It is time to forget all of that you heard in the past about Texas coach Charlie Strong’s need to hire an elite recruiter. There is no need to ever mention Clint Hurtt’s name again. Texas fans no longer have to look at other programs and believe their staff is inferior in recruiting when compared to the Longhorns.
Texas has an elite recruiter.
His name is Brian Jean-Mary.
Jean-Mary did not arrive in Austin with a lot of hype, but is beginning to earn the reputation of being a great recruiter. Texas currently has the 13th ranked class in the nation after finishing with a 5-7 record in 2015. Not only is that accomplishment impressive, but when you consider Texas was short-handed throughout the recruiting process, Strong’s staff pulled off a very impressive haul.
Texas hired offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert and offensive line coach Matt Mattox in December, but they were not responsible for specific players this year. Both men rode shotgun and will be given specific players in next year’s class. In addition, running backs coach Tommie Robinson took a job at USC in January, which left six assistant coaches to pull off this year’s class.
By the way, Jean-Mary was the leader in 2015, Charlie Strong parted ways with tight ends coach Bruce Chambers and receivers coach Les Koenning after the season. Jay Norvell was hired in mid-January, while Jeff Traylor was not hired until after the season.
Just as an FYI, Strong was involved in the recruitment of several players this year. However, I obtained a list of the lead recruiters from this year’s class.
Here is the breakdown:
Brian Jean-Mary (nine players)
Eric Cuffee, DB
Davion Curtis, WR
Chris Daniels, DT
Jean Delance, OL
Lil'Jordan Humphrey, ATH
Tope Imade, OL
Jeffrey McCulloch, LB
Zach Shackelford, OL
Marcel Southall, DT
Comment: Jean-Mary is clearly the Big 12 Recruiter of the Year. He hauled in more players than any coach on staff, and deserves a huge raise for his work. At this rate, Strong will have to fight hard to make sure another program does not attempt to steal Jean-Mary.
Brick Haley (five players)
Peyton Aucoin, TE
D’Andre Christmas-Giles, DT
Reggie Hemphill-Mapps, WR
Malcolm Roach, DE
Gerald Wilbon, DT
Comment: Haley used his Louisiana connections to obtain four players from that state. He is an underrated recruiter, but an extremely valuable member of this staff. Haley deserves a lot of credit for his recruiting ability.
Chris Vaughan (three players)
Chris Brown, DB
Jordan Elliott, DT
Kyle Porter, RB
Comment: His biggest accomplishment was convincing Porter to attend Texas. Strong sealed the deal. However, Vaughan stayed on Porter and helped Texas sign the only running back in this year’s class.
Jay Norvell (two players)
Andrew Fitzgerald, DE
Denzel Okafor, OL
Comment: Texas needed defensive lineman, and Norvell acquired Fitzgerald. Here is what Strong said about Fitzgerald on signing day: “I say this guy right here will be the dark horse of this class. He's a guy that goes hard all the time. He has one speed, and he's going to go hard. Up in the Fort Worth area, he was the defensive player of the year there. He's fun to watch. When we turned the tape on, I said, ‘Oh god, I don't need to see anything else. If he's going to play like that, we have to have him’.”
Jeff Traylor (two players)
DeMarco Boyd, LB
Brandon Jones, DB
Comment: Traylor used his connections to sign one of his former players. Getting Jones says a lot about Traylor’s upside as a recruiter. Expect good things from him in the future.
Vance Bedford (one player)
Erick Fowler, LB
Comment: Bedford is responsible for recruiting Austin and the surrounding areas. When you think about it, Fowler was the biggest recruit around, and Bedford stole the linebacker away from LSU. Bedford is like Robert Horry hitting a game-winning 3-pointer in the NBA Finals.
Charlie Strong (one player)
Shane Buechele, QB
Comment: To be fair, Shawn Watson was involved in the recruitment of Buechele, but after he was no longer on staff, Strong had to retain the state’s top quarterback. He was in constant contact with Buechele and his family, plus set up an immediate meeting with Gilbert after the coach was hired. If Strong would have been bashed for losing Buechele, he deserves credit for retaining the quarterback.
Tommie Robinson (one player)
Collin Johnson, WR
Comment: Robinson convinced a top player in California to play at Texas. Johnson might be a parting gift for Texas fans.
Obviously, Gilbert and Mattox’s workload will increase with the next recruiting class, and Longhorn fans will learn about their recruiting skills soon enough.
For now, Longhorn fans should be content to know they already have an ace recruiter on Strong’s staff. (Richardson)
*****
Speaking of recruiting, one question I asked people within the building after signing day was if they had any theories about why Texas was able to out-recruit Texas A&M.
The answer may or may not surprise you.
From what I have been told, the biggest turnoff by players who were pursued by Texas A&M and Texas was Kevin Sumlin’s negativity whenever he spoke about the Longhorns. Sumlin and his staff constantly took jabs at Strong and Texas, which did not go over well with many parents. Instead of selling his program, Sumlin spent more time ripping down Texas.
In fact, I was told one parent laid down the law with Sumlin and said, “I am tired of you talking about Texas. What can you tell me about Texas A&M?”
After hearing about Texas A&M’s failed attempt to bad-mouth Texas behind-the-scenes, this quote from Strong during Wednesday’s press conferences makes a lot more sense.
“One of the key things is there is no need to ever talk about another university,” Strong said. “I can only sell you what's here at the University of Texas, what we can do for you and what a degree can do for you. I allow the family to talk and you want to know what's on their mind. You have to put them in a position where they are very comfortable with you.”
It appears Sumlin and his staff will need to change their approach when recruiting against Strong in the future. (Richardson).
*****
As we previously reported, Strong was not going to begin the search for Robinson’s replacement until after signing day. Now that signing day is over, we should start hearing more about potential candidates next week.
So far, there does not appear to be a leading contender for the open position. From what I have been told, Strong was so focused on recruiting in January, he does not have a list of possible replacements. I do know former Maryland offensive coordinator Mike Locksley will not be a candidate because of his son, Kai, is on the team. From what I have been told, Strong does not want to put that kind of pressure on his quarterback.
Strong will likely fill the position sometime this month, and expect to hear a lot of names circulating very soon. (Richardson).
*****
To change things up a bit, we reached out to a number of the Texas signees to ask them a quick series of questions with the assurance that their answers would be kept anonymous.
Which player/players on the current Texas team were most active in recruiting you?
a. I would say Deshon, Malik and Charles. Text messages and when i went up there on my official
b. The three freshmen all-Americans.
c. Charles Omenihu. He just talked to me a lot, just building a relationship.
d. I would say Charles, Malik and DeShon. And then at the end it was Jerrod.
e. Definitely Charles Omenihu. I think it's because when I got my offer from Texas, he was hitting me up and saying he saw I got offered and they definitely needed me and how I had improved my game. At first I didn't want to hear any of it, after listening to his word, I found out UT was right for me.
f. Hmm, I wouldn't say a player really recruited me. I just decided. But probably Charles Omenihu.
Which recruit did you view as the ringleader of your class?
a. I would probably say Jean Delance.
b. Lil'Jordan Humphrey and Christmas-Giles. And Shack. They were silently committed.
c. Right now it's Jean Delance.
d. I'll say Reggie Hemphill.
e. When I went on my official, that's really when I found everybody. I was chilling with Jeffrey. I had no idea he was such a big recruit for us. I was chilling with him not even knowing how high he was rated. He was a cool guy.
f. DeMarco Boyd. He's like the loudest. He's short, so we always say he has a Napoleon Complex. He's always loud and wants to be heard. When I'd tell him he had a Napoleon Complex, he told me to shut up fat ass.
What were the negative pitches teams used against Texas?
a. Nah, nothing like that.
b. The stability, talking that coach won't be there next there. A&M, Tennessee, Arkansas, OU, everywhere.
c. The only thing they can say is job stability. That's it really. A lot of coaches said that.
d. That it's not real football, come play real football in the SEC.
e. Just saying Charlie Strong is going to leave, why would you want to go there? It's not going to be consistent, the offense is going to change and he's leaving. OU said that plenty of times during the Texas Tech game. Just little stuff about coach Strong, saying he's not going to stay.
f. They said that Coach Strong is about to leave, the whole coaching staff is about to be replaced. This was in December and January.
What is it about Charlie Strong you like the most?
a. He's a great person all around. And I like that he's a defensive guy.
b. That he keeps everything 100. And he's very persuasive. Every thing he says he's going to do.
c. I just love his passion for the game. He's a really passionate coach on the field. He's really hands-on. He lets his players get after it mentally and physically, and is always going to challenge you.
d. I would say that he understands us as players. He's a player's coach, he cares about you.
e. I can't really explain it. He's just not like other coaches, in a good way. All these other coaches tell you they want you, telling me I'm Nigerian and I want other Nigerians here. With Charlie Strong it's just different. He's a calm guy. People say he might have a temper to him, but he's just a good guy I can get a long with. When I talk to him, it's like I'm talking to one of my friends. I can't really explain it.
f. He just keeps it 100 with you. He's really a genuine guy, tells you the truth. And he really cares about the players. That's why I decided to go to Texas, because of him.
What was the most interesting thing a college coach did to try to win you over?
a. I guess telling me I'll start when I get there.
b. Shoot, that's tough. When I got out of the car, a coach was there who I had never seen in my life. He said what's up and he knew my nickname that only my close friends now.
c. You know, I can't really think of anything that was that crazy.
d. Nothing too crazy.
e. I did have one school come to my job where I work. They just wanted a snow cone. They got a snow cone real fast and ate it there. They did it two times.
f. I went to spring game with my dad and my brother. We were leaving, walking to the car, about a mile away. Coach BJ sent a graduate assistant, he ran about 300 yards to track us down. That meant a lot to my dad, that he sent a guy like that. He was panting and sweating. That was before I got offered too.
(Note: Harbaugh spending the night was mentioned by Jordan Elliott but I asked him to come up with a different answer otherwise his other answers would be obvious).
How much influence did the group text have that a bunch of recruits were on have on you?
a. A lot. I mean, we were just staying in touch with players and recruits was great. That helped a lot.
b. It really felt like we had been playing with each other since Pop Warner. We had that good connections. Everybody who is in that group chat is still in that group chat. If you didn't sign, you got kicked out.
c. I don't think it was much of an influence. I think it's more just solidifying things. That group message, it showed the reality of the situation of who you'd be spending the next three, four or five years with. It was a really a neat deal.
d. It showed everyone how cool everyone was, that they weren't all Hollywood and they really want you to come there.
e. I think a lot. I don't think other schools would put a mass group text message together like that. People thinking about coming here, it was like, "Oh this dude is here, maybe I should join in on it." I got added the day after I committed. It was pretty cool to finally join in on the conversation.
f. It helped a lot. People who were uncommitted at the time but are committed now, they got to see how we talked, how we related with each other. I think that really played a role in their decision, knowing who they're going to be playing with for the next four or five years. (Suchomel)
******
I was able to catch up with Erick Fowler's father, James Fowler, on Thursday to get a bit more insight into his son's recruitment now that things have settled down.
On Erick's struggle to decide between Texas and LSU ...
"Really Erick, he had come over to my house on Monday. We talked a little bit, he was still undecided. He said 'Dad I really don't know.' I told him he has to talk to me, we've been riding with each other the whole way, going to camps, going back and forth. He said he really didn't know. That morning, when he came in on Wednesday, he was still undecided. He said he made the decision right when he sat down."
(Note: Mr. Fowler said Erick brought both an LSU hat and Texas hat to the ceremony.
"He even kept me in suspense. That came from him really not knowing what he wanted to do. We talked the night before, even that (Wednesday) morning. Then he sat down and picked it out."
On how stressful the decision was:
"It was a win/win situation. I'm just happy that he was happy. Whoever he was going to ride with, I was going to support him 100 percent."
On his meeting with Charlie Strong:
"I went down there and met with him on Sunday. As soon as Erick announced, I called and he was very excited. He was thanking me and I'm thanking him. I just told him and the staff to take care of my boy, I'm 100 percent behind you."
"It was short and sweet. I don't like a lot of people around me. I told him if he wanted to meet, let's meet one on one, just me and him. And coach BJ (Brian Jean-Mary) was there too. They're just really good guys. Some coaches will tell you this, coaches will tell you that. But when it's one on one, just you two in the room, you tend to hold some respect and some integrity. They won all that.
"Coach strong allowed me to talk to him one on one. B.J. talked to me one on one. Both went very well."
On how Erick will be used at Texas:
"I've asked them that question before. They told me they were going to use him as a fox end. I just put him in their hands, just being trusting of their word, that they're going to make him a great player. I'm looking forward to what he can do."
On his feelings towards Charlie Strong:
"Man, I really admire the guy. I love what he's doing for UT, for the Austin community, I love what he's doing for the Texas sports community. I'm really standing behind him. I've always stood behind him, but now that he has my son, I'm 1,000 percent behind him."
*****
Goodbye, 2016 recruiting. Help me welcome 2017 recruiting to the forefront of your conscious.
While I think everyone knows that the Texas staff might do most of its damage in recruiting in another 11-12 months when National Signing Day in 2017 approaches, it doesn’t mean that a number of the staff’s top targets haven’t already been determined, which means a guide to the 2017 class, along with UT’s biggest needs, is perfect for this week’s War Room.
The goal is to go through each position, establish the needs and goals of the class, while also establishing the early key targets based on offers through this stage of the recruiting process.
Quarterbacks
Current scholarship players (5): Tyrone Swoopes (Sr.), Jerrod Heard (So.), Kai Locksley (RS Fr.), Matthew Merrick (RS Fr.) and Shane Buechele (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: One
Current commitments: Sam Ehlinger (Austin Westlake)
Current in-state offers: Shawn Robinson (Denton Guyer)
Breakdown: Although Robinson was the first Texas offer, make no mistake about it, Charlie Strong and Co. are 100-percent in love with Ehlinger and can’t wait to get the kid on campus. People have asked whether the Longhorns would go back in on Robinson if he had a strong interest in the Longhorns, but I don’t get the sense that there’s any turning back from the current plan. This appears to be a perfect match made in heaven.
Running backs
Current scholarship players (5): D’Onte Foreman (Jr.), Chris Warren (So.), Kirk Johnson (So.), Tristian Houston (RS Fr.) and Kyle Porter (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: Two
Current commitments: None
Current in-state offers: Toneil Carter (Langham Creel) and J.K. Dobbins (LaGrange)
Breakdown: Carter was the first running back offered, but the Longhorns are not among his favorite teams and I’m not sure how much that’s going to change. Dobbins likely remains the most-needed in-state target because his skillset represents exactly what the Longhorns need at the position. Meanwhile, of the in-state kids without offers, keep an eye on Wylie East’s Eno Benjamin, who is set to visit UT for its first Junior Day at the end of the month.
Wide receivers
Current scholarship players (14): Jacorey Warrick (Sr.), Roderick Bernard (Jr.), Armanti Foreman (Jr.), Lorenzo Joe (Jr.), Dorian Leonard (Jr.), Jake Oliver (Jr.), Deandre McNeil (So.), Garrett Gray (So.), John Burt (So.), Ryan Newsome (So.), Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Collin Johnson (Fr.), Reggie Hemphill-Mapps (Fr.) and Davion Curtis (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: Two
Current commitments (1): Damion Miller (John Tyler)
Current in-state offers (2): Camron Buckley (Cedar Hill) and Hezekiah Jones (Stafford)
Breakdown: Honestly, something has to give at the wide receiver position in terms of numbers because this position is pretty loaded with players and only one is set to graduate this season as a member of the senior class. Miller is one of the best players in East Texas, so his commitment is an early coup if this class and you can make a case that unless a number of players depart, the program only needs a war daddy to fill out the class.
Tight ends
Current scholarship players (4): Caleb Bluiett (Sr.), Andrew Beck (Jr.), Blake Whiteley (Jr.) and Peyton Aucoin (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: One or two
Current commitments (1): Major Tennison (Bullard)
Current in-state offers (1): Brock Wright (Cy-Fair)
Breakdown: Depending on what the staff thinks of Tennison and whether they view Deandre McNeal/Lil’Jordan Humphrey as players that can fill some of the needs required from this position, you can make a case that the Longhorns don’t need to take another tight end in the 2017 class because the position isn’t one that has been a dominant presence in snap allocation based on the history of Sterlin Gilbert’s offense. Some view Wright as a five-star prospect, so if the Longhorns could shake him from his Notre Dame commitment, he’d be an instant take.
Offensive tackles
Current scholarship players (5): Tristan Nickelson (Jr.), Connor Williams (So.), Garrett Thomas (RS FR.), Buck Major (RS Fr.) and Jean Delance (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: Two
Current commitments: None
Current in-state offers (2): Walker LIttle (Houston Episcopal) and Grayson Reed (Houston Cy Creek)
Breakdown: You just can’t have enough quality tackles on your roster, so the need from a numbers standpoint will probably come down to what the Longhorns believe they have in Nickelson, Thomas and Major. If the coaches feel like Williams, Major and Delance are the team’s true building blocks at tackle, you’d probably aim for two top-flight tackles in this class. Walker and Reed would certainly do the trick, and you can expect that they’ll be the main focus for the next few months and beyond.
Offensive guards/centers
Current scholarship players (9): Kent Perkins (Sr.), Brandon Hodges (Jr.), Elijah Rodriguez (So.), Patrick Vahe (So.), Alex Anderson (So), Terrell Cuney (So.), Tope Imade (Fr.), Zach Shackelford (Fr.) and Denzel Okafor (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: One or two
Current commitments: None
Current in-state offers (1): Jack Anderson (Frisco)
Breakdown: The Longhorns really bolstered its depth at the position yesterday, so numbers aren’t the need as much as adding a special talent or two to the puzzle. Although the Longhorns have offered Anderson, his commitment to Texas Tech appears to be rock solid, so there’s no reason to expect the Longhorns to rush in filling its needs in this class, which would only be one or two ass-kicking, no-doubt-about-it commitments.
Defensive ends
Current scholarship players (7): Bryce Cottrell (Sr.), Quincy Vasser (Sr.), Naashon Hughes (Jr.), Derrick Roberson (So.), Charles Omenihu (So), Andrew Fitzgerald (Fr.) and Malcolm Roach (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: Two or three
Current commitments (1): LaGaryonn Carson (Texarkana Liberty-Eylau)
Current in-state offers (1): Taquan Graham (Temple)
Breakdown: You can make a case that Carson is the best defensive line commit that Strong has ever landed as a head-coach and he’ll almost certainly play right away as a true freshman at strong-side end. With his commitment secure, the Longhorns need to find some guys that can get to the quarterback to fill out the class.
Defensive tackles
Current scholarship players (10): Paul Boyette (Sr.), Alex Norman (Sr.), Poona Ford (Jr.), Jake McMillon (So.), Chris Nelson (So.), D’andre Christmas-Giles (Fr.), Chris Daniels (Fr.), Jordan Elliott (Fr.), Marcel Southall (Fr.) and Gerald Wilbon (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: Two
Current commitments: None
Current in-state offers (1): Marvin Wilson (Houston Episcopal)
Breakdown: Numbers are no longer an issue, as this group is set to have eight players returning in 2017, barring attrition or a guy or two moving out to strong-side defensive end. Like so many other areas on the team, getting elite talent matters more than getting a collection of parts. Marvin Wilson might be the most important prospect in the entire class..
Linebackers
Current scholarship players (10): Tim Cole (Sr.), Dalton Santos (Sr.), Edwin Freeman (So.), Malik Jefferson (So.), Anthony Wheeler (So.), Breckyn Hager (So.), Cameron Townsend (RS Fr.), DeMarco Boyd (Fr.), Erick Fowler (Fr.) and Jeffrey McCulloch (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: One or two
Current commitments: None
Current in-state offers (3): Baron Browning (Kennedale), Anthony Hines (Plano East) and Levi Jones (Austin Westlake)
Breakdown: Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but numbers aren’t an issue, as many as eight players have at least three seasons of eligibility remaining, so the Longhorns only need to target big-time players at this point, which both Hines and Jones qualify as.
Defensive backs
Current scholarship players (15): Bryson Echols (Sr.), Adrian Colbert (Sr.), Dylan Haines (Sr.), Kevin Vaccaro (Sr.), Antwuan Davis (Jr.), Jason Hall (Jr.), John Bonney (So.), Holton Hill (So.), DaVante Davis (So.), Kris Boyd (So.), DeShon Elliott (So.), P.J. Locke (So.), Brandon Jones (Fr.), Eric Cuffee (Fr.)and Chris Brown (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: Two or three
Current commitments: None
Current in-state offers (3): Jeffrey Okudah (South Grand Prairie), Derrick Tucker (Manvel), Chevin Calloway (Dallas Bishop Dunne) and Robert Barnes (Southlake Carroll)
Breakdown: See defensive tackle and linebackers. Just go get a few bad mamma jammas because numbers are not an issue after the last two recruiting classes.
Kickers/Punters
Current scholarship players (2): Nick Jordan (Sr.) and Michael Dickson (So.)
Needs in 2017: One
Current commitments: None
Current in-state offers: None
Breakdown: I’m not the biggest fan of offering kickers, but the Longhorns won’t have a scholarship place-kicker after Jordan departs this season, so if the coaches can find a guy they love, they probably need to find him.and take him.
Overall
The current scholarship breakdown by class currently looks like this before attrition in the off-season.
Seniors (18)
Juniors (13)
Sophomores (27)
Redshirt Freshmen (6)
Freshmen (24)
Total: 88
The numbers don’t look much different than they did a year ago, as the Longhorns need to have three names come off the books in order to get under the 85-man limit for this season (which will be very easy to do) and every name that follows that isn’t a senior will add to the numbers available for next season.
Over the last decade, the Longhorns have lost an average of five players per off-season, which means that by the time we get to August, the numbers should allow for the coaches to take around 20 kids in this class and when you consider that attrition that will take place in the 2017 off-season (before the majority of the players in that class arrive), the Texas coaches can probably take a full class if they want to.
Keep in mind that a year ago, the early projection of the class size 17-20 and I always projected a full class because of the attrition numbers that history shows us will add up.
From a pure needs standpoint, the class breakdown could look like this:
QB (1), RB (2), WR (2), TE (1), OT (2), OG/C (1), DT (2), DE (3), LB (2), DB (3) and K (1)
That’s 20. If the Longhorns go up to 25, it should probably be from a cherry-picking standpoint.
(Ketch)
*****
When Texas toppled Vanderbilt with relative ease last Saturday, a key recruit for the Longhorn was in attendance – 2017 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nevada) shooting guard Charles “Chuck” O’Bannon Jr. We haven’t been able to connect with O’Bannon yet (he has a game tonight before traveling to California for a game this weekend), but we did catch up briefly with Las Vegas Prospects Director Anthony Brown.
“He enjoyed the game and the style of play and the energy and everything was good,” said Brown about O’Bannon at the Texas game.
When asked what it was like for O’Bannon talking to and being around Shaka Smart in his element down in Austin and what O’Bannon had to say about those meetings with Smart, Brown responded “can anyone say a bad thing about Shaka right now?” with a laugh before adding that what he heard was “super positive.”
Brown added that Texas made it well-known how much it wants O’Bannon, who is currently rated as the No. 44 prospect overall in the 2017 Rivals150, but should probably make a noticeable rise in the updated rankings.
As for the style, O’Bannon, a 6-6 scoring machine, left thinking it was a fit.
“It fits his style – get up-and-down and play fast-paced,” said Brown.
Right now, O’Bannon is focusing on trying to win a state title. He’s averaging 20.8 points per game. (McComas)
Texas has an elite recruiter.
His name is Brian Jean-Mary.
Jean-Mary did not arrive in Austin with a lot of hype, but is beginning to earn the reputation of being a great recruiter. Texas currently has the 13th ranked class in the nation after finishing with a 5-7 record in 2015. Not only is that accomplishment impressive, but when you consider Texas was short-handed throughout the recruiting process, Strong’s staff pulled off a very impressive haul.
Texas hired offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert and offensive line coach Matt Mattox in December, but they were not responsible for specific players this year. Both men rode shotgun and will be given specific players in next year’s class. In addition, running backs coach Tommie Robinson took a job at USC in January, which left six assistant coaches to pull off this year’s class.
By the way, Jean-Mary was the leader in 2015, Charlie Strong parted ways with tight ends coach Bruce Chambers and receivers coach Les Koenning after the season. Jay Norvell was hired in mid-January, while Jeff Traylor was not hired until after the season.
Just as an FYI, Strong was involved in the recruitment of several players this year. However, I obtained a list of the lead recruiters from this year’s class.
Here is the breakdown:
Brian Jean-Mary (nine players)
Eric Cuffee, DB
Davion Curtis, WR
Chris Daniels, DT
Jean Delance, OL
Lil'Jordan Humphrey, ATH
Tope Imade, OL
Jeffrey McCulloch, LB
Zach Shackelford, OL
Marcel Southall, DT
Comment: Jean-Mary is clearly the Big 12 Recruiter of the Year. He hauled in more players than any coach on staff, and deserves a huge raise for his work. At this rate, Strong will have to fight hard to make sure another program does not attempt to steal Jean-Mary.
Brick Haley (five players)
Peyton Aucoin, TE
D’Andre Christmas-Giles, DT
Reggie Hemphill-Mapps, WR
Malcolm Roach, DE
Gerald Wilbon, DT
Comment: Haley used his Louisiana connections to obtain four players from that state. He is an underrated recruiter, but an extremely valuable member of this staff. Haley deserves a lot of credit for his recruiting ability.
Chris Vaughan (three players)
Chris Brown, DB
Jordan Elliott, DT
Kyle Porter, RB
Comment: His biggest accomplishment was convincing Porter to attend Texas. Strong sealed the deal. However, Vaughan stayed on Porter and helped Texas sign the only running back in this year’s class.
Jay Norvell (two players)
Andrew Fitzgerald, DE
Denzel Okafor, OL
Comment: Texas needed defensive lineman, and Norvell acquired Fitzgerald. Here is what Strong said about Fitzgerald on signing day: “I say this guy right here will be the dark horse of this class. He's a guy that goes hard all the time. He has one speed, and he's going to go hard. Up in the Fort Worth area, he was the defensive player of the year there. He's fun to watch. When we turned the tape on, I said, ‘Oh god, I don't need to see anything else. If he's going to play like that, we have to have him’.”
Jeff Traylor (two players)
DeMarco Boyd, LB
Brandon Jones, DB
Comment: Traylor used his connections to sign one of his former players. Getting Jones says a lot about Traylor’s upside as a recruiter. Expect good things from him in the future.
Vance Bedford (one player)
Erick Fowler, LB
Comment: Bedford is responsible for recruiting Austin and the surrounding areas. When you think about it, Fowler was the biggest recruit around, and Bedford stole the linebacker away from LSU. Bedford is like Robert Horry hitting a game-winning 3-pointer in the NBA Finals.
Charlie Strong (one player)
Shane Buechele, QB
Comment: To be fair, Shawn Watson was involved in the recruitment of Buechele, but after he was no longer on staff, Strong had to retain the state’s top quarterback. He was in constant contact with Buechele and his family, plus set up an immediate meeting with Gilbert after the coach was hired. If Strong would have been bashed for losing Buechele, he deserves credit for retaining the quarterback.
Tommie Robinson (one player)
Collin Johnson, WR
Comment: Robinson convinced a top player in California to play at Texas. Johnson might be a parting gift for Texas fans.
Obviously, Gilbert and Mattox’s workload will increase with the next recruiting class, and Longhorn fans will learn about their recruiting skills soon enough.
For now, Longhorn fans should be content to know they already have an ace recruiter on Strong’s staff. (Richardson)
*****
Speaking of recruiting, one question I asked people within the building after signing day was if they had any theories about why Texas was able to out-recruit Texas A&M.
The answer may or may not surprise you.
From what I have been told, the biggest turnoff by players who were pursued by Texas A&M and Texas was Kevin Sumlin’s negativity whenever he spoke about the Longhorns. Sumlin and his staff constantly took jabs at Strong and Texas, which did not go over well with many parents. Instead of selling his program, Sumlin spent more time ripping down Texas.
In fact, I was told one parent laid down the law with Sumlin and said, “I am tired of you talking about Texas. What can you tell me about Texas A&M?”
After hearing about Texas A&M’s failed attempt to bad-mouth Texas behind-the-scenes, this quote from Strong during Wednesday’s press conferences makes a lot more sense.
“One of the key things is there is no need to ever talk about another university,” Strong said. “I can only sell you what's here at the University of Texas, what we can do for you and what a degree can do for you. I allow the family to talk and you want to know what's on their mind. You have to put them in a position where they are very comfortable with you.”
It appears Sumlin and his staff will need to change their approach when recruiting against Strong in the future. (Richardson).
*****
As we previously reported, Strong was not going to begin the search for Robinson’s replacement until after signing day. Now that signing day is over, we should start hearing more about potential candidates next week.
So far, there does not appear to be a leading contender for the open position. From what I have been told, Strong was so focused on recruiting in January, he does not have a list of possible replacements. I do know former Maryland offensive coordinator Mike Locksley will not be a candidate because of his son, Kai, is on the team. From what I have been told, Strong does not want to put that kind of pressure on his quarterback.
Strong will likely fill the position sometime this month, and expect to hear a lot of names circulating very soon. (Richardson).
*****
To change things up a bit, we reached out to a number of the Texas signees to ask them a quick series of questions with the assurance that their answers would be kept anonymous.
Which player/players on the current Texas team were most active in recruiting you?
a. I would say Deshon, Malik and Charles. Text messages and when i went up there on my official
b. The three freshmen all-Americans.
c. Charles Omenihu. He just talked to me a lot, just building a relationship.
d. I would say Charles, Malik and DeShon. And then at the end it was Jerrod.
e. Definitely Charles Omenihu. I think it's because when I got my offer from Texas, he was hitting me up and saying he saw I got offered and they definitely needed me and how I had improved my game. At first I didn't want to hear any of it, after listening to his word, I found out UT was right for me.
f. Hmm, I wouldn't say a player really recruited me. I just decided. But probably Charles Omenihu.
Which recruit did you view as the ringleader of your class?
a. I would probably say Jean Delance.
b. Lil'Jordan Humphrey and Christmas-Giles. And Shack. They were silently committed.
c. Right now it's Jean Delance.
d. I'll say Reggie Hemphill.
e. When I went on my official, that's really when I found everybody. I was chilling with Jeffrey. I had no idea he was such a big recruit for us. I was chilling with him not even knowing how high he was rated. He was a cool guy.
f. DeMarco Boyd. He's like the loudest. He's short, so we always say he has a Napoleon Complex. He's always loud and wants to be heard. When I'd tell him he had a Napoleon Complex, he told me to shut up fat ass.
What were the negative pitches teams used against Texas?
a. Nah, nothing like that.
b. The stability, talking that coach won't be there next there. A&M, Tennessee, Arkansas, OU, everywhere.
c. The only thing they can say is job stability. That's it really. A lot of coaches said that.
d. That it's not real football, come play real football in the SEC.
e. Just saying Charlie Strong is going to leave, why would you want to go there? It's not going to be consistent, the offense is going to change and he's leaving. OU said that plenty of times during the Texas Tech game. Just little stuff about coach Strong, saying he's not going to stay.
f. They said that Coach Strong is about to leave, the whole coaching staff is about to be replaced. This was in December and January.
What is it about Charlie Strong you like the most?
a. He's a great person all around. And I like that he's a defensive guy.
b. That he keeps everything 100. And he's very persuasive. Every thing he says he's going to do.
c. I just love his passion for the game. He's a really passionate coach on the field. He's really hands-on. He lets his players get after it mentally and physically, and is always going to challenge you.
d. I would say that he understands us as players. He's a player's coach, he cares about you.
e. I can't really explain it. He's just not like other coaches, in a good way. All these other coaches tell you they want you, telling me I'm Nigerian and I want other Nigerians here. With Charlie Strong it's just different. He's a calm guy. People say he might have a temper to him, but he's just a good guy I can get a long with. When I talk to him, it's like I'm talking to one of my friends. I can't really explain it.
f. He just keeps it 100 with you. He's really a genuine guy, tells you the truth. And he really cares about the players. That's why I decided to go to Texas, because of him.
What was the most interesting thing a college coach did to try to win you over?
a. I guess telling me I'll start when I get there.
b. Shoot, that's tough. When I got out of the car, a coach was there who I had never seen in my life. He said what's up and he knew my nickname that only my close friends now.
c. You know, I can't really think of anything that was that crazy.
d. Nothing too crazy.
e. I did have one school come to my job where I work. They just wanted a snow cone. They got a snow cone real fast and ate it there. They did it two times.
f. I went to spring game with my dad and my brother. We were leaving, walking to the car, about a mile away. Coach BJ sent a graduate assistant, he ran about 300 yards to track us down. That meant a lot to my dad, that he sent a guy like that. He was panting and sweating. That was before I got offered too.
(Note: Harbaugh spending the night was mentioned by Jordan Elliott but I asked him to come up with a different answer otherwise his other answers would be obvious).
How much influence did the group text have that a bunch of recruits were on have on you?
a. A lot. I mean, we were just staying in touch with players and recruits was great. That helped a lot.
b. It really felt like we had been playing with each other since Pop Warner. We had that good connections. Everybody who is in that group chat is still in that group chat. If you didn't sign, you got kicked out.
c. I don't think it was much of an influence. I think it's more just solidifying things. That group message, it showed the reality of the situation of who you'd be spending the next three, four or five years with. It was a really a neat deal.
d. It showed everyone how cool everyone was, that they weren't all Hollywood and they really want you to come there.
e. I think a lot. I don't think other schools would put a mass group text message together like that. People thinking about coming here, it was like, "Oh this dude is here, maybe I should join in on it." I got added the day after I committed. It was pretty cool to finally join in on the conversation.
f. It helped a lot. People who were uncommitted at the time but are committed now, they got to see how we talked, how we related with each other. I think that really played a role in their decision, knowing who they're going to be playing with for the next four or five years. (Suchomel)
******
I was able to catch up with Erick Fowler's father, James Fowler, on Thursday to get a bit more insight into his son's recruitment now that things have settled down.
On Erick's struggle to decide between Texas and LSU ...
"Really Erick, he had come over to my house on Monday. We talked a little bit, he was still undecided. He said 'Dad I really don't know.' I told him he has to talk to me, we've been riding with each other the whole way, going to camps, going back and forth. He said he really didn't know. That morning, when he came in on Wednesday, he was still undecided. He said he made the decision right when he sat down."
(Note: Mr. Fowler said Erick brought both an LSU hat and Texas hat to the ceremony.
"He even kept me in suspense. That came from him really not knowing what he wanted to do. We talked the night before, even that (Wednesday) morning. Then he sat down and picked it out."
On how stressful the decision was:
"It was a win/win situation. I'm just happy that he was happy. Whoever he was going to ride with, I was going to support him 100 percent."
On his meeting with Charlie Strong:
"I went down there and met with him on Sunday. As soon as Erick announced, I called and he was very excited. He was thanking me and I'm thanking him. I just told him and the staff to take care of my boy, I'm 100 percent behind you."
"It was short and sweet. I don't like a lot of people around me. I told him if he wanted to meet, let's meet one on one, just me and him. And coach BJ (Brian Jean-Mary) was there too. They're just really good guys. Some coaches will tell you this, coaches will tell you that. But when it's one on one, just you two in the room, you tend to hold some respect and some integrity. They won all that.
"Coach strong allowed me to talk to him one on one. B.J. talked to me one on one. Both went very well."
On how Erick will be used at Texas:
"I've asked them that question before. They told me they were going to use him as a fox end. I just put him in their hands, just being trusting of their word, that they're going to make him a great player. I'm looking forward to what he can do."
On his feelings towards Charlie Strong:
"Man, I really admire the guy. I love what he's doing for UT, for the Austin community, I love what he's doing for the Texas sports community. I'm really standing behind him. I've always stood behind him, but now that he has my son, I'm 1,000 percent behind him."
*****
Goodbye, 2016 recruiting. Help me welcome 2017 recruiting to the forefront of your conscious.
While I think everyone knows that the Texas staff might do most of its damage in recruiting in another 11-12 months when National Signing Day in 2017 approaches, it doesn’t mean that a number of the staff’s top targets haven’t already been determined, which means a guide to the 2017 class, along with UT’s biggest needs, is perfect for this week’s War Room.
The goal is to go through each position, establish the needs and goals of the class, while also establishing the early key targets based on offers through this stage of the recruiting process.
Quarterbacks
Current scholarship players (5): Tyrone Swoopes (Sr.), Jerrod Heard (So.), Kai Locksley (RS Fr.), Matthew Merrick (RS Fr.) and Shane Buechele (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: One
Current commitments: Sam Ehlinger (Austin Westlake)
Current in-state offers: Shawn Robinson (Denton Guyer)
Breakdown: Although Robinson was the first Texas offer, make no mistake about it, Charlie Strong and Co. are 100-percent in love with Ehlinger and can’t wait to get the kid on campus. People have asked whether the Longhorns would go back in on Robinson if he had a strong interest in the Longhorns, but I don’t get the sense that there’s any turning back from the current plan. This appears to be a perfect match made in heaven.
Running backs
Current scholarship players (5): D’Onte Foreman (Jr.), Chris Warren (So.), Kirk Johnson (So.), Tristian Houston (RS Fr.) and Kyle Porter (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: Two
Current commitments: None
Current in-state offers: Toneil Carter (Langham Creel) and J.K. Dobbins (LaGrange)
Breakdown: Carter was the first running back offered, but the Longhorns are not among his favorite teams and I’m not sure how much that’s going to change. Dobbins likely remains the most-needed in-state target because his skillset represents exactly what the Longhorns need at the position. Meanwhile, of the in-state kids without offers, keep an eye on Wylie East’s Eno Benjamin, who is set to visit UT for its first Junior Day at the end of the month.
Wide receivers
Current scholarship players (14): Jacorey Warrick (Sr.), Roderick Bernard (Jr.), Armanti Foreman (Jr.), Lorenzo Joe (Jr.), Dorian Leonard (Jr.), Jake Oliver (Jr.), Deandre McNeil (So.), Garrett Gray (So.), John Burt (So.), Ryan Newsome (So.), Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Collin Johnson (Fr.), Reggie Hemphill-Mapps (Fr.) and Davion Curtis (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: Two
Current commitments (1): Damion Miller (John Tyler)
Current in-state offers (2): Camron Buckley (Cedar Hill) and Hezekiah Jones (Stafford)
Breakdown: Honestly, something has to give at the wide receiver position in terms of numbers because this position is pretty loaded with players and only one is set to graduate this season as a member of the senior class. Miller is one of the best players in East Texas, so his commitment is an early coup if this class and you can make a case that unless a number of players depart, the program only needs a war daddy to fill out the class.
Tight ends
Current scholarship players (4): Caleb Bluiett (Sr.), Andrew Beck (Jr.), Blake Whiteley (Jr.) and Peyton Aucoin (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: One or two
Current commitments (1): Major Tennison (Bullard)
Current in-state offers (1): Brock Wright (Cy-Fair)
Breakdown: Depending on what the staff thinks of Tennison and whether they view Deandre McNeal/Lil’Jordan Humphrey as players that can fill some of the needs required from this position, you can make a case that the Longhorns don’t need to take another tight end in the 2017 class because the position isn’t one that has been a dominant presence in snap allocation based on the history of Sterlin Gilbert’s offense. Some view Wright as a five-star prospect, so if the Longhorns could shake him from his Notre Dame commitment, he’d be an instant take.
Offensive tackles
Current scholarship players (5): Tristan Nickelson (Jr.), Connor Williams (So.), Garrett Thomas (RS FR.), Buck Major (RS Fr.) and Jean Delance (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: Two
Current commitments: None
Current in-state offers (2): Walker LIttle (Houston Episcopal) and Grayson Reed (Houston Cy Creek)
Breakdown: You just can’t have enough quality tackles on your roster, so the need from a numbers standpoint will probably come down to what the Longhorns believe they have in Nickelson, Thomas and Major. If the coaches feel like Williams, Major and Delance are the team’s true building blocks at tackle, you’d probably aim for two top-flight tackles in this class. Walker and Reed would certainly do the trick, and you can expect that they’ll be the main focus for the next few months and beyond.
Offensive guards/centers
Current scholarship players (9): Kent Perkins (Sr.), Brandon Hodges (Jr.), Elijah Rodriguez (So.), Patrick Vahe (So.), Alex Anderson (So), Terrell Cuney (So.), Tope Imade (Fr.), Zach Shackelford (Fr.) and Denzel Okafor (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: One or two
Current commitments: None
Current in-state offers (1): Jack Anderson (Frisco)
Breakdown: The Longhorns really bolstered its depth at the position yesterday, so numbers aren’t the need as much as adding a special talent or two to the puzzle. Although the Longhorns have offered Anderson, his commitment to Texas Tech appears to be rock solid, so there’s no reason to expect the Longhorns to rush in filling its needs in this class, which would only be one or two ass-kicking, no-doubt-about-it commitments.
Defensive ends
Current scholarship players (7): Bryce Cottrell (Sr.), Quincy Vasser (Sr.), Naashon Hughes (Jr.), Derrick Roberson (So.), Charles Omenihu (So), Andrew Fitzgerald (Fr.) and Malcolm Roach (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: Two or three
Current commitments (1): LaGaryonn Carson (Texarkana Liberty-Eylau)
Current in-state offers (1): Taquan Graham (Temple)
Breakdown: You can make a case that Carson is the best defensive line commit that Strong has ever landed as a head-coach and he’ll almost certainly play right away as a true freshman at strong-side end. With his commitment secure, the Longhorns need to find some guys that can get to the quarterback to fill out the class.
Defensive tackles
Current scholarship players (10): Paul Boyette (Sr.), Alex Norman (Sr.), Poona Ford (Jr.), Jake McMillon (So.), Chris Nelson (So.), D’andre Christmas-Giles (Fr.), Chris Daniels (Fr.), Jordan Elliott (Fr.), Marcel Southall (Fr.) and Gerald Wilbon (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: Two
Current commitments: None
Current in-state offers (1): Marvin Wilson (Houston Episcopal)
Breakdown: Numbers are no longer an issue, as this group is set to have eight players returning in 2017, barring attrition or a guy or two moving out to strong-side defensive end. Like so many other areas on the team, getting elite talent matters more than getting a collection of parts. Marvin Wilson might be the most important prospect in the entire class..
Linebackers
Current scholarship players (10): Tim Cole (Sr.), Dalton Santos (Sr.), Edwin Freeman (So.), Malik Jefferson (So.), Anthony Wheeler (So.), Breckyn Hager (So.), Cameron Townsend (RS Fr.), DeMarco Boyd (Fr.), Erick Fowler (Fr.) and Jeffrey McCulloch (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: One or two
Current commitments: None
Current in-state offers (3): Baron Browning (Kennedale), Anthony Hines (Plano East) and Levi Jones (Austin Westlake)
Breakdown: Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but numbers aren’t an issue, as many as eight players have at least three seasons of eligibility remaining, so the Longhorns only need to target big-time players at this point, which both Hines and Jones qualify as.
Defensive backs
Current scholarship players (15): Bryson Echols (Sr.), Adrian Colbert (Sr.), Dylan Haines (Sr.), Kevin Vaccaro (Sr.), Antwuan Davis (Jr.), Jason Hall (Jr.), John Bonney (So.), Holton Hill (So.), DaVante Davis (So.), Kris Boyd (So.), DeShon Elliott (So.), P.J. Locke (So.), Brandon Jones (Fr.), Eric Cuffee (Fr.)and Chris Brown (Fr.)
Needs in 2017: Two or three
Current commitments: None
Current in-state offers (3): Jeffrey Okudah (South Grand Prairie), Derrick Tucker (Manvel), Chevin Calloway (Dallas Bishop Dunne) and Robert Barnes (Southlake Carroll)
Breakdown: See defensive tackle and linebackers. Just go get a few bad mamma jammas because numbers are not an issue after the last two recruiting classes.
Kickers/Punters
Current scholarship players (2): Nick Jordan (Sr.) and Michael Dickson (So.)
Needs in 2017: One
Current commitments: None
Current in-state offers: None
Breakdown: I’m not the biggest fan of offering kickers, but the Longhorns won’t have a scholarship place-kicker after Jordan departs this season, so if the coaches can find a guy they love, they probably need to find him.and take him.
Overall
The current scholarship breakdown by class currently looks like this before attrition in the off-season.
Seniors (18)
Juniors (13)
Sophomores (27)
Redshirt Freshmen (6)
Freshmen (24)
Total: 88
The numbers don’t look much different than they did a year ago, as the Longhorns need to have three names come off the books in order to get under the 85-man limit for this season (which will be very easy to do) and every name that follows that isn’t a senior will add to the numbers available for next season.
Over the last decade, the Longhorns have lost an average of five players per off-season, which means that by the time we get to August, the numbers should allow for the coaches to take around 20 kids in this class and when you consider that attrition that will take place in the 2017 off-season (before the majority of the players in that class arrive), the Texas coaches can probably take a full class if they want to.
Keep in mind that a year ago, the early projection of the class size 17-20 and I always projected a full class because of the attrition numbers that history shows us will add up.
From a pure needs standpoint, the class breakdown could look like this:
QB (1), RB (2), WR (2), TE (1), OT (2), OG/C (1), DT (2), DE (3), LB (2), DB (3) and K (1)
That’s 20. If the Longhorns go up to 25, it should probably be from a cherry-picking standpoint.
(Ketch)
*****
When Texas toppled Vanderbilt with relative ease last Saturday, a key recruit for the Longhorn was in attendance – 2017 Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nevada) shooting guard Charles “Chuck” O’Bannon Jr. We haven’t been able to connect with O’Bannon yet (he has a game tonight before traveling to California for a game this weekend), but we did catch up briefly with Las Vegas Prospects Director Anthony Brown.
“He enjoyed the game and the style of play and the energy and everything was good,” said Brown about O’Bannon at the Texas game.
When asked what it was like for O’Bannon talking to and being around Shaka Smart in his element down in Austin and what O’Bannon had to say about those meetings with Smart, Brown responded “can anyone say a bad thing about Shaka right now?” with a laugh before adding that what he heard was “super positive.”
Brown added that Texas made it well-known how much it wants O’Bannon, who is currently rated as the No. 44 prospect overall in the 2017 Rivals150, but should probably make a noticeable rise in the updated rankings.
As for the style, O’Bannon, a 6-6 scoring machine, left thinking it was a fit.
“It fits his style – get up-and-down and play fast-paced,” said Brown.
Right now, O’Bannon is focusing on trying to win a state title. He’s averaging 20.8 points per game. (McComas)
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