, perhaps even strong contenders, but Rowe said Sanders isn’t the A&M lock some have made him out to be.
* Rowe on Texas and the efforts of the UT staff in recruiting Sanders … “Everybody in the state has done a great job. But the University of Texas has really done a great job,” Rowe said. “Coach Sark, coach Gideon, coach Kwiatkoski. The new DL coach, he got hired I think right at dead period (so he hasn’t visited Bellville) but overall, Texas has been great.”
“He’ll go again and visit A&M and UT again. He’s been to UofH, been to TCU. He’s been around a little. Officially he’s at 22 offers.”
* Look for Sanders to get to Austin after the dead period lifts and then likely again for an official visit in June. As of today, he doesn’t have any school visits locked in.
* Sanders just feels like a recruitment that will see him stay close to home. Small town Texas kids usually do. But coach Rowe said Sanders is certainly open to the idea of leaving the state of Texas. “I really think he’s open to anywhere. Obviously staying close is usually an attraction to kids, especially small town kids. But truly, he’s open,” Rowe said. “He was supposed to go to an Alabama camp last summer but that fell through at the last minute, so I really think he’s open to going anywhere.”
* Recent Texas safety offer
Kade Phillips recently pulled off an impressive feat, going 24-7.5 in the long jump on his first jump of the season, which led the nation at the time. Unfortunately it was short-lived, with someone from Katy Tompkins beating Phillips’ jump by .5 inch the next day. Still, it gives you a glimpse of how explosive Phillips is. Texas offered Phillips early last week and that move immediately puts the Longhorns in the front of the pack. “I was very excited. That’s one of those offers that I’ve been waiting on, I would say,” Phillips told OB. “It was good. I’m happy.”
* Phillips was at UT’s junior day in January and attended a Texas home game last year. He’ll visit LSU on March 26 and Texas April 6. The only official visit he has set up right now is with Texas (June 21) but he’s working to set up dates with LSU and A&M as well.
* Of the schools standing out, Phillips listed LSU, Texas, Texas A&M and Kansas. He added Oregon and Baylor as other schools that have his attention.
* I wrote about OL John Mills in my
3-2-1 this week but a bit more from the San Francisco St. Ignatius product. Take a peek at Mills’
film if you haven’t seen it already. The dude epitomizes the phrase “play until the echo of the whistle” and that’s one element of his game that the Texas coaches love. “The first time I met coach Sark, he mentioned how he saw my film, without me going up to him, he came up to me and said ‘Hey man, your film is awesome.’ I was like ‘wow,’ very surprised that the head coach at Texas knew who I was.”
* Mills doesn’t have a formal list of favorites, but this one could be shaping up to be a race that features Texas, Washington and Michigan. Mills has unofficial visits set up to all three of those schools (I believe he’s flying from Austin to Michigan) and he has official visits locked in with UT and Washington.
* I asked Mills if would be fair for me to describe Texas as maybe not the outright leader, but there definitely wouldn’t put anybody above the Longhorns. He said that is an absolutely acceptable description of UT’s standing. “I do like Texas a lot. It’s hot there though,” Mills said. “But Austin is a great place, the food there is amazing. The love for the team and the brand, it’s one of the biggest brands out there. The logo is so recognizable, you don’t even have to have the Texas football, just have the horns up there and you’ll know.”
* DeSoto offensive lineman
Byron Washington told me he’s still checking at 6-8 and 380 pounds, but he’s hoping that changes. “I’m working on losing some weight,” Washington said. “I … just want to feel different. I’m not forcing too much into it, just changing my eating habits.”
* Washington plans to announce at DeSoto’s spring game, sometime in May. If Texas continues to keep its foot on the accelerator, this one feels like the Longhorns should win out pretty easily.
*****
(Alex)
I caught up with a number of different players from other schools during this week at the NFL combine to ask them for some outside perspectives about topics that of interest to Texas:
* Washington EDGE Bralen Trice on how he prepared specifically to face Texas in the CFP: He said of Texas tackles Kelvin Banks and Christian Jones that "I thought I could get them on their heels and moving backwards, opening up their shoulders so I could get inside. That whole week we were just preparing our stunts, it was a big focus. It was a good game."
* I asked Kansas EDGE Austin Booker the offensive line that game him the most trouble in 2023: "The best offensive line was also the best team we played and that was Texas. In individual OL that I went against who was the best was (OU tackle) Tyler Guyton. Just the speed and the strength he plays with. Not every O-lineman can move like that. Also, Kelvin Banks, that was a great battle."
* I asked Nelson Caesar (UH EDGE) about what Houston did defensively in a close game against Texas: "That's a great offense, we had to change up our whole defense as a matter of fact and that right there says a lot. An explosive offense that can go at any moment, so we had to respect that and that's what we did in that game. We showed a defense, that since I have been in the Big 12, I have never seen anyone run it. It was a 3-3 stack." I asked him the best tackle he played all year and he said it was at the Senior Bowl, and also said it was Tyler Guyton from Oklahoma.
* I asked Alabama DE Dallas Turner what he thought about Isaiah Bond after going against him practice last season: "He's very consistent. He never dropped a ball last year. He shows up and competes. A great overall player."
* I asked Washington DE Zion Tupuola-Fetui if he was worried at the end of the CFP game: "Oh, man, it had my heart pounding for a minute, but we were used to those kinds of nail-biters by the end of the season."
* Not really Texas related, but I couldn't believe that Texas A&M LB Edgerrin Cooper has six dogs and three of them are Cane Corsos, each over 130 pounds. The other three are french bulldogs. My goodness.
* As long as we're talking about really weird things random combine participants said, former Texas Longhorns safety Tyler Owens, who transferred to Tech, said today that he doesn't believe in space. He doesn't think it is real. Very interesting guy. Also, Illinois TE Tip Reiman today told reporters that he doesn't think birds are real, asking them if they'd ever seen a baby pigeon and how they know that power lines aren't pigeon recharging stations.
* I asked Alabama safety Jay Key about Isaiah Bond, Amari Niblack and Kendrick Blackshire transferring to Texas: "Texas is definitely getting some dogs. Just to be able to go to Alabama and go through the offseason program and get some seasons over there, you get some dogs. Those are my brothers for life. Those guys are battle tested and will give you their all. Isaiah is one of the best receivers in the country. He's going to come to work every day. Twitchy, fast, he's going to be open a lot."
* I asked Auburn safety Jaylin Simpson what happened on the last second play on 4th and 31. where Milroe hit Isaiah Bond to win the game: "So, obviously, they have 31 yards to go and we have situational defenses that we run, so the call was ... I don't even remember. I thought we were going to send three, but I guess we decided not to send three, we ended up spying and sending two. And then everyone else is man and you have three safeties playing on the goal line. Everybody's man, you're not supposed to switch. You're not supposed to let your man go for any reason but I guess somebody tried to switch - I don't know I don't want to get into it, look- somebody's man got let loose. He got free ... Isaiah Bond, he's a real good player, he transferred to Texas. A guy who was definitely on the scouting report. A real good player. To be able to make that catch at that time, real good guy, player, fun to play against. Keep a look for what he'll be doing in the future."
* I asked Arizona TE Tanner McLachlan what he thought about new Longhorns additions DT Tiaoalli Savea and co-DC Johnny Nansen: Nansen's a great coach, "I loved him. I really do. He's going to stand up for his players and go to work for his players. In terms of what he brings to the team, I mean, they just gave us so many different looks in practice and we .... well, we never knew what they were doing. They brought the intensity and Nansen knows what he's doing in that sense. Savea's a great dude, very quiet. Just comes to work every day and does his job."
* I asked Iowa State CB TJ Tampa how ISU prepared to face Quinn Ewers: He's a great quarterback, we had a different game plan against Texas. Get them into a lot of short passes knowing that they didn't want to do that. You have to game plan against them and hope you can get him into some things you know they won't want to do."
*****
(Cody)
More from the Combine...
How do you define SEC Football?
Cedric Johnson DE, Ole Miss: "The Best of the Best, simply put"
Nathaniel Watson LB, Mississippi State: "Fast, Physical, Toughness, SEC is the best conference out there - it's the closest thing to the NFL and you know you'll get the best competition every Saturday."
McKinnley Jackson DL, Texas A&M: "Hard nose football, the best conference in all of college football - if you can play in the SEC you can play in the NFL."
Andre Sam DB, LSU: "The Speed of the Game and the Fronts are just different."
Toughest Place to Play in College?
Austin Booker DE, Kansas: "The toughest places are my favorite, under the biggest lights - it was definitely Texas."
David Ugwoegbu DE, Houston/Oklahoma: "My Freshman year at LSU, and then every Texas game the environment is electric in the Cotton Bowl."
Nelson Ceaser DE, Houston: "Cincinnati man, those fans brought the energy."
Khalid Duke DE, Kansas State: "2022 at TCU they were throwing beer cans and Texas this year, that crowd was loud and arrogant."
The Best Offensive Lineman you played in your career?
Khalid Duke DE, Kansas State: "Teven from Oklahoma State, that was a wake-up call for me as a sophomore and this year, was definitely Kelvin Banks from Texas."
David Ugwoegbu DE, Houston: "I played Patrick Paul every day in practice, and people know about him, but he is the truth?
Eric Watts DE, Connecticut: "I'd say from the Senior Bowl, Christian Jones from Texas, Tyler Guyton from Oklahoma is really good too."
Austin Booker DE, Kansas: "Kelvin Banks for sure."
The Best receivers you played in your career?
Josh Newton CB, TCU: "Quentin Johnston and Savvion Williams are guys I saw every day but the two Texas guys Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell for sure."
T.J. Tampa CB, Iowa State: "I would Texas' Receivers and their scheme, that was hard to get ready for."
