It's quite possible that the only people on the face of the earth that continue to use pen and paper are high school football prospects and their parents.
While emails are written instead of letters and computers are used in grade school instead of Big Chief Writing Tablets, presumably every recruit in the nation will sit down with close family members and put all of the cards on the table for each school that is under consideration in an effort to make the best possible life decision.
At some point over the course of the next few days, it's likely that Mesquite Poteet five-star linebacker Malik Jefferson will go through the same process and if we can all agree that Jefferson isn't going to suddenly swing UCLA's way in the final hours of his recruitment (no matter how much fun he had in L.A. this weekend), then the decision is likely to focus on a couple of in-state rivals - Texas vs. Texas A&M.
With so much conversation about what the strength of Jefferson's relationship with A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin might mean, I was curious to see what a list of pros and cons for each school might look like in this recruitment, so I decided I would be a nice guy and do the homework for Jefferson and his family.
No need to look all over the house for a pen and something to write on … I got this.
A&M Pros
1. Gets to play with his favorite coach from the entire recruiting process (Kevin Sumlin).
2. Plays in the SEC, which ranks as the best football conference in the country
3. Has a chance to play immediately.
4. One of the top 20-30 programs of all-time
5. Possible girlfriend factor
6. No. 37-ranked business school in the country according to the most recent US and News Report rakings.
7. Outstanding home-game atmosphere.
A&M Cons
1. His favorite coach in the recruiting process has never really had a notable defense in his entire head coaching career.
2. The same coach has never really been known for developing defensive prospects into NFL players.
3. Would play in the SEC, but for a program that has ranked in the bottom tier of its own division since it arrived in the conference.
4. No knowledge or relationship with the coach that he'll spend almost all of his time with.
5. The town of College Station isn't on anyone's summer vacation plans, but it's only an hour and a half away from Austin.
6. Hasn't played in a BCS-level game since he's been able to sit up in a high-chair.
Texas Pros
1. A chance to play for the flagship university in the state and one of college football's top five all-time programs.
2. Play for a defensive-minded head coach that has one of the best records of developing prospects into NFL players
3. Has a chance to play immediately.
4. It's quite possible that the family prefers the Texas coaches to the A&M coaches.
5. No. 15-ranked business school in the country according to the most recent US and News Report rakings.
6. Has played in two national championship games and in four BCS-level bowl games since he's been able to sit in a high-chair.
7. Austin is regarded as one of the best cities if the world and more than 100,000 Aggies living in the city would seem to prove it.
8. Has its own TV network that his family can use to keep up with the team.
Texas Cons
1. The Big 12 isn't as cool as the SEC.
2. Doesn't have quite the same relationship with the UT coaches as he does with the A&M coaches.
3. No girlfriend factor.
Did I miss anything?
No. 2 - You want Nostraketchus, I'll give you Nostraketchus …
It's been too long since I brought out the crystal ball, so upon request, here's a look at my current projections for the 2015 Longhorn recruiting class.
(Current committed players are bolded)
Quarterback (2): Zach Gentry (Albuquerque, NM) and Matthew Merrick (Dallas Cistercian Prep)
Current rankings
Gentry (4 stars/5.9/No.98 overall nationally)
Merrick (3 stars/5.5)
Quickie thoughts: The Longhorns have put together the quintessential two-man recruiting class by securing a national top 100 prospect to anchor the position and a solid three-star prospects that isn't going to transfer from the program when he isn't starting by the end of his redshirt freshman season. If Texas does nothing else to help build up depth at the position, the coaches will have accomplished the original mission at this position, but have the Longhorns finished up shop? I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that at some point in the final month of the process, the Longhorns will find themselves in the mix for another player at this position because improving the quarterback options for 2015 and beyond is simply too important to the future of the program. If my clandestine remarks feel vague or ambiguous, just know that I've got zero specifics in mind … I'm just thinking out-loud. The smart money has Texas likely ending with the two it already has secured.
Running Backs (3): Kirk Johnson (San Jose, Ca.), Tristan Houston (Houston North Shore) and Chris Warren (Rockwall, Texas)
Current rankings
Johnson (4 stars/5.8/No.194 overall nationally)
Houston (3 stars/5.6/No.52 RB)
Warren (4 stars/5.9/No.159 overall nationally)
Quickie thoughts: With the loss of Jordan Stevenson last week, everyone wants to know whether a fourth player in this group will emerge and while everyone continues to keep an eye on Plano West's Soso Jamabo, I'm not sure the Longhorns will finish with a big-time prospect they hasn't recruited feverishly from start to finish. The smart money likely has the Longhorns staying at three backs in this class. The good news for Texas is that I've projected Warren to Texas for about 18 months and nothing is changing now.
Wide receivers (1): Ryan Newsome (Aledo)
Current rankings
Newsome (3 stars/5.7/No.43 WR)
Quickie thoughts: This set of projections has the Longhorns eventually losing Tallahassee Lincoln star John Burt, who has been committed to the Longhorns for most of the year, but seems destined to sign with Auburn on Signing Day, but adding Newsome in the coming weeks. Multiple sources confirmed this past week the Longhorns remain the heavy favorite for the Aledo star. From a numbers standpoint, the Longhorns really don't need more than one or two players in this class after taking so many receivers a year ago, but it's not outside the realm of possibilities that they make a run at someone that's not even currently on the radar in the final month of the recruiting year.
Tight ends (1): Devonaire Clarington (Miami, Florida)
Current rankings: Clarington (4 stars/5.8/No.11 TE)
Quickie thoughts: Clarington has seemingly been all Longhorns in the last month or so, so I don't have any issues projecting him to a burnt orange uniform. Can the Longhorns finish with Connecticut prep star Chris Clark? It remains a strong possibility, but I'm just not willing to project that the Longhorns will close with two out of state tight end prospects in the final six weeks of the recruiting process … yet.
Offensive linemen (7): Patrick Vahe (Euless Trinity), Ronnie Major (Huntsville), Toby Weathersby (Houston Westfield). Garett Thomas (Many, Louisiana), Connor Williams (Coppell), Tristan Nickelson (Navarro JC) and Brandon Hodges (East Mississippi CC)
Current rankings
Hodges (2 stars/5.3)
Major (3 stars/5.6/No.74 LT)
Nickelson (2 stars/5.3)
Thomas (3 stars/5.5)
Vahe (4 stars/5.8/No.179 overall nationally)
Weathersby (4 stars/5.9/No.129 overall nationally)
Williams (4 stars/5.8/No.208 nationally)
Quickie thoughts: The Longhorns have a little bit of everything in this class, including three national prospects, two Junior College players who will give the team immediate 2015 depth and a couple long-term/high-upside projects. Given the state of the offensive line in the last few years, every ounce of help this class can bring is needed. As it stands, more than 2,000 pounds of beef is headed Austin's way, which makes this the largest offensive line class for the Longhorns since 2001's Class of Beef.
Defensive tackles (1): Du'Vonta Lampkin (Houston Cy Falls)
Current rankings
Lampkin (3 stars/5.7/No.22 DT)
Quickie thoughts: Unless the Longhorns catch magic in a bottle with Daylon Mack or Charlie Strong finds a kid in South Florida he likes, it looks likely the Longhorns will finish with a single defensive tackle commitment in this class, making the additions of Poona Ford and Chris Nelson last January even more important.
Defensive ends (3): Quincy Vasser (Navarro JC), Charles Omenihu (Rowlett) and Louis Brown (Burton)
Current rankings
Brown (3 stars/5.6/No.34 athlete)
Omenihu (3 stars/5.7/No.28 SDE)
Quickie thoughts: Vasser gives the Longhorns an incoming prospect that can compete for a starting spot, while Omenihu and Brown are long-term prospects.
Linebackers (3): Cecil Cherry (Lakeland, Florida), Breckyn Hager (Austin Westlake) and Cameron Townsend (Missouri City Ridge Point)
Current rankings
Cherry (4 stars/5.8/No.10 ILB)
Hager (2 stars/5.4)
Townsend (3 stars/5.7/No.19 ILB)
Quickie thoughts: Where's Malik Jefferson? In the final projection before he makes his decision, I'm predicting him to fall A&M's way, which means this group will finish as a disappointment (even with the addition of Cherry) when you consider the importance of the five-star linebacker in this class.
Defensive Backs (4): Kris Boyd (Gilmer), Davante Davis (Miami, Florida), DeShon Elliott (Rockwall Heath) and Jamile Johnson (South Oak Cliff);
Current rankings
Boyd (4 stars/5.9/No.105 overall nationally)
Davis 4 stars/5.8/No.24 S)
Elliott (3 stars/5.7/No.37 S)
Johnson (3 stars/5.6/No.49 S)
Quickie thoughts: This is probably the cloudiest position group to project because there are so many names still under heavy pursuit, which means we could see a shuffling of names in the commitment cupboard before all of the Letters of Intent are official. One source with South Florida connections has told me the Longhorns are in tremendous shape with Davis and Boyd has been a long-term commit projection, so those are the two names I'm penciling in at this point.
Final Breakdown
If things were to go down exactly as I've projected at this point, the final Texas recruiting class would break down like this:
Number of signings: 25
Five stars: 0
Four stars: 10
Three stars: 12
Two stars: 3
6.1: 0
6.0: 0
5.9: 4
5.8: 6
5.7: 5
5.6: 5
5.5: 2
5.4: 1
5.3: 2
Average star ranking per prospect: 3.29
Average Rivals ranking per prospect: 5.68
Projected national team ranking: No. 14-17
Key prospects that I'm projecting the Longhorns to miss out on
RB Soso Jamabo (Plano West)
WR John Burt (Tallahassee, Florida)
WR Deandre McNeil (Mesquite Poteet)
TE Chris Clark (Avon, Connecticut)
LB Anthony Wheeler (Dallas Skyline)
LB Malik Jefferson (Mesquite Poteet)
LB Darrin Kirkland (Indianapolis, Indiana)
CB Holton Hill (Houston Lamar)
S Tim Irvin (Palmetto Bay, Florida)
No. 3 - Scattershooting on the Longhorns …
… I'm going back and forth over what I think happens on Monday when Indianapolis linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. announces his decision. On one hand, a lot of people in the industry believe that Tennessee is the team to beat and are confident that it will be the Vols. On the other hand, the Longhorns made a big impression on Kirkland during his visit, which just happened to be his last, and he's good friends with expected future Longhorn Ryan Newsome. The smart money is on the Vols, but it's not a lock.
… The fact that Chris Warren received pretty exclusive attention this weekend on his official visit can't hurt, nor can the knowledge that he has a chance to touch the ball 200 times next season in a combo role with Johnathan Gray. Even though he's taking three more visits I'd be stunned if he doesn't end up a Longhorn.
… I thought the following quote from Malik Jefferson's father on Friday was very ominous for the Longhorns:
"His mind is pretty much made up. It's all up to him and what he wants to do now."
Maybe it means nothing, but it didn't feel like a throwaway comment.
… Assuming that Malcom Brown turns pro after the season, I think most will agree that he justified his five-star ranking. So, what would have to happen next year for Johnathan Gray to justify his five-star ranking?
No. 4 - The quiet before the storm for Rick Barnes and Co. ...
I don't want to say that you deserve a medal if you made an effort to watch the Texas men's basketball team take on Texas State over the weekend, but I'm not going to complain if someone handed out participation ribbons at the Erwin Center for those who used their tickets.
As someone who has watched a ton of December college basketball over the years, you can almost set your watch for a bit of a lackluster effort on the Saturday following finals and a weeklong lay-off, so it was far from surprising when the Longhorns took a 24-9 lead to halftime against the Bobcats.
Been there, seen that type of thing before and I watched it again on Saturday night, as the No. 8 Longhorns played hard, if not extremely well for 40 minutes. Perhaps the best thing you can say about these Longhorns coming out of the weekend is that even on nights when nobody seemed particularly enthusiastic about what had transpired against the Bobcats, the Longhorns still:
Held Texas State to a school record for fewest points in the first half.
Were +24 in rebounding
Shot 54.8-percent from the floor, 46.2-percent from three-point range and 70.0-percent at the free throw line.
Won by 32 against a team that was 5-1 coming into the game.
When Barnes and Co. are putting a grumpy face on after a night where these truths exist, it means the team is playing to a high standard and not its opponent, which is exactly what you want from a team with high expectations heading into conference play.
Speaking of conference play, we're almost three weeks away from the opener against Texas Tech and four tune-ups exist before the next chapter of the 2014-15 season begins. Barring a pretty major upset, the Longhorns will be 12-1 and hovering near the top 5 of the rankings when the team heads to Lubbock.
The pieces are in place for one of the best seasons in school history and everything about what happens between now and January is about working on the parts of this team's game that need tuning up, which means playing to a standard will be a constant theme and the hope has to be that the unevenness of Saturday night isn't repeated against the likes of Lipscomb, Long Beach State, Stanford and Rice.
No. 5 - It's time to give Jerritt Elliott some damn respect …
Can there be any doubt that when it comes to Texas women's athletics, the Longhorns are without question a volleyball school?
For the sixth time in seven years and for the third straight year, Elliott and Co. are headed back to the Final Four after dismantling Colorado State in the round of 16 and outfighting North Carolina in the Elite Eight.
All that remains in front of the team in its quest to win its second national title in three years is a match-up with red-hot (No. 17 in the final NCAA volleyball rankings) BYU and the winner of No. 1 Stanford/No.5 Penn State.
In the mean-time, let's take a look at what Elliott has done in his 14 years in Austin …
National titles: 1
National runner-ups: 1
Final Fours: 6
Elite Eights: 9
Sweet 16: 10
NCAA Tournament appearances: 13
Not too shabby … now go win the title.
No. 6 - How bout' them Cowboys!
It's still too early to get too excited about things because everything that was gained tonight can be lost in the blink of an eye if they can't beat Indianapolis net Sunday, but…
Hot damn, I enjoyed the hell out of Sunday night. Take that you dirty, rotten, overconfident Philadelphia Eagles.
After all that noise coming from the Eagles since the Thanksgiving Day loss, I have to say that beating the Eagles in Philadelphia is one of the more enjoyable wins this team has had in years.
Damn, I love beating the Eagles.
No. 7 - Johnny Football looks like Johnny Tebow in his first NFL start …
As far as first impressions are concerned, it's not like Johnny Manziel was worse than the maiden voyage of the Titanic on Sunday. I mean … nobody died, just Cleveland's playoff hopes.
The final stats (10-of-18 for 80 yards and two interceptions) don't do justice to how ugly things were in the Dawg Pound, as Manziel's insertion into the line-up rendered the Browns offense absolutely helpless. In all the years of watching the NFL, I'm hard-pressed to remember watching a player I thought was more overwhelmed in his first start.
Seriously, Andy Dalton threw for 117 yards and the Bengals still won by 30 points. That's how bad it was.
You can't base judgments on one game, but goodness gracious, I've seen Chad Hutchinson look more NFL-worthy than that.
No. 8 - Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
… Marcus Mariota is a deserving Heisman winner and he had a spectacular season, but I didn't watch so much as a second of the TV presentation of the award.
… The Texans pretty much played with one hand tied behind their back against the Colts and that was when Ryan Fitzpatrick was actually on the field. Man, the Texans played their guts out this week, but having capable quarterback play matters, too. The best thing that can happen to this team in the final two weeks is to lose the last two games of the season just like it did this week, so it can acquire a draft pick closer to 10 than 20 in this year's Draft.
… J.J. Watt was awesome again on Sunday, which made me think back to the Dallas game when Tyron Smith handled him with success for most of the day. Was that the best performance of the season by any offensive lineman in the league?
… My goodness, Odell Beckham Jr. is a freak. That guy is going to be a pain in the ass for the Cowboys for a while, barring injuries.
… Colt McCoy's body just wasn't made for the rigors of the NFL on a weekly basis, especially when you factor in his fearlessness on the field.
… Jamaal Charles had a pedestrian day against the Raiders, while Knile Davis went buck-wild. I know there are some bitter fantasy football players out there.
… The AFC is cooked if the path to the Super Bowl goes through Foxborough because Tom Brady and Co. are good for 40 there every time out.
… Aaron Rodgers had one of those days where multiple deflected passes were intercepted and his best receiver dropped what could have been a 90+ yard touchdown reception, with the end result potentially costing the team home-field advantage in the playoffs. If this team doesn't get to the Super Bowl, this might a game that haunts Packer Nation in the off-season
… Liverpool lost 3-0 this week and this season has been so much of a struggle that being shut-out by three goals to a bitter rival didn't seem so bad because there were actual flashes of good in the match even if it couldn't close the deal with goals.
… Mario Belotelli wasn't going to score on David De Gea if he had 100 chances. Talk about frustrating, my guess is that Belotelli's head was close to exploding in the post-game.
… I find myself sticking with Liverpool each week. What watching the match of the week is teaching me is that Liverpool needs a bunch of better players because this team just doesn't look like the best teams in the division.
… A few thoughts on the free UFC Fox card from Saturday night …
a. The Junior Dos Santos/Stipe Miocic fight was everything I thought it would be, except I never imagined these two guys could go 25 minutes in the Octagon together. I scored it 48-47 for Dos Santos, but my bigger takeaway is that neither of these two can hang with a healthy Cain Velasquez
b. Rafael dos Anjos looked as good on Saturday night as I've ever seen him and that includes his first-round TKO against Benson Henderson a few months ago.
c. Nate Diaz is done.
d. Daniel Cormier better enjoy is 15 minutes while he can because Jon Jones is going to savagely destroy a man that will be giving up at least five inches and a foot in arm reach. Cormier, who has exactly one knockout in his UFC career against some dude named Patrick Cummins, is tailor-made for Jones.
… Timothy Bradley was robbed on Saturday night against Diego Chaves the same way he robbed Manny Pacquiao in 2012.
… Keith Thurman fought a boring fight against some dude I had never heard of. I'm not sure I ever thought Thurman would look JAGish against some Italian dude, who barely has a Wikipedia page.
… I'd rather watch Cotto/Alvarez on May 2 than Pacquiao/Mayweather.
No. 9 - Thirty years ago …
True story: When I was eight years old, I went to see the movie Purple Rain by myself at a theater in Waco, Texas.
I don't exactly remember why I watched the movie by myself, but I remember my mom picking me up at the theater (during the day) when it was over and me feeling like my pre-teen world had changed. From the music to Apollonia getting naked and jumping into a lake to every Morris Day scene, I loved every scene in the movie.
I bring all of this up because it's been 30 years since the movie came out and TheVerge.com came out with an exclusive excerpt from a new book showcasing Prince's iconic album and I consider it the single biggest must-read of the weekend.
My favorite part?
In the audience, up in the club's balcony, Albert Magnoli listens to Prince and the Revolution play the song. Magnoli, a recent graduate of the University of Southern California's film school, has just arrived in Minneapolis to begin work on Prince's next project, a feature film based on the musician's life which will start shooting in a few months. He thinks that this grand, epic ballad might provide the climactic, anthemic moment for the movie, an element which he hadn't yet found in the batch of new recordings and work tapes Prince had given him. After the set, Magnoli joins the singer backstage and asks about the song.
"'You mean 'Purple Rain?'" Prince says. "It's really not done yet." Magnoli tells him that he thinks this might be the key song they are missing for the film. Prince, the director recalls, considers that for a minute, and then says, "If that's the song, can Purple Rain also be the title of the movie?"
No. 10 - The List: Christmas Movies
After being asked about my favorite holiday movies in a TicketCity Locker Room a few weeks ago, this is a topic I wanted to touch upon once more considering we're 10 days away from Christmas, which means we're about to enter my annual Christmas movie binge.
It's a little unexplainable, but in the final 240 hours or so before Santa comes down the chimney or crawls out of bed with the wife (depending on what might be going down in your household), I find myself addicted to Christmas movies like a fat kid eats cake on the eve of heading to Fat Kid's Camp.
I just can't stop.
Therefore, I'm adding some commentary to my selections … don't judge me.
10. Santa Claus: The Movie
Pretty much a poor man's Elf. I like Dudley Moore, so I dig this movie.
9. Scrooge (A Christmas Carol)
I'm pretty sure this is the first Christmas movie I ever watched as a kid. A black and white movie on a black and white TV… man, I feel old.
8. Bad Santa
Billy Bob Thornton deserved an Oscar nomination.
7. Elf
My wife's favorite Christmas movie.
6. Christmas Vacation
Cousin Eddie … that is all.
5. A Christmas Story
Probably the most quotable Christmas movie of all time. I will watch portions of this movie at least four times on Christmas Day.
4. Miracle on 34th Street (original)
The combination of a young Natalie Wood oozing with cuteness and Santa Claus proving in court that he's a real person makes this an absolute classic.
3. Scrooged
The most underrated Bill Murray of them all.
2. Love Actually
In 10 years this movie might rank No. 1. It's not a stretch to say that I've seen this movie nearly 100 times. If it's on TV at any time during the year, I stop and watch.
1. It's a Wonderful Life
The story of George Bailey gets me every time. By the time the Sam Wainwright sends the telegraph and Harry shows up to tell George he's the richest man in town, the tears are flowing … every time. This movie purifies me every year.
Archives List
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Country: Listen via Spotify )
Electronic: Listen Via Spotify
Funk: Listen Via Spotify (Part I)
Metal: Listen Via Spotify
Pop: Listen via Spotify )
Punk: Listen via Spotify)
Random: My Number 1's on Spotify
Rap: Listen via Spotify),
R&B: Listen via Spotify)
Reggae: Listen via Spotify)
Rock: Listen via Spotify )
This post was edited on 12/15 9:31 AM by Ketchum
While emails are written instead of letters and computers are used in grade school instead of Big Chief Writing Tablets, presumably every recruit in the nation will sit down with close family members and put all of the cards on the table for each school that is under consideration in an effort to make the best possible life decision.
At some point over the course of the next few days, it's likely that Mesquite Poteet five-star linebacker Malik Jefferson will go through the same process and if we can all agree that Jefferson isn't going to suddenly swing UCLA's way in the final hours of his recruitment (no matter how much fun he had in L.A. this weekend), then the decision is likely to focus on a couple of in-state rivals - Texas vs. Texas A&M.
With so much conversation about what the strength of Jefferson's relationship with A&M head coach Kevin Sumlin might mean, I was curious to see what a list of pros and cons for each school might look like in this recruitment, so I decided I would be a nice guy and do the homework for Jefferson and his family.
No need to look all over the house for a pen and something to write on … I got this.
A&M Pros
1. Gets to play with his favorite coach from the entire recruiting process (Kevin Sumlin).
2. Plays in the SEC, which ranks as the best football conference in the country
3. Has a chance to play immediately.
4. One of the top 20-30 programs of all-time
5. Possible girlfriend factor
6. No. 37-ranked business school in the country according to the most recent US and News Report rakings.
7. Outstanding home-game atmosphere.
A&M Cons
1. His favorite coach in the recruiting process has never really had a notable defense in his entire head coaching career.
2. The same coach has never really been known for developing defensive prospects into NFL players.
3. Would play in the SEC, but for a program that has ranked in the bottom tier of its own division since it arrived in the conference.
4. No knowledge or relationship with the coach that he'll spend almost all of his time with.
5. The town of College Station isn't on anyone's summer vacation plans, but it's only an hour and a half away from Austin.
6. Hasn't played in a BCS-level game since he's been able to sit up in a high-chair.
Texas Pros
1. A chance to play for the flagship university in the state and one of college football's top five all-time programs.
2. Play for a defensive-minded head coach that has one of the best records of developing prospects into NFL players
3. Has a chance to play immediately.
4. It's quite possible that the family prefers the Texas coaches to the A&M coaches.
5. No. 15-ranked business school in the country according to the most recent US and News Report rakings.
6. Has played in two national championship games and in four BCS-level bowl games since he's been able to sit in a high-chair.
7. Austin is regarded as one of the best cities if the world and more than 100,000 Aggies living in the city would seem to prove it.
8. Has its own TV network that his family can use to keep up with the team.
Texas Cons
1. The Big 12 isn't as cool as the SEC.
2. Doesn't have quite the same relationship with the UT coaches as he does with the A&M coaches.
3. No girlfriend factor.
Did I miss anything?
No. 2 - You want Nostraketchus, I'll give you Nostraketchus …
It's been too long since I brought out the crystal ball, so upon request, here's a look at my current projections for the 2015 Longhorn recruiting class.
(Current committed players are bolded)
Quarterback (2): Zach Gentry (Albuquerque, NM) and Matthew Merrick (Dallas Cistercian Prep)
Current rankings
Gentry (4 stars/5.9/No.98 overall nationally)
Merrick (3 stars/5.5)
Quickie thoughts: The Longhorns have put together the quintessential two-man recruiting class by securing a national top 100 prospect to anchor the position and a solid three-star prospects that isn't going to transfer from the program when he isn't starting by the end of his redshirt freshman season. If Texas does nothing else to help build up depth at the position, the coaches will have accomplished the original mission at this position, but have the Longhorns finished up shop? I'm going to go out on a limb and predict that at some point in the final month of the process, the Longhorns will find themselves in the mix for another player at this position because improving the quarterback options for 2015 and beyond is simply too important to the future of the program. If my clandestine remarks feel vague or ambiguous, just know that I've got zero specifics in mind … I'm just thinking out-loud. The smart money has Texas likely ending with the two it already has secured.
Running Backs (3): Kirk Johnson (San Jose, Ca.), Tristan Houston (Houston North Shore) and Chris Warren (Rockwall, Texas)
Current rankings
Johnson (4 stars/5.8/No.194 overall nationally)
Houston (3 stars/5.6/No.52 RB)
Warren (4 stars/5.9/No.159 overall nationally)
Quickie thoughts: With the loss of Jordan Stevenson last week, everyone wants to know whether a fourth player in this group will emerge and while everyone continues to keep an eye on Plano West's Soso Jamabo, I'm not sure the Longhorns will finish with a big-time prospect they hasn't recruited feverishly from start to finish. The smart money likely has the Longhorns staying at three backs in this class. The good news for Texas is that I've projected Warren to Texas for about 18 months and nothing is changing now.
Wide receivers (1): Ryan Newsome (Aledo)
Current rankings
Newsome (3 stars/5.7/No.43 WR)
Quickie thoughts: This set of projections has the Longhorns eventually losing Tallahassee Lincoln star John Burt, who has been committed to the Longhorns for most of the year, but seems destined to sign with Auburn on Signing Day, but adding Newsome in the coming weeks. Multiple sources confirmed this past week the Longhorns remain the heavy favorite for the Aledo star. From a numbers standpoint, the Longhorns really don't need more than one or two players in this class after taking so many receivers a year ago, but it's not outside the realm of possibilities that they make a run at someone that's not even currently on the radar in the final month of the recruiting year.
Tight ends (1): Devonaire Clarington (Miami, Florida)
Current rankings: Clarington (4 stars/5.8/No.11 TE)
Quickie thoughts: Clarington has seemingly been all Longhorns in the last month or so, so I don't have any issues projecting him to a burnt orange uniform. Can the Longhorns finish with Connecticut prep star Chris Clark? It remains a strong possibility, but I'm just not willing to project that the Longhorns will close with two out of state tight end prospects in the final six weeks of the recruiting process … yet.
Offensive linemen (7): Patrick Vahe (Euless Trinity), Ronnie Major (Huntsville), Toby Weathersby (Houston Westfield). Garett Thomas (Many, Louisiana), Connor Williams (Coppell), Tristan Nickelson (Navarro JC) and Brandon Hodges (East Mississippi CC)
Current rankings
Hodges (2 stars/5.3)
Major (3 stars/5.6/No.74 LT)
Nickelson (2 stars/5.3)
Thomas (3 stars/5.5)
Vahe (4 stars/5.8/No.179 overall nationally)
Weathersby (4 stars/5.9/No.129 overall nationally)
Williams (4 stars/5.8/No.208 nationally)
Quickie thoughts: The Longhorns have a little bit of everything in this class, including three national prospects, two Junior College players who will give the team immediate 2015 depth and a couple long-term/high-upside projects. Given the state of the offensive line in the last few years, every ounce of help this class can bring is needed. As it stands, more than 2,000 pounds of beef is headed Austin's way, which makes this the largest offensive line class for the Longhorns since 2001's Class of Beef.
Defensive tackles (1): Du'Vonta Lampkin (Houston Cy Falls)
Current rankings
Lampkin (3 stars/5.7/No.22 DT)
Quickie thoughts: Unless the Longhorns catch magic in a bottle with Daylon Mack or Charlie Strong finds a kid in South Florida he likes, it looks likely the Longhorns will finish with a single defensive tackle commitment in this class, making the additions of Poona Ford and Chris Nelson last January even more important.
Defensive ends (3): Quincy Vasser (Navarro JC), Charles Omenihu (Rowlett) and Louis Brown (Burton)
Current rankings
Brown (3 stars/5.6/No.34 athlete)
Omenihu (3 stars/5.7/No.28 SDE)
Quickie thoughts: Vasser gives the Longhorns an incoming prospect that can compete for a starting spot, while Omenihu and Brown are long-term prospects.
Linebackers (3): Cecil Cherry (Lakeland, Florida), Breckyn Hager (Austin Westlake) and Cameron Townsend (Missouri City Ridge Point)
Current rankings
Cherry (4 stars/5.8/No.10 ILB)
Hager (2 stars/5.4)
Townsend (3 stars/5.7/No.19 ILB)
Quickie thoughts: Where's Malik Jefferson? In the final projection before he makes his decision, I'm predicting him to fall A&M's way, which means this group will finish as a disappointment (even with the addition of Cherry) when you consider the importance of the five-star linebacker in this class.
Defensive Backs (4): Kris Boyd (Gilmer), Davante Davis (Miami, Florida), DeShon Elliott (Rockwall Heath) and Jamile Johnson (South Oak Cliff);
Current rankings
Boyd (4 stars/5.9/No.105 overall nationally)
Davis 4 stars/5.8/No.24 S)
Elliott (3 stars/5.7/No.37 S)
Johnson (3 stars/5.6/No.49 S)
Quickie thoughts: This is probably the cloudiest position group to project because there are so many names still under heavy pursuit, which means we could see a shuffling of names in the commitment cupboard before all of the Letters of Intent are official. One source with South Florida connections has told me the Longhorns are in tremendous shape with Davis and Boyd has been a long-term commit projection, so those are the two names I'm penciling in at this point.
Final Breakdown
If things were to go down exactly as I've projected at this point, the final Texas recruiting class would break down like this:
Number of signings: 25
Five stars: 0
Four stars: 10
Three stars: 12
Two stars: 3
6.1: 0
6.0: 0
5.9: 4
5.8: 6
5.7: 5
5.6: 5
5.5: 2
5.4: 1
5.3: 2
Average star ranking per prospect: 3.29
Average Rivals ranking per prospect: 5.68
Projected national team ranking: No. 14-17
Key prospects that I'm projecting the Longhorns to miss out on
RB Soso Jamabo (Plano West)
WR John Burt (Tallahassee, Florida)
WR Deandre McNeil (Mesquite Poteet)
TE Chris Clark (Avon, Connecticut)
LB Anthony Wheeler (Dallas Skyline)
LB Malik Jefferson (Mesquite Poteet)
LB Darrin Kirkland (Indianapolis, Indiana)
CB Holton Hill (Houston Lamar)
S Tim Irvin (Palmetto Bay, Florida)
No. 3 - Scattershooting on the Longhorns …
… I'm going back and forth over what I think happens on Monday when Indianapolis linebacker Darrin Kirkland Jr. announces his decision. On one hand, a lot of people in the industry believe that Tennessee is the team to beat and are confident that it will be the Vols. On the other hand, the Longhorns made a big impression on Kirkland during his visit, which just happened to be his last, and he's good friends with expected future Longhorn Ryan Newsome. The smart money is on the Vols, but it's not a lock.
… The fact that Chris Warren received pretty exclusive attention this weekend on his official visit can't hurt, nor can the knowledge that he has a chance to touch the ball 200 times next season in a combo role with Johnathan Gray. Even though he's taking three more visits I'd be stunned if he doesn't end up a Longhorn.
… I thought the following quote from Malik Jefferson's father on Friday was very ominous for the Longhorns:
"His mind is pretty much made up. It's all up to him and what he wants to do now."
Maybe it means nothing, but it didn't feel like a throwaway comment.
… Assuming that Malcom Brown turns pro after the season, I think most will agree that he justified his five-star ranking. So, what would have to happen next year for Johnathan Gray to justify his five-star ranking?
No. 4 - The quiet before the storm for Rick Barnes and Co. ...
I don't want to say that you deserve a medal if you made an effort to watch the Texas men's basketball team take on Texas State over the weekend, but I'm not going to complain if someone handed out participation ribbons at the Erwin Center for those who used their tickets.
As someone who has watched a ton of December college basketball over the years, you can almost set your watch for a bit of a lackluster effort on the Saturday following finals and a weeklong lay-off, so it was far from surprising when the Longhorns took a 24-9 lead to halftime against the Bobcats.
Been there, seen that type of thing before and I watched it again on Saturday night, as the No. 8 Longhorns played hard, if not extremely well for 40 minutes. Perhaps the best thing you can say about these Longhorns coming out of the weekend is that even on nights when nobody seemed particularly enthusiastic about what had transpired against the Bobcats, the Longhorns still:
Held Texas State to a school record for fewest points in the first half.
Were +24 in rebounding
Shot 54.8-percent from the floor, 46.2-percent from three-point range and 70.0-percent at the free throw line.
Won by 32 against a team that was 5-1 coming into the game.
When Barnes and Co. are putting a grumpy face on after a night where these truths exist, it means the team is playing to a high standard and not its opponent, which is exactly what you want from a team with high expectations heading into conference play.
Speaking of conference play, we're almost three weeks away from the opener against Texas Tech and four tune-ups exist before the next chapter of the 2014-15 season begins. Barring a pretty major upset, the Longhorns will be 12-1 and hovering near the top 5 of the rankings when the team heads to Lubbock.
The pieces are in place for one of the best seasons in school history and everything about what happens between now and January is about working on the parts of this team's game that need tuning up, which means playing to a standard will be a constant theme and the hope has to be that the unevenness of Saturday night isn't repeated against the likes of Lipscomb, Long Beach State, Stanford and Rice.
No. 5 - It's time to give Jerritt Elliott some damn respect …
Can there be any doubt that when it comes to Texas women's athletics, the Longhorns are without question a volleyball school?
For the sixth time in seven years and for the third straight year, Elliott and Co. are headed back to the Final Four after dismantling Colorado State in the round of 16 and outfighting North Carolina in the Elite Eight.
All that remains in front of the team in its quest to win its second national title in three years is a match-up with red-hot (No. 17 in the final NCAA volleyball rankings) BYU and the winner of No. 1 Stanford/No.5 Penn State.
In the mean-time, let's take a look at what Elliott has done in his 14 years in Austin …
National titles: 1
National runner-ups: 1
Final Fours: 6
Elite Eights: 9
Sweet 16: 10
NCAA Tournament appearances: 13
Not too shabby … now go win the title.
No. 6 - How bout' them Cowboys!
It's still too early to get too excited about things because everything that was gained tonight can be lost in the blink of an eye if they can't beat Indianapolis net Sunday, but…
Hot damn, I enjoyed the hell out of Sunday night. Take that you dirty, rotten, overconfident Philadelphia Eagles.
After all that noise coming from the Eagles since the Thanksgiving Day loss, I have to say that beating the Eagles in Philadelphia is one of the more enjoyable wins this team has had in years.
Damn, I love beating the Eagles.
No. 7 - Johnny Football looks like Johnny Tebow in his first NFL start …
As far as first impressions are concerned, it's not like Johnny Manziel was worse than the maiden voyage of the Titanic on Sunday. I mean … nobody died, just Cleveland's playoff hopes.
The final stats (10-of-18 for 80 yards and two interceptions) don't do justice to how ugly things were in the Dawg Pound, as Manziel's insertion into the line-up rendered the Browns offense absolutely helpless. In all the years of watching the NFL, I'm hard-pressed to remember watching a player I thought was more overwhelmed in his first start.
Seriously, Andy Dalton threw for 117 yards and the Bengals still won by 30 points. That's how bad it was.
You can't base judgments on one game, but goodness gracious, I've seen Chad Hutchinson look more NFL-worthy than that.
No. 8 - Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
… Marcus Mariota is a deserving Heisman winner and he had a spectacular season, but I didn't watch so much as a second of the TV presentation of the award.
… The Texans pretty much played with one hand tied behind their back against the Colts and that was when Ryan Fitzpatrick was actually on the field. Man, the Texans played their guts out this week, but having capable quarterback play matters, too. The best thing that can happen to this team in the final two weeks is to lose the last two games of the season just like it did this week, so it can acquire a draft pick closer to 10 than 20 in this year's Draft.
… J.J. Watt was awesome again on Sunday, which made me think back to the Dallas game when Tyron Smith handled him with success for most of the day. Was that the best performance of the season by any offensive lineman in the league?
… My goodness, Odell Beckham Jr. is a freak. That guy is going to be a pain in the ass for the Cowboys for a while, barring injuries.
… Colt McCoy's body just wasn't made for the rigors of the NFL on a weekly basis, especially when you factor in his fearlessness on the field.
… Jamaal Charles had a pedestrian day against the Raiders, while Knile Davis went buck-wild. I know there are some bitter fantasy football players out there.
… The AFC is cooked if the path to the Super Bowl goes through Foxborough because Tom Brady and Co. are good for 40 there every time out.
… Aaron Rodgers had one of those days where multiple deflected passes were intercepted and his best receiver dropped what could have been a 90+ yard touchdown reception, with the end result potentially costing the team home-field advantage in the playoffs. If this team doesn't get to the Super Bowl, this might a game that haunts Packer Nation in the off-season
… Liverpool lost 3-0 this week and this season has been so much of a struggle that being shut-out by three goals to a bitter rival didn't seem so bad because there were actual flashes of good in the match even if it couldn't close the deal with goals.
… Mario Belotelli wasn't going to score on David De Gea if he had 100 chances. Talk about frustrating, my guess is that Belotelli's head was close to exploding in the post-game.
… I find myself sticking with Liverpool each week. What watching the match of the week is teaching me is that Liverpool needs a bunch of better players because this team just doesn't look like the best teams in the division.
… A few thoughts on the free UFC Fox card from Saturday night …
a. The Junior Dos Santos/Stipe Miocic fight was everything I thought it would be, except I never imagined these two guys could go 25 minutes in the Octagon together. I scored it 48-47 for Dos Santos, but my bigger takeaway is that neither of these two can hang with a healthy Cain Velasquez
b. Rafael dos Anjos looked as good on Saturday night as I've ever seen him and that includes his first-round TKO against Benson Henderson a few months ago.
c. Nate Diaz is done.
d. Daniel Cormier better enjoy is 15 minutes while he can because Jon Jones is going to savagely destroy a man that will be giving up at least five inches and a foot in arm reach. Cormier, who has exactly one knockout in his UFC career against some dude named Patrick Cummins, is tailor-made for Jones.
… Timothy Bradley was robbed on Saturday night against Diego Chaves the same way he robbed Manny Pacquiao in 2012.
… Keith Thurman fought a boring fight against some dude I had never heard of. I'm not sure I ever thought Thurman would look JAGish against some Italian dude, who barely has a Wikipedia page.
… I'd rather watch Cotto/Alvarez on May 2 than Pacquiao/Mayweather.
No. 9 - Thirty years ago …
True story: When I was eight years old, I went to see the movie Purple Rain by myself at a theater in Waco, Texas.
I don't exactly remember why I watched the movie by myself, but I remember my mom picking me up at the theater (during the day) when it was over and me feeling like my pre-teen world had changed. From the music to Apollonia getting naked and jumping into a lake to every Morris Day scene, I loved every scene in the movie.
I bring all of this up because it's been 30 years since the movie came out and TheVerge.com came out with an exclusive excerpt from a new book showcasing Prince's iconic album and I consider it the single biggest must-read of the weekend.
My favorite part?
In the audience, up in the club's balcony, Albert Magnoli listens to Prince and the Revolution play the song. Magnoli, a recent graduate of the University of Southern California's film school, has just arrived in Minneapolis to begin work on Prince's next project, a feature film based on the musician's life which will start shooting in a few months. He thinks that this grand, epic ballad might provide the climactic, anthemic moment for the movie, an element which he hadn't yet found in the batch of new recordings and work tapes Prince had given him. After the set, Magnoli joins the singer backstage and asks about the song.
"'You mean 'Purple Rain?'" Prince says. "It's really not done yet." Magnoli tells him that he thinks this might be the key song they are missing for the film. Prince, the director recalls, considers that for a minute, and then says, "If that's the song, can Purple Rain also be the title of the movie?"
No. 10 - The List: Christmas Movies
After being asked about my favorite holiday movies in a TicketCity Locker Room a few weeks ago, this is a topic I wanted to touch upon once more considering we're 10 days away from Christmas, which means we're about to enter my annual Christmas movie binge.
It's a little unexplainable, but in the final 240 hours or so before Santa comes down the chimney or crawls out of bed with the wife (depending on what might be going down in your household), I find myself addicted to Christmas movies like a fat kid eats cake on the eve of heading to Fat Kid's Camp.
I just can't stop.
Therefore, I'm adding some commentary to my selections … don't judge me.
10. Santa Claus: The Movie
Pretty much a poor man's Elf. I like Dudley Moore, so I dig this movie.
9. Scrooge (A Christmas Carol)
I'm pretty sure this is the first Christmas movie I ever watched as a kid. A black and white movie on a black and white TV… man, I feel old.
8. Bad Santa
Billy Bob Thornton deserved an Oscar nomination.
7. Elf
My wife's favorite Christmas movie.
6. Christmas Vacation
Cousin Eddie … that is all.
5. A Christmas Story
Probably the most quotable Christmas movie of all time. I will watch portions of this movie at least four times on Christmas Day.
4. Miracle on 34th Street (original)
The combination of a young Natalie Wood oozing with cuteness and Santa Claus proving in court that he's a real person makes this an absolute classic.
3. Scrooged
The most underrated Bill Murray of them all.
2. Love Actually
In 10 years this movie might rank No. 1. It's not a stretch to say that I've seen this movie nearly 100 times. If it's on TV at any time during the year, I stop and watch.
1. It's a Wonderful Life
The story of George Bailey gets me every time. By the time the Sam Wainwright sends the telegraph and Harry shows up to tell George he's the richest man in town, the tears are flowing … every time. This movie purifies me every year.
Archives List
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This post was edited on 12/15 9:31 AM by Ketchum
