Texas football coach Tom Herman’s goal is to create a physically and mentally tough team.
This was his trademark at Houston. His team was known for competing at a high level. Houston always rose to the occasion when it faced ranked opponents. Most college football observers remember the effort Herman’s team gave against Florida State, Oklahoma and Louisville. Meanwhile, Longhorn observers remember not seeing their team show up against Kansas and Iowa State over the past two seasons. From the time Herman first met with his new team late last year, he made it clear his players that he was going to run things differently.
As you can imagine, Herman was serious.
The Longhorn football team is about to wrap up another important week of offseason conditioning with strength and conditioning coach Yancy McKnight. Nobody who is familiar with Tom Herman’s pledge to make his players work hard will be surprised to know it was a really tough week.
From what I heard, this week was intense because every coach was in attendance and not on the road recruiting. There were a lot more eyes on the players, which meant they were challenged by the position coaches who will influence the depth chart.
In fact, I was told, “there have been some eyes opened.” Former strength and conditioning Pat Moorer had intense workouts, but I was told Longhorn players are enduring sessions more intense than anything they are used to.
Let us start with the expectations.
Conditioning begins at 6 a.m., but being on time is similar to being late. Players who arrive by 5:45 a.m. and start warming up are the ones who are making a good impression. Those who are content to make it there right before the deadline will eventually need to figure out the benefit of being first one in the building and last to leave.
In addition, the details matter during this assessment period.
Herman has created competition drills for players in order to bring the best out in everybody who is participating. Whether it’s a cone drill, pushing weights, or another exercise, Herman has created an environment where guys are competing against each other. There are many individual drills when guys are on the field. There are team drills that are competitive, too.
This week, there were two competition and three weight room days scheduled.
The biggest question you have is who has looked good during drills. I asked that question and was told it was too early to give names. However, I was told every player was responding well to the workouts.
In fact, I was also told this group of players are very coachable, which is my first indication the transition of power from Charlie Strong to Herman is going well. (Richardson)
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From the moment Herman stepped on campus, players have looked to several people for guidance.
Many players called their parents after Herman’s well-documented initial team meeting, which featured him challenging everybody in attendance. Others reached out to their friends and close family members. There were a few players who attempted to contact members of Charlie Strong’s previous staff. What they heard from those who previously worked in the building may have been surprising.
Get over it.
I spoke to more than one person who worked for Strong, and several told me they refused to take calls from players after Herman was hired. Some of those former staffers said they still will not answer calls from players who occasionally reach out to them (the phone calls were numerous after the initial coaching change). However, there are a few former employees who have spoken to players who have reached out, and they are not trying to hear any complaints.
From what I was told, nobody from Strong’s previous staff wants to step on Herman’s toes. Even though many players had a stronger relationship with previous coaches and support staff – most are still getting used to the new regime – nobody from the old staff wants to be the person current players vent to about their new coach.
“We are trying not to be a sounding board for them,” one former staff member told me. “We have told them that the only way they are going to be successful with Herman is to buy into his system. We’re heard from a bunch of players who aren’t happy and we’ve told them to tough it out.”
That is the best advice those former staff members can give.
Even though many of them would like to be in Austin, nobody is showing any bitterness over the losing their job. Instead of piling on the new staff, Strong’s former employees prefer to refocus their former players who are looking for guidance. By focusing on the players and not themselves, the previous staff is allowing Herman and company to have a clear path to success.
“They felt the same with Coach Strong,” another former staff member told me. “They will be fine.”
Sure, the former staff’s approach to players is the right thing to do.
However, it is still worth nothing Herman’s players are being pointed in the right direction. (Richardson)
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Speaking of the former staff, one subject during our most recent podcast made me remember something that could be applicable this year.
Geoff Ketchum asked every staff member if Sam Ehlinger is going to be Texas’ future quarterback, when is a good time to make the move? I thought Jason Suchomel was correct by saying you have to wait until Shane Buechele fails in a game before making a move. I am sure other OB members might have a different opinion. Ketchum’s point was that if the staff believes Ehlinger has more upside and is its long-term option, it might impact how the staff approaches its quarterback position for the 2017 season.
The podcast made me remember previous conversations I had when those who used to be in the building.
There was more than one person who believed as good as Buechele was last season, Ehlinger had the potential to start as a freshman. Like Herman, the described Ehlinger as an Alpha Male. He was viewed as a natural leader. They all believed Ehlinger was good enough to challenge Buechele in 2017. In fact, the goal was to give him every opportunity to win the job prior to this season.
Obviously, there is a new staff at Texas, but when Herman spoke so highly of Ehlinger on signing day, he echoed the sentiments of the previous regime.
“I fell in love with Sam Ehlinger for two reasons, and neither of them are quantifiable, or things that you see on videotape," Herman previously said. “Yes, he was the Gatorade State Player of the Year as an 11th grader. That’s’ in the state of Texas. That’s big –time stuff. Two things me stood out with Sam that are not on that video. One, is what he’s been through in his life, and that face he’s had to mature at a very, very young age, and grow up really fast. He’s transitioned, or translated, that maturity into this really dynamic leadership quality that he has. He’s an alpha male. He walks in the room, and it’s like, ‘Whoa. Sam’s here.’ He’s a competitor, and I just love that about quarterbacks.
“The second thing is the kid was committed to the University of Texas. Tears his meniscus in week one of his senior year, could have easily settled. Probably a lot of players would have said, 'That’s it, I’m shutting it down. I’m going to rehab and get ready for my college career. I’m an early enrollee, and I’m done. Guys, good luck. I’ll be there cheering you on from the sidelines.' Not Sam. Get me back on the field as fast as you can. Do whatever surgery is possible to get me on the field. Four weeks later, he’s on the field, he plays two games, he breaks his thumb. Alright, we’re like nine games into the season, or eight games into the season. You’re just going to shut it down, right? Go get ready to compete for the job at Texas. Not Sam Ehlinger. Sam Ehlinger probably comes back too soon on that hand, but he does come back. He plays in two playoff games for his team. Winds up breaking his hand. When you put that in perspective, everybody says injury-laden senior year. It didn’t have to be. The guy could have said I’m going to Texas after that first one. He could have just said I’m out, and he didn’t. That tells me a lot about, one, does the kid loves football. Two, how great of a teammate is he that he was willing to continue to put himself back out there, even though he knew he had this opportunity at Texas waiting for him.” (Richardson)
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Ridge Point tight end Mustapha Muhammad is ranked as the top player at his position in the most recent update of the Lone Star Recruiting top 100. He checks in at No. 6 in the state overall.
There’s a lot to like with Muhammad. He goes about 6-4.5 and 230 pounds, making him a match-up nightmare, and Muhammad is taking all the early recognition in stride.
“It's a blessing to be rated as the number one tight end by some recruiting services. I just want to take the time to appreciate that people give me those (rankings),” Muhammad said. “I feel like I’m a versatile tight end. I’m a threat in the receiving game, the passing game. I’m also a threat at the line of scrimmage, the run game as well.”
Key quote: Muhammad has been in close contact with Texas tight ends coach Corby Meekins and head coach Tom Herman.
“I hear a lot from coach Meekins and coach Herman. We have a really good relationship,” Muhammad said. “Actually, I’ve had a really good relationship with them for a while now - ever since they were at the University of Houston and now they’ve, stayed in touch.”
If you remember, Texas was on Muhammad’s very early list when he was a sophomore, but the Longhorns pretty much fell off last year after Chris Vaughn was let go and the rest of the old UT staff inexplicably quit communicating with Muhammad. Meekins and Herman have done a great job of getting the Longhorns right back into the race.
“They're recruiting me much harder (than the old staff,” Muhammad said. “I hear from them almost every day.”
Visit plans: Muhammad will visit Oklahoma State this weekend with Rivals250 LB teammate Chad Bailey. He’s going to hit an Under Armour camp in Houston in March, but those are the only visits he currently has scheduled (he also plans to hit a Rivals camp). Muhammad said there’s a chance he could work in some other junior day visits, including a potential stop in Austin on February 25.
“I’ve heard about that one (UT junior day) many times. A lot of my friends are going. I may try to carpool but nothing is set up yet,” Muhammad said.
No favorites yet: Muhammad declined to discuss which schools are standing out at this early stage of the process, but said he’ll have a list later this spring.
“I don't have a set top list yet. That's going to come out in May so everyone will have to stay tuned for that,” Muhammad said. His plan is to release a top 10 at his school’s spring game. (Suchomel)
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Texas extended an offer to Seminole offensive tackle Reese Moore on Tuesday, and it turns out that offer has been in the making for a while.
“Coach (Derek) Warehime had sent me a message early in the month and asked for coach Jackson's number, my head coach. They had played phone tag,” Moore said. “He got ahold of coach Jackson today, they talked. We had been texting, I got ahold of (Warehime) today, we just talked a little bit and they offered me a scholarship.”
Moore also picked up a Virginia offer on Tuesday, bringing his total to 11.
Key quote: At 6-5 and 265 pounds, Texas is recruiting Moore as an offensive tackle. The UT offer has caught his attention.
“Texas is a great program. Growing up in Texas, it's hard to ignore the fact that it's UT football,” Moore said. “I'm very interested in that one.”
Early standouts: It’s probably too early to list any formal favorites, but Moore said a few programs have caught his attention.
“I really like SMU, TCU, Oklahoma, Texas - those schools that I’ve talked to recently,” Moore said.
Unsure on UT junior day: Moore said Texas talked to him about attending the Longhorns’ junior day on February 25, but he’s not sure what his plans will be that day. The event actually falls on his birthday, so he said it’s possible he and his family will head to Austin for a birthday celebration.
Wants to take it slow, but …: Don’t look for Moore to make any immediate decisions, but he may not be a player who takes his recruitment all the way to the wire either.
“I know I would like to take it slow, but I know there's also the ‘I need to commit and not wait too late’ factor where you can wait too long and lose a scholarship if other kids jump in before you,” Moore said. (Suchomel)
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Las Vegas tight end Brevin Jordan is one of the top players in the country (No. 77 on the Rivals100) and UT offered recently. Jordan told OB this week the Texas offer has his attention.
Key quote: “When I got that offer, that's a big offer coming from Texas,” Jordan said. “There’s so much tradition, it’s just a football power. I was pretty excited. It came out of the blue.”
Thoughts on Texas: Jordan said he has a good relationship with Corby Meekins and he’s aware of the way Texas plans to use the tight end position in its offense.
“I know coach Meekins pretty well. He’s a cool dude,” Jordan said. “I know they use their tight ends a lot. They’re kind of pro style, they get them the ball, flex them out. I saw this tweet about their TE being as important as the quarterback so that was cool.”
Jordan’s strengths: Bishop Gorman has a history of producing good tight ends (Alize Jones, Xavier Grimble), and Jordan feels he’s the next guy up.
“I'm a 6-3, 240-pound tight end. I run a 4.6, have a 33-inch vertical. I'm different. I run the ball well, catch well. I consider myself an all-around tight end like Travis Kelce and Antonio Gates,” Jordan said.
Visit plans: Jordan has already visited USC and UCLA. He doesn’t have anything else scheduled right now, but said he would like to make it to Austin at some point.
“I’m pretty sure I'm visiting Michigan and Miami in April. I’m going to try to get out to Texas sometime next year, but I’m not really focused recruiting at this point. I'm wide open. Right now I'm just focused on getting my team a fourth straight national championship,” Jordan said. (Suchomel)
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Dallas Carter DE Jarell Cherry plans to be at UT's junior day later this month. Cherry also plans to visit LSU sometime in mid-March. The 6-3, 226-pounder picked up an offer from the previous staff and figures to be a top target of the current staff as well, and Texas has always be a school that's been high on his list.
Key quote: "I don't have a list that shows who is standing out the most. But I can tell you the schools I've been talking to recently," Cherry said. "For one, Texas has reached out to me recently. Another school is Ohio State. They have been reaching out to me pretty strongly as well."
Versatility: Cherry has the size to play defensive end but the athleticism to play linebacker. According to what he's been told by most coaches, he'll line up as a combo player who will do a bit of everything. He said he primarily wants to play defensive end and rush the passer, but likes the idea of showing a well-rounded skill set and dropping into coverage as well.
No rush: The nation's No. 119-ranked player, Cherry said he's not in a big rush to make a decision. He wants to thoroughly sort through his options, with the understanding that it's one of the biggest decisions he'll make in his lifetime.
"I'm just going to let recruiting take its course. I don't think I'll commit on Signing Day. I'll probably commit before," Cherry said. "The only thing I want to do is take my official visits.
"I do want to be able to understand what type of program I'll be around for 4 to 6 years."
Contact with Texas: Cherry said he stays in touch with UT assistants Oscar Giles and Todd Orlando. He's been told by both he'll be very high on their board for the 2018 class. (Suchomel)
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A quick update on Rockdale ATH Jaqualyn Crawford ...
The versatile standout, who owns a UT offer, told me he may not be able to attend UT's junior day due to his track and field schedule, but said he'll come in the day after, on February 26, for an unofficial visit. Crawford said it's his understanding that a few guys who won't be able to make it on the 25th will be in the next day.
Crawford has an early top six of Texas, TCU, SMU, Texas Tech, Baylor and Colorado. (Suchomel)
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It looked for about 10 seconds on Friday that the Longhorns could be in for some huge recruiting news.
A tweet was posted on the account of Rivals100 wide receiver Brennan Eagles indicating the Alief Taylor product had committed to Texas. The tweet was deleted almost immediately and in doing some quick checking with Eagles and other sources at his school, it turns out a friend grabbed Eagles’ phone and made the tweet before immediately deleting.
So while the commitment didn’t work out, it does sound like Texas will be a major player in this one. If you remember in last week’s War Room, Eagles said he keeps in regular contact with Tom Herman and I’m hearing those talks are having a big impact.
Texas is high on Eagles’ list, I was told and “Herman made a big impression on the phone.” Eagles told us last week his plan is to take the process slowly, but look for Texas to factor heavily into his recruitment. (Suchomel)
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I don’t think Texas fans, and even the amateur basketball circuit to some extent, realize how talented Texas signee Jericho Sims is. The 6-9 do-it-all forward continues to add to his game, and some of the things he can do athletically and on the floor are almost hard to believe.
Consider this: Cristo Rey Jesuit (Minneapolis, Minnesota) head coach Stanley Clay said that recently Sims jumped and touched 12 feet, six inches. So, if a rim was 12-6 instead of 10 feet, Sims would have still touched the rim. Also, Clay said that when Sims’ wingspan was measured in the fall, it measured 7-7. That wingspan is bigger than Jarrett Allen’s 7-5 wingspan at 6-11.
Not only is Sims freakishly athletic, his skill is underrated too. His basketball past might explain that.
“When he came in he was 6-1 and he had the same type of jumping ability. Due to his jumping the previous coach kind of wanted to play at the post,” said Clay about Sims his freshman year. “I played him at the 2-3 as sophomore, and point guard junior year (when Sims grew to 6-6). Texas will be getting a freakish athlete.”
Currently, Sims is averaging 26 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and two steals per game. Clay also said that Sims, who can not only dribble well with both hands but shoot with both hands, is shooting 39 percent from three-point range the last two seasons.
“That type of talent is scary because when he does figure it out, because he’s so smart, everyone better get out of the way and watch out. When he figures it out, he has the potential to be one of the best players in college basketball. And he’s getting a staff that’s going to bring it out of him,” Clay said. “That’s one thing I’ve loved about Shaka. He didn’t always have the most talent at VCU, but he always gets the most out of his players. It’s a perfect fit. He already has the talent he doesn’t know how to channel it yet.”
Cristo Rey Jesuit isn’t a traditional power in Minnesota. In fact, Sims led the program to an extremely rare playoff experience last year. Combine that with him only playing AAU basketball for a couple of years, and his last AAU season being on a loaded D1 Minnesota team that didn’t always get him touches and he was overlooked by many. That’s despite Clay telling programs Sims has a gigantic ceiling. Texas listened.
“Darrin Horn and Shaka Smart did a fabulous job recruiting him,” said Clay. “I was telling these guys (other programs) this is a future NBA player if this works out like it can. I think Texas took advantage of some guys waiting to offer. Texas made him a priority. Coach Horn and coach Smart had been up there a few times… it showed they really wanted him. He was the last offer for the Gophers, so that makes no sense. They (Texas) just did a fabulous job. They explained this is how we see you fitting in, where we see you in five years and he’s a guy that wants to see the plan. They had intentions to show him how to use him differently compared to other schools.”
However, what might stand out more about Sims is his mental approach to the game. Similar to current Longhorn Allen, Sims is on the quiet side but thinks about basketball and more than basketball in a way different from many players in his position.
“He wants to know every intricate part of what you’re doing. He wants to know what he’s supposed to do, his teammates, true student of the game,” said Clay about Sims’ mental approach to the game. “He’s very interested in thinking the game and where everyone is supposed to be on the floor and what their roles are. The smarts, wanting to learn I think that’s where he separates himself. He’s a special talent in that sense… Jericho is different. You very rarely get senior kids that say if I could meet anyone it would be Ernest Hemingway.”
Clay’s message to Texas about Sims is simple:
“I can’t wait for people for Austin to see him,” the Cristo Rey Jesuit coach said. “They have no idea.” (McComas)
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The latest on five-star Westtown School (Westtown, Pennsylvania via Harlem, New York) 2017 big man Mohamed Bamba remains pretty much the same, per multiple people with knowledge of his recruitment. Texas and Kentucky are the two teams currently positioned ahead and in front of Duke and Michigan.
Kentucky feels very good. But I get the sense that Texas is quietly optimistic. From what I’ve heard, Bamba and Smart talk frequently, and have developed a unique bond because of the unique, intellectual way both think about life and basketball.
Bamba still has an official visit to Duke upcoming at the end of February, and wants to make a decision in March. Texas isn’t going anywhere. It’ll be there until the end. (McComas)
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File this name away: 2017 Lakeview Centennial wing Zhaire Smith. Texas isn’t truly recruiting him, but it is paying close attention. High-major programs are starting to offer, and more will soon. (McComas)
This was his trademark at Houston. His team was known for competing at a high level. Houston always rose to the occasion when it faced ranked opponents. Most college football observers remember the effort Herman’s team gave against Florida State, Oklahoma and Louisville. Meanwhile, Longhorn observers remember not seeing their team show up against Kansas and Iowa State over the past two seasons. From the time Herman first met with his new team late last year, he made it clear his players that he was going to run things differently.
As you can imagine, Herman was serious.
The Longhorn football team is about to wrap up another important week of offseason conditioning with strength and conditioning coach Yancy McKnight. Nobody who is familiar with Tom Herman’s pledge to make his players work hard will be surprised to know it was a really tough week.
From what I heard, this week was intense because every coach was in attendance and not on the road recruiting. There were a lot more eyes on the players, which meant they were challenged by the position coaches who will influence the depth chart.
In fact, I was told, “there have been some eyes opened.” Former strength and conditioning Pat Moorer had intense workouts, but I was told Longhorn players are enduring sessions more intense than anything they are used to.
Let us start with the expectations.
Conditioning begins at 6 a.m., but being on time is similar to being late. Players who arrive by 5:45 a.m. and start warming up are the ones who are making a good impression. Those who are content to make it there right before the deadline will eventually need to figure out the benefit of being first one in the building and last to leave.
In addition, the details matter during this assessment period.
Herman has created competition drills for players in order to bring the best out in everybody who is participating. Whether it’s a cone drill, pushing weights, or another exercise, Herman has created an environment where guys are competing against each other. There are many individual drills when guys are on the field. There are team drills that are competitive, too.
This week, there were two competition and three weight room days scheduled.
The biggest question you have is who has looked good during drills. I asked that question and was told it was too early to give names. However, I was told every player was responding well to the workouts.
In fact, I was also told this group of players are very coachable, which is my first indication the transition of power from Charlie Strong to Herman is going well. (Richardson)
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From the moment Herman stepped on campus, players have looked to several people for guidance.
Many players called their parents after Herman’s well-documented initial team meeting, which featured him challenging everybody in attendance. Others reached out to their friends and close family members. There were a few players who attempted to contact members of Charlie Strong’s previous staff. What they heard from those who previously worked in the building may have been surprising.
Get over it.
I spoke to more than one person who worked for Strong, and several told me they refused to take calls from players after Herman was hired. Some of those former staffers said they still will not answer calls from players who occasionally reach out to them (the phone calls were numerous after the initial coaching change). However, there are a few former employees who have spoken to players who have reached out, and they are not trying to hear any complaints.
From what I was told, nobody from Strong’s previous staff wants to step on Herman’s toes. Even though many players had a stronger relationship with previous coaches and support staff – most are still getting used to the new regime – nobody from the old staff wants to be the person current players vent to about their new coach.
“We are trying not to be a sounding board for them,” one former staff member told me. “We have told them that the only way they are going to be successful with Herman is to buy into his system. We’re heard from a bunch of players who aren’t happy and we’ve told them to tough it out.”
That is the best advice those former staff members can give.
Even though many of them would like to be in Austin, nobody is showing any bitterness over the losing their job. Instead of piling on the new staff, Strong’s former employees prefer to refocus their former players who are looking for guidance. By focusing on the players and not themselves, the previous staff is allowing Herman and company to have a clear path to success.
“They felt the same with Coach Strong,” another former staff member told me. “They will be fine.”
Sure, the former staff’s approach to players is the right thing to do.
However, it is still worth nothing Herman’s players are being pointed in the right direction. (Richardson)
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Speaking of the former staff, one subject during our most recent podcast made me remember something that could be applicable this year.
Geoff Ketchum asked every staff member if Sam Ehlinger is going to be Texas’ future quarterback, when is a good time to make the move? I thought Jason Suchomel was correct by saying you have to wait until Shane Buechele fails in a game before making a move. I am sure other OB members might have a different opinion. Ketchum’s point was that if the staff believes Ehlinger has more upside and is its long-term option, it might impact how the staff approaches its quarterback position for the 2017 season.
The podcast made me remember previous conversations I had when those who used to be in the building.
There was more than one person who believed as good as Buechele was last season, Ehlinger had the potential to start as a freshman. Like Herman, the described Ehlinger as an Alpha Male. He was viewed as a natural leader. They all believed Ehlinger was good enough to challenge Buechele in 2017. In fact, the goal was to give him every opportunity to win the job prior to this season.
Obviously, there is a new staff at Texas, but when Herman spoke so highly of Ehlinger on signing day, he echoed the sentiments of the previous regime.
“I fell in love with Sam Ehlinger for two reasons, and neither of them are quantifiable, or things that you see on videotape," Herman previously said. “Yes, he was the Gatorade State Player of the Year as an 11th grader. That’s’ in the state of Texas. That’s big –time stuff. Two things me stood out with Sam that are not on that video. One, is what he’s been through in his life, and that face he’s had to mature at a very, very young age, and grow up really fast. He’s transitioned, or translated, that maturity into this really dynamic leadership quality that he has. He’s an alpha male. He walks in the room, and it’s like, ‘Whoa. Sam’s here.’ He’s a competitor, and I just love that about quarterbacks.
“The second thing is the kid was committed to the University of Texas. Tears his meniscus in week one of his senior year, could have easily settled. Probably a lot of players would have said, 'That’s it, I’m shutting it down. I’m going to rehab and get ready for my college career. I’m an early enrollee, and I’m done. Guys, good luck. I’ll be there cheering you on from the sidelines.' Not Sam. Get me back on the field as fast as you can. Do whatever surgery is possible to get me on the field. Four weeks later, he’s on the field, he plays two games, he breaks his thumb. Alright, we’re like nine games into the season, or eight games into the season. You’re just going to shut it down, right? Go get ready to compete for the job at Texas. Not Sam Ehlinger. Sam Ehlinger probably comes back too soon on that hand, but he does come back. He plays in two playoff games for his team. Winds up breaking his hand. When you put that in perspective, everybody says injury-laden senior year. It didn’t have to be. The guy could have said I’m going to Texas after that first one. He could have just said I’m out, and he didn’t. That tells me a lot about, one, does the kid loves football. Two, how great of a teammate is he that he was willing to continue to put himself back out there, even though he knew he had this opportunity at Texas waiting for him.” (Richardson)
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Ridge Point tight end Mustapha Muhammad is ranked as the top player at his position in the most recent update of the Lone Star Recruiting top 100. He checks in at No. 6 in the state overall.
There’s a lot to like with Muhammad. He goes about 6-4.5 and 230 pounds, making him a match-up nightmare, and Muhammad is taking all the early recognition in stride.
“It's a blessing to be rated as the number one tight end by some recruiting services. I just want to take the time to appreciate that people give me those (rankings),” Muhammad said. “I feel like I’m a versatile tight end. I’m a threat in the receiving game, the passing game. I’m also a threat at the line of scrimmage, the run game as well.”
Key quote: Muhammad has been in close contact with Texas tight ends coach Corby Meekins and head coach Tom Herman.
“I hear a lot from coach Meekins and coach Herman. We have a really good relationship,” Muhammad said. “Actually, I’ve had a really good relationship with them for a while now - ever since they were at the University of Houston and now they’ve, stayed in touch.”
If you remember, Texas was on Muhammad’s very early list when he was a sophomore, but the Longhorns pretty much fell off last year after Chris Vaughn was let go and the rest of the old UT staff inexplicably quit communicating with Muhammad. Meekins and Herman have done a great job of getting the Longhorns right back into the race.
“They're recruiting me much harder (than the old staff,” Muhammad said. “I hear from them almost every day.”
Visit plans: Muhammad will visit Oklahoma State this weekend with Rivals250 LB teammate Chad Bailey. He’s going to hit an Under Armour camp in Houston in March, but those are the only visits he currently has scheduled (he also plans to hit a Rivals camp). Muhammad said there’s a chance he could work in some other junior day visits, including a potential stop in Austin on February 25.
“I’ve heard about that one (UT junior day) many times. A lot of my friends are going. I may try to carpool but nothing is set up yet,” Muhammad said.
No favorites yet: Muhammad declined to discuss which schools are standing out at this early stage of the process, but said he’ll have a list later this spring.
“I don't have a set top list yet. That's going to come out in May so everyone will have to stay tuned for that,” Muhammad said. His plan is to release a top 10 at his school’s spring game. (Suchomel)
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Texas extended an offer to Seminole offensive tackle Reese Moore on Tuesday, and it turns out that offer has been in the making for a while.
“Coach (Derek) Warehime had sent me a message early in the month and asked for coach Jackson's number, my head coach. They had played phone tag,” Moore said. “He got ahold of coach Jackson today, they talked. We had been texting, I got ahold of (Warehime) today, we just talked a little bit and they offered me a scholarship.”
Moore also picked up a Virginia offer on Tuesday, bringing his total to 11.
Key quote: At 6-5 and 265 pounds, Texas is recruiting Moore as an offensive tackle. The UT offer has caught his attention.
“Texas is a great program. Growing up in Texas, it's hard to ignore the fact that it's UT football,” Moore said. “I'm very interested in that one.”
Early standouts: It’s probably too early to list any formal favorites, but Moore said a few programs have caught his attention.
“I really like SMU, TCU, Oklahoma, Texas - those schools that I’ve talked to recently,” Moore said.
Unsure on UT junior day: Moore said Texas talked to him about attending the Longhorns’ junior day on February 25, but he’s not sure what his plans will be that day. The event actually falls on his birthday, so he said it’s possible he and his family will head to Austin for a birthday celebration.
Wants to take it slow, but …: Don’t look for Moore to make any immediate decisions, but he may not be a player who takes his recruitment all the way to the wire either.
“I know I would like to take it slow, but I know there's also the ‘I need to commit and not wait too late’ factor where you can wait too long and lose a scholarship if other kids jump in before you,” Moore said. (Suchomel)
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Las Vegas tight end Brevin Jordan is one of the top players in the country (No. 77 on the Rivals100) and UT offered recently. Jordan told OB this week the Texas offer has his attention.
Key quote: “When I got that offer, that's a big offer coming from Texas,” Jordan said. “There’s so much tradition, it’s just a football power. I was pretty excited. It came out of the blue.”
Thoughts on Texas: Jordan said he has a good relationship with Corby Meekins and he’s aware of the way Texas plans to use the tight end position in its offense.
“I know coach Meekins pretty well. He’s a cool dude,” Jordan said. “I know they use their tight ends a lot. They’re kind of pro style, they get them the ball, flex them out. I saw this tweet about their TE being as important as the quarterback so that was cool.”
Jordan’s strengths: Bishop Gorman has a history of producing good tight ends (Alize Jones, Xavier Grimble), and Jordan feels he’s the next guy up.
“I'm a 6-3, 240-pound tight end. I run a 4.6, have a 33-inch vertical. I'm different. I run the ball well, catch well. I consider myself an all-around tight end like Travis Kelce and Antonio Gates,” Jordan said.
Visit plans: Jordan has already visited USC and UCLA. He doesn’t have anything else scheduled right now, but said he would like to make it to Austin at some point.
“I’m pretty sure I'm visiting Michigan and Miami in April. I’m going to try to get out to Texas sometime next year, but I’m not really focused recruiting at this point. I'm wide open. Right now I'm just focused on getting my team a fourth straight national championship,” Jordan said. (Suchomel)
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Dallas Carter DE Jarell Cherry plans to be at UT's junior day later this month. Cherry also plans to visit LSU sometime in mid-March. The 6-3, 226-pounder picked up an offer from the previous staff and figures to be a top target of the current staff as well, and Texas has always be a school that's been high on his list.
Key quote: "I don't have a list that shows who is standing out the most. But I can tell you the schools I've been talking to recently," Cherry said. "For one, Texas has reached out to me recently. Another school is Ohio State. They have been reaching out to me pretty strongly as well."
Versatility: Cherry has the size to play defensive end but the athleticism to play linebacker. According to what he's been told by most coaches, he'll line up as a combo player who will do a bit of everything. He said he primarily wants to play defensive end and rush the passer, but likes the idea of showing a well-rounded skill set and dropping into coverage as well.
No rush: The nation's No. 119-ranked player, Cherry said he's not in a big rush to make a decision. He wants to thoroughly sort through his options, with the understanding that it's one of the biggest decisions he'll make in his lifetime.
"I'm just going to let recruiting take its course. I don't think I'll commit on Signing Day. I'll probably commit before," Cherry said. "The only thing I want to do is take my official visits.
"I do want to be able to understand what type of program I'll be around for 4 to 6 years."
Contact with Texas: Cherry said he stays in touch with UT assistants Oscar Giles and Todd Orlando. He's been told by both he'll be very high on their board for the 2018 class. (Suchomel)
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A quick update on Rockdale ATH Jaqualyn Crawford ...
The versatile standout, who owns a UT offer, told me he may not be able to attend UT's junior day due to his track and field schedule, but said he'll come in the day after, on February 26, for an unofficial visit. Crawford said it's his understanding that a few guys who won't be able to make it on the 25th will be in the next day.
Crawford has an early top six of Texas, TCU, SMU, Texas Tech, Baylor and Colorado. (Suchomel)
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It looked for about 10 seconds on Friday that the Longhorns could be in for some huge recruiting news.
A tweet was posted on the account of Rivals100 wide receiver Brennan Eagles indicating the Alief Taylor product had committed to Texas. The tweet was deleted almost immediately and in doing some quick checking with Eagles and other sources at his school, it turns out a friend grabbed Eagles’ phone and made the tweet before immediately deleting.
So while the commitment didn’t work out, it does sound like Texas will be a major player in this one. If you remember in last week’s War Room, Eagles said he keeps in regular contact with Tom Herman and I’m hearing those talks are having a big impact.
Texas is high on Eagles’ list, I was told and “Herman made a big impression on the phone.” Eagles told us last week his plan is to take the process slowly, but look for Texas to factor heavily into his recruitment. (Suchomel)
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I don’t think Texas fans, and even the amateur basketball circuit to some extent, realize how talented Texas signee Jericho Sims is. The 6-9 do-it-all forward continues to add to his game, and some of the things he can do athletically and on the floor are almost hard to believe.
Consider this: Cristo Rey Jesuit (Minneapolis, Minnesota) head coach Stanley Clay said that recently Sims jumped and touched 12 feet, six inches. So, if a rim was 12-6 instead of 10 feet, Sims would have still touched the rim. Also, Clay said that when Sims’ wingspan was measured in the fall, it measured 7-7. That wingspan is bigger than Jarrett Allen’s 7-5 wingspan at 6-11.
Not only is Sims freakishly athletic, his skill is underrated too. His basketball past might explain that.
“When he came in he was 6-1 and he had the same type of jumping ability. Due to his jumping the previous coach kind of wanted to play at the post,” said Clay about Sims his freshman year. “I played him at the 2-3 as sophomore, and point guard junior year (when Sims grew to 6-6). Texas will be getting a freakish athlete.”
Currently, Sims is averaging 26 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and two steals per game. Clay also said that Sims, who can not only dribble well with both hands but shoot with both hands, is shooting 39 percent from three-point range the last two seasons.
“That type of talent is scary because when he does figure it out, because he’s so smart, everyone better get out of the way and watch out. When he figures it out, he has the potential to be one of the best players in college basketball. And he’s getting a staff that’s going to bring it out of him,” Clay said. “That’s one thing I’ve loved about Shaka. He didn’t always have the most talent at VCU, but he always gets the most out of his players. It’s a perfect fit. He already has the talent he doesn’t know how to channel it yet.”
Cristo Rey Jesuit isn’t a traditional power in Minnesota. In fact, Sims led the program to an extremely rare playoff experience last year. Combine that with him only playing AAU basketball for a couple of years, and his last AAU season being on a loaded D1 Minnesota team that didn’t always get him touches and he was overlooked by many. That’s despite Clay telling programs Sims has a gigantic ceiling. Texas listened.
“Darrin Horn and Shaka Smart did a fabulous job recruiting him,” said Clay. “I was telling these guys (other programs) this is a future NBA player if this works out like it can. I think Texas took advantage of some guys waiting to offer. Texas made him a priority. Coach Horn and coach Smart had been up there a few times… it showed they really wanted him. He was the last offer for the Gophers, so that makes no sense. They (Texas) just did a fabulous job. They explained this is how we see you fitting in, where we see you in five years and he’s a guy that wants to see the plan. They had intentions to show him how to use him differently compared to other schools.”
However, what might stand out more about Sims is his mental approach to the game. Similar to current Longhorn Allen, Sims is on the quiet side but thinks about basketball and more than basketball in a way different from many players in his position.
“He wants to know every intricate part of what you’re doing. He wants to know what he’s supposed to do, his teammates, true student of the game,” said Clay about Sims’ mental approach to the game. “He’s very interested in thinking the game and where everyone is supposed to be on the floor and what their roles are. The smarts, wanting to learn I think that’s where he separates himself. He’s a special talent in that sense… Jericho is different. You very rarely get senior kids that say if I could meet anyone it would be Ernest Hemingway.”
Clay’s message to Texas about Sims is simple:
“I can’t wait for people for Austin to see him,” the Cristo Rey Jesuit coach said. “They have no idea.” (McComas)
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The latest on five-star Westtown School (Westtown, Pennsylvania via Harlem, New York) 2017 big man Mohamed Bamba remains pretty much the same, per multiple people with knowledge of his recruitment. Texas and Kentucky are the two teams currently positioned ahead and in front of Duke and Michigan.
Kentucky feels very good. But I get the sense that Texas is quietly optimistic. From what I’ve heard, Bamba and Smart talk frequently, and have developed a unique bond because of the unique, intellectual way both think about life and basketball.
Bamba still has an official visit to Duke upcoming at the end of February, and wants to make a decision in March. Texas isn’t going anywhere. It’ll be there until the end. (McComas)
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File this name away: 2017 Lakeview Centennial wing Zhaire Smith. Texas isn’t truly recruiting him, but it is paying close attention. High-major programs are starting to offer, and more will soon. (McComas)
