Outstanding 10
Four months ago, just a few weeks into Tom Herman's tenure in Austin, I questioned whether the hire of UT's new coach created an unintentional answer to the Houston/Dallas debate.
The idea was that if you hired a coach from Houston and built the insides of your program with people who have been recruiting the city of Houston as its lifeline, the byproduct would be an answer to which city was greater to the Texas football program.
Four months later, it appears that a very firm answer has emerged … it’s Houston.
All one must do to get an idea of the current strengths and potential weaknesses in recruiting in the early stages of Herman’s tenure is to look at the top 10 prospects in the Greater Houston and Metroplex areas (based on Rivals rankings) to get a very clear view.
Top 10 2017 Greater Houston area prospects
1. Houston Lamar DB Antony Cook (Texas at the top of list, has visited Austin three times in 2017)
2. Angelton DB B.J. Foster (Texas leads)
3. Alief Taylor WR Brennan Eagles (Texas near or at the top of list)
4. Houston Lamar WR Al'Vonte Woodard (Texas leads)
5. Katy Taylor DE Max Wright (A&M leads, Texas under consideration)
6. Manvel WR Jalen Preston (Texas not hugely involved)
7. Houston Heights DB Jalen Green (Texas near or at the top of list)
8. Cy Springs DB Leon O'Neal (Texas leads)
9. Ridge Point LB Chad Bailey (Texas not really involved)
10. Spring Dekaney TE Malcolm Epps (Texas near or at the top of list)
Texas leads or is right at the top of the list for seven prospects, is under serious consideration by another and isn't involved with two.
Top 10 2017 Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex area prospects
1. Rockwall LB Alston Orji (Texas at or near the top of list)
2. Justin Northwest OL Darrell Simpson (OU leads, Texas never really involved)
3. Dallas Carter DE Jarrell Cherry (Committed to LSU, Texas not really involved)
4. Dallas Bishop Dunne DT Calvin Avery (Texas not really involved)
5. Grand Prairie DB Atanza Vongor (Committed to TCU)
6. Arlington Lamar DE Bobby Brown (Texas is in the mix)
7. Sachse WR Drue Jackson (Texas not really involved)
8. Sachse QB Jalen Mayden (Texas not involved)
9. Mansfield DB Cam Jones (Texas not involved)
10. Fort Worth Timber Creek WR Erik Ezukanma (Texas not involed)
Texas leads or is at the top of the list for one prospect, is under serious consideration by another and really isn't currently involved with the other eight.
A few thoughts...
a. Don't freak out. There's no question that the city of Houston owns more elite-level prospects in 2018 than Dallas does. On top of that, many of the prospects Texas isn't involved with in the Metroplex project at positions in which Texas is already in very good position with higher-rated prospects.
The dynamics of the 2018 class reward having serious Houston ties this recruiting season.
b. No matter how you spin it, the burnt orange influence in the Metroplex isn't quite as strong as it is in Houston and it will be interesting to see what Herman does moving forward to strengthen that area.
There's no way Herman is voluntarily relinquishing a grip on what is a critical recruiting region for the Longhorns and there will be future years when the elite talent numbers flip back in the Metroplex's favor, which makes the steps he takes following spring football when the spring recruiting evaluation period arrives really interesting.
Will that be Tim Beck's area to wrangle, given his recruiting chops and experience as a high school coach in the area?
That's where the smart money probably is, although it's possible Herman will make it an all-hands-on-deck effort.
Regardless, one of the important parts of the job that Herman seems to get better than the previous Texas head coach is the need to multitask, sometimes 100 things at a time, and one of the top chores in the next seven weeks or so needs to be making a concerted effort to fortify Texas' positioning in the area.
It might not be needed as much in 2017-18 recruiting, but it won't take long before those needs will increase.
No. 2 – The Hoodie shows up in a coat and tie ...
I don’t care if you love the Patriots. I don’t care if you hate them.
Having Bill Belichick on your campus as part of you high school coaching clinic is one of the coolest things I think I’ve ever seen the Texas football program pull off.
If the goal is to get as many high school coaches in your facilities as possible, getting arguably the best pro football coach of all-time to show up, rub elbows, take pictures and teach a little football is a great way to ensure that a record number of short coaching shorts walk through the door.
Talk about making an impression.
Seriously, Tom … I’m impressed.
No. 3 – The next Mike Williams ...
I’ve seen new Texas linebacker commit Byron Hobbs before.
Fifteen years ago, a 6-4, 225-pound monster from Lindale emerged as one of the top overall prospects in the 2002 class. As a high school player, he caught hitches and took them 70 yards to the house. He moved around from linebacker to pass rusher with ease, playing sideline to sideline in the process with wild athleticism.
As a college player, Williams was on the verge of stardom as a pass-rushing defensive end before flaming out as a Longhorns player and failing to fulfill his athletic promise.
When I see Hobbs, I see the same type of raw upside, hopefully without the issues that caused Williams' career to go sideways.
That frame … that wild athleticism … that playmaking ability … that upside.
I’m telling you, I’ve seen it before and now I’ve seen it again.
No. 4 – About Malik Zaire (again ...)
Former Notre Dame quarterback Malik Zaire was watching the Florida spring game on Friday night and what he witnessed must have given him more pause than the fact that he can’t transfer to the Gators unless the SEC changes its rules to allow it.
With the entire Florida Gators universe watching, second-year quarterback Feleipe Franks showed the kind of promise that has a lot of people starting to believe that he’s the future of the program. His final numbers weren’t gaudy (completing 8-of-14 passes for 119 yards, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions), but make no mistake about it, he was impressive.
“I hope you guys saw what I saw,” Florida head coach Jim McElwain said to the media afterwards. “Those quarterbacks were very comfortable. They didn’t look antsy. You could see them actually setting their feet and pulling the ball through in the pocket, and that’s good. I mean those are all good things to see. So no, I think we’re going to be all right.
“I think he’s ahead. There’s no doubt about it,” McElwain said of Franks.
If you’re Zaire, the path to Florida would have to appear to have multiple roadblocks.
Frankly, it must look pretty similar to the path that would exist if he was to transfer to Texas, well … similar to the same path without that pesky rule prohibiting the transfer that would need to be changed.
Of the three schools he’s seriously considering at this time, only Wisconsin would appear to have a wide-open depth chart, although redshirt sophomore quarterback Alex Hornibrook has made progress and seems to be leading the way this spring for Paul Chryst’s offense.
All three programs have young quarterbacks leading the way. All three have young quarterbacks that might represent the long-term future of the program. All three probably would prefer an older starter if all things were equal, but none probably allow Zaire to show up and take his shots from the lay-up line.
No. 5 – Scattershooting on the Longhorns …
… Clemson claimed a crowd of 60,000 for its spring game. Why do I have so little faith that Texas won’t pull half that number on Saturday?
… The battle for playing time at linebacker is already a fierce contest (with Breckyn Hager taking some second-team reps!) and super JUCO signee Gary Johnson hasn’t even arrived on campus. You can make a case that Texas is eight-deep with players that Todd Orlando probably wants to get on the field. Good luck with that, Coach, but it’s a better problem than not having enough.
… I think Kyle Porter has become the player I want to watch the most in Saturday’s spring game.
… The most surprising thing of the spring camp might be that I haven’t spoken to a single source that has uttered a single hyperbolic word about a single quarterback on campus. I don’t know what it means, but I’m pretty sure it has never happened before in 20+ years of covering the team. Even Tyrone Swoopes would receive the occasional hyperbolic praise … ahem …
No. 6 – Buy or sell …
BUY or SELL: My plan for next weekend's game is to not expect a ton of points scored on Orlando's defense and we should focus on the small things like dropped balls, players being in position to make plays, defense getting pressure on the QB and Kyle Porter in action. Is this a good plan far as my expectations?
(Buy) Gets it.
BUY or SELL: Shaka is still the HC when the team plays its first game in the new arena?
(Buy) I’m still all aboard the Shaka train. Choo, choo!
BUY or SELL: If Texas wins the Big 12 we should still see almost the entire team back in 2018 except Connor Williams?
(Sell) If Texas wins the Big 12, a bunch of juniors up and down the line-up will have had the type of seasons that could lead to more than one or two players leaving.
BUY or SELL: The Texas Coaches clinic has put UT solidly back on top with the Texas high school coaches and should yield dividends on the recruiting trail in 2017 and beyond?
(Sell) I don’t think Texas is in a position where the clinic this weekend was needed in make or break fashion. While it will provide dividends, I would think the long-term benefits will win out over anything that immediately contributes to the 2017 class.
BUY or SELL: Texas has a greater than 50 percent chance of getting Zaire as a grad transfer?
(Sell) That would make Texas a heavy favorite and I don’t believe that’s the case.
BUY or SELL: Kendall Moore becomes the starting tight end for the Horns this year?
(Buy) Very possible.
BUY or SELL: The Longhorns will have four commitments from the 2018 class before the season begins?
(Buy) It’ll be closer to double that number.
BUY or SELL: Texas goes into August practices with 10 or more commitments for the class of 18. (b)Five of which are LSR top 25.?
(Buy) I’m a little 50-50 on whether it will hit both criteria points, but for now I’ll buy that … barely.
BUY or SELL: If Malik Jefferson quickly adjusts to his more natural position under Todd Orlando, he competes for B12 DPOY?
(Buy) He’s arguably the best candidate for the award going into the season.
BUY or SELL: If healthy, Shane Buechele throws for 3,500 yards?
(Sell) I’ll take the under by a smidge.
BUY or SELL: You watch tape of the spring game more than five times before August?
(Buy) More like by the end of the first week.
BUY or SELL: We deserve a top 25 preseason ranking?
(Sell) Deserve?
No. 7 – Texas Baseball weekend in a gif …
No. 8 – Hook'em Sergio…
I don't think a few years ago I would have ever witnessed what we all witnessed on Sunday.
Sergio Garcia... America's sentimental favorite.
After years and years and years of watching people genuinely dislike Garcia, especially on Orangebloods, it was amazing to see the consensus overjoyed fulfillment of Garcia finally cashing in on a major victory - at a place he once described himself unfit to achieve victory,no less.
It's not just that Garcia is engaged to a Longhorn and has thrown up the Hook'em sign on more than a few occasions (time to get him on Orangebloods), the ice towards him has melted away over time and I can't quite put my finger on it, other than American's love people that pick themselves and achieve greatness when once left for dead.
Whatever the reason, Sunday was a hell of a lot of fun and even if the path to the green jacket included a few potholes (my goodness, the miss on 18), watching his body overflowing with a combination of joy and relief made the sports weekend complete.
That's one we'll remember for a very long time.
No. 9 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
… Jarrett Stidham tore it up at the Auburn spring game this weekend. Prepare yourselves for the hype in the coming months.
… There’s love and then there’s what Tony Romo and Jason Witten have.
… I love Jimmy.
… The UFC can’t catch a break. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a high-level MMA card that reminds me why I love the sport. I just keep feeling empty after every pay-per-view the UFC has.
... Sorry, Rockets fans...
… My NBA awards for the 2016-17 season…
MVP: Russell Westbrook
ROY: Joel Embiid
DPOY: Draymond Green
6th man: Eric Gordon
COY: Mike D’Antoni
… Careful, Real Madrid, the boys at Bayern Munich look like caged tigers that had just been released on Saturday against Dortmund. I’m expecting greatness in this Champions League quarterfinal this week.
… How long before Dele Alli is playing for Barcelona or Real Madrid?
… I went from being on tilt to full-on elation in a span of just a few minutes on Saturday morning thanks to this goal. Steven Gerrard would be proud of that one.
No. 10 – And finally…
Nothing I saw on Sunday was more uplifting than the work Alex Okafor and Kenny Vaccaro are doing right now.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C1L9zSSVQAAHhNk.jpg:large
Thoughts. I think Hobbs will be great olb rush end.
