Ketch's 10 Thoughts From the Weekend (Ok, let's talk about what happened this weekend...)

[Ketchum]

I may need some professional counseling. There are few things I love more than a Texas game in person and few things I hate more than watching one on TV. Help me.

I've been preparing for this moment for years.

 

[RLong68]

If the Brockermeyer brothers are taking a wait-and-see approach to Texas football when their old man is a legend at the school and they have a brother currently on the team, how do you think kids without significant Texas ties are looking at the program?

It's amazing how many people have been blind to this point even though you've brought it up any number of times in the last few months.

 

[Ketchum]

Well I drink a lot on gameday

You can drink at home with Pedro.

 

[RLong68]

Of course, there are still five key available targets from the state Top 10 and another seven if we extend the list to the Top 25, so the Longhorns could still finish strong with their remaining targets like the Brockermeyer brothers, Camar Wheaton, Bryce Foster, Savion Byrd and Shemar Turner.

And I imagine you don't have a ton of optimism for at least 3 of the players on that list.

 

[RLong68]

Many of the state's top prospects are making decisions right now and in a couple of months, it's possible that they'll be so cemented in their commitments and not willing to reconsider a decision they've come to be quite comfortable with. What if Texas can't do what Texas needs to do with the 2021 class until November and November is too late in the process?

I've been saying to the "just need to win this season" that a lot of the elite '21 talent will be solid commits well before, say, 11/1.

 

[Ketchum]

And I imagine you don't have a ton of optimism for at least 3 of the players on that list.

The clock is not Tom Herman's friend right now.

 

[Ketchum]

I've been saying to the "just need to win this season" that a lot of the elite '21 talent will be solid commits well before, say, 9/1.

FIFY

This is the true concern IMO

 

[RLong68]

Hell, they took a fullback from Brownwood that summer named Jason Barron who was more known for doing roofing work in the summer than anything he did on the field.

Hell, we also took another FB in Matt Trissel

 

[Ketchum]

Hell, we also took another FB in Matt Trissel

That one out some people on tilt. I remember that story breaking.

 

[RLong68]

There's nothing wrong with a prospect like Corey Cain. His three-star status doesn't mean he can't be great, rather it just means the chances of him being so are longer than a guy like in-state top-15 prospect Jojo Earle, who recently committed to LSU.

A rather strong argument can be made that going back to '02, the 3-star WR signee that had the best Texas career was Chris Ogbannaya at RB.

 

[RLong68]

No. 6 - Just for the record ...

The University of Texas should never do anything related to social media and BBQ without the supervision of Herb Hand.

This never happens if Hand is involved.

That poor, poor homeless-looking pickle.

I still have no clue who came up with that bright idea.

 

[drunk randoke]

It's amazing how many people have been blind to this point even though you've brought it up any number of times in the last few months.

If they don’t sign that’s an absolute disaster for Herman. We’ll try to spin it but.

 

[RLong68]

No.4 DE - Ja'Tavion Sanders - Denton Ryan (Committed to Texas)
No.5 ATH - Billy Bowman - Denton Ryan (Committed to Texas)

Why do I have a gnawing feeling we're going to have to hold on for dear life for at least one of those guys.

 

[RLong68]

No.2 RB - Camar Wheaton - Garland Lakeview Centennial (45-percent)

I read on OB that RBs are a "dime a dozen." So who are the other 11 RBs you would lump in with Wheaton?

 

[RLong68]

Sanders is already a 5 star by composite. Bowman is within striking distance as well.

The question was "we will close with 2 5-stars." Clearly @Ketchum answered in the same vein that the question was asked and that was guys not currently committed.

 

[RLong68]

Smith was never going to play LB at Texas. I think that's one of OU's selling points... of course they will likely promise him he can play LB only to move him to end a few weeks after he gets there. But hey,, that's recruiting.

Add that to the other recent spins of "we backed off," and "OU pressured him to commit."

 

[RLong68]

Not sure I follow that. Drayton just landed the best back in the country and is close to locking down the top back in nation for 2022.

Not sure to what RB you are referring, but it's definitely a bit of a head in the sand tactic if you can't see that Drayton has struggled for the most part.

 

[Ketchum]

I still have no clue who came up with that bright idea.

Had to be a women that made that plate.

 

[RLong68]

Strong was a disaster, but he's not the reason for Herman's standing in year four in Austin.

Pay the f*ck attention people.

 

[sodiumacetate]

Add that to the other recent spins of "we backed off," and "OU pressured him to commit."

It's not spin. It's being outrecruited. My point was that I don't think it's on Hutzler because Smith was being recruited to play the Jack position.

 

[Ketchum]

I read on OB that RBs are a "dime a dozen." So who are the other 11 RBs you would lump in with Wheaton?

They plan on NFL rosters.

 

[Ketchum]

It's not spin. It's being outrecruited. My point was that I don't think it's on Hutzler because Smith was being recruited to play the Jack position.

I haven't seen many blame Hutzler.

 

[GuyPie9]

Endless Summer deserves to be ranked way higher!

 

[Ketchum]

Endless Summer deserves to be ranked way higher!

You might be right.

 

[RLong68]

I do.

As do I. Currently Brown is a better football player than Sterns.

 

[sodiumacetate]

Not sure to what RB you are referring, but it's definitely a bit of a head in the sand tactic if you can't see that Drayton has struggled for the most part.

He has landed the top target in two of the three years he has been here. I don't think that equals struggling for the most part.

 

[RLong68]

There's been a storm brewing that everyone has known is coming for months. The bit of thunder has arrived and we can't act like because we heard something we didn't know it was coming.

Yep.

 

[RLong68]

I haven't seen many blame Hutzler.

Yep. Losing Smith feels MUCH more like a program problem not a position coach issue.

 

[DUANETB]

Yep

I question this article. I did some research in rivals to get these recruiting facts: These are comparison of Texas and OU. Texas has an average rank of 8, 3.60 per recruit and a total 4 & 5 stars of 50 over the last 4 years including the current year. OU has an average rank of 12, 3.67 per recruit and a total of 4 & 5 stars of 47. During this time I would trade OU's record for ours. It is a lot more about coaching than it is about recruiting.

 

[Fansong77]

Great article Ketch. Lot of people on this board needed to read it and realize where we’re at currently.

Why is negative recruiting against us so effective? Seems like we always hear about that, but we never hear Texas using negative recruiting to their advantage. Are we just above it and think that the program should sell itself?

How would you negative recruit against Ohio State, Bama, LSU, Clemson and OU? Recruits want to go to the league where they can make real money and these schools are sending them. That last sentence in my mind is our main obstacle to getting the top dogs.
One other thing. I don't know how a recruit from Texas could like both Texas and OU. It doesn't compute with me.