After speaking to several high-level sources around the Big 12 and The University of Texas, it’s pretty clear that expansion is a topic that has created some uneasy tension.
In fact, I didn’t speak to a person this week who believes expansion is even going to happen at this point and multiple Big 12 Sources expressed that more than a little frustration existed.
“There’s zero agreement right now (among schools),” one Big 12 source told me on Thursday. “I’ve had some informal conversations with people around the league and no one is enthusiastic about how this has unfolded. This is being presented and paraded around as something that is definitely going to happen and that is just an inaccurate portrayal of where things stand.
“There’s been a lot of talk about schools that can get eight votes, but I’m telling you right now that there’s not a school that’s being mentioned that has as many as six votes. Just ask around.”
So, I did by checking in with a high-level Texas source and asked him if there was any school that currently has six votes among conference members.
“Not that I know of,” he told me.
Another Big 12 source specifically called out Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby for his role in what has turned out to be a mess of an expansion conversation.
“This is his deal,” the source said. “A lot of people are wondering how this ends and it’s going to be his job to land this thing softly if that is what is required, and it’s looking like that’s the likely scenario at this point."
The same source explained that there’s scuttlebutt around the league that some schools are concerned that the aloof nature that Texas has showed towards the entire discussion is a sign that it will use the Big 12 expansion issue as an excuse/reason for exploration of leaving the conference and that has been one of many factors towards a lot of jets cooling on the subject.
“The more this idea has been looked at, the worse it looks,” the source said. “It might not be dead, but I wouldn’t really suggest to anyone that it is truly alive, either.”
(Ketch)
*****
One of the biggest mysteries this season has been the disappearance of sophomore defensive back Holton Hill.
Last season, Hill stepped on campus with a talented group of freshmen defensive backs. Davante Davis, DeShon Elliott, Kris Boyd, P.J Locke and Hill were the confident group of freshmen expected to keep Texas’ DBU legacy alive. Each player was talented. Davis and Hill developed into key contributors in 2015.
Hill played in all 12 games for the Longhorns. He started in the last eight games and finished with 49 tackles and one interception. He also compiled three tackles on special teams. Hill and Davis were expected to hold down the cornerback position until they were seniors, assuming they were not fortunate enough to leave after their junior season.
However, the hype those players received might explain why Hill was not on the field last week and didn't start against Notre Dame.
Texas has played two games this season, and Hill didn't play in week two after seeing quite a few snaps in the opener. The situation is perplexing enough that I asked defensive coordinator Vance Bedford about it during his press conference on Wednesday, and that is when we received our first clue that Hill was not taking care of business behind the scenes.
“It’s a combination of a lot of things,” Bedford said. “First game, Kris Boyd didn’t get in there except for special teams. Guys have a hot hand. We’re trying to develop guys, rotate guys in there, and that’s part of what you’re seeing right now. We start moving guys around trying to find the right fit. The biggest thing you try to find (out) with you guys is (if) they can compete. You need to earn your way. These freshmen, a year ago, came in here and they walked around and they played and all of a sudden, people are saying, ‘Man, you guys did a great job.’ They were inconsistent last year. You saw flashes.
“Our thing right now is if you don’t come to practice every day and practice hard, or you have the opportunity to get in the game, and you don’t do what you’re supposed to do, there’s a good chance you might not touch that football field. That’s just where we are with a lot of those guys right now That’s like Kris Boyd didn’t play a lot in the first ball game. That’s part of it. We’re going to challenge these guys all the time to do things right all the time, be consistent in practice, and go do it in the game.”
Bedford’s answer prompted me to check with my sources, and Hill has definitely put himself in the doghouse.
From what I was told, there are high expectations in the building for Hill. Simply put, Hill has not met those expectations.
Right now, there are five defensive backs ahead of Hill on the depth chart. Those guys are Sheroid Evans, Antwuan Davis, Boyd, Davis and Locke (nickel back). That means Hill is currently the sixth defensive back in Texas’ rotation.
Here is last week’s snap breakdown for those defensive backs, according to Alex Dunlap: Davante Davis - 41 snaps (35 at RCB, 6 at LCB); 2 Kris Boyd - 27 snaps (23 at RCB, 4 at LCB), Sheroid Evans - 31 snaps, Antwuan Davis - 17 snaps and PJ Locke - 11 snaps.
In addition, my source told me two other things that stood out during our conversation.
1. That person told me that because they have so many quality cornerbacks, their performance in practice will determine who plays on Saturdays.
2. Meanwhile, I was told, “He (Hill) needed a little attitude adjustment.”
From what I can tell, there is still an opportunity for Hill to get playing time in the future, but his practice habits and performance need to improve. Meanwhile, he needs to display an acceptable attitude to everyone on staff. There is a simple reason why this must happen.
The more talent Texas coach Charlie Strong and his staff bring to Texas, the less they will have to deal with players who are not meeting their expectations. When they talk about wanting competition at every position, that also means players will not be able to start because the staff has options. It means if players do not buy in, they will be on the bench.
Hill’s lack of playing time is no longer a mystery.
Now it is up to Hill to solve the problem. (Richardson)
*****
Outside of Hill, the one player Texas fans have asked about is freshman linebacker Erick Fowler.
He was the last player to hit campus after becoming eligible this summer, and Fowler had been playing catch up since last month. Fowler has been in uniform the past two games, but has not played.
According to a source, I was told no decision has been made about redshirting Fowler this season.
In fact, I was told next week would be huge for Fowler.
Everyone in the building has been pleased with Fowler's progress after completing a month on campus. If Fowler wants to see the field this year, he needs to stand out during practice next week.
Texas plays Cal on Saturday, and next week is a bye for the team. The bye week is when young players receive a lot of reps as the starters rest. That means Fowler will receive more playing time in practice. If he plays well next week, he could work his way into the rotation. If not, Fowler might be looking at a redshirt season. (Richardson)
*****
Here's a brief "injury roundup," as a host of Texas players were held back versus UTEP:
S Dylan Haines - Was back at practice on Wednesday and is expected to play after sitting versus UTEP.
LT Connor Williams - He came back to practice this week and is expected by everyone we've spoken with to play versus Cal. There were rumors going around that Williams was in the concussion protocol late last week and during the UTEP game, but that remains unconfirmed by school officials.
TE Caleb Bluiett - No word as to the injury or ailment with Bluiett, but whatever it is appears to be minor. We're told by a team source that Bluiett practiced this week and is expected to go versus Cal after a week of almost exclusive Andrew Beck action at the position vs. UTEP.
RB D'Onta Foreman - We were told during the UTEP game that he could have played in that contest with a mild groin injury, but the staff elected to hold its best player back out of precaution. There is little doubt among sources close to the program that Foreman will be good to go versus Cal.
RG Kent Perkins - Perkins appeared somewhat injured during the ND game and exited/re-entered multiple times. We've been led to believe the week off was in an attempt to get him totally healthy, much like numerous others held back for precautionary purposes.
LG Patrick Vahe - Vahe is expected to play in a cast/club due to a presumed wrist/hand injury. He was at Wednesday's practice and a full participant; people close to him didn't even know he was wearing a cast so it's clearly not a major medical issue at this time.
FOX Breckyn Hager - He missed practice on Tuesday, but was back to full work on Wednesday. We're unsure of the exact nature of his setback, but it was clearly minor if he was given only the day off.
(Dunlap)
*****
Let's start off the recruiting portion of this week's War Room with a updates on a couple Rivals100 members the Longhorns are recruiting who are committed elsewhere.
First off, new UT offer Alex Leatherwood ...
The five-star Alabama offensive line commitment picked up a UT offer last Thursday. Leatherwood, out of Pensacola (FL) Washington, has been committed to Bama since June of last year. On the surface, it looked like Texas would be facing a near insurmountable task in getting him to consider the Longhorns. While it still feels like a longshot, Leatherwood told me this week he would like to get to Austin for a visit at some point.
Key quote: "I want to go check them out, check out the program, sit down and talk to coach (Charlie) Strong, the O-line coach," Leatherwood said.
A few factors to consider: Leatherwood's mother lives in Killeen, he's serious about his academics and he has one other connection to the UT program that can only help Texas' chances.
"My coach, he's actually really good friends with the strength coach there (Pat Moorer)," Leatherwood said.
How the offer went down: Leatherwood said Texas reached out to him on Twitter and he began texting with members of the UT staff. He eventually was put on the phone with Charlie Strong, at which time the offer was extended.
His thoughts on the offer ...
"I just like the tradition. And Charlie Strong himself. He's a great coach," Leatherwood said.
Friends with other UT prospects: Leatherwood is friends with a number of elite national prospects that he met at the Five-Star Challenge and at The Opening. That includes UT targets Marvin Wilson and Baron Browning. Leatherwood said those two are not recruiting him to Texas, but knowing they have an interest in the Longhorns is something he's aware of.
"That got mixed up. They're not recruiting me there," Leatherwood said. "I just know they had interest in that school, and they're two of my really good friends. That's what strengthens my interest in Texas, because my relationship with those two."
Upcoming visits: So far, Leatherwood has two official visits set up. He'll be at Michigan the weekend of October 1 for the Wisconsin game, and will be at Alabama the weekend of November 26 when the Crimson Tide hosts Auburn.
He does want to take all five of his visits, but said his remaining three are "up in the air" at this point.
Key factors: The 6-5, 298-pound Leatherwood wants to double major in engineering and business. Gotta love the ambition. As far as what a school like Michigan, Texas or anyone else would have to do to get him to seriously reconsider his Alabama commitment, Leatherwood said a few factors will weigh heavily into his final decision.
"It's not what they have to do. Just show me what they have the offer, then I'll weigh the two out and see what's best for me," Leatherwood said. "Academics will be a big part, then seeing how well I click with the offensive line coach, where Ii see the program going, things of that nature." (Suchomel)
******
Rivals100 defensive back Chevin Calloway committed to Iowa back in July, choosing the Hawkeyes over offers from just about every major program in the country. The Dallas Bishop Dunne prospect is keeping his options open just a bit, and he was in Austin a couple weeks ago for the Longhorns' season-opening win over Notre Dame.
Key quote: "It was a great experience. One of the best game I've been to in a while," Calloway said. "I had fun. I enjoyed it. My family enjoyed it. It was a big game, they gave us tickets, so we came down there and watched."
Calloway was accompanied on the unofficial visit by his mother, sister and stepfather. The Texas coaches didn't try to put a lot of recruiting pressure on Calloway, but made it clear he's still very much on their radar.
"They just told me they still very interested in me," Calloway said. "They told me to just watch how the season goes, let them know if I ever have a change of heart. Right now, I'm a strong commit to Iowa. But like I said, we'll see how the season goes, just continue to pray about things, see what happens, see how things go."
Upcoming visits: Calloway does not have any official visits lined up at this point. He's trying to set one up for Iowa and will either take that one in a couple weeks (against Northwestern on October 1) or wait until after the season.
He's also planning unofficial visits for Arkansas on November 12 and Ole Miss on October 15.
Thoughts on his Iowa commitment: Not many kids leave the state of Texas to go play at Iowa ... especially not those as high-profile as Calloway. The 5-10, 180-pounder said he's still happy with his decision, and it was a number of things that led him to pledge to the Hawkeyes.
"The graduation rate, the alumni base, the people down there are very genuine, the coaches' stability, development of players is very good," Calloway said. "Coach (Phil) Parker is a great coach, probably one of the best out there in college. That's what I like right now."
Distance away from home is something Calloway will have to deal with if he sticks with his commitment, and it sounds like he knows it could be tougher to overcome that obstacle as time goes on.
"If anything, I know it will be hard as far as family. Right now, I don't think about it, it's something that hasn't really registered. I'm not sure how it would be with them not seeing every game. That's something I'll have to think about," Calloway said.
Texas' success helping UT's cause: As is the case with most recruits, the Longhorns' fast start to the 2016 season has caught Calloway's attention.
"You think about it, a lot of guys, they'll say things like 'They're not good, Charlie Strong is not doing well.' But the guys playing right now are the guys Charlie recruited," Calloway said. "The guys last year and the year before, those were the guys Mack Brown recruited. The guys (Strong) recruited, they're really stepping up, big playmakers. He's serious about the guys they want. I think they're going to be good, but we'll see how it goes." (Suchomel)
******
A couple notes of interest on two UT commitments ...
Defensive backs Josh Thompson and Kobe Boyce will be taking official visits to TCU and Oklahoma, respectively.
Boyce's visit has been on the calendar for a while. He has maintained that he's solid with his UT pledge but wants to enjoy the process a bit, and I do believe that to be the case. Boyce's pledge seemed to solidify after his visit for the Longhorns' Under the Lights camp in July and then again after he took an unofficial visit for the Notre Dame game. Right now, I don't think there's any reason to panic with his commitment, but it's obviously worth watching any time a committed player takes a visit, particularly to a place like OU for a high-profile game against Ohio State.
(Note: Speaking of Ohio State-OU, in addition to Boyce, a number of UT targets, will be taking official visits to OU this weekend, including Marvin Wilson, Adrian Ealy, Jalen Reagor and Jeff Okudah).
With Thompson, the decision to take the TCU visit is a little more difficult to figure out. Thompson was committed to the Horned Frogs before flipping to Texas shortly after UT offered, so it's not like he's unfamiliar with the TCU program. And the Horned Frogs are hosting Iowa State at 11 a.m., so Thompson surely isn't going just to watch an exciting game.
This visit is a bit of a head-scratcher, but Thompson told me this week he has no intentions of opening up his recruitment
"Heck no," was Thompson's response when I asked if the Longhorns had anything to be worried about with the TCU visit. (Suchomel)
*****
One last note ... two committed WRs to watch for potential Texas official visits:
LSU commitment Mannie Netherly confirmed to us late last week that he wants to set up a visit to UT.
There were rumors early this week that Oklahoma commitment Jalen Reagor has set up an official visit to Texas. We're told that is not the case, but Reagor does want to take a UT visit and something could get set up in the future. (Suchomel)
In fact, I didn’t speak to a person this week who believes expansion is even going to happen at this point and multiple Big 12 Sources expressed that more than a little frustration existed.
“There’s zero agreement right now (among schools),” one Big 12 source told me on Thursday. “I’ve had some informal conversations with people around the league and no one is enthusiastic about how this has unfolded. This is being presented and paraded around as something that is definitely going to happen and that is just an inaccurate portrayal of where things stand.
“There’s been a lot of talk about schools that can get eight votes, but I’m telling you right now that there’s not a school that’s being mentioned that has as many as six votes. Just ask around.”
So, I did by checking in with a high-level Texas source and asked him if there was any school that currently has six votes among conference members.
“Not that I know of,” he told me.
Another Big 12 source specifically called out Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby for his role in what has turned out to be a mess of an expansion conversation.
“This is his deal,” the source said. “A lot of people are wondering how this ends and it’s going to be his job to land this thing softly if that is what is required, and it’s looking like that’s the likely scenario at this point."
The same source explained that there’s scuttlebutt around the league that some schools are concerned that the aloof nature that Texas has showed towards the entire discussion is a sign that it will use the Big 12 expansion issue as an excuse/reason for exploration of leaving the conference and that has been one of many factors towards a lot of jets cooling on the subject.
“The more this idea has been looked at, the worse it looks,” the source said. “It might not be dead, but I wouldn’t really suggest to anyone that it is truly alive, either.”
(Ketch)
*****
One of the biggest mysteries this season has been the disappearance of sophomore defensive back Holton Hill.
Last season, Hill stepped on campus with a talented group of freshmen defensive backs. Davante Davis, DeShon Elliott, Kris Boyd, P.J Locke and Hill were the confident group of freshmen expected to keep Texas’ DBU legacy alive. Each player was talented. Davis and Hill developed into key contributors in 2015.
Hill played in all 12 games for the Longhorns. He started in the last eight games and finished with 49 tackles and one interception. He also compiled three tackles on special teams. Hill and Davis were expected to hold down the cornerback position until they were seniors, assuming they were not fortunate enough to leave after their junior season.
However, the hype those players received might explain why Hill was not on the field last week and didn't start against Notre Dame.
Texas has played two games this season, and Hill didn't play in week two after seeing quite a few snaps in the opener. The situation is perplexing enough that I asked defensive coordinator Vance Bedford about it during his press conference on Wednesday, and that is when we received our first clue that Hill was not taking care of business behind the scenes.
“It’s a combination of a lot of things,” Bedford said. “First game, Kris Boyd didn’t get in there except for special teams. Guys have a hot hand. We’re trying to develop guys, rotate guys in there, and that’s part of what you’re seeing right now. We start moving guys around trying to find the right fit. The biggest thing you try to find (out) with you guys is (if) they can compete. You need to earn your way. These freshmen, a year ago, came in here and they walked around and they played and all of a sudden, people are saying, ‘Man, you guys did a great job.’ They were inconsistent last year. You saw flashes.
“Our thing right now is if you don’t come to practice every day and practice hard, or you have the opportunity to get in the game, and you don’t do what you’re supposed to do, there’s a good chance you might not touch that football field. That’s just where we are with a lot of those guys right now That’s like Kris Boyd didn’t play a lot in the first ball game. That’s part of it. We’re going to challenge these guys all the time to do things right all the time, be consistent in practice, and go do it in the game.”
Bedford’s answer prompted me to check with my sources, and Hill has definitely put himself in the doghouse.
From what I was told, there are high expectations in the building for Hill. Simply put, Hill has not met those expectations.
Right now, there are five defensive backs ahead of Hill on the depth chart. Those guys are Sheroid Evans, Antwuan Davis, Boyd, Davis and Locke (nickel back). That means Hill is currently the sixth defensive back in Texas’ rotation.
Here is last week’s snap breakdown for those defensive backs, according to Alex Dunlap: Davante Davis - 41 snaps (35 at RCB, 6 at LCB); 2 Kris Boyd - 27 snaps (23 at RCB, 4 at LCB), Sheroid Evans - 31 snaps, Antwuan Davis - 17 snaps and PJ Locke - 11 snaps.
In addition, my source told me two other things that stood out during our conversation.
1. That person told me that because they have so many quality cornerbacks, their performance in practice will determine who plays on Saturdays.
2. Meanwhile, I was told, “He (Hill) needed a little attitude adjustment.”
From what I can tell, there is still an opportunity for Hill to get playing time in the future, but his practice habits and performance need to improve. Meanwhile, he needs to display an acceptable attitude to everyone on staff. There is a simple reason why this must happen.
The more talent Texas coach Charlie Strong and his staff bring to Texas, the less they will have to deal with players who are not meeting their expectations. When they talk about wanting competition at every position, that also means players will not be able to start because the staff has options. It means if players do not buy in, they will be on the bench.
Hill’s lack of playing time is no longer a mystery.
Now it is up to Hill to solve the problem. (Richardson)
*****
Outside of Hill, the one player Texas fans have asked about is freshman linebacker Erick Fowler.
He was the last player to hit campus after becoming eligible this summer, and Fowler had been playing catch up since last month. Fowler has been in uniform the past two games, but has not played.
According to a source, I was told no decision has been made about redshirting Fowler this season.
In fact, I was told next week would be huge for Fowler.
Everyone in the building has been pleased with Fowler's progress after completing a month on campus. If Fowler wants to see the field this year, he needs to stand out during practice next week.
Texas plays Cal on Saturday, and next week is a bye for the team. The bye week is when young players receive a lot of reps as the starters rest. That means Fowler will receive more playing time in practice. If he plays well next week, he could work his way into the rotation. If not, Fowler might be looking at a redshirt season. (Richardson)
*****
Here's a brief "injury roundup," as a host of Texas players were held back versus UTEP:
S Dylan Haines - Was back at practice on Wednesday and is expected to play after sitting versus UTEP.
LT Connor Williams - He came back to practice this week and is expected by everyone we've spoken with to play versus Cal. There were rumors going around that Williams was in the concussion protocol late last week and during the UTEP game, but that remains unconfirmed by school officials.
TE Caleb Bluiett - No word as to the injury or ailment with Bluiett, but whatever it is appears to be minor. We're told by a team source that Bluiett practiced this week and is expected to go versus Cal after a week of almost exclusive Andrew Beck action at the position vs. UTEP.
RB D'Onta Foreman - We were told during the UTEP game that he could have played in that contest with a mild groin injury, but the staff elected to hold its best player back out of precaution. There is little doubt among sources close to the program that Foreman will be good to go versus Cal.
RG Kent Perkins - Perkins appeared somewhat injured during the ND game and exited/re-entered multiple times. We've been led to believe the week off was in an attempt to get him totally healthy, much like numerous others held back for precautionary purposes.
LG Patrick Vahe - Vahe is expected to play in a cast/club due to a presumed wrist/hand injury. He was at Wednesday's practice and a full participant; people close to him didn't even know he was wearing a cast so it's clearly not a major medical issue at this time.
FOX Breckyn Hager - He missed practice on Tuesday, but was back to full work on Wednesday. We're unsure of the exact nature of his setback, but it was clearly minor if he was given only the day off.
(Dunlap)
*****
Let's start off the recruiting portion of this week's War Room with a updates on a couple Rivals100 members the Longhorns are recruiting who are committed elsewhere.
First off, new UT offer Alex Leatherwood ...
The five-star Alabama offensive line commitment picked up a UT offer last Thursday. Leatherwood, out of Pensacola (FL) Washington, has been committed to Bama since June of last year. On the surface, it looked like Texas would be facing a near insurmountable task in getting him to consider the Longhorns. While it still feels like a longshot, Leatherwood told me this week he would like to get to Austin for a visit at some point.
Key quote: "I want to go check them out, check out the program, sit down and talk to coach (Charlie) Strong, the O-line coach," Leatherwood said.
A few factors to consider: Leatherwood's mother lives in Killeen, he's serious about his academics and he has one other connection to the UT program that can only help Texas' chances.
"My coach, he's actually really good friends with the strength coach there (Pat Moorer)," Leatherwood said.
How the offer went down: Leatherwood said Texas reached out to him on Twitter and he began texting with members of the UT staff. He eventually was put on the phone with Charlie Strong, at which time the offer was extended.
His thoughts on the offer ...
"I just like the tradition. And Charlie Strong himself. He's a great coach," Leatherwood said.
Friends with other UT prospects: Leatherwood is friends with a number of elite national prospects that he met at the Five-Star Challenge and at The Opening. That includes UT targets Marvin Wilson and Baron Browning. Leatherwood said those two are not recruiting him to Texas, but knowing they have an interest in the Longhorns is something he's aware of.
"That got mixed up. They're not recruiting me there," Leatherwood said. "I just know they had interest in that school, and they're two of my really good friends. That's what strengthens my interest in Texas, because my relationship with those two."
Upcoming visits: So far, Leatherwood has two official visits set up. He'll be at Michigan the weekend of October 1 for the Wisconsin game, and will be at Alabama the weekend of November 26 when the Crimson Tide hosts Auburn.
He does want to take all five of his visits, but said his remaining three are "up in the air" at this point.
Key factors: The 6-5, 298-pound Leatherwood wants to double major in engineering and business. Gotta love the ambition. As far as what a school like Michigan, Texas or anyone else would have to do to get him to seriously reconsider his Alabama commitment, Leatherwood said a few factors will weigh heavily into his final decision.
"It's not what they have to do. Just show me what they have the offer, then I'll weigh the two out and see what's best for me," Leatherwood said. "Academics will be a big part, then seeing how well I click with the offensive line coach, where Ii see the program going, things of that nature." (Suchomel)
******
Rivals100 defensive back Chevin Calloway committed to Iowa back in July, choosing the Hawkeyes over offers from just about every major program in the country. The Dallas Bishop Dunne prospect is keeping his options open just a bit, and he was in Austin a couple weeks ago for the Longhorns' season-opening win over Notre Dame.
Key quote: "It was a great experience. One of the best game I've been to in a while," Calloway said. "I had fun. I enjoyed it. My family enjoyed it. It was a big game, they gave us tickets, so we came down there and watched."
Calloway was accompanied on the unofficial visit by his mother, sister and stepfather. The Texas coaches didn't try to put a lot of recruiting pressure on Calloway, but made it clear he's still very much on their radar.
"They just told me they still very interested in me," Calloway said. "They told me to just watch how the season goes, let them know if I ever have a change of heart. Right now, I'm a strong commit to Iowa. But like I said, we'll see how the season goes, just continue to pray about things, see what happens, see how things go."
Upcoming visits: Calloway does not have any official visits lined up at this point. He's trying to set one up for Iowa and will either take that one in a couple weeks (against Northwestern on October 1) or wait until after the season.
He's also planning unofficial visits for Arkansas on November 12 and Ole Miss on October 15.
Thoughts on his Iowa commitment: Not many kids leave the state of Texas to go play at Iowa ... especially not those as high-profile as Calloway. The 5-10, 180-pounder said he's still happy with his decision, and it was a number of things that led him to pledge to the Hawkeyes.
"The graduation rate, the alumni base, the people down there are very genuine, the coaches' stability, development of players is very good," Calloway said. "Coach (Phil) Parker is a great coach, probably one of the best out there in college. That's what I like right now."
Distance away from home is something Calloway will have to deal with if he sticks with his commitment, and it sounds like he knows it could be tougher to overcome that obstacle as time goes on.
"If anything, I know it will be hard as far as family. Right now, I don't think about it, it's something that hasn't really registered. I'm not sure how it would be with them not seeing every game. That's something I'll have to think about," Calloway said.
Texas' success helping UT's cause: As is the case with most recruits, the Longhorns' fast start to the 2016 season has caught Calloway's attention.
"You think about it, a lot of guys, they'll say things like 'They're not good, Charlie Strong is not doing well.' But the guys playing right now are the guys Charlie recruited," Calloway said. "The guys last year and the year before, those were the guys Mack Brown recruited. The guys (Strong) recruited, they're really stepping up, big playmakers. He's serious about the guys they want. I think they're going to be good, but we'll see how it goes." (Suchomel)
******
A couple notes of interest on two UT commitments ...
Defensive backs Josh Thompson and Kobe Boyce will be taking official visits to TCU and Oklahoma, respectively.
Boyce's visit has been on the calendar for a while. He has maintained that he's solid with his UT pledge but wants to enjoy the process a bit, and I do believe that to be the case. Boyce's pledge seemed to solidify after his visit for the Longhorns' Under the Lights camp in July and then again after he took an unofficial visit for the Notre Dame game. Right now, I don't think there's any reason to panic with his commitment, but it's obviously worth watching any time a committed player takes a visit, particularly to a place like OU for a high-profile game against Ohio State.
(Note: Speaking of Ohio State-OU, in addition to Boyce, a number of UT targets, will be taking official visits to OU this weekend, including Marvin Wilson, Adrian Ealy, Jalen Reagor and Jeff Okudah).
With Thompson, the decision to take the TCU visit is a little more difficult to figure out. Thompson was committed to the Horned Frogs before flipping to Texas shortly after UT offered, so it's not like he's unfamiliar with the TCU program. And the Horned Frogs are hosting Iowa State at 11 a.m., so Thompson surely isn't going just to watch an exciting game.
This visit is a bit of a head-scratcher, but Thompson told me this week he has no intentions of opening up his recruitment
"Heck no," was Thompson's response when I asked if the Longhorns had anything to be worried about with the TCU visit. (Suchomel)
*****
One last note ... two committed WRs to watch for potential Texas official visits:
LSU commitment Mannie Netherly confirmed to us late last week that he wants to set up a visit to UT.
There were rumors early this week that Oklahoma commitment Jalen Reagor has set up an official visit to Texas. We're told that is not the case, but Reagor does want to take a UT visit and something could get set up in the future. (Suchomel)
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