1. Let's start with good news and then we'll mix in some potential good news. Things look very, very, very good with McKinney safety Xavier Filsaime. To suggest that there is burnt orange confidence in this recruitment is an understatement.
2. All might be quiet on the Kobe Black front, but that seems to be a good thing at this point. Just enjoy the ride to the finish line.
3. As I mentioned in an update on the site earlier today, things look incredibly promising with UTSA transfer edge Trey Moore.
4. Perhaps the worst piece of news I have to deliver in the opening section centers on the pending decision that junior tight end Ja'Tavion Sanders will be making in the coming weeks. Just a couple of weeks ago, we were hearing that Sanders was very seriously considering a return for another season, but as we get closer to a decision being made, it seems like going pro has become the betting favorite among his two options. The weak 2024 NFL draft class at tight end is a big factor.
5. All signs point to Xavier Worthy, Adonai Mitchell and Byron Murphy also turning pro.
6. Remember when I said to write Andrew Mukuba to the Longhorns in ink? Well, it might not be as cut and dry as that. As we've talked about in previous seasons, things can be complicated from a college credits standpoint when a player isn't a grad transfer, but has been in school for several years. I get the sense that everyone wants this to happen, but it is kind of complicated. Stay tuned.
7. Multiple non-Texas sources continue to indicate that the word on the street is that Maalik Murphy will likely enter the Portal once the playoffs conclude and the return of Quinn Ewers becomes official. Of course, anything could change if Ewers has a couple of all-time great playoff performances, but even Texas sources agree that it will be tough to keep Murphy if Ewers returns.
8. With Derek Williams set to miss the first half of the Sugar Bowl, look for the Longhorns to move some pieces around in an effort to get their best group of defensive backs possible on the field. That could include Maalik Muhammad starting at cornerback and Ryan Watts starting at safety. Nothing is official at this point (obviously), but the Longhorns will use the upcoming 15 bowl workouts to figure out how to navigate the personnel issues in the secondary.
9. Keep an eye on Calabasas, Ca. wide receiver Aaron Butler, who de-committed from Oregon on Saturday and is in conversations with the Texas coaching staff. One person I spoke with on Sunday described him as "Xavier Worthy-like". Don't be surprised if he visits this upcoming weekend and makes a decision between the Longhorns, Washington and Arizona,
10. I'm told that the Longhorns have a number of wide receivers on their radar from the portal, including Houston's Matthew Golden, South Carolina's Juice Wells and Purdue's Deion Burks. I'm still trying to track down an update on Golden, but 247 reported on Sunday afternoon that Burks will visit next weekend. The word I've been hearing for most of the week is that the Longhorns are still in the evaluating stage with Portal guys and that includes a couple of guys that haven't yet entered the portal, but still might. My sense is that the preference of the three known guys is: 1) Golden 2) Wells 3) Burks.
No. 2 - One of the all-time greats ...
A month ago, I ranked the top defensive tackles in the Texas program since 2000 and ranked T'Vondre Sweat fifth behind the likes of Casey Hampton, Shaun Rogers, Malcom Brown and Lamarr Houston.
Not only did the rankings feel fair, but nobody really stepped in and debated the positioning.
Since then ...
* Sweat has been named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year.
* Helped lead his team to a Big 12 Championship and a spot in the Playoffs.
* Became the first Longhorns player to win the Outland Trophy since 1977 and only the second Texas defensive tackle to win the award in the last 60 years.
It feels like 28 days later, the only player I would rank him behind is Hampton, who is almost unapproachable as a legendary player. What Sweat has accomplished this season has never been accomplished by a player in the modern era of the Texas program. There have been players that have accomplished one of the things that Sweat has this season, but none that have matched him stride for stride.
When you consider that he was only a part-time starter in 2022, earned only honorable mention all-Big 12 honors and recorded only 2.5 tackles for loss all season, it becomes increasingly clear that we're talking about one of the all-time great single-season success stories in the history of both the Texas program and the Big 12.
No. 3 - The WR numbers game ...
The expectation around the 40 Acres is that sometime in the next 4-5 weeks, both Xavier Worthy and Adonai Mitchell will announce their intentions to head off to the NFL, which coupled with the departure of Jordan Whittington will leave the Longhorns short on experience at the wide receiver position.
Really, really short on experience, let alone proven experience.
Here's how things look at the moment going into 2024 ...
Seniors: None
Juniors: None
Sophomores: (2) Johntay Cook (8 career receptions for 136 yards and 0 TD) and DeAndre Moore (0 career receptions)
Redshirt freshmen: (1) Ryan Niblett (0 career receptions)
True freshmen: (3) Freddie DuBose, Parker Livingstone, Ryan Wingo
That's it for now. Six players, two of whom are still recovering from serious high school injuries. Eight career catches as a group. Zero touchdowns.
The Longhorns don't need a receiver from the Portal. Or two. Three is probably the right answer ... I think.
It puts the importance of the pursuit of Mathew Golden, Juice Wells or anyone else from the Portal in real perspective. There's a lot of work to be done.
No. 4 - Portal Numbers ...
Here's a look at the updated portal entries in the SEC going into Sunday:
1. South Carolina - 18
2. Vanderbilt - 18
3. Florida - 17
4T. Texas A&M - 16
4T. Arkansas - 16
6T. Kentucky - 14
6T. Mississippi State - 14
8. Georgia - 13
9. Oklahoma - 12
10T. Missouri - 10
10T. Tennessee - 10
12T. Ole Miss - 8
12T. LSU - 8
12T. Auburn - 8
15. Texas - 7
16. Alabama - 4
No. 5 - Let's make a deal ...
Imagine for a second that you're standing next to Wayne Brady and dressed like Waldo.
You've got a choice.
Behind door No. 1, you've got a cornerback from a Power Five program that you can add through the Portal. He's played in 28 career games and made 14 career starts. At one point in the most recent season, he went 41 coverage snaps without allowing a catch, which was the best in college football and finished his season ranked eighth in a major conference completion percentage when targeted.
Before you make a choice, I'm going to let you know in advance that he's not going to start at cornerback in his first of two seasons of eligibility, he's not going to start for you, but he's going to play nearly 300 snaps on the season and give you solid, quality immediate depth.
Upon his arrival, you can pretty much take it to the bank that he's going to be rock solid for you at a minimum. He's not a star, but he's a good player, improves your roster and keeps players who otherwise couldn't be trusted to see the field from being put on the field in the biggest games of the season.
That's door No. 1.
Behind door No. 2, you've got a mid four-star running back from the state of Texas, who ranks No. 150 on the Rivals rankings.
You're not going to be told how this mystery running back is going to turn out over the course of the next 3-5 seasons, but what you are going to be told is that only 23% of all players at his position with the same ranking in the last 20 years have gone on to play in the NFL and made significant impacts as college players with the schools they signed with.
Of course, you're also going to be reminded that the Doak Walker Award winner in 2023 (Ollie Gordon) has the same exact profile ... so there's literally an example in front of you of this kind of profile hitting big.
Also, because this is a bit of an odd example to use because of the apples and oranges reality of competing/unrelated positions behind both doors, let's just say that there's not a need for either player/position within the imaginary program that you're making a decision for.
Which door are you choosing?
The point of this exercise is to simply point out the new dynamics in decision-making that exist for college staffs that have traditionally leaned into high school prospects to build a program, most of whom don't have high hit percentages on the average.
Whether viewed through a vacuum or from 30,000 feet up, the calls that are being made in the way of roster-building are more difficult than ever before.
From my vantage point, if we're talking about players from the Portal that are wash-outs at other programs and have never really enjoyed success at high levels of college football, you take door No. 2. Yet, if we're talking about someone with bona fide playing chops, the decision isn't nearly as cut and dry.
No. 6 - R-E-L-A-X ...
This just in ... the Texas men's basketball team is in the middle of a transition period.
After falling a few minutes short of making a Final Four run, the team is somewhat struggling to gel this season. As this team gets closer to the beginning of conference play, many of you have become frustrated by the performances, some of which have been far from easy on the eyes.
Concerns were heightened this week when former Texas coach Shaka Smart and his band of Marquette ballers put a beating on the Longhorns that was so bad that a 21-point margin of defeat felt like a moral victory when the game was over. ESPN's Bracketology had the Longhorns as an 8-seed in its most recent NCAA Tournament projections and that was BEFORE Marquette beat them like they stole money out of mom's purse.
The obvious reaction for many has been to question Rodney Terry, which is only natural when you consider the circumstances of his hire, but as someone who believed that the Longhorns needed to hire someone else right up until the Longhorns made the Elite 8, I'm here to offer a different message.
Patience, folks. More times than not, complete roster makeovers like the ones the Longhorns have gone through after last season's historical run take time to come together. Ultimately, what matters is how this team performs in February and March, as that's the period of play that will define how this season is remembered. Of course, the team can't take beatings like the one it suffered this week on the regular until the final weeks of the season rolls around, but we're still in the early days of this season.
Of course, all eyes are on Terry. Unlike a season ago, all of the responsibility for whatever happens this season is his. More than what happened last season with Chris Beard's team, this season will give us a better idea of what the Longhorns have signed up for in making him the leader of the program.
You have to give him time and by time, I don't mean 4-5 weeks.
No. 7 – Heart of a champion …
Man, I've watched the Texas Volleyball team all season and I'm going to raise my hand and admit something ... I thought Stanford was going to dispose of them in the regional final in Palo Alto.
I couldn't have been more wrong.
In what had to be the single-best performance of the season, the Longhorns advanced to the Final Four by pretty much outclassing the Cardinal in four sets, with two of the four sets being won in dominating fashion.
Leading the way was Madisen Skinner, who played like she was the damn Terminator. Time and time again, when the Longhorns needed a point, they went to Skinner and she delivered like an all-American who has a pair of national championship rings.
It was pretty damn awesome to watch.
Next up for the Longhorns is 2021 national champion Wisconsin. After Saturday night, I won't be betting against these women.
No. 8 – BUY or SELL …
(Sell) It's not a terrible idea, but I'm not sure we're anywhere close to something like that happening any time soon.
(Sell) The word I continue to get is that he's likely to return. I'm not sure his stats in two playoff games will be quite that bonkers. He hasn't had back to back games at that level of play all season.
(Buy) Sweat might just be what the doctor ordered for Ewers' deep passes.
(Sell) The Longhorns have the best and most complete offense, but I wouldn't say that about the defense.
(Buy) You're not wrong. He's got a wallet that reads "Bad MF" on it.
(Buy) From your keyboard to God's ears.
(Buy) I definitely think they'll take two WRs, but it remains to be seen whether they'll find two DL that they like, but for now I'll buy.
(Sell) I'm not sure at this point, but I'd probably lean towards a sell instead of a buy.
(Sell) I don't see an AD-level wide receiver in the Portal at this point.
(Buy) Yeah, man, he's two wins away from a national title and he has Big 12 bling.
(Buy) I have the team winning the national title over Alabama, so ... yeah.
(Buy) More like 95%. The other 5% are selfish bastards.
(Double Buy) I fully expect four high quality players from the Portal and I fully expect Alabama to be a slight favorite in a national title match-up with the Longhorns.
(Sell) I don't see the Aggies being a Top 10 team, schedule be damned.
(Sell) I've talked to multiple national voices in the last week that believe the Longhorns would have gotten in over Florida State.
(Buy) No hesitation.
No. 9 – Scattershooting on anything and everything …
... I've got no problem with Jayden Daniels winning the Heisman, but his signature moment was against ... a crappy Florida team?
... A transfer QB has won the Heisman Trophy for the fifth time in the last seven years. Gonna need to marinate on that for a minute.
... Rueben Owens averaged 3.8 yards per carry as a freshman for Texas A&M this season. Everyone in the national rankings industry had him ranked between 31-44 nationally. I'd say at this point, he was overrated as a prospect.
... That was a bad loss for the Texans, especially with the Jaguars dropping a game.
... The NFC South is a joke, except few are laughing.
... 17 years ago, VY did this. Man, time flies.
... Say what you want about LeBron James, but he made Dr.J react like this ... at the age of 38.
... I don't know what to make of the in-season NBA Tournament, but I kind of feel bad knowing that finishing second in it might be the most notable NBA accomplishment that the Indiana Pacers ever achieve in the 21st century.
... Shohei Ohtani says that "the Angels will remain etched in my heart forever," but he signed with the cross-town rival ... soooo ... maybe he just has a lot of things etched in his heart. If I were an Angels fan, I'd be bitter about this for pretty much forever.
... Congrats to the Columbus Crew ... your 2023 MLS Cup champions. The Crew went from almost moving to Austin to being the king of the MLS mountain pretty damn quickly.
... Mohamed Salah ... the greatest winger in Premier League history.
... This is most definitely not safe for work or home, but no one does game reaction videos like the Flying Pig. I want to apologize to everyone for not quite being able to bring this energy to the OB Watch-a-Longs
... I love this dude.
... Sooooo, Jonathan Majors admitted in text messages that he gave his girlfriend a head injury and after trying to convince her not to go to the cops because he could get into trouble even if she lied, he told her he might commit suicide? Because he's the victim? F this dude forever.
No. 10 - The List: Top 10 TV Shows of 2023 ...
10. Poker Face (Peacock)
I didn't love every single episode, but when this show was good, it was really good. I'm definitely down for a season two.
9. Bluey (Disney+)
My 9-year olds absolutely love this cartoon. So do I.
8. The Righteous Gemstones (HBO)
Baby Billy’s Bible Bonkers.
7. Winning Time (HBO)
The most underrated show of 2023 for my money. Adrien Brody + John C. Riley + Jason Clarke + Quincy Isaiah (as an incredible Magic Johnson) = Must-See-Stuff.
6. Loki (Disney)
The best of Disney's marvel universe this season. The last two episodes stopped me in my tracks.
5. Barry (HBO)
I came into this show late, but caught the full season as it occurred and Bill Hader absolutely killed it with artistry and a shocking ending.
4. Shrinking (Apple)
All I can tell you is that this show made me laugh, cry and anticipate every episode. Harrison Ford's best work in years.
3. The Last of Us (HBO)
A cultural phenomenon. Several of the episodes were absolutely perfect 10s.
2. Succession (HBO)
One of the best five shows on television stuck the landing in its final season.
1. The Bear (Hulu)
It's not an exaggeration to say that this is one of my favorite shows of all time. It has somehow turned every character in the show into someone I fiercely care about.
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