Depth Chart Thoughts and Insider Nuggets
OFFENSE
QB
Shane Buechele (SO)
Sam Ehlinger (FR)
- Tom Herman said at his press conference this week that Buechele had a good couple of days of practice heading into game-week preparations, but we have been hearing behind the scenes that Buechele had a couple of pretty rough practices as well -- and a very disappointing final scrimmage. He's the lead dog for now, but the leash on him this season will likely be at two interceptions before Ehlinger comes in and gets a shot.
RB
Kyle Porter (SO)
OR
Chris Warren (JR)
Kirk Johnson (SO)
- It's interchangeable among the top two here, but, ironically, Warren -- who has been a model of inconsistency health-wise -- enters the first week of action as the most healthy of any listed player on this (three)-deep. Kirk Johnson is still fighting off soreness in his surgically repaired knee from late 2015 while Porter's shoulder injury seems like it will be of the variety that he'll play through during the season if he can manage not to re-aggravate it. Before the season is done, smart money is on guys like Toneil Carter and Daniel Young getting solid action.
SLOT WR
Reggie Hemphill-Mapps (RS FR)
OR
Lil'Jordan Humphrey (SO)
Armanti Foreman (SR)
- RHM has been a poster boy for what it looks like to receive early approval from Herman's staff and he's shined through the spring and through fall camp and LJH's move into the slot is an intriguing one based on the mismatches he can create physically with linebackers, safeties and slot corners. Hemphill's smoothness and sneaky speed coupled with Humphrey's size and physicality should make for an impressive 1-2 punch. In contrast to RHM, senior Armanti Foreman -- a ridiculous athlete -- is still likely working to get in the new staff's good graces based on his unenviable position in this initial (three)-deep.
Z WR
Devin Duvernay (SO)
Jerrod Heard (JR)
OR
John Burt (JR)
- This can literally change day-to-day as Herman said at his availability. Lots of coachspeak is purely bluster, but that is not. Burt had overtaken the others to ascend to the first team just last week, but in that first practice with the ones, Burt reportedly reverted back to old habits and drops ensued. One source said Herman put him right back on third team. As things stand, the move from the slot to the Z WR for Devin Duvernay is a terrific one, as he brings a Desean Jackson-type of lid-popping ability to the field-side receiver spot.
X WR
Collin Johnson (SO)
Dorian Leonard (SR)
OR
Lorenzo Joe (SR)
- This is Collin Johnson's job, but Herman has been vocal in his recent support of Dorian Leonard -- something that is easily understandable to those of us who have been out at practice. Leonard has shown a penchant for getting up and snatching contested balls, especially in back-corner-pylon drills on end zone targets. I don't think the "OR" between Leonard and Lorenzo Joe means much ... Johnson will dominate the snaps and Leonard will contribute in almost all of what's left over.
TE
Garrett Gray (JR)
Cade Brewer (FR)
- We're hearing that the staff views Gray the same way the fans do -- lukewarm with hopes for the best considering Andrew Beck's injury. Expect to see freshman Reese Leitao move into the mix upon his return from two-game suspension.
LT
Connor Williams (JR)
JP Urquidez (RS FR)
- Williams is the single most important player on the entire Texas roster - not only because he is the best, but because of the opportunity cost that exists in a scenario without him. There is no viable backup. Texas' hopes of getting off to a fast start with a big-time season under Herman in 2017 largely rest on Williams' health. Thankfully, he's been extremely durable during his two years at Texas thus far.
LG
Patrick Vahe (JR)
Alex Anderson (JR)
- Some people close to the program feel like Vahe may be more bark than bite at times, but the fact is that he's in a position to ascend to the next level as a prospect. He was (inexplicably) benched last season by Strong's staff just as he began showing signs of improvement. In all, this position should be fine as Anderson's presence provides fairly proven depth. On 99 snaps in 2016, Anderson allowed any form of disruption only one time.
C
Zach Shackelford (SO)
Terrell Cuney (JR)
- Shackelford needs to take a major step in 2017, but he looks bigger and more fit and able to do so. His achilles heel in 2016 was allowing penetration through his play-side shoulder from one-techniques in inside-zone concepts, which was a direct result of being underpowered and lacking experience. Since Texas will be a predominantly zone-based team in 2017, it will be most interesting to see how Shack holds up in solo-base assignments with head-up nose tackles and one-shades when the guard can't give him help.
RG
Jake McMillon (JR)
Patrick Hudson (RS FR)
- No worries at this spot -- McMillon is reportedly one of the players that Herman has the most respect for and Hudson is one he's been impressed by as well. Hudson's progression is encouraging to say the least based on his initial shortcomings in the feet and balance departments coming to Texas as a freshman in 2016.
RT
Tristan Nickelson (SR)
OR
Denzel Okafor (SO)
- The spot on the offense the staff is most worried about. There's no easy way to put it. Barring miraculous improvement from either player, this is a spot that will have to be game-planned around as a deficient one from an offensive standpoint. The more things change around Austin, the more they stay the same --- at least at right tackle. The hope is that Okafor can grow on the job, and it's certainly something fans will have their eyes on ... (Dunlap)
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DEFENSE
Defensive End
Chris Nelson – He is a guy who has worked is ass off during the offseason. Everyone in the building believes Nelson will have an impact this season.
Ta’Quon Graham – Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando expects the freshman to play around 25 to 30 percent of the time. He might be a freshman, but nobody believes he plays like one. Graham could be the cornerstone of Orlando’s defense in the future.
OR
Jamari Chisholm – The JuCo transfer has a lot of potential. He is still adjusting, but in the mix for playing time.
Nose Tackle
Poona Ford – He is expected to anchor this defense. Everyone in the building loves him. A team captain who leads his unit.
Gerald Wilbon – A quality backup who had one start as a freshman last season. Hard to criticize a man who has to play behind Ford.
Defensive End
Malcolm Roach – The likely candidate to start against Maryland. He is a talented pass rusher who has impressed this staff. He is expected get after the quarterback.
OR
Charles Omenihu – Took advantage of Roach nursing a toe injury in preseason camp. I would not be surprised if he received the majority of snaps this season. Omenihu is beginning to look like an NFL prospect.
B-Backer
Naashon Hughes – Viewed as the team’s best linebacker. He might end up being the face of this year’s program.
Jeffrey McCulloch – He is still working on earning the trust of everyone inside the building. The staff has high expectations, and he has to take the next step.
Middle Linebacker
Anthony Wheeler – He is a breakout candidate. Orlando said Wheeler has arguably the highest IQ of any of his linebackers. Wheeler just needs to talk more on the field.
Breckyn Hager – The staff loves his ability to rush the passer on third downs. Orlando’s two biggest points of emphasis are red zone defense and getting off the field on third-down. Perfect situation for Hager.
ROV
Malik Jefferson – NFL teams love him. Time for Jefferson to go out with a bang if this ends up being his last season at Texas.
Gary Johnson – Speed, speed and speed. He can cover a lot of ground. Johnson’s main duty is rushing the passer on third-downs, like Hager.
Cornerback
Kris Boyd – He always talked a good game. Now he has to skill set to match. Boyd had the potential to be a lockdown corner. Viewed as one of the toughest guys on this team.
Davante Davis – Here has the physical tools. However, Davis had too many mental lapses while covering a receiver in practice. He is still a work in progress.
SAF
DeShon Elliott – He has evolved from just being a hitter to a complete safety. There will be a lot of opposing players hearing Elliott’s footsteps this season.
Jason Hall – His biggest issue has been staying healthy. Solid player, but has been unlucky.
SAF
Brandon Jones – Herman previously said his safety covered so much ground, he could be a center fielder. If Herman gives a player the thumbs up, that guy is elite.
John Bonney – Provides depth. However, Orlando prefers to play his defensive backs throughout the entire game.
Cornerback
Holton Hill – He has tremendous footwork and cover skills. His nickname is “Hollywood.” Has fully taken advantage of his second chance.
Josh Thompson – Expected to play a lot. Thompson will start on special teams.
Nickelback
P.J. Locke III – One of Herman’s favorite players. Locke has a total grasp of this defense. He could lead the team in interceptions.
Antwuan Davis – Will play with a cast to protect a broken bone in his hand this season. He has improved as a tackler. A solid player behind Locke.
Special Teams
Kicker
Joshua Rowland – You never what you have with new kickers. Herman forced Rowland to kick under duress during practice. We will see how he does during games.
Punter
Michael Dickson – Arguably the best punter in the country. Herman will love Dickson’s ability to affect field position.
Kick Returner
Devin Duvernay, Brandon Jones – The previous staff was risk adverse and did not like kickoffs taken out of the end zone. Duvernay and Jones could make big plays by finally have the green light.
Punt Returner
Reggie-Hemphill-Mapps, OR Armanti Foreman, OR Jerrod Heard – Everyone in the building loves Hemphill-Mapps’ speed. When I recently asked about Foreman, he was described a fluid runner and serious threat on special teams. If Foreman does his part behind the scenes, he could have an impact this season. (Richardson)
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It’s been an odd recruiting week. With all the issues facing Houston and the Texas coast, it just hasn’t felt right bombarding recruits to ask for updates, even with Texas hosting its season-opener on Saturday. With everything going on in the state and with Texas set for an 11 a.m. kick-off on Saturday, I’m not expecting an overly-active recruiting weekend, but this staff has been known to surprise so we’ll keep our eyes open and ears to the ground.
The best news of the week is that most of the Longhorns’ commitments and recruiting targets from the Houston area weren’t dramatically affected by the flooding, and most are doing just fine (some updates here, for those of you who missed it). The big exception is Houston Westfield defensive tackle commitment Keondre Coburn, whose family was forced to evacuate their home.
I was able to catch up with Coburn mid-week, and while the news of his family’s situation wasn’t exactly positive, Coburn was in good spirits and was taking everything in stride.
“These days are going day by day, just checking, seeing if the water went down,” Coburn said. “I’ve been checking on some of my teammates who were affected by the floods. I’m trying to not really worry about the flood, just living day by day.”
Coburn said his family’s house was on a hill, but the water was still coming into their home on the first floor. Coburn and his family began moving things upstairs but weren’t able to transfer many of their possessions before having to evacuate.
“To be honest, we just put the TV upstairs, before anything else was up, the water was coming in.”
Coburn and his family are staying with his brother. He was hoping they might be able to get back into their home on Friday to assess the damage.
Despite the tough situation, the recent UT commitment is keeping a positive attitude.
“We’re doing good. I can’t tell you how they all feel (his family), but I feel like we’re all good,” Coburn said. “We’ve always been close, we just have to stick together right now.”
Coburn said the Texas staff has been checking in with him to make sure he and his family are safe. Other schools, including Baylor and LSU, have also been in touch. (Suchomel)
*******
Things have been pretty quiet with top UT offensive line target Junior Angilau, but that’s not exactly out of the norm since Angilau rarely does interviews.
I checked in with his mother this week to get the latest. I’ve felt for a long while that Texas was the team to beat in this one, and after my conversation this week, nothing has changed.
Angilau and his mother recently dropped his sister off at a junior college in Arizona, where she’ll be playing softball. On Friday, Angilau will be back in Arizona as he and his Salt Lake City East teammates will take on Scottsdale (AZ) Saguaro.
Salt Lake City East lost last week – the first time Angilau has suffered a loss at the high school level. His mother said Angilau was understandably disappointed, but took it pretty well overall. He received some encouraging words from the UT football staff, including recent support staff hire Jake Langi, a recruiting assistant brought in from Texas State.
“Jake Langi called and said they watched Junior, said he played really well,” Ms. Angilau said.
Texas OL coach Derek Warehime has been actively recruiting Angilau, and has made a terrific impression with the entire family. Langi is still somewhat new to the recruitment, but Ms. Angilau said he too has won the family over.
“I text with Derek (Warehime) all the time. Derek is definitely my favorite. They’re all awesome, but I really like Derek. Coach Herman hits us up from time to time,” Ms. Angilau said. “He’s really down to earth, really a character. We met Bob (Shipley), he’s really a good guy.
“Derek is the one we hit up the most, but Jake has been hitting us up. He just started recruiting there. Junior is Polynision, Jake is Polynisian, so we talk a lot and that’s nice.”
The 6-5, 300-pound Angilau can play both offensive line and defensive line. Texas is recruiting him for offense, while some schools have talked to him about playing both ways. According to Angilau’s mother, he doesn’t have a preference and just wants to be on the field.
This summer, Angilau took a few unofficial visits. He hit USC, Alabama and Utah and was hoping to visit Texas again (he visited for the spring game in April) but was unable to make that trip happen. Ms. Angilau discussed the visits and had some interesting takes.
“We did a couple unofficial visits this summer. USC, we went down there. We had gone down to California for something, so we swung by USC,” Ms. Angilau said. “He went to Alabama. He wasn’t really fond of Alabama. Utah is right here, so we just went there for a camp, didn’t even tour the campus but went to a Utah camp.
“Of course, our favorite visit was Texas.”
Ms. Angilau’s thoughts on Derek Warehime ….
“Derek, man, just being a single mom, I’ve raised them since they were young, Derek just won my heart over as super genuine. With him, I can turn my boy over to someone I trust,” Ms. Angilau said. “You can just tell. That’s what I told Junior. I told him at the end of the day, I support him 1 billion percent whatever he does, but the hospitality (at Texas), you can just tell. Derek, just me personally as a mom, just won me over with his genuine love for the game and his boys. You could tell when coaching them, in the huddle, talking about grades. The thing I know about Junior, he will definitely strive to make his coach proud. If they’re talking about Bs and Cs, he will be an A. He just tries to play but also loves to have good grades. He cares about that. Just makes me proud. Makes good choices, cares a lot for others, will not let the coach down.
On Tom Herman …
“The loyalty of his team is phenomenal. The loyalty of his coaching staff, his trainer, (Yancy) McKnight. Junior loved McKnight, loves the gym, loves to better himself.”
Angilau does not have any official visits set up at this point. Texas will get one, but the plan right now is for Angilau to not take any visits until after the season.
My thoughts: I’ve never spoken to Angilau himself, but in talking to his mom, there’s no denying how much the family loves what they saw from Texas on their April visit, and the UT staff has done a great job in this recruitment. When Angilau returns, he’ll be blown away by the facilities (he liked the old facilities before the renovations were complete) and this one is definitely trending Texas’s way. Distance is always something to watch, especially the deeper recruitments go, but Ms. Angilau is very comfortable with her son leaving home and she has complete trust in the UT coaches. This one looks great for Texas. (Suchomel)
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In case you missed it, Rockdale ATH Jaquayln Crawford, an Oklahoma commitment, tweeted on Thursday that he was on the UT campus. I’ve reached out to Crawford but have not heard back, so I’m still gathering information on this one, but I did communicate with a family member of Crawford’s who wasn’t even aware the visit had taken place. Rumor from an OU source was that the visit was initiated by Crawford, so I’m not quite sure what to make of this one yet.
Texas is tight on numbers and didn’t really push for Crawford’s commitment before he gave OU his pledge. If anything, I could see Texas continuing to recruit Crawford in case something happened with Rondale Moore (and if UT missed on Jaylen Waddle), but the numbers on this one don’t seem to add up to me, which makes me think Texas isn’t pushing for a flip or anything like that. Again though, still gathering information on this one, and I’ll pass along any information I get. (Suchomel)
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Tonight, Texas’s two biggest priorities of the 2018 basketball recruiting class arrived in Austin for their official visits: forward Kamaka Hepa, and guard Keldon Johnson. So while the Tom Herman Era officially kicks off Saturday, Shaka Smart and company will be there with two pieces they’d love to add to the 2018 recruiting class.
We’ll start with Johnson, who is rated as a five-star and the No. 18 player overall in the 2018 Rivals150. It wasn’t a surprise when more top programs entered the mix for Johnson as the summer AAU circuit ended, although you have to wonder what took them so long. Most notably, Kentucky jumped into the mix by getting Johnson on campus recently for an unofficial visit, and then immediately extending him an offer. Of course, any time Kentucky offers, there’s a real chance the Wildcats come away with the prospect, and they are very strongly in the mix. However, one source indicated Johnson isn’t quite as enamored, right now, with the idea of being the next five-star to do the Kentucky thing, although it definitely has his and his family’s attention.
Before that, Florida State made a strong push to secure an official visit from Johnson (next weekend) and Maryland has remained firmly in the picture for a long time. NC State will now receive an official visit as well.
Basically, this recruitment is turning into one of the biggest battles of the 2018 class, which isn’t all that surprising given how great Johnson was consistently during the AAU circuit.
From what I’ve heard, Texas still stands out the most in Johnson’s mind, and UT freshman point guard Matt Coleman could be a big difference-maker this weekend on the visit. Is that the consensus of everyone close to him, though? I’m not sure. With programs like Kentucky entering the mix and more official visits being scheduled, Texas is going to have to work especially hard to get a hold on the recruitment, which could go a few different ways at this point. (McComas)
*******
As for Hepa, who made a move up to No. 46 overall, his official visit to Texas this weekend will be the first. Portland Basketball Club head coach Mike Plank told me tonight he’ll follow that with a Gonzaga official visit next week.
“Then he’s going to figure out what he wants to do from there,” said Plank. “He has quite a few trip offers. He had a lot of late interest – Baylor, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, NC state. A lot of schools trying to get in. After a few conversations with him and his family these are the visits [right now]… Texas has been recruiting him the entire year. Gonzaga has been recruiting him for years.”
A reason why Texas received an official visit to begin his official visit process was because of how consistently the Longhorns have recruited the highly-skilled 6-9 forward.
“It’s been good. I tell people all the time there’s no question in my mind, Kamaka’s mind, his family’s mind that Texas is all-in on him,” said Plank about the relationship between Hepa and Texas. “Some of these other schools that have recruited him that go dark for two weeks… no question marks with Texas. Coach Horn has been superb, I’d say, in his recruitment of Kamaka and his circle. Shaka has been really good, very consistent. He flew out here for two hours to watch Kamaka’s first game during the last AAU session in Salem, Oregon, which was big. All that goes noticed.”
Plank continued about the Longhorns.
“I think Texas in particular has… they haven’t missed a beat. There have been moments with some other schools when they don’t hear from there. You just don’t know? You don’t know if they’re on vacation or losing interest or what. Texas has made it very clear what’s going on. When they left for Australia, they made it clear, ‘Hey we won’t be in contact much.”
Other programs are in the mix too. Plank mentioned that since the coaching change Washington has made Hepa a priority. USC and Utah too, and Oklahoma has been “pretty consistent” in its recruitment.
But, based on my read of things, there’s no doubt Texas and Gonzaga are standing out the most, and have recruited him the most consistently. Plank mentioned those programs made the trek to Alaska to see Hepa when he could first get recruited.
What’s Hepa looking for when he does enter the decision-making process?
“I asked him three things he wants to have,” Plank stated. “He wants a fit, style of play. Has to be a need. Wants to play early. He has to earn it, but he definitely doesn’t want to come in a position where he’s behind a lot of people. He’s big on relationships. Humble kid. Not close to a lot of people. He’s very genuine.”
On the trip, Hepa will be accompanied by his parents. Also, Plank and his fiancée are taking a weekend getaway vacation trip to Austin.
My take: following his official visits to Texas and Gonzaga, I’d bet on Hepa sitting down with his family and deciding if anymore visits are needed with the outcome being no more visits. He wants to decide in October, and sign in November. The Longhorns lead, and can take a bigger lead this weekend with a strong official visit. (McComas)
OFFENSE
QB
Shane Buechele (SO)
Sam Ehlinger (FR)
- Tom Herman said at his press conference this week that Buechele had a good couple of days of practice heading into game-week preparations, but we have been hearing behind the scenes that Buechele had a couple of pretty rough practices as well -- and a very disappointing final scrimmage. He's the lead dog for now, but the leash on him this season will likely be at two interceptions before Ehlinger comes in and gets a shot.
RB
Kyle Porter (SO)
OR
Chris Warren (JR)
Kirk Johnson (SO)
- It's interchangeable among the top two here, but, ironically, Warren -- who has been a model of inconsistency health-wise -- enters the first week of action as the most healthy of any listed player on this (three)-deep. Kirk Johnson is still fighting off soreness in his surgically repaired knee from late 2015 while Porter's shoulder injury seems like it will be of the variety that he'll play through during the season if he can manage not to re-aggravate it. Before the season is done, smart money is on guys like Toneil Carter and Daniel Young getting solid action.
SLOT WR
Reggie Hemphill-Mapps (RS FR)
OR
Lil'Jordan Humphrey (SO)
Armanti Foreman (SR)
- RHM has been a poster boy for what it looks like to receive early approval from Herman's staff and he's shined through the spring and through fall camp and LJH's move into the slot is an intriguing one based on the mismatches he can create physically with linebackers, safeties and slot corners. Hemphill's smoothness and sneaky speed coupled with Humphrey's size and physicality should make for an impressive 1-2 punch. In contrast to RHM, senior Armanti Foreman -- a ridiculous athlete -- is still likely working to get in the new staff's good graces based on his unenviable position in this initial (three)-deep.
Z WR
Devin Duvernay (SO)
Jerrod Heard (JR)
OR
John Burt (JR)
- This can literally change day-to-day as Herman said at his availability. Lots of coachspeak is purely bluster, but that is not. Burt had overtaken the others to ascend to the first team just last week, but in that first practice with the ones, Burt reportedly reverted back to old habits and drops ensued. One source said Herman put him right back on third team. As things stand, the move from the slot to the Z WR for Devin Duvernay is a terrific one, as he brings a Desean Jackson-type of lid-popping ability to the field-side receiver spot.
X WR
Collin Johnson (SO)
Dorian Leonard (SR)
OR
Lorenzo Joe (SR)
- This is Collin Johnson's job, but Herman has been vocal in his recent support of Dorian Leonard -- something that is easily understandable to those of us who have been out at practice. Leonard has shown a penchant for getting up and snatching contested balls, especially in back-corner-pylon drills on end zone targets. I don't think the "OR" between Leonard and Lorenzo Joe means much ... Johnson will dominate the snaps and Leonard will contribute in almost all of what's left over.
TE
Garrett Gray (JR)
Cade Brewer (FR)
- We're hearing that the staff views Gray the same way the fans do -- lukewarm with hopes for the best considering Andrew Beck's injury. Expect to see freshman Reese Leitao move into the mix upon his return from two-game suspension.
LT
Connor Williams (JR)
JP Urquidez (RS FR)
- Williams is the single most important player on the entire Texas roster - not only because he is the best, but because of the opportunity cost that exists in a scenario without him. There is no viable backup. Texas' hopes of getting off to a fast start with a big-time season under Herman in 2017 largely rest on Williams' health. Thankfully, he's been extremely durable during his two years at Texas thus far.
LG
Patrick Vahe (JR)
Alex Anderson (JR)
- Some people close to the program feel like Vahe may be more bark than bite at times, but the fact is that he's in a position to ascend to the next level as a prospect. He was (inexplicably) benched last season by Strong's staff just as he began showing signs of improvement. In all, this position should be fine as Anderson's presence provides fairly proven depth. On 99 snaps in 2016, Anderson allowed any form of disruption only one time.
C
Zach Shackelford (SO)
Terrell Cuney (JR)
- Shackelford needs to take a major step in 2017, but he looks bigger and more fit and able to do so. His achilles heel in 2016 was allowing penetration through his play-side shoulder from one-techniques in inside-zone concepts, which was a direct result of being underpowered and lacking experience. Since Texas will be a predominantly zone-based team in 2017, it will be most interesting to see how Shack holds up in solo-base assignments with head-up nose tackles and one-shades when the guard can't give him help.
RG
Jake McMillon (JR)
Patrick Hudson (RS FR)
- No worries at this spot -- McMillon is reportedly one of the players that Herman has the most respect for and Hudson is one he's been impressed by as well. Hudson's progression is encouraging to say the least based on his initial shortcomings in the feet and balance departments coming to Texas as a freshman in 2016.
RT
Tristan Nickelson (SR)
OR
Denzel Okafor (SO)
- The spot on the offense the staff is most worried about. There's no easy way to put it. Barring miraculous improvement from either player, this is a spot that will have to be game-planned around as a deficient one from an offensive standpoint. The more things change around Austin, the more they stay the same --- at least at right tackle. The hope is that Okafor can grow on the job, and it's certainly something fans will have their eyes on ... (Dunlap)
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DEFENSE
Defensive End
Chris Nelson – He is a guy who has worked is ass off during the offseason. Everyone in the building believes Nelson will have an impact this season.
Ta’Quon Graham – Defensive coordinator Todd Orlando expects the freshman to play around 25 to 30 percent of the time. He might be a freshman, but nobody believes he plays like one. Graham could be the cornerstone of Orlando’s defense in the future.
OR
Jamari Chisholm – The JuCo transfer has a lot of potential. He is still adjusting, but in the mix for playing time.
Nose Tackle
Poona Ford – He is expected to anchor this defense. Everyone in the building loves him. A team captain who leads his unit.
Gerald Wilbon – A quality backup who had one start as a freshman last season. Hard to criticize a man who has to play behind Ford.
Defensive End
Malcolm Roach – The likely candidate to start against Maryland. He is a talented pass rusher who has impressed this staff. He is expected get after the quarterback.
OR
Charles Omenihu – Took advantage of Roach nursing a toe injury in preseason camp. I would not be surprised if he received the majority of snaps this season. Omenihu is beginning to look like an NFL prospect.
B-Backer
Naashon Hughes – Viewed as the team’s best linebacker. He might end up being the face of this year’s program.
Jeffrey McCulloch – He is still working on earning the trust of everyone inside the building. The staff has high expectations, and he has to take the next step.
Middle Linebacker
Anthony Wheeler – He is a breakout candidate. Orlando said Wheeler has arguably the highest IQ of any of his linebackers. Wheeler just needs to talk more on the field.
Breckyn Hager – The staff loves his ability to rush the passer on third downs. Orlando’s two biggest points of emphasis are red zone defense and getting off the field on third-down. Perfect situation for Hager.
ROV
Malik Jefferson – NFL teams love him. Time for Jefferson to go out with a bang if this ends up being his last season at Texas.
Gary Johnson – Speed, speed and speed. He can cover a lot of ground. Johnson’s main duty is rushing the passer on third-downs, like Hager.
Cornerback
Kris Boyd – He always talked a good game. Now he has to skill set to match. Boyd had the potential to be a lockdown corner. Viewed as one of the toughest guys on this team.
Davante Davis – Here has the physical tools. However, Davis had too many mental lapses while covering a receiver in practice. He is still a work in progress.
SAF
DeShon Elliott – He has evolved from just being a hitter to a complete safety. There will be a lot of opposing players hearing Elliott’s footsteps this season.
Jason Hall – His biggest issue has been staying healthy. Solid player, but has been unlucky.
SAF
Brandon Jones – Herman previously said his safety covered so much ground, he could be a center fielder. If Herman gives a player the thumbs up, that guy is elite.
John Bonney – Provides depth. However, Orlando prefers to play his defensive backs throughout the entire game.
Cornerback
Holton Hill – He has tremendous footwork and cover skills. His nickname is “Hollywood.” Has fully taken advantage of his second chance.
Josh Thompson – Expected to play a lot. Thompson will start on special teams.
Nickelback
P.J. Locke III – One of Herman’s favorite players. Locke has a total grasp of this defense. He could lead the team in interceptions.
Antwuan Davis – Will play with a cast to protect a broken bone in his hand this season. He has improved as a tackler. A solid player behind Locke.
Special Teams
Kicker
Joshua Rowland – You never what you have with new kickers. Herman forced Rowland to kick under duress during practice. We will see how he does during games.
Punter
Michael Dickson – Arguably the best punter in the country. Herman will love Dickson’s ability to affect field position.
Kick Returner
Devin Duvernay, Brandon Jones – The previous staff was risk adverse and did not like kickoffs taken out of the end zone. Duvernay and Jones could make big plays by finally have the green light.
Punt Returner
Reggie-Hemphill-Mapps, OR Armanti Foreman, OR Jerrod Heard – Everyone in the building loves Hemphill-Mapps’ speed. When I recently asked about Foreman, he was described a fluid runner and serious threat on special teams. If Foreman does his part behind the scenes, he could have an impact this season. (Richardson)
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It’s been an odd recruiting week. With all the issues facing Houston and the Texas coast, it just hasn’t felt right bombarding recruits to ask for updates, even with Texas hosting its season-opener on Saturday. With everything going on in the state and with Texas set for an 11 a.m. kick-off on Saturday, I’m not expecting an overly-active recruiting weekend, but this staff has been known to surprise so we’ll keep our eyes open and ears to the ground.
The best news of the week is that most of the Longhorns’ commitments and recruiting targets from the Houston area weren’t dramatically affected by the flooding, and most are doing just fine (some updates here, for those of you who missed it). The big exception is Houston Westfield defensive tackle commitment Keondre Coburn, whose family was forced to evacuate their home.
I was able to catch up with Coburn mid-week, and while the news of his family’s situation wasn’t exactly positive, Coburn was in good spirits and was taking everything in stride.
“These days are going day by day, just checking, seeing if the water went down,” Coburn said. “I’ve been checking on some of my teammates who were affected by the floods. I’m trying to not really worry about the flood, just living day by day.”
Coburn said his family’s house was on a hill, but the water was still coming into their home on the first floor. Coburn and his family began moving things upstairs but weren’t able to transfer many of their possessions before having to evacuate.
“To be honest, we just put the TV upstairs, before anything else was up, the water was coming in.”
Coburn and his family are staying with his brother. He was hoping they might be able to get back into their home on Friday to assess the damage.
Despite the tough situation, the recent UT commitment is keeping a positive attitude.
“We’re doing good. I can’t tell you how they all feel (his family), but I feel like we’re all good,” Coburn said. “We’ve always been close, we just have to stick together right now.”
Coburn said the Texas staff has been checking in with him to make sure he and his family are safe. Other schools, including Baylor and LSU, have also been in touch. (Suchomel)
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Things have been pretty quiet with top UT offensive line target Junior Angilau, but that’s not exactly out of the norm since Angilau rarely does interviews.
I checked in with his mother this week to get the latest. I’ve felt for a long while that Texas was the team to beat in this one, and after my conversation this week, nothing has changed.
Angilau and his mother recently dropped his sister off at a junior college in Arizona, where she’ll be playing softball. On Friday, Angilau will be back in Arizona as he and his Salt Lake City East teammates will take on Scottsdale (AZ) Saguaro.
Salt Lake City East lost last week – the first time Angilau has suffered a loss at the high school level. His mother said Angilau was understandably disappointed, but took it pretty well overall. He received some encouraging words from the UT football staff, including recent support staff hire Jake Langi, a recruiting assistant brought in from Texas State.
“Jake Langi called and said they watched Junior, said he played really well,” Ms. Angilau said.
Texas OL coach Derek Warehime has been actively recruiting Angilau, and has made a terrific impression with the entire family. Langi is still somewhat new to the recruitment, but Ms. Angilau said he too has won the family over.
“I text with Derek (Warehime) all the time. Derek is definitely my favorite. They’re all awesome, but I really like Derek. Coach Herman hits us up from time to time,” Ms. Angilau said. “He’s really down to earth, really a character. We met Bob (Shipley), he’s really a good guy.
“Derek is the one we hit up the most, but Jake has been hitting us up. He just started recruiting there. Junior is Polynision, Jake is Polynisian, so we talk a lot and that’s nice.”
The 6-5, 300-pound Angilau can play both offensive line and defensive line. Texas is recruiting him for offense, while some schools have talked to him about playing both ways. According to Angilau’s mother, he doesn’t have a preference and just wants to be on the field.
This summer, Angilau took a few unofficial visits. He hit USC, Alabama and Utah and was hoping to visit Texas again (he visited for the spring game in April) but was unable to make that trip happen. Ms. Angilau discussed the visits and had some interesting takes.
“We did a couple unofficial visits this summer. USC, we went down there. We had gone down to California for something, so we swung by USC,” Ms. Angilau said. “He went to Alabama. He wasn’t really fond of Alabama. Utah is right here, so we just went there for a camp, didn’t even tour the campus but went to a Utah camp.
“Of course, our favorite visit was Texas.”
Ms. Angilau’s thoughts on Derek Warehime ….
“Derek, man, just being a single mom, I’ve raised them since they were young, Derek just won my heart over as super genuine. With him, I can turn my boy over to someone I trust,” Ms. Angilau said. “You can just tell. That’s what I told Junior. I told him at the end of the day, I support him 1 billion percent whatever he does, but the hospitality (at Texas), you can just tell. Derek, just me personally as a mom, just won me over with his genuine love for the game and his boys. You could tell when coaching them, in the huddle, talking about grades. The thing I know about Junior, he will definitely strive to make his coach proud. If they’re talking about Bs and Cs, he will be an A. He just tries to play but also loves to have good grades. He cares about that. Just makes me proud. Makes good choices, cares a lot for others, will not let the coach down.
On Tom Herman …
“The loyalty of his team is phenomenal. The loyalty of his coaching staff, his trainer, (Yancy) McKnight. Junior loved McKnight, loves the gym, loves to better himself.”
Angilau does not have any official visits set up at this point. Texas will get one, but the plan right now is for Angilau to not take any visits until after the season.
My thoughts: I’ve never spoken to Angilau himself, but in talking to his mom, there’s no denying how much the family loves what they saw from Texas on their April visit, and the UT staff has done a great job in this recruitment. When Angilau returns, he’ll be blown away by the facilities (he liked the old facilities before the renovations were complete) and this one is definitely trending Texas’s way. Distance is always something to watch, especially the deeper recruitments go, but Ms. Angilau is very comfortable with her son leaving home and she has complete trust in the UT coaches. This one looks great for Texas. (Suchomel)
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In case you missed it, Rockdale ATH Jaquayln Crawford, an Oklahoma commitment, tweeted on Thursday that he was on the UT campus. I’ve reached out to Crawford but have not heard back, so I’m still gathering information on this one, but I did communicate with a family member of Crawford’s who wasn’t even aware the visit had taken place. Rumor from an OU source was that the visit was initiated by Crawford, so I’m not quite sure what to make of this one yet.
Texas is tight on numbers and didn’t really push for Crawford’s commitment before he gave OU his pledge. If anything, I could see Texas continuing to recruit Crawford in case something happened with Rondale Moore (and if UT missed on Jaylen Waddle), but the numbers on this one don’t seem to add up to me, which makes me think Texas isn’t pushing for a flip or anything like that. Again though, still gathering information on this one, and I’ll pass along any information I get. (Suchomel)
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Tonight, Texas’s two biggest priorities of the 2018 basketball recruiting class arrived in Austin for their official visits: forward Kamaka Hepa, and guard Keldon Johnson. So while the Tom Herman Era officially kicks off Saturday, Shaka Smart and company will be there with two pieces they’d love to add to the 2018 recruiting class.
We’ll start with Johnson, who is rated as a five-star and the No. 18 player overall in the 2018 Rivals150. It wasn’t a surprise when more top programs entered the mix for Johnson as the summer AAU circuit ended, although you have to wonder what took them so long. Most notably, Kentucky jumped into the mix by getting Johnson on campus recently for an unofficial visit, and then immediately extending him an offer. Of course, any time Kentucky offers, there’s a real chance the Wildcats come away with the prospect, and they are very strongly in the mix. However, one source indicated Johnson isn’t quite as enamored, right now, with the idea of being the next five-star to do the Kentucky thing, although it definitely has his and his family’s attention.
Before that, Florida State made a strong push to secure an official visit from Johnson (next weekend) and Maryland has remained firmly in the picture for a long time. NC State will now receive an official visit as well.
Basically, this recruitment is turning into one of the biggest battles of the 2018 class, which isn’t all that surprising given how great Johnson was consistently during the AAU circuit.
From what I’ve heard, Texas still stands out the most in Johnson’s mind, and UT freshman point guard Matt Coleman could be a big difference-maker this weekend on the visit. Is that the consensus of everyone close to him, though? I’m not sure. With programs like Kentucky entering the mix and more official visits being scheduled, Texas is going to have to work especially hard to get a hold on the recruitment, which could go a few different ways at this point. (McComas)
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As for Hepa, who made a move up to No. 46 overall, his official visit to Texas this weekend will be the first. Portland Basketball Club head coach Mike Plank told me tonight he’ll follow that with a Gonzaga official visit next week.
“Then he’s going to figure out what he wants to do from there,” said Plank. “He has quite a few trip offers. He had a lot of late interest – Baylor, Notre Dame, Oklahoma State, NC state. A lot of schools trying to get in. After a few conversations with him and his family these are the visits [right now]… Texas has been recruiting him the entire year. Gonzaga has been recruiting him for years.”
A reason why Texas received an official visit to begin his official visit process was because of how consistently the Longhorns have recruited the highly-skilled 6-9 forward.
“It’s been good. I tell people all the time there’s no question in my mind, Kamaka’s mind, his family’s mind that Texas is all-in on him,” said Plank about the relationship between Hepa and Texas. “Some of these other schools that have recruited him that go dark for two weeks… no question marks with Texas. Coach Horn has been superb, I’d say, in his recruitment of Kamaka and his circle. Shaka has been really good, very consistent. He flew out here for two hours to watch Kamaka’s first game during the last AAU session in Salem, Oregon, which was big. All that goes noticed.”
Plank continued about the Longhorns.
“I think Texas in particular has… they haven’t missed a beat. There have been moments with some other schools when they don’t hear from there. You just don’t know? You don’t know if they’re on vacation or losing interest or what. Texas has made it very clear what’s going on. When they left for Australia, they made it clear, ‘Hey we won’t be in contact much.”
Other programs are in the mix too. Plank mentioned that since the coaching change Washington has made Hepa a priority. USC and Utah too, and Oklahoma has been “pretty consistent” in its recruitment.
But, based on my read of things, there’s no doubt Texas and Gonzaga are standing out the most, and have recruited him the most consistently. Plank mentioned those programs made the trek to Alaska to see Hepa when he could first get recruited.
What’s Hepa looking for when he does enter the decision-making process?
“I asked him three things he wants to have,” Plank stated. “He wants a fit, style of play. Has to be a need. Wants to play early. He has to earn it, but he definitely doesn’t want to come in a position where he’s behind a lot of people. He’s big on relationships. Humble kid. Not close to a lot of people. He’s very genuine.”
On the trip, Hepa will be accompanied by his parents. Also, Plank and his fiancée are taking a weekend getaway vacation trip to Austin.
My take: following his official visits to Texas and Gonzaga, I’d bet on Hepa sitting down with his family and deciding if anymore visits are needed with the outcome being no more visits. He wants to decide in October, and sign in November. The Longhorns lead, and can take a bigger lead this weekend with a strong official visit. (McComas)
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