Texas Card House is the official sponsor of this week's War Room.
Visit www.TexasCardHouse.com for more information.
The majority of Texas football fans know coach Tom Herman addressed reporters during a televised interview session on Thursday during Big 12 Media Days in Frisco.
However, Herman had a breakout session a few hours later with reporters.
For those who are unfamiliar with the terminology, Herman spoke for 90 minutes on a smaller podium to reporters who wanted to ask questions. I was at the breakout session, and reporters began camping out to get a good spot nearly an hour before Herman was slated to speak. Some reporters were concerned that if they waited too long, they would be too far back and unable to hear the first-year coach. Yes, I was one of the reporters who camped out in order to have a front row spot for Herman.
Before I get into specifics, I believe Herman killed his breakout session. This is the fourth Big 12 Media Day session I have covered, and many coaches are over it around the 45 minute to hour mark. They are accustomed the answering questions for no more than 30 minutes (that is on a great day), so most have nothing to say an hour later during media days. However, Herman was going strong 90 minutes later, and even had a smaller media session afterwards to give reporters a few more nuggets. He was the last coach in the building and it seemed like he could go another hour if necessary.
In addition, Longhorn offensive tackle Connor Williams, punter Michael Dickson, linebacker Naashon Hughes and defensive back P.J. Locke addressed the media during that 90-minute time span. Here are the quotes and topics that stood out to me during that timeframe.
Just for general housekeeping, tight end Kendall Moore, receiver Damion Miller and defensive tackle Jamari Chisholm have not enrolled yet. Each player is expected to be at UT for fall camp.
Running back Chris Warren has been fully cleared to participate in practice. He recently had a case of the mumps, but Herman expects him to be a heavy contributor on offense this season.
As Longhorn fans know, Herman has wanted to see more from Buechele this offseason. Here is what Herman said about Buechele: “The players have said they hear him more, talking more. Shane’s area of improvement was never intensity or work ethic or desire or time. It was how do I go from freshman guy who’s humble and reserved to begin with that’s thrust into the starting quarterback job as a true freshman at the university of Texas, and I’m just trying to keep my own house in order and keep my head above water to, ‘Hey, I’ve got to be this vocal leader and motivate and encourage and sometimes discipline and get on my teammates.’ That’s a big transition. For him, that’s something I’ve seen him get a lot better at. Is he there yet? Is he a finished product? No, but he’s moving in the right direction.”
Herman was lukewarm about Buechele’s performance during his television podium session on Tuesday. When asked about it again during the breakout session, Herman once again said he is not impressed by players in t-shirts and shorts. After the third question about it, Herman finally said, “If they’re going to keep score, you might as well win the damn thing. That was good that he won something they were keeping score of, but Uncle Rico could throw the ball in shorts and a t-shirt, right? You don’t play quarterbacks in shorts and a t-shirt. That’s a Napoleon Dynamite reference, by the way. You play it on Friday in July at 6 p.m. when your team is gassed and you give them the one last pep talk to get them through the one last gasser, and you play it in the fourth quarter at DKR stadium. It’s a great accomplishment, and I’m glad he won it since they were keeping score, but I don’t think it tells us a whole lot about him. “
Herman said one of his main goals this offseason was to make sure nobody believed his job was safe. From Connor Williams to the third-string player, he wanted each player to work hard during the offseason.
As much as Herman loves Locke, he chewed out one of his favorite players this offseason. Why? Locke left his water bottle in the player’s lounge. Herman said, “Called a meeting with him and his position coach. I undressed his position coach and him for leaving his water bottle where he couldn’t have access to it. Does that matter? Yeah, it matters. You know why it matters? Because we told you that you have to have your water bottle on you at all times. If you don’t have your water bottle on you at all times, it means you’re defiant. It means you’re saying to me you don’t believe in what we’re doing, or you think you have a better way of doing it.”
When asked if the players fear him, Herman said, “They better.” He then compared himself to being a dad: “Going to love the hell out of the players, but the parental concept of love is discipline. That love is manifested in discipline and tough love at times, but also manifested in pride and genuine belief in someone.”
Herman has been very happy with how players have become stronger and look better than the group he saw during winter conditioning. He does not want players to let up now and lose all of the momentum they gained during the summer.
Here was Herman’s response when asked to describe his team’s offense: “Offensive system as a pro-spread. We’ll run NFL concepts. Will run two-back power, two-back counter. Inside zone, outside zone. Play-action pass and throw the ball deep. Boot naked and throw the ball short. We just happened to do it from the shotgun to where you have to defend the threat of the quarterback running the football. That’s something in the NFL they don’t do. The simple math will tell you a guy takes the ball from center, he turns around and hands that ball to a guy to carry it, this guy can’t block anymore, and that guy can’t block for himself, so you’re playing nine-on-11. Whereas if he takes the snap here, and there’s a read element to it in the run game, where at least it’s 10-on-11, where they have to have account for the quarterback running the football. Other than that, NFL style routes, concepts, runs, you name it. Yeah, we’re spread, but our tight end is a lot like a fullback in the NFL. It’s very NFL-like. We just happen to be doing it in the shotgun.”
In addition, this was Herman’s response when asked about the quarterback needed for his system: “For offense to be successful, don’t have to be a home run hitter. Don’t have to be Braxton Miller or Greg Ward Jr. If you consistently make the defense play eight, 10-yards a pop every time you keep the football, eventually you’re going to drive a defensive coordinator bananas. That’s probably what Shane is. He’s a singles and doubles hitter, a lot like J.T. Barrett was for us at Ohio State.”
I asked Herman if he felt his defensive line could consistently apply pressure to the quarterback. He told me yes: “But, it’s going to come from what coach Orlando and the defensive staff call in terms of pressure. If you line up in a 3-4, and you line up your ends against the offensive tackles, and your nose guard head-up the center, you’re going to get a good pass rush? No, you’re not going to because the angles and all of that stuff are not there. What do you have to do? You have to move them, you’ve got to bring linebackers, bring four guys, bring five guys, and still be sound on the back end. Now, kick us over to a 4-3 where you’re on the outside edge of the guard, and the outside edge of the tackles, and yeah, you have a chance with guys like Malcolm who can do that at defensive edge. I think the pressure on quarterback is going to come from slanting and moving and brining people. Not necessarily the blitzers always being the one getting home, but the fact that you are blitzing one or two guys allows the defensive lineman to get on the edge of an offensive lineman to get free.”
Michael Dickson
He was asked why punters do not get enough respect. Dickson said, “It’s because during the year, and during fall camp, everyone is out there running and dying, and I’m out there kicking. They get mad that we’re not out there running, tackling and doing all of that other stuff. At the end of the day, why would we be doing that?”
I asked Dickson what it was like to be at Big 12 Media Days, a big preseason event, after playing football for only a few years. Dickson said, “It is surreal. I didn’t really have a chance to look back and see everything I’ve done last Friday until we were out with the specialists and DBs on the boat. It was really kind of cliché, but I was at the back of the boat, the sun was setting, and I was really thinking back. I was kind of blown away at how quickly everything has happened, what level I’ve made it to, how I’m playing and starting at the University of Texas. It all really sunk in that day.
Dickson said the difference between his performance between year one and two has been mental. He has relied more on muscle memory and been able to relax on the field: “I wasn’t able to take in the whole experience, I really wasn’t able to take it in then either. I feel like I moved on pretty quickly from all that and took it week by week, practice by practice. I was just more focused on trying to hit the ball and more obsessed over that.”
Dickson’s parents and his sister are planning to live in Austin for a month during the regular season. They will stay at an Air BNB and catch four games while in Texas.
I asked Dickson, an Australian native, to name his favorite restaurant in Austin. He said, “I don’t know if it’s only in Austin, but I like BJ’s (Restaurant and Brewhouse). I get the guacamole burger with the pizookie cookies and cream. After a game, I’d go there. I’d get their pizza as my appetizer, get that burger as my main, and they the full sized pizookie. The waitresses and waiter would laugh every time.”
Dickson’s other food spots are Chi’lantro, a Korean BBQ restaurant, and P. Terry’s. He has never eaten from a food truck in Austin. In addition, Dickson is not a huge BBQ fan: “It’s too smoky.”
However, Longhorn assistant football coach Craig Naivar (special teams coach) recently make brisket for his players, and Dickson did enjoy that: “He had some good logs, some aged logs, and cooked them for 12 hours. That was good brisket.” Apparently, that has been Dickson’s only positive BBQ experience in Texas.
Connor Williams
Williams told me he is blocking out all of the hype about him being a potential first-round pick. When I asked Williams about it, he said, “It’s pretty easy when you focus on your team. When you focus on the main goal, which is take it day by day with your team, and grow as a unit so we can be the best team and bring Texas back on top.”
When asked about what Herman has taught the team, Williams said the coach has focused more on culture than Xs and Os. Herman wants players to work hard in practice and learn how to lead.
This is why Williams believes Texas’ offensive line is the strongest unit on this year’s team: “Six guys have started before, and it’s awesome to have that depth. That depth allows for them to become leaders and help bring up younger guys. It’s a good thing. We are one of the strongest positions on the team. I feel like we’re the backbone to the offense ... I definitely feel like we’re the strongest, got the most depth, and the tightest unit right now than in the past. We just go out and push each other every day and we coach each other. It can be a three coaching a one. It doesn’t matter. We’re all just trying to get each other better to reach our final destination.”
Williams praised Patrick Hudson during media days. Here is what he said about Denzel Okafor: “He’s done a great job. He’s become very mature. He listens, he focuses, and you can tell he sincerely wants to get better. He wants to listen and wants to be coached.”
In addition, Williams had high praise for Jake McMillon: “Jake’s a mauler. He’s an all-around athlete. He played d-line and got moved to o-line. He’s a key contributor to the offense line, and he’s one of the main leaders on the offensive line. He comes out and he’ll work his tail off every day for you. He’s just a tremendous player. Very unselfish.”
P.J. Locke
Locke has been identified as a team leader by Herman. The defensive back was asked if he tries to motivate players differently and said, “We call it KYP – know your personnel. Chris (Brown) might be this super hype guy who you never to tell nothing, but Donovan Duvernay might be the kind of guy you have to talk to every morning. You’ve got to just know who you’re talking to. A guy like Chris might respond better if you yell at him, where a guy like Donovan, you’ve got to sit down and talk to him and let him know that’s not the right way to do things. You have to take different approaches. I didn’t realize that until coach Herman brought it to my attention. I feel like now everybody is starting to buy in and care for one another.”
Here are the players who have impressed Locke this offseason: “All of the freshmen right now. Josh Thompson, Montrell (Estell) and Kobe (Boyce), all coming along, all coming in with a chip on their shoulder and competing for a starting job because nobody’s job is safe. DeShon Elliott has grown up so much and matured. He’s starting to be that alpha dog and being the voice on the team that everybody responds to. Chris Brown is also starting to come along and make his name known. Kind of makes the person in front of him on the depth chart pick his game up. Then you’ve got Kris Boyd. He’s starting to really mature. He has a voice on this team that he doesn’t even know he has. He had a little situation and he told somebody to chill out, that’s not the way we do something. They just really straightened up. We still have Holton Hill and Davante (Davis). They’re really starting to lock in and come along and understand they need to have a better season than they did last year and be more focused. They’re starting to really mature. They’re starting to see a lot of success in the weight room, and it’s starting to show on the field. They were both were competing for the most amount of picks in spring ball. Davante may of had 13, and Hollywood (Hill) had 11.”
I only had two minutes with Hughes, and I will share his thoughts in The Sunday Pulpit. (Richardson)
*****
The Longhorns will host their final camp of the 2017 summer on Friday night, when Texas holds its first ever Stars at Night Showcase.
The camp should feature a large number of top 2018, 2019 and 2010 UT targets, including a number of the Horns’ 2018 commitments.
OB will be on hand to cover the camp once it ends (it’s close to the media), but Friday night should be another recruiting success for Tom Herman and the Texas staff as the Longhorns continue to make positive impressions on the top prospects on the coaches’ recruiting board.
Looking for commitments? I’m not sure there will be those types of fireworks, but here are a few of the top names we’re expecting to attend:
QB Casey Thompson
QB Roschon Johnson (2019)
QB Grant Tisdale (2019)
RB Jase McClellan (2020)
WR Al’Vonte Woodard
WR Theo Wease (2019)
WR Arjei Henderson (2019)
WR Marquez Beason (2019)
WR Jordan Whittington (2019)
OL Reese MooreOL Jarrett Patterson
OL Branson Bragg (2019)
OL E.J. Ndoma-Ogar (2019)
DT Tre Brown
DT Keondre Coburn
DT Jordan Redmond
DT Lloyd Murray (2019)
DE Joseph Ossai
DE Jason Mercier
LB Byron Hobbs
LB DaShaun White
LB Marcel Brooks (2019)
CB Jalen Green
CB D’Shawn Jamison
CB Derek Stingley (2019 … maybe)
DB Caden Sterns
S B.J. Foser
S DeMarvion Overshown (maybe)
******
We touched on the Longhorns’ top offensive targets in last week’s War Room, discussing where Texas stands with each prospect. Time to hit on the top defensive prospects on the board.
DE Joseph Ossai– He’s always called Texas A&M his dream school so I’ve always had the Aggies pegged as his leader, but Ossai continues to show up on UT’s campus so this one is getting more and more interesting. He’ll visit again on Friday. I’m still calling A&M the leader but Texas is very much in play here. Texas’ chances … 40 percent and rising.
DE Ronnie Perkins – He was planning to visit Texas this weekend with UT commitment Dele Adeoye, but those plans fell through. Perkins will make it to campus at some point and while Texas is a strong contender here (especially with Adeoye actively recruiting on UT’s behalf), OU has always been thought of as the leader, even with the coaching change. Texas’ chances … 35%.
DE Daniel Carson– He holds a UT offer and the Longhorns have made his list of favorites, but until he visits it’s hard to give Texas too much of a shot in this one. Texas’ chances … 20%.
DT Keondre Coburn – I’ve had Texas as the heavy favorite in this one for months and I’m not about to change. It just makes too much sense. He’s one that I’ll be monitoring closely on Friday. Texas’ chances … 75%.
DT Bobby Brown – He’ll visit Texas on Friday so the Longhorns will have their chance to make an impression and make up ground. Right now, Texas A&M and Florida State are the teams to beat. It’ll be interesting to hear what Brown says after this week’s visit. Texas’ chances … 35%.
DT Jordan Redmond – He’ll camp at Texas on Friday. If he performs well, he could put himself squarely in the mix for an offer at some point considering the need at DT. Texas’ chances … too early to tell.
LB Byron Hobbs – He’s locked in to Texas. No need to worry about this one.
LB Ayodele Adeoye – He’s been vocally recruiting for Texas ever since committing, but it won’t shock me at some point if he looks at another school or two. That’s just the usual nature of out-of-state commitments. But I think he sticks with UT in the end thanks in large part to his relationship with Todd Orlando.
LBAmari Gainer – He does like Texas a lot, but pulling a kid who is committed to Florida State out of Tallahassee is going to be a tall order. Texas’ chances … 25%.
LB DaShaun White – Interesting one to watch. If he can perform well at Friday’s camp like he did at the Rivals camp in the spring where he earned LB MVP, an offer could be a possibility. In fact, White tells me he’ll be meeting with the staff early and on campus all day.
DB Caden Sterns – He’s locked in to his UT commitment. No need to worry about this one.
DB B.J. Foster – Same as Sterns. Locked in.
DB DeMarvion Overshown – Lots of talk that Overshown could grow into a LB at some point but he’s a few years away from that, IMO. He’s been pro Texas for so long I’d be shocked if he looked anywhere else.
DB D'Shawn Jamison – Anything other than Texas would be a big shock, especially now that Al’Vonte Woodard is on board. Texas’ chances … 84%.
DB Jalen Green – Texas is in his top five and the Longhorns are strong leaders for this one as it stands now. Texas’ chances … 70%.
DB Anthony Cook – After having talked to Cook a couple times this summer, it just feels like Ohio State is the team to beat right now. But if Texas plays well in the fall and builds some momentum, the Longhorns could eventually win out. Texas' chances ... 40%
******
Texas extended a bit of a second offer to Cuero 2019 athlete Jordan Whittington this week. Whittington had previously been offered as a defensive back but the Longhorns circled back last weekend and also offered him as a wide receiver, the position Whittington prefers.
It was a smart move, because Whittington was considering making a commitment this month, and the choice likely would have been Texas A&M since the Aggies were recruiting him as a receiver while Texas had been recruiting him solely as a defensive back. With Texas now offering Whitting as a receiver (although I do think he has a higher ceiling as a DB), the Longhorns are probably on even footing with A&M and may even lead.
Whittington visited A&M on Thursday and will visit Texas on Friday for the Stars at Night camp. He wants to visit UCLA and Florida, the other schools that round out his final four, at some point this summer.
Whittington’s thoughts on his four favorites …
Texas – “I love the coaching staff, love the tradition. It reminds me a lot of where I’m at right now in Cuero. I like the fan support and how they have their own network.”
Texas A&M – “The fan support. I like the coaches. The offense, I like where they’d put me, like a Christian Kirk type. And their academics.”
UCLA – “That was the best campus, to me. I like the coaches, the offensive style how they throw the ball. I like the quarterbacks they have coming in – like DTR (Dorian Thompson-Robinson).”
Florida – “It’s just the same things as A&M.” (Suchomel)
******
2019 Rivals100 CB Derek Stingley Jr was hoping to make it back to Austin on Friday for UT’s camp but he told me late this week he wasn’t able to find a ride.
Stingley, who visited UT in June, said he’s taking things slowly but Texas is still in a really good spot for him.
“I just like the way everybody, like the coaches, how their personalities are. It was all upbeat,” Stingley said. “The campus looked pretty nice. Texas, it’s just a n ice place, a nice place. They’re going to do big things.
“I like coach (Jason) Washington the most. He gave me the tour, so he was introducing me to everyone. He made me laugh a couple times.”
Stingley visited Florida this week. Other than a possible summer visit to Texas at some point, he said he doesn’t have any other trips in the works. Ways to go on this one but Stingley’s interest in UT is legitimate, and vice versa. (Suchomel)
******
2019 Rivals100 wide receiver Jalen Curry doesn’t have a UT offer yet, but the Stafford product said the Longhorns are a school that he’ll heavily consider if Texas does extend a scholarship.
Curry, who measured in at 6-2 and 198 pounds at last week’s Prime21 camp, said he’s keeping an open mind at this early stage of the recruiting race.
“There’s not really anyone standing out,” Curry said. “All of them are just touching base with me, seeing how I’m doing and telling me they really want me to come.”
Included in the group of schools staying in touch is Texas. Curry visited UT in February and the Longhorns have some help from current player Chris Brown.
“Texas is recruiting me a little bit. My cousin, Chris Brown, goes there, so he’s also recruiting me to come there as well,” Curry said. “I just need to take another visit there and hopefully get an offer.”
Curry visited FSU this week and said he’d like to take a couple other visits this summer. He’s not sure when he’ll visit Texas again, but said he does feel a UT offer could be coming soon.
“It would of course put them in the mix,” Curry said of a possible UT offer. “My family goes there and UT has a history of putting players in the league. And UT’s history, I think everything is coming back in full formation with them and everything.” (Suchomel)
******
2020 Aledo running back Jase McClellan already has an impressive offer list. McClellan hasn’t picked up a UT offer just yet, but he camped at Texas in June and will be back on campus again on Friday. He’s hoping an offer comes in the near future.
“Texas has been talking to me since the last time I visited,” McClellan said. “I spent a great time with the coach, coach Drayton the running back coach, and we had a great time. He showed me the Texas campus and I had a great time there.
“Coach Drayton told me I fit in very well with their program and he looks forward to putting an offer in my hand.”
Along with his Texas visit on Friday, McClellan will hit OU on July 29. He has previously visited Georgia, Baylor, TCU and Oklahoma State. McClellan said he doesn’t have a list yet, but Texas is in good standing if UT offers.
“I just like how the coaches are. I got to sit down and meet coach Drayton and he’s a nice guy,” McClellan said. “I look forward to talking to him some more. If they offer, they would fit into my top 10.” (Suchomel)
******
2019 Richmond Travis WR Arjei Henderson will be one of the top prospects in attendance at Friday’s camp, and the Longhorns are in a good spot for the former OU commitment.
“They fit in my top four. They stand out more than any other program,” Henderson told OB. “I’m just waiting to see how it goes, taking the process slowly.”
Oklahoma, Oregon and A&M round out Henderson’s top four. He went on to claim that all of his four finalists “stand equally” but did speak very highly of the Longhorns whenever he mentioned UT.
“Texas, I just grew up there. That’s where I was born, that’s where I’m from. So they’re number one automatically,” said Henderson, who said he lived in Austin until the third or fourth grade.
The Rivals100 member said he doesn’t have a date set in stone on when he’d like to commit, and he said he’ll probably wait for a while so he doesn’t rush into a second commitment. Texas’ sales pitch seems to be working and I expect the Longhorns to be in the thick of this one until the end.
“Coach (Craig) Naivar and coach (Drew) Mehringer – I have good relationships with those guys. And coach Herman. They just say come home,” Henderson said. “They know that’s where I’m from, that’s where I originate from. That’s their way to get me there, just come home.”
******
Allen 2019 wide receiver Theo Wease, another player who decommitted from Oklahoma, has seen his stock shoot up this summer with an impressive camp circuit, including a very strong performance at the Rivals100 Five-Star Challenge.
Wease will be on campus on Friday for a visit, and he said he’s excited for the chance to connect with the new staff.
“I’m just hoping to see some positive energy and finally meet coach Herman,” Wease said.
The 6-2, 180-pound Wease said he doesn’t have a formal list of top schools yet but he is “very interested in Texas.” He hopes to make a decision before his senior season begins, so there’s still about a year to go in this race. Texas is one of the schools drawing strong consideration, and things could get really interesting if the Longhorns make a run at Wease’s teammate, QB Grant Tisdale. (Suchomel)
******
A quick update on 2019 four-star linebacker Marcel Brooks, who picked up a UT offer after attending a camp in June. Brooks has a top three of Texas, TCU and Florida State, but this one feels like it’s mostly an in-state battle.
Brooks told me he’ll be at Friday night’s UT camp and admitted there was a time after he got his Texas offer that he was close to committing to UT but his mother wanted him to slow things down. I expect Brooks will continue to take his time but the Longhorns are obviously in a pretty good spot with this one. (Suchomel)
