As we count down the remaining hours until Cy Ridge defensive end Vernon Broughton announces his college commitment, it's probably important to outline the stakes involved in this recruitment.
To put it in the plainest terms possible, this is more important to Texas than it is to Texas A&M.
Consider that the Longhorns haven't signed a national top 100-level defensive lineman prospect since 2016 when they signed D'Andre Christmas in Charlie Strong's heralded defensive line class and Texas hasn't signed a five-star level player at the position since Brenham defensive tackle Malcom Brown in 2012.
Consider that the Longhorns haven't made a dent in the Greater Houston Area as of yet in the class of 2020, while losing Broughton to the Aggies would see Texas A&M emerge with commitments from three of the top four prospects in the area.
Consider that the defensive line position is easily the most important area of need in the 2020 recruiting class for the Longhorns and Texas doesn’t currently have any defensive linemen commitments.
Consider that Broughton might end up being the only true high-end nationally elite defensive line prospect that the Longhorns have a real shot at in the 2020 recruiting class.
Consider that Texas defensive line coach Oscar Giles could use a "W" instead of an "L" in recruiting top-level defensive linemen after coming under scrutiny for failing to do exactly that since he's returned to Texas as a member of Herman's staff.
Landing the top prospects in the Lone Star State is always a critical mission statement for the Texas program, but when you factor in everything that warrants consideration, it's painfully clear that Broughton isn't just a top-five prospect at a key area of need. With all due respect to Zach Evans or Demond Demas or Hudson Card or anyone else in the state you might want to enter into the discussion, an almost open and shut case can be made that Broughton is the most important prospect in the 2020 class for Herman and Co.
Consequently, the weight of his recruitment has been significant in the last few months, as the Longhorns went from clear favorite to on the outside looking with regards to his top two schools to seemingly taking all of the late-momentum in the final week or so of his recruitment. If hard-core observers of Texas football recruiting have felt some nervousness over the developments of the last few months, imagine the internal angst felt by the likes of Herman and Giles. This has to be especially true of Giles, who has had his worthiness as a member of Herman's staff constantly questioned.
Landing a commitment from Broughton won't fill every need in a 2020 defensive line class that could use two or three more prospects just like him, but it sure as hell checks a lot of important boxes.
He's kind of a big deal.
No. 2 - A few more notes on Broughton ...
From Rivals analyst Josh Helmholdt following the Rivals Five-Star Challenge last month:
"Broughton is a player who could have ended up higher on this list, but he took surprisingly few repetitions in the one-on-one session, which keeps him near the end of this list. The Houston native had two of the best reps against eventual offensive line MVP Parks. In fact, I would call the two-rep set between the two a draw. Broughton lined up as a defensive end during those battles with Parks, and he has enough explosiveness to play on the edge. However, at 6-foot-6 and 285 pounds now, we could easily see him kicking inside once he gets to college."
From Rivals analyst Mike Farrell after the Rivals 5-Star Challenge: "
Vernon Broughton is a great-looking kid and reminded one of our analysts of Myles Garrett."
No. 3 - Big 12 takes the stage on Monday ...
With Big 12 Media Days occurring on Monday and Tuesday this week,
@Anwar Richardson will be back from vacation and into the grind of the unofficial start of the 2019 season up in Arlington.
Here's the questions I'd like to see asked of each Big 12 coach at some point on Monday or Tuesday.
Baylor head coach Matt Rhule: "Knowing what you know about what happened under Art Briles with your program, do you support his being named the head coach of the Mount Vernon High School football team?
(Full disclosure: I'd like to see every head coach in the conference be asked this question.)
Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell: "With your team currently projected as the third-best team in the Big 12, what has to go right for the program to play in the Big 12 title game and what absolutely cannot go wrong?"
Kansas head coach Les Miles: "Short of Pooka Williams murdering the woman that led to him signing a domestic violence diversion agreement after his attest of physical battery to a woman in December, what crime would have warranted two games worth of a suspension, since the physical battery of a woman warrants only one?"
Kansas State head coach Chris Klieman: "Given the lack of natural resources the state of Kansas can provide, what are the most important regions and resources that you must take advantage of in order to succeed?"
Oklahoma head coach Lincoln Riley: "Has Jerry or Stephen Jones ever called you to discuss their head coaching position?
Oklahoma State head coach Mike Gundy: "Describe in as many words as you want the level of hatred you have for Boone Pickens?"
Texas head coach Tom Herman: "What has to happen with the program this year in order for the season to be a success and would not qualifying for the Big 12 Championship represent unquestioned failure heading after year three?"
Texas Tech head coach Matt Wells: "After auditing the program you inherited, are you dismayed that the man you're replacing is currently an NFL head coach?"
TCU head coach Gary Patterson: "Who do you view as your toughest physical competitor in the Big 12?"
West Virginia head coach Neal Brown: "Can you compare and contrast the quality of living in the states of Alabama and West Virginia?”
No. 4 - My Tom Landry crusade continues ...
Over the last few years, I've made a point to write about what I believe is a need for the Texas football program to better showcase its relationship with one of the most important people in the history of the sport ... former Texas captain, former World War II fighter pilot and former head coach of America's team ... the one and only Tom Landry.
For reasons that simply can't be explained as far as I can tell, the relationship between the most important ex-Longhorn player in the history of the sport hasn't really existed for decades. It's been my view for years that the Longhorns should hold a Landry celebration of sorts at a Texas home game.
A few months ago, I asked Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte about it on Twitter and I followed up over the weekend. Special credit to Del Conte for always being game with an answer, even if not the one I prefer.
No. 5 – BUY or SELL …
(Sell) I'm not going to go that far because ultimately guys are going to do what's best for themselves, but his commitment wouldn't hurt with momentum, that's for certain.
(Sell)
Quietly? I have contended for a while that Oklahoma's increased presence in Houston is one of the biggest areas of strength that has grown under Oklahoma coach Lincoln Riley, as opposed to what it often looked like under Bob Stoops.
(Sell) Maybe one, but not both.
(Sell) How in the world could any of us know such a thing when he's never coached?
(Sell) I don't believe in “clean" college football recruiting. I pretty much view almost everyone in the dirty category and it just varies on the shade of brown for each program. I'm not sure why you think I would not touch this question. Dameyune Craig has one of the more notorious reputations of anyone in the college football game, so let's not live in Naive-town. The problem in 2019 is that pretty much the entire landscape lives in at least the grey areas, which makes determining which of those going beyond the grey and into something else hard to separate from the others.
(Buy) I'm so sick of hearing about negative recruiting. You know what they call negative recruiting at the highest levels of the sport? Just recruiting, nothing more and nothing less. It's the talk of losers.
(Sell) Going from zero to double digits in a single season seems more ambitious than I'm willing to go.
(Sell) Sometimes life just ends up being beautifully wonderful that way.
(Buy) Assuming Sam stick around, the best Texas team under Tom Herman through the first four seasons will be the 2020 version.
(Buy) Since I haven't used a single gif yet....
No. 6 - If you don't completely know who Greg Brown, you will after this ...
Holy. Smokes.
No. 7 - Tennis gets its own section this weekend ...
For a moment, I just want to tip my cap to the greatness that has been and continues to be all-time greats Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal and Novac Djokovic, three titans of tennis that have combined for 54 of the last 65 grand slam championships that have been played.
So dominant have they been that there's not a player in the sport under 30 that has a single grand slam title. A case can be made for all three as being the best player that the sport has ever seen and that we've been able to see them at the same time, pushing each other to the brink and back countless times has been an absolute treasure.
On Sunday, Federer and Djokovic gave us a masterpiece, with Djokovic outlasting Federer in the first-ever fifth-set tie-breaker after the match had gone to 12-12 in the final set.
Like so many others, I was rooting for Federer, but it was impossible not to appreciate Djokovic in the finest moment of his career, shaking off two championship points after Federer had broken him at 8-7 and pushed Djokovic into a 40-15 hole in the game that could have decided things, all with the crowd surging behind the fan-favorite from Switzerland.
Once upon a time, Djokovic was the guy that Andy Roddick used to make fun of because all of the excuses that Djokovic would make when he'd lose.
All these years later, he's a damn man of steel, unable to be taken down by the likes of the bird flu ever again.
What are we going to do when these three are gone?
No. 8 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
... I've given up on trying to pick between Federer, Nadal and Djokovic. I really respect them all the same.
... It seems unfair that Federer has lost both of the matches that I would rank as the best I've ever seen (2008 and 2019 Wimbledon Finals), with honorable mention going to the 2012 Australian Open (Djokovic defeated Nadal) and the 2013 French Open (Nadal defeated Djokovic).
... Man, Simona Halep put it on Serena Williams on Saturday in the women's final. I can't remember seeing someone make Serena seem completely helpless as Halep did to her on Saturday.
... While watching the Melvin Gordon contract situation with the Chargers unfold, it's hard not to wonder what the Cowboys will do with Zeke Elliott following the 2020 season when he'll be entering age 26 and will likely have nearly 1,500 carries until his belt? The team made the right decision when DeMarco Murray entered the same era of dollars and carries, but will the team have the guts to ride Elliott for two more seasons and not give him a monster contract?
... What. A. Moment.
... If Sam Presti can find a way to get Chris Paul's contract off his books and get a few draft picks or valuable assets in the process, give him the damn Nobel Peace Prize.
... The Rockets had to make the trade ... had to. This might not end with the Rockets winning a title, but it had to be done.
... Can the NBA season start already?
... Throw a fastball high and tight against cancer, Bob Gibson. If anyone can, it'll be you. In fact, once you're done with it, feel free to throw at its head.
... I'm pretty much out of words for what happened on Friday, but wow.
No. 9 - The List: Top 10 thoughts on Deadwood after finishing the show ...
I can't really explain why I missed out on Deadwood during its 2004-06 run on HBO or why it took me 13 years to watch my first episode, but I finished off the show this weekend after being told by so many people that it was must-see TV history.
With all three seasons and the 2019 movie in the bag, I give you my top 10 thoughts on the show.
10. Jane should have had her own show.
9. Bullock dragging Hurst by the ear to jail and completely humiliating him was easily the most fulfilling scene of the entire series. Gerald McRaney has always been a personal favorite because of his role in as Rick Simon in "Simon and Simon" and his role as Hurst might have been the best work I've ever seen from him.
8. Charlie Utter started out as a nothing character for me and became my second-favorite over the course of three seasons. Consider me bitter about what happens in the movie.
7. Farnum's reaction after being named mayor of Deadwood in season one was a personal favorite scene of mine.
6. I was not ready for William Bullock's death. Damn.
5. Any scene with Swearengen and Wu was Hall of Fame television. Same with Swearengen and the head in a box.
4. I enjoyed the hell out of Bullock beating the crap out of Farnum in season three, but I have to admit to finding a soft spot for Farnum pretty shortly thereafter.
3. I know that Swearengen is the character that represented the straw that stirred the drink on Deadwood, but I found myself connected to Seth Bullock's character quite a bit. As someone that has some "control" issues, it was fascinating watching a character with principles and yet sometimes so unable to control himself when motivated by them. A man of few words, I was glued to any scene Bullock was in.
2. The fight between Bullock and Swearengen in the season two-opener has to rank as one of the best hand-to-hand combat scenes in the history of television. That it ended with Swearengen about to murder Bullock with a knife as Bullock's wife and son appeared into town on a coach was all kinds of Deadwood in a nutshell.
1. The ending of season three completely caught me off-guard. Knowing that the show lasted only three seasons, I assumed that the end of season three would have more fireworks than a Fourth of July, as it tied all of the pieces of the puzzle together, but clearly that's not what happened and I can't help but wonder if social media would have saved Deadwood had the show been around a decade later when such an outrage would have been multiplied by a million. Of course, with a little more time having passed since Saturday when I watched the final episode, I can't help but wonder if a random, wide-open finish to the show wasn't somehow appropriate. Hurst getting everything he wanted feels like what real life would have actually produced. There's no real room for romanticism in Deadwood.
No. 10 – And Finally ...
Forty-six days and change until the season opener, folks. We're almost there.
