A Few Notes from Thursday's Closed Football Practice ...
Thursday was the eighth practice of the spring and the first without QB Jerrod Heard. Here are a few notes the OB crew has picked up:
- It was a closed, full-pads practice for the sixth-straight time.
- The new (TUES, THURS, SAT) schedule may lead to better recovery time and not as much need to have shorts and shoulder pads practices nearly as often as in recent years.
- Everyone wants to know about the quarterback dynamic post-Jerrod Heard injury. The prevailing vibe from sources is that Tyrone Swoopes is the starter. It's important to note, though, that Shane Buechele is currently getting the reps with the ones that Heard would sometimes receive previously and is drawing consistently strong reviews for his growing command of the offense. It's all Buechele can ask to have a shot like this as a freshman.
- Thanks to these injuries at QB, Kai Locksley is reportedly finally getting some reps at QB in team drills. By all accounts, Locksley is a terrific athlete better suited to play another position. One person said he's better in team drills than 7-on-7 because at least in team drills he can pull the ball down and run.
- WR Deandre McNeal was noted by one person again tonight as having stood out in recent practices. This is actually after getting off to a bit of a rough start at camp per the source, where he'd had a bunch of uncharacteristic drops. McNeal is heating up and reportedly caught a big pass today from Swoopes on a crossing route from the slot.
- DT Paul Boyette is still in the pit. We don't really have any truly firm update on the injury at this time as we're continuing to be told it's "minor." Boyette has officially missed half of spring practice now, though, which is concerning. As mentioned in the update from Tuesday, the silver lining is extra reps for DT Chris Nelson who needs them.
- Names that continue getting mentioned more frequently than usual among sources to the OB staff are DE Charles Omenihu (who's apparently looking more and more like a starter every day on the strong side at near-265), RB D'Onta Foreman (who should start 2016 on every national RB award watch list), Nickel CB PJ Locke (who's had a great spring so far per sources and seemingly locked down the starting role for now) and, interestingly, WR Ryan Newsome (a player, perhaps like Deandre McNeal, who needed to turn things up this spring to show the staff he meant business). (Dunlap)
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Quarterback Jerrod Heard’s shoulder injury is technically a minor ailment.
However, the ramifications for Heard could result in a major setback in his hopes to dethrone Tyrone Swoopes.
Heard sustained a shoulder sprain in his throwing arm during Tuesday’s practice, which we reported on Wednesday. The quarterback fell on his shoulder during practice and sustained the minor injury. Nobody I spoke to is worried about Heard’s long-term health. Everybody believes Heard will probably be at 100 percent soon.
No problem, right?
Well, the problem for Heard his inability to participate in practices prior to the spring game could seal his backup spot on the depth chart.
According to my sources, there is a good chance Heard may not practice again before the spring game on April 16. There is a belief among the people within the building it might be better to rest Heard for the next two weeks to avoid further damaging his shoulder. The last thing anyone associated with the football program wants is to hurt Texas’ diminishing quarterback depth.
That is because if addition to Heard’s injury, we recently learned backup quarterback Matthew Merrick is battling a back injury, and he is not expected to play again during the spring. Merrick currently has fractures in his back, an injury that flared up recently. As of right now, there is not a timetable on Merrick’s return. Merrick was not in contention for playing time this season, but contributed in passing drills during practice.
Texas’ current quarterback depth chart is Swoopes, Shane Buechele and Kai Locksley. The current goal is for Heard and Merrick to get healthy and improve Texas’ depth behind Swoopes.
If Heard does not play again during the spring, Swoopes has a chance to be named the starting quarterback next month.
Texas coach Charlie Strong previously said he wanted to name a starting quarterback during the spring, even though offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert recently stated a decision may not be made soon. Gilbert said all the rights things, but from what I have been told, many people in the building believe Swoopes was going to beat out Heard eventually.
“He has been the best quarterback this spring. Swoopes was starting to pull away in the competition,” one source told me.
Swoopes has been viewed as the best quarterback to operate Gilbert’s system throughout the offseason. Before spring practice began, Swoopes was viewed as the number one quarterback, and it was always his job to lose. Heard was Swoopes’ closest competitor. Now Swoopes just needs to maintain his lead against Buechele to claim the top spot.
Buechele entered the No. 2 role during practice on Thursday, which is a positive move for the freshman. He has a live arm, puts in a lot of work off-the-field, and has shown a lot of confidence. Gilbert’s simplistic offense has helped Buechele excel in practice. Heard’s injury will give Buechele a chance to compete for the backup position. He is going to receive some of the first-team reps Heard collected during practice. He also has a chance to receive significant playing time during the spring game.
However, Buechele is still not viewed as a potential starter at this moment.
Obviously, if Buechele excels during the spring game, and Swoopes struggles, there is a chance he makes a run at the No. 1 spot. Right now, everyone in the building is pleased to see Buechele competing during practice, but nobody is ready to start a true freshman right now. It will be up to Buecehle to alleviate those concerns. (Richardson)
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If Locksley wants to be viewed as a quarterback at Texas, he needs to play on another level between now and the spring game.
Locksley has been elevated to third string as a result of Heard and Merrick’s injuries. He will finally have a chance to receive more reps in practice and being an afterthought since spring began. From the people I have talked to, Locksley has to make the most out of this opportunity because it may not come again.
There are two things Locksley needs to achieve during his window of opportunity.
First, Locksley must establish himself as a quarterback. Locksley must prove he can consistently make every throw, and elevate the play of everyone around him. There are still a good number of people who believe Locksley can be an elite receiver at Texas if he gave up on his desire to play quarterback. Since Locksley has resisted switching to receiver, he must prove the skeptics wrong.
In addition, it is essential that Locksley finds a way to win over the staff with a positive attitude. Locksley has rubbed some people the wrong way with his demeanor in practice. They do not want Locksley to simply tell them he is a good player. Instead, they want to see Locksley excel in practice, and let actions speak louder than his words.
Locksley tweeted “I’m not going anywhere” on Thursday, which sounds promising for Longhorn fans. However, I have been told if Locksley is not in the top three after spring practice, there is a chance he might transfer. Once Heard and Merrick are healthy, Locksley will move back down the depth chart, unless he shows a lot of progress during the next two weeks.
Locksley has an opportunity to play quarterback at Texas. However, his biggest challenge is making sure this is not the last chance. (Richardson)
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Now is the time to buy stock in freshman receiver Collin Johnson.
We have reported for weeks that Johnson has a chance to be a special player this year, and he continues to impress the right people. Not only does Johnson have the respect of his teammates, but defensive coordinator Vance Bedford was the latest person to rave about the receiver.
“It’s like he's been jumping out the gym,” Bedford said. “He's been one-handing out there. I thought LeBron was out there catching rocks the other day.”
Johnson has caught the attention of everyone in the building.
From what I have been told, Johnson is currently viewed as a potential opening-day starter against Notre Dame. Right now, John Burt and Johnson are viewed as the Longhorns’ top receiving options. Nobody is concerned about Johnson’s playmaking ability because they believe he is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.
If Johnson continues to progress and stays healthy, he is a guy who should receive plenty of targets during the regular season. (Richardson)
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As we mentioned last weekend, UT tight end commitment Major Tennison made his way to Austin on Saturday for a bit of a surprise visit, taking in the Longhorns' spring practice.
In talking to Tennison, the visit has actually been in the works ever since he came in for UT's Junior Day in late February, and Tennison said last weekend's visit made a strong impression. More on the visit in a bit ...
Getting Tennison on campus was huge for Texas, with Tennison having taking recent visits to Alabama and Arkansas and openly wavering a bit on his UT pledge. Tennison has been pretty open from the jump that he has questions about UT's offense moving forward (primarily how the TEs will be used), and him getting to see things first-hand was a nice first step for Texas. The Horns will get another chance to impress the standout from Bullard when he comes back for the Orange-White game on April 16. Those two visits will help UT's cause, but Tennison is taking a very thorough approach and his viewpoint is similar to fans, media and everyone else watching Texas in 2016 - he wants to see the actual product in games before he finalizes his decision.
Up next, Tennison heads to Michigan on Friday for a weekend unofficial visit. That trip will be another key development, because I've always felt the Wolverines were the Horns' biggest threat.
Back to the UT visit ...
Key quote: "It was great just to get to see the tight end usage, get to see as of right now what I'll be a part of in year or two."
More .. "I got to see that Caleb Bluiett was in a lot. I felt like he was in almost 100 percent of the time, either going out or out of the backfield. They showed me one package they had just put in that week, where he got to go flex out and be a receiver in the slot. Other than that, it was just great to see how much he was in and part of the game plan."
Where things now stand: Seeing one practice wasn't going to slam the door shot on Tennison's recruitment, but it was one small step forward towards reeling in his commitment.
"The practice didn't hurt at all. I really liked what I saw. It was great to see the usage of the tight ends," Tennison said. "At same time, it's not a game against a real opponent, not the real deal yet. I'm still very open to other schools, but I love Texas, always have. I want it to work. From what I saw, it was really good to see."
No other visits scheduled for now: Aside from the Michigan trip and the return visit to the Forty Acres for UT's spring game, Tennison does not have any other trips on the books at this point. He did say he'd like to eventually make his way out to Georgia and he may take a return visit to Arkansas with his mother since she didn't get to accompany him the first time (that trip happened a couple weeks ago during his spring break).
My thoughts: Not a lot has changed for me on this one. Tennison loves UT and like he said, he wants it to work with the Longhorns, but nothing will be settled on this one until he gets to see the Texas offense on the field in the fall. (Suchomel)
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Texas signed five defensive tackles in the 2016 class. There has been speculation whether or not one or more of those players may be tried on the outside at defensive end. It looks like we have our answer.
I checked in with Euless Trinity product Chris Daniels this week and the Rivals250 member said he recently had an interesting conversation with the UT coaches.
Key quote: "About d-tackle, they actually want me to play d-end and a little d-tackle. They told me that a couple weeks ago," Daniels said. "I'm doing this new workout, shedding bad body weight, getting between 295 and 300. I'm doing the diet they gave me and working out on my own."
Daniels said a lot of places talked to him during his recruitment about playing some defensive end, but Texas is the first one who has told him that will be his primary position. According to Daniels, the UT coaches told him he'll spend about 90 percent of his time at end and 10 percent at tackle. He's fine with the move.
"I'm very athletic. Imagine if I lose 15 pounds," he said.
Cutting weight: Daniels said he's currently at about 325 pounds. He's trying to get to about 300 before he reports on June 2.
He does have experience playing defensive end after lining up at that position as a sophomore before transitioning to DT as a junior as a senior. To show a little of Daniels' versatility, when he was a freshman, he was a 6-2, 220 running back and defensive back running a 4.6.
"I don't think there's anyone else that's coming in our class that's playing both positions like me," Daniels said. "I feel that helps me."
Daniels said he's been doing more running and cardio of late and has been going back to the drills he worked when he was a freshman trying to improve his footwork and quickness. He feels he'll be able to shed some weight pretty easily.
"I kind of was eating bad stuff. It was like 'Man I'm training really hard but not getting the results,'" Daniels said. "This was before I got the packet (from UT). Now I'm losing fat around places that were fat, getting confidence."
Focus this spring: Along with his workouts, Daniels said his primary focus since Signing Day has been on his school work.
"I'm taking care of everything, my SAT, making sure I have everything clear and finish strong, have a 3.0 for the year," Daniels said.
In addition to the traditional work, Daniels is also writing essays for the UT drama club (Department of Theater and Dance) and working on recommendations from his current director to help him get into that program as well, carrying over a talent he has put on display in high school.
What he's hearing: Daniels and the majority of the rest of the 2016 class continue to communicate via a group text message. Center Zach Shackelford is among those on the group chat.
"They (the early enrollees) say it's hard, but if you grind, it'll come naturally," Elliott said. "They're all giving us some tips." (Suchomel)
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Looking for a possibility for UT's next commitment?
Keep an eye on Cedar Hill wide receiver Camron Buckley.
Texas was one of Buckley's first offers and the Longhorns are very high on his list (most feel Texas is the leader, although Buckley has not said that publicly).
This week, Buckley said he may make a decision in the next month or so. (Suchomel)
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Temple defensive end Taquon Graham, who holds a UT offer, will be at UT's practice on Saturday. He'll be coming in with Lake Dallas DB Kobe Boyce, who is hoping to pick up a Texas offer of his own.
Key quote: "I've been talking to the coaches. I've mainly been talking to coach Bedford. He's the one who has been recruiting me the most out of all of them," Boyce said. "Coach Haley hit me up, told me to come down there. The Texas Relays are this weekend too and they're having a scrimmage so they wanted me to come down there."
Could an offer be coming?
"It seemed like they wanted to offer for a while, but since they got coach Clay Jennings to coach DBs, things have slowed down but I feel like it's coming soon," Boyce said.
It won't shock me if Boyce picks up an offer this spring, but my guess is the coaches will wait to evaluate him a bit more this spring so Jennings can get a first-hand look at Boyce on the field. Texas will definitely be checking on him during the spring evaluation period, but Boyce thinks there's a chance he gets a UT offer before that period.
"They said they're going to come down and evaluate me, but I wouldn't be surprised if the offer came before then," he said. "But we'll just have to see."
Timeline: Boyce, who is creeping up on 15 offers, said he's waiting until the end of spring ball to narrow his list (at the earliest) because he wants to see if other schools jump into the race.
If Texas offers, Boyce said the Longhorns would be high on his list. Don't be surprised to see UT move to No. 1 with a bullet if a Texas offer is extended.
"They'd be up there. They may be the top, it just depends," Boyce said. "I just want to get to know the coaches a little better. I like the vibe up there. I just want to get a better relationship up there. That could determine if they'll be at the top but I feel like they would be."
Boyce will visit Texas A&M on Friday. Ole Miss and Mississippi State are also pushing hard for spring visits and Boyce said he's considering hitting those two campuses as well. (Suchomel)
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Now that a trip to the Windy City is in the rearview mirror, here’s a quick summary of what went down if you missed all of our reports this week from Chicago at the McDonald’s All-American events:
1) Look for Jarrett Allen to really start focusing on recruiting after he participates in the Nike Hoop Summit. The Hoop Summit, April 9th, is a pretty big deal and is basically a collection of the best USA players versus a roster of the best international players.
Once that’s done, Allen will start to really focus on recruiting. That being said, don’t think he hasn’t really focused on it some already. Although he’s a guy that really doesn’t like to discuss recruiting a ton publicly and spend time on it in that manner, after talking with him for about 15 minutes one-on-one I can assure you he’s thought about schools in heavy detail. He struck me as a deep thinker that’s really taken some time to examine things in a basketball and personality sense.
What’s going to matter to him the most? Relationship with a head coach and big man usage; specifically, he wants to play somewhere that offers that “home” feel and a head coach that will have a close relationship with him in college instead of just an assistant coach.
2) As for the kind of talent Allen is, he’s elite. But he’s not one-and-done elite. That’s not a knock, and there aren’t many of those prospects at all in a given cycle. Allen’s game and body right now suggest that he’s a multi-year college player, but he’s someone that as a junior could be All-American good. He’s smart; knows how to get to the right places on the floor on offense and defense; is very active with a good motor and uses his length and high-quality instincts; has legit skill and some intriguing mid-range touch; can really run the floor; and he’s a total team player.
Although I don’t think their games are the same, he’s someone I could see making a Brice Johnson-esque rise – flashes of brilliance and overall solid play as a freshman (but with way more minutes depending on where he goes), all-conference good as a sophomore, All-American good as a junior.
The chatter in Chicago regarding Allen’s recruitment was the same that we’ve mentioned before: Texas and Houston with other schools like Notre Dame and Kansas on the outside looking in, and the parents could be considered a burnt orange shade when it comes to its view.
3) Andrew Jones played just seven minutes – chalk that one up to an irresponsible coaching staff – in the McDonald’s All-American, but had two good practices and a solid scrimmage. The 6-4 Texas commitment was a willing, active defender that used his length to create issues, was dynamite in the pick-and-roll, and attacked with confidence. Basically, he belonged.
A couple things Jones mentioned aren’t that big of a surprise: He was recruiting Allen in Chicago, and he thinks Texas will play faster next season with the phase “showtime” being thrown out.
4) Reporters aren’t the only people at the McDonald’s All-American practices and game. NBA scouts and front office members were there in full force as well. After bumping in to a couple – keep in mind this is a small sample size – it sounded like junior point guard Isaiah Taylor is a fringe second-round pick, at least according to a couple of teams. The saying goes that it only takes one team to fall in love, so there’s no doubt he could be viewed differently by a couple teams. However, the people I talked to found Taylor intriguing, but not a strong enough prospect that would be drafted. Again, that’s just a couple views.
5) A lot of people had some positive things to say about Shaka Smart.
Thursday was the eighth practice of the spring and the first without QB Jerrod Heard. Here are a few notes the OB crew has picked up:
- It was a closed, full-pads practice for the sixth-straight time.
- The new (TUES, THURS, SAT) schedule may lead to better recovery time and not as much need to have shorts and shoulder pads practices nearly as often as in recent years.
- Everyone wants to know about the quarterback dynamic post-Jerrod Heard injury. The prevailing vibe from sources is that Tyrone Swoopes is the starter. It's important to note, though, that Shane Buechele is currently getting the reps with the ones that Heard would sometimes receive previously and is drawing consistently strong reviews for his growing command of the offense. It's all Buechele can ask to have a shot like this as a freshman.
- Thanks to these injuries at QB, Kai Locksley is reportedly finally getting some reps at QB in team drills. By all accounts, Locksley is a terrific athlete better suited to play another position. One person said he's better in team drills than 7-on-7 because at least in team drills he can pull the ball down and run.
- WR Deandre McNeal was noted by one person again tonight as having stood out in recent practices. This is actually after getting off to a bit of a rough start at camp per the source, where he'd had a bunch of uncharacteristic drops. McNeal is heating up and reportedly caught a big pass today from Swoopes on a crossing route from the slot.
- DT Paul Boyette is still in the pit. We don't really have any truly firm update on the injury at this time as we're continuing to be told it's "minor." Boyette has officially missed half of spring practice now, though, which is concerning. As mentioned in the update from Tuesday, the silver lining is extra reps for DT Chris Nelson who needs them.
- Names that continue getting mentioned more frequently than usual among sources to the OB staff are DE Charles Omenihu (who's apparently looking more and more like a starter every day on the strong side at near-265), RB D'Onta Foreman (who should start 2016 on every national RB award watch list), Nickel CB PJ Locke (who's had a great spring so far per sources and seemingly locked down the starting role for now) and, interestingly, WR Ryan Newsome (a player, perhaps like Deandre McNeal, who needed to turn things up this spring to show the staff he meant business). (Dunlap)
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Quarterback Jerrod Heard’s shoulder injury is technically a minor ailment.
However, the ramifications for Heard could result in a major setback in his hopes to dethrone Tyrone Swoopes.
Heard sustained a shoulder sprain in his throwing arm during Tuesday’s practice, which we reported on Wednesday. The quarterback fell on his shoulder during practice and sustained the minor injury. Nobody I spoke to is worried about Heard’s long-term health. Everybody believes Heard will probably be at 100 percent soon.
No problem, right?
Well, the problem for Heard his inability to participate in practices prior to the spring game could seal his backup spot on the depth chart.
According to my sources, there is a good chance Heard may not practice again before the spring game on April 16. There is a belief among the people within the building it might be better to rest Heard for the next two weeks to avoid further damaging his shoulder. The last thing anyone associated with the football program wants is to hurt Texas’ diminishing quarterback depth.
That is because if addition to Heard’s injury, we recently learned backup quarterback Matthew Merrick is battling a back injury, and he is not expected to play again during the spring. Merrick currently has fractures in his back, an injury that flared up recently. As of right now, there is not a timetable on Merrick’s return. Merrick was not in contention for playing time this season, but contributed in passing drills during practice.
Texas’ current quarterback depth chart is Swoopes, Shane Buechele and Kai Locksley. The current goal is for Heard and Merrick to get healthy and improve Texas’ depth behind Swoopes.
If Heard does not play again during the spring, Swoopes has a chance to be named the starting quarterback next month.
Texas coach Charlie Strong previously said he wanted to name a starting quarterback during the spring, even though offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert recently stated a decision may not be made soon. Gilbert said all the rights things, but from what I have been told, many people in the building believe Swoopes was going to beat out Heard eventually.
“He has been the best quarterback this spring. Swoopes was starting to pull away in the competition,” one source told me.
Swoopes has been viewed as the best quarterback to operate Gilbert’s system throughout the offseason. Before spring practice began, Swoopes was viewed as the number one quarterback, and it was always his job to lose. Heard was Swoopes’ closest competitor. Now Swoopes just needs to maintain his lead against Buechele to claim the top spot.
Buechele entered the No. 2 role during practice on Thursday, which is a positive move for the freshman. He has a live arm, puts in a lot of work off-the-field, and has shown a lot of confidence. Gilbert’s simplistic offense has helped Buechele excel in practice. Heard’s injury will give Buechele a chance to compete for the backup position. He is going to receive some of the first-team reps Heard collected during practice. He also has a chance to receive significant playing time during the spring game.
However, Buechele is still not viewed as a potential starter at this moment.
Obviously, if Buechele excels during the spring game, and Swoopes struggles, there is a chance he makes a run at the No. 1 spot. Right now, everyone in the building is pleased to see Buechele competing during practice, but nobody is ready to start a true freshman right now. It will be up to Buecehle to alleviate those concerns. (Richardson)
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If Locksley wants to be viewed as a quarterback at Texas, he needs to play on another level between now and the spring game.
Locksley has been elevated to third string as a result of Heard and Merrick’s injuries. He will finally have a chance to receive more reps in practice and being an afterthought since spring began. From the people I have talked to, Locksley has to make the most out of this opportunity because it may not come again.
There are two things Locksley needs to achieve during his window of opportunity.
First, Locksley must establish himself as a quarterback. Locksley must prove he can consistently make every throw, and elevate the play of everyone around him. There are still a good number of people who believe Locksley can be an elite receiver at Texas if he gave up on his desire to play quarterback. Since Locksley has resisted switching to receiver, he must prove the skeptics wrong.
In addition, it is essential that Locksley finds a way to win over the staff with a positive attitude. Locksley has rubbed some people the wrong way with his demeanor in practice. They do not want Locksley to simply tell them he is a good player. Instead, they want to see Locksley excel in practice, and let actions speak louder than his words.
Locksley tweeted “I’m not going anywhere” on Thursday, which sounds promising for Longhorn fans. However, I have been told if Locksley is not in the top three after spring practice, there is a chance he might transfer. Once Heard and Merrick are healthy, Locksley will move back down the depth chart, unless he shows a lot of progress during the next two weeks.
Locksley has an opportunity to play quarterback at Texas. However, his biggest challenge is making sure this is not the last chance. (Richardson)
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Now is the time to buy stock in freshman receiver Collin Johnson.
We have reported for weeks that Johnson has a chance to be a special player this year, and he continues to impress the right people. Not only does Johnson have the respect of his teammates, but defensive coordinator Vance Bedford was the latest person to rave about the receiver.
“It’s like he's been jumping out the gym,” Bedford said. “He's been one-handing out there. I thought LeBron was out there catching rocks the other day.”
Johnson has caught the attention of everyone in the building.
From what I have been told, Johnson is currently viewed as a potential opening-day starter against Notre Dame. Right now, John Burt and Johnson are viewed as the Longhorns’ top receiving options. Nobody is concerned about Johnson’s playmaking ability because they believe he is a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses.
If Johnson continues to progress and stays healthy, he is a guy who should receive plenty of targets during the regular season. (Richardson)
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As we mentioned last weekend, UT tight end commitment Major Tennison made his way to Austin on Saturday for a bit of a surprise visit, taking in the Longhorns' spring practice.
In talking to Tennison, the visit has actually been in the works ever since he came in for UT's Junior Day in late February, and Tennison said last weekend's visit made a strong impression. More on the visit in a bit ...
Getting Tennison on campus was huge for Texas, with Tennison having taking recent visits to Alabama and Arkansas and openly wavering a bit on his UT pledge. Tennison has been pretty open from the jump that he has questions about UT's offense moving forward (primarily how the TEs will be used), and him getting to see things first-hand was a nice first step for Texas. The Horns will get another chance to impress the standout from Bullard when he comes back for the Orange-White game on April 16. Those two visits will help UT's cause, but Tennison is taking a very thorough approach and his viewpoint is similar to fans, media and everyone else watching Texas in 2016 - he wants to see the actual product in games before he finalizes his decision.
Up next, Tennison heads to Michigan on Friday for a weekend unofficial visit. That trip will be another key development, because I've always felt the Wolverines were the Horns' biggest threat.
Back to the UT visit ...
Key quote: "It was great just to get to see the tight end usage, get to see as of right now what I'll be a part of in year or two."
More .. "I got to see that Caleb Bluiett was in a lot. I felt like he was in almost 100 percent of the time, either going out or out of the backfield. They showed me one package they had just put in that week, where he got to go flex out and be a receiver in the slot. Other than that, it was just great to see how much he was in and part of the game plan."
Where things now stand: Seeing one practice wasn't going to slam the door shot on Tennison's recruitment, but it was one small step forward towards reeling in his commitment.
"The practice didn't hurt at all. I really liked what I saw. It was great to see the usage of the tight ends," Tennison said. "At same time, it's not a game against a real opponent, not the real deal yet. I'm still very open to other schools, but I love Texas, always have. I want it to work. From what I saw, it was really good to see."
No other visits scheduled for now: Aside from the Michigan trip and the return visit to the Forty Acres for UT's spring game, Tennison does not have any other trips on the books at this point. He did say he'd like to eventually make his way out to Georgia and he may take a return visit to Arkansas with his mother since she didn't get to accompany him the first time (that trip happened a couple weeks ago during his spring break).
My thoughts: Not a lot has changed for me on this one. Tennison loves UT and like he said, he wants it to work with the Longhorns, but nothing will be settled on this one until he gets to see the Texas offense on the field in the fall. (Suchomel)
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Texas signed five defensive tackles in the 2016 class. There has been speculation whether or not one or more of those players may be tried on the outside at defensive end. It looks like we have our answer.
I checked in with Euless Trinity product Chris Daniels this week and the Rivals250 member said he recently had an interesting conversation with the UT coaches.
Key quote: "About d-tackle, they actually want me to play d-end and a little d-tackle. They told me that a couple weeks ago," Daniels said. "I'm doing this new workout, shedding bad body weight, getting between 295 and 300. I'm doing the diet they gave me and working out on my own."
Daniels said a lot of places talked to him during his recruitment about playing some defensive end, but Texas is the first one who has told him that will be his primary position. According to Daniels, the UT coaches told him he'll spend about 90 percent of his time at end and 10 percent at tackle. He's fine with the move.
"I'm very athletic. Imagine if I lose 15 pounds," he said.
Cutting weight: Daniels said he's currently at about 325 pounds. He's trying to get to about 300 before he reports on June 2.
He does have experience playing defensive end after lining up at that position as a sophomore before transitioning to DT as a junior as a senior. To show a little of Daniels' versatility, when he was a freshman, he was a 6-2, 220 running back and defensive back running a 4.6.
"I don't think there's anyone else that's coming in our class that's playing both positions like me," Daniels said. "I feel that helps me."
Daniels said he's been doing more running and cardio of late and has been going back to the drills he worked when he was a freshman trying to improve his footwork and quickness. He feels he'll be able to shed some weight pretty easily.
"I kind of was eating bad stuff. It was like 'Man I'm training really hard but not getting the results,'" Daniels said. "This was before I got the packet (from UT). Now I'm losing fat around places that were fat, getting confidence."
Focus this spring: Along with his workouts, Daniels said his primary focus since Signing Day has been on his school work.
"I'm taking care of everything, my SAT, making sure I have everything clear and finish strong, have a 3.0 for the year," Daniels said.
In addition to the traditional work, Daniels is also writing essays for the UT drama club (Department of Theater and Dance) and working on recommendations from his current director to help him get into that program as well, carrying over a talent he has put on display in high school.
What he's hearing: Daniels and the majority of the rest of the 2016 class continue to communicate via a group text message. Center Zach Shackelford is among those on the group chat.
"They (the early enrollees) say it's hard, but if you grind, it'll come naturally," Elliott said. "They're all giving us some tips." (Suchomel)
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Looking for a possibility for UT's next commitment?
Keep an eye on Cedar Hill wide receiver Camron Buckley.
Texas was one of Buckley's first offers and the Longhorns are very high on his list (most feel Texas is the leader, although Buckley has not said that publicly).
This week, Buckley said he may make a decision in the next month or so. (Suchomel)
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Temple defensive end Taquon Graham, who holds a UT offer, will be at UT's practice on Saturday. He'll be coming in with Lake Dallas DB Kobe Boyce, who is hoping to pick up a Texas offer of his own.
Key quote: "I've been talking to the coaches. I've mainly been talking to coach Bedford. He's the one who has been recruiting me the most out of all of them," Boyce said. "Coach Haley hit me up, told me to come down there. The Texas Relays are this weekend too and they're having a scrimmage so they wanted me to come down there."
Could an offer be coming?
"It seemed like they wanted to offer for a while, but since they got coach Clay Jennings to coach DBs, things have slowed down but I feel like it's coming soon," Boyce said.
It won't shock me if Boyce picks up an offer this spring, but my guess is the coaches will wait to evaluate him a bit more this spring so Jennings can get a first-hand look at Boyce on the field. Texas will definitely be checking on him during the spring evaluation period, but Boyce thinks there's a chance he gets a UT offer before that period.
"They said they're going to come down and evaluate me, but I wouldn't be surprised if the offer came before then," he said. "But we'll just have to see."
Timeline: Boyce, who is creeping up on 15 offers, said he's waiting until the end of spring ball to narrow his list (at the earliest) because he wants to see if other schools jump into the race.
If Texas offers, Boyce said the Longhorns would be high on his list. Don't be surprised to see UT move to No. 1 with a bullet if a Texas offer is extended.
"They'd be up there. They may be the top, it just depends," Boyce said. "I just want to get to know the coaches a little better. I like the vibe up there. I just want to get a better relationship up there. That could determine if they'll be at the top but I feel like they would be."
Boyce will visit Texas A&M on Friday. Ole Miss and Mississippi State are also pushing hard for spring visits and Boyce said he's considering hitting those two campuses as well. (Suchomel)
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Now that a trip to the Windy City is in the rearview mirror, here’s a quick summary of what went down if you missed all of our reports this week from Chicago at the McDonald’s All-American events:
1) Look for Jarrett Allen to really start focusing on recruiting after he participates in the Nike Hoop Summit. The Hoop Summit, April 9th, is a pretty big deal and is basically a collection of the best USA players versus a roster of the best international players.
Once that’s done, Allen will start to really focus on recruiting. That being said, don’t think he hasn’t really focused on it some already. Although he’s a guy that really doesn’t like to discuss recruiting a ton publicly and spend time on it in that manner, after talking with him for about 15 minutes one-on-one I can assure you he’s thought about schools in heavy detail. He struck me as a deep thinker that’s really taken some time to examine things in a basketball and personality sense.
What’s going to matter to him the most? Relationship with a head coach and big man usage; specifically, he wants to play somewhere that offers that “home” feel and a head coach that will have a close relationship with him in college instead of just an assistant coach.
2) As for the kind of talent Allen is, he’s elite. But he’s not one-and-done elite. That’s not a knock, and there aren’t many of those prospects at all in a given cycle. Allen’s game and body right now suggest that he’s a multi-year college player, but he’s someone that as a junior could be All-American good. He’s smart; knows how to get to the right places on the floor on offense and defense; is very active with a good motor and uses his length and high-quality instincts; has legit skill and some intriguing mid-range touch; can really run the floor; and he’s a total team player.
Although I don’t think their games are the same, he’s someone I could see making a Brice Johnson-esque rise – flashes of brilliance and overall solid play as a freshman (but with way more minutes depending on where he goes), all-conference good as a sophomore, All-American good as a junior.
The chatter in Chicago regarding Allen’s recruitment was the same that we’ve mentioned before: Texas and Houston with other schools like Notre Dame and Kansas on the outside looking in, and the parents could be considered a burnt orange shade when it comes to its view.
3) Andrew Jones played just seven minutes – chalk that one up to an irresponsible coaching staff – in the McDonald’s All-American, but had two good practices and a solid scrimmage. The 6-4 Texas commitment was a willing, active defender that used his length to create issues, was dynamite in the pick-and-roll, and attacked with confidence. Basically, he belonged.
A couple things Jones mentioned aren’t that big of a surprise: He was recruiting Allen in Chicago, and he thinks Texas will play faster next season with the phase “showtime” being thrown out.
4) Reporters aren’t the only people at the McDonald’s All-American practices and game. NBA scouts and front office members were there in full force as well. After bumping in to a couple – keep in mind this is a small sample size – it sounded like junior point guard Isaiah Taylor is a fringe second-round pick, at least according to a couple of teams. The saying goes that it only takes one team to fall in love, so there’s no doubt he could be viewed differently by a couple teams. However, the people I talked to found Taylor intriguing, but not a strong enough prospect that would be drafted. Again, that’s just a couple views.
5) A lot of people had some positive things to say about Shaka Smart.
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