Ketch's 10 Thoughts From The Weekend (Let's talk recruiting...)

[Ketchum]

This idea that Sark needs to achieve the RIVALS #1 ranking is pretty self serving for Rivals...

Maybe Sark has a different way of evaluating, maybe the teams needs dont match up with the rankings....maybe he thinks the Rivals ranking sucks

a. Speaking of self-serving...

b. No one specified that it needed to achieve the RIVALS #1. Typically, these things are fairly uniform.

c. Almost every single player that Sark has recruited that has come in and played has been a highly rated recruit. He's shopping at Saks.

The notion that has has some different way of evaluating is supported by nothing.

 

[CodyCarpentier]

Hot Take: To my naked eye, Owens is at least as good of a college prospect as Lacey.

Love me some of this!

 

[ARD438]

 

[ARD438]

Rivals 100 players that committed to Texas and there is a trend. If we can get close to the dream scenario of 8-12 in 2025 we will be recruiting at the level of Alabama and Georgia stacking multiple classes of elite talent. Thats 25 Rivals 100 prospects on the roster subtract Tapp and Brooks, Sanders Worthy and we are at 21. Add Quinn Ewers, Bond, Niblack from the portal and we are at 24 Rivals 100 players.

2021: JT Sanders, Xavier Worthy (2)
2022: DJ Campbell, Terrance Brooks, Kelvin Banks J'Mond Tapp, Neto Umeozulu (6) (Brooks Tapp Transferred out)
2023: Arch Manning, Anthony Hill, Johntay Cook, Malik Muhammad, Cedric Baxter, Colton Vasek, Ryan Niblett, Derek Williams, Jelani McDonald (10)
2024: Colin Simmons, Xavier Filsaime, Brandon Baker, Kobe Black, Ryan Wingo, Wardell Mack, Jordan Johnson Rubell (8)
***2025: Dakorien Moore, Michael Fasusi, Jonah Williams, Ty Haywood, KJ Lacey, Jamie Ffrench, Dorian Brew, Kiotti Armstrong, Riley Pettijohn, Kaliq Lockett, Lamont Rogers (12)

 

[pied]

I think I’ve shared this with you before. I fully admit that this is my opinion and I can’t read your mind and/or your true emotions but…I remember when you became a Liverpool “fan”. You wrote about it…it was when the EPL was beginning to take off in popularity in America, and you said you thought you should follow the league more closely so that you could better comment on it. You then outlined the methodical way that you “chose” Liverpool as your team.

As a comparison, I’ve been a “fan” of Chelsea since 2012 when I was somehow watching The Blues play a match on satellite and my 9-year-old daughter at the time (who played soccer) said she loved their jerseys and wanted to watch them play.🙂 We both became “fans”, buying replica jerseys, scarves, and watching the team whenever possible. I loved Jose Mourinho, Frank Lampard, and their Russian owner😳. I began following the league, the transfer window, and learning the ends and outs of English football - all tiers. I watched Chelsea win the Championship League that first year, and followed them as they’ve won 2 EPL championships since. I’ve been to 2 matches at Stamford Bridge, the last time with my then 20 year-old daughter having the time of her life. On the downside, the last few years have been a struggle with a revolving door of players and coaches. This year finally some optimism with a strong back half of the season to finish 6th and make the Conference League. Hopefully Pochettino is the answer to bring stability and talent back to the club.

All that said, I will always just be a fringe “fan”. Yeah, I am elated when they win and disappointed when they lose. I love reading the great humanitarian stories that the club promotes and their positive impact throughout London. But I will never have the emotional ties like I do to my lifelong hometown teams (the Cowboys, the Mavs, and the Rangers), or to the university (Texas) I grew up loving and then lettered and graduated from.

It’s just my opinion, but “picking” a team to cheer for can never give someone the emotional tie like growing up as a fan due to family being fans, or being from that city or country, or being an alumni does. I completely get your love of the Sixers and Phillies. I can understand becoming a fan of a team like you did with Liverpool, but the gushing of emotional commentary you give seems superficial and hard to fathom when your fandom was manufactured and not organic.🤷🏼‍♂️

But in the end, maybe everything I just said is hogwash and as a Chelsea “fan” I just can’t stand Liverpool.😏

Seems like you're projecting your experience and thoughts on someone else to me.

 

[thisspaceforsale]

Me: I think Texas will get commitments from the No.4, No.11, No.22, No.33, No.65 and No.71 prospects in the country in the coming months.

@thisspaceforsale:

I feel honored to be quoted so many times, thanks Ketch
My point is that you seem to be brushing off what is shaping up to be an amazing class
Top 25 QB? He’ll be gone before he plays a meaningful snap
RB? Yeah we’ll have two 4 stars but they aren’t all that
TE: completely agree, landing Kiotti Armstrong is a game changer
WR: Again completely agree
OL: We’ll be lucky if anyone becomes a high level player outside of Faussi. I’ll ask again, where on the radar was Baker last year?
And when it comes to development in Flood I trust
DE: Completely agree
DT: Our Achilles heel
LB: yeah we’ll sign one of the best linebackers in the last 10 years along with another 4 star but it needs another blue chip 🤷‍♂️
DB: It’s going to be an interesting. As you pointed out there are already a bunch of blue chips in the room. The fact those guys are already in place leads me to believe this years class will turn out just fine

 

[thisspaceforsale]

😂 I think you made your point ketch

Man some guys can’t take a dose of reality, recruiting is going well but not quite as elite as expected . I think that’s a very fair statement for anyone to say

I think the OL and DT recruitments are particularly a little underwhelming , bc that’s what will pay off the most in the SEC. We only have one elite recruit likely there . I thought/expected Flood to clean shop honestly

😂 I think you made your point ketch

Man some guys can’t take a dose of reality, recruiting is going well but not quite as elite as expected . I think that’s a very fair statement for anyone to say

I think the OL and DT recruitments are particularly a little underwhelming , bc that’s what will pay off the most in the SEC. We only have one elite recruit likely there . I thought/expected Flood to clean shop honestly

I have no idea why you would imply I can’t take a dose of reality
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to ride my unicorn off to a threesome with Paige and Livy

 

[78LonghornJoe]

I think the recruiting piece ignores a key point. Don’t you think Sark doesn’t recruit some four and five stars because they don’t pass his character or culture vetting process? If so, that means we can’t always get the top class. But we should a good enough class if we can develop the guys we get.

 

[Ketchum]

I feel honored to be quoted so many times, thanks Ketch
My point is that you seem to be brushing off what is shaping up to be an amazing class
Top 25 QB? He’ll be gone before he plays a meaningful snap
RB? Yeah we’ll have two 4 stars but they aren’t all that
TE: completely agree, landing Kiotti Armstrong is a game changer
WR: Again completely agree
OL: We’ll be lucky if anyone becomes a high level player outside of Faussi. I’ll ask again, where on the radar was Baker last year?
And when it comes to development in Flood I trust
DE: Completely agree
DT: Our Achilles heel
LB: yeah we’ll sign one of the best linebackers in the last 10 years along with another 4 star but it needs another blue chip 🤷‍♂️
DB: It’s going to be an interesting. As you pointed out there are already a bunch of blue chips in the room. The fact those guys are already in place leads me to believe this years class will turn out just fine

My point is that I'm not brushing off anything and you're literally the only one in this thread really suggesting it.

 

[pied]

Not in this off-season. I expect Virgil to get a new deal. Not sure what happens with Mo beyond 2024-25.

Seems to be focused on Liverpool at the moment at least. 🙂🤷‍♂️

 

[Ketchum]

Seems to be focused on Liverpool at the moment at least. 🙂🤷‍♂️

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They can't let him walk on a free, right?

 

[pied]

They can't let him walk on a free, right?

Depends on what his va,ue is I think. Right now I can’t imagine he’s as attractive as he was last summer, or heck even in November.

 

[fidozam]

Depends on what his va,ue is I think. Right now I can’t imagine he’s as attractive as he was last summer, or heck even in November.

I thought they should have taken crazy Saudi money last season but that was before I knew it was Klopp’s last ride.

I’m usually of the opinion sell a year too early than a year too late. I’m unless you’re in go for it mode.

 

[longhornmjc]

Ketch that Dabney Coleman list was great as others have said Cloak & Dagger was a great movie I came across it a few weeks ago on some channel hadn't seen it in a long time & had fun watching it it hasn't aged too badly.

 

[kwayne64]

I expected the Longhorns to finish with the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. Was that a fair expectation? I suppose that's a question asking for a subjective response. I simply thought that a Texas program already recruiting at an elite level would go to the mountaintop with a shot of momentum juice.

Ketch, what were you basing this expectation on? If making the playoffs and winning championships led to automatic #1 recruiting classes every year, then why does Alabama only have 2 out of the last 8 Rivals #1 classes. Alabama has a much better story to tell than pretty much every school in America with regard to playoff appearances, conference championships and national championships. They've also produced more NFL draft picks than anybody else. Yet they don't get the #1 class every year. Georgia has actually dominated this spot (at least in the Rivals rankings), and most of their number 1 classes came before the current regime won a single natty.

 

[Ketchum]

Ketch that Dabney Coleman list was great as others have said Cloak & Dagger was a great movie I came across it a few weeks ago on some channel hadn't seen it in a long time & had fun watching it it hasn't aged too badly.

I might need to give it a go on streaming.

 

[Ketchum]

I thought they should have taken crazy Saudi money last season but that was before I knew it was Klopp’s last ride.

I’m usually of the opinion sell a year too early than a year too late. I’m unless you’re in go for it mode.

We might have missed our window.

 

[Ketchum]

Ketch, what were you basing this expectation on?

Because Sark is such a bad ass recruiter, has pulled off as NO.1 overall class in the past and was already within striking distance of such a class before he had success on the field.

 

[Ketchum]

It's weird to get pushback on these high bars. It's the greatest compliment I can give of Sark that I think he's capable of doing so much.

 

[kwayne64]

It's weird to get pushback on these high bars. It's the greatest compliment I can give of Sark that I think he's capable of doing so much.

I get where you're coming from on this. I just think predicting the #1 recruiting class is somewhat like predicting who will win the national championship. There will be a lot of educated reasoning behind who is likely to win it, but there are a whole lot of specific events that need to happen in order to bring it to fruition and the competition is of the highest order. Last year Georgia was everybody's favorite until they weren't.

 

[Ketchum]

I get where you're coming from on this. I just think predicting the #1 recruiting class is somewhat like predicting who will win the national championship. There will be a lot of educated reasoning behind who is likely to win it, but there are a whole lot of specific events that need to happen in order to bring it to fruition and the competition is of the highest order. Last year Georgia was everybody's favorite until they weren't.

Of course. I didn't think just because I said that it was automatic.