We're starting things off this week with the proverbial good news/bad news situation as it relates to Texas' current recruiting position in the Dallas-Ft.Worth Metroplex.
It's not good. That's the bad news and I'm not really telling you something you don't already know.
The Longhorns don't currently have a single commitment from the Metroplex in the 2019 recruiting class and this falls on the heels of a celebrated 2018 recruiting class that also did very little damage in one of the most important recruiting regions from which Texas typically brings in talent.
Of the 15 four-star prospects in the Metroplex, the Longhorns could end up in a position where they sign only one player - Mansfield Legacy safety Jalen Catalon (if Catalon chooses Texas).
It's pretty slim pickings after that at this point. That's the bad news.
The good news?
Tom Herman can turn this thing around. What's happening now isn't some trend with years of build-up that can't be solved without years worth of work.
It's going to take three things.
1. Investment in Metroplex resources
When Tom Herman first built his Texas staff in 2017, one of the few real concerns centered on his staff's lack of recruiting chops in the Dallas-Ft.Worth area. In fact, the best positive spin on the hire of Tim Beck as the offensive coordinator was the notion that he would be able to give the Longhorns a lift in this important recruiting region because of the success he'd enjoyed in the area while at Ohio State.
If that hire was partly made with an eye on Metroplex recruiting, it clearly hasn't worked.
When this season concludes, Herman is simply going to have to address the lack of recruiting rain makers he has on his staff to send into this area because what he's working with now is failing. Period.
Perhaps the best news of all is that when you look at the Metroplex, there's no one in the area that you'd probably call one of the nation's truly dynamic recruiters. There's no Brian Jean-Mary around these parts, like there was when Jean-Mary was rocking it out under Charlie Strong.
In a quick poll of recruiting experts covering the region this week (some at Rivals and some not), I asked for a name of the top recruiter working this region and you know what? No name really popped up.
Cale Gundy is probably doing the best work of anyone on the Oklahoma staff in that area, but his presence can be dealt with. A&M's top guys on the scene are Maurice Linguist and Terry Price, with the latter being someone the Longhorns have butted heads with over the course of the last four years, while the former is a relative newcomer to the DFW scene, but his profile is perfect - young, aggressive and from the area.
Outside of those three, TCU's Zarnell Fitch and Baylor's Joey McGuire are probably the guys mentioned the most around the region among the schools doing the most work there. If you're keeping score at home, only one of the top 15 players in the Metroplex have picked an out of state school as we creep up towards Labor Day, which means kids are staying close to home this year, just not in Austin.
2. Make the Metroplex a bigger priority
The truth of the Tom Herman recruiting model is that it doesn't place a very high level of importance on the Metroplex.
It wasn't an important area for Herman while he was at Houston and the trend has followed him to Texas. In three-plus years as a head coach, Herman and his staff have never landed a four-star prospect from the Metroplex and they've signed only one high three-star prospect (Byron Hobbs in 2017). Signing one state top 100-type kid from such a critical region wouldn't be good enough for The University of Houston, let alone The University of Texas.
It can't be emphasized enough that Herman must make improving his program's influence in the Metroplex a priority, complete with special recruiting events aimed specifically at kids from this area. Hiring a new staff member or two is only the first step that needs to take place.
3. Be successful
I placed this piece of the puzzle last because I don't believe it's as important as the first two. It's too easy to say that Texas just needs to win. The reality is that winning would help, but it's not the end-all, be-all in this discussion.
If Texas can do No. 3 and couple it with both No. 1 and No. 2, this discussion will die. Until all three occur together, it won't.
No. 2 - Things I'm thinking after two weeks of camp ...
... Shane Buechele hasn't done enough to bump Sam Ehlinger from the starting job when Maryland rolls around. Oh, he's been better (which could prove to be critically important before this season concludes), but in order to win this job, Buechele was going to have to be emphatically better. That hasn't happened, even if Ehlinger hasn't been emphatically better, either.
... The floor of this program under Herman was last season's 7-6 record. There's just too much talent assembled here via Charlie Strong's 2015 and 2016 classes, along with an underrated 2017 class under Herman and the much-heralded 2018 group, for me to think this program is going anywhere but upwards.
... Collin Johnson is just a bad ass in practice. That has to eventually translate every week into the games, right?
... As the buzz around Tre Watson continues to grow, it's hard not to go back to the thing about Watson that stood out the most when watching his play at Cal, which is the fact that his skill-set is perfect for this offense, much more so than anyone else on campus. That's not to say to say he's the best talent at the position, but his versatility as a player is just what the doctor ordered at the running back position. I feel like Texas has been looking for a true all-purpose back of his profile for most of this decade.
... The Brandon Jones/Caden Sterns back-end of the defense might be the most underrated part of this team going into the season. I've got a sneaking suspicion that Jones is about to have a break-out season, while playing with a guy that might be the best freshman in the Big 12.
... I just can't find it in me to have much confidence in the offensive line. It's been 12 seasons since Texas has genuinely been good up-front on the line. Many of the things I feel like we're hearing now about the offensive line were said about the offensive line last August.
... This season is going to come down to Tom Herman, Tim Beck, Herb Hand and the rest of the offensive coaches. If they have A+ seasons, this team will win the Big 12.
No. 3 - All-Access takes us behind the scenes ...
I thought I'd take a look at the Longhorn Network's version of Hard Knocks this weekend to see what little nuggets we might be able to take from the show.
a. Kris Boyd seems like this team's spiritual leader, It's taken a bit of time to get there, but he's the heart and soul of this team. Everywhere I turn, I feel like his presence is around this team.
b. Yancy McKnight's announcement that the team had gone from having 26 guys in 2017 that could power clean 300 pounds to 54 guys. Meanwhile, 13 players are squatting 600+ pounds, while only three players were doing so a year ago. Those are numbers Tom Herman has celebrated coming into the season, but I don't know if enough talk about it all has taken place. That's pretty significant stuff.
c. It's hard not to wonder what McKnight's plan for his beard actually is. That thing is kind of taking on a life of its own.
d. At one point in the episode, Mack Brown takes his national championship ring out of his pocket and tosses it to the players he's addressing. I wonder how many times he's done that?
e. Texas needs to invest in a state of the art nap room, complete with individual sleep chambers for each player. It was a little weird seeing the players crash in whatever dark unused room that they could find.
d. I thought the discussion between Tim Beck and his quarterbacks about the importance of leadership at the position by drawing comparisons with the military was especially fascinating, mostly because Herman has been stressing the alpha-male presence that he wants from the position for almost two years, but this was a chance to see the staff talk about it in a teaching sense.
No. 4 - Around the Big 12 ...
... Gary Patterson is going with sophomore Shawn Robinson as quarterback, choosing the former 2017 four-star over Penn State transfer Michael Collins. The fact that Patterson has made the announcement two weeks from the season-opener tells me he's got a lot of confidence in a player that he sold in recruiting as being a Vince Young-type of player for their program. His legs are going to be a wild card in every game he plays in this season.
... It's kind of interesting that Patterson has named his quarterback for the season ahead of both Tom Herman and Lincoln Riley.
... It's kind of weird for me to see Bennie Wylie in charge of the OU strength and conditioning program after what was perceived as a failed time at Texas, although I always thought that was a harsh indictment. Given the love Yancy McKnight has among Texas faithful, it's kind of fascinating to think that in the hands of a former and current Texas strength coach rests the futures of two monster rivals.
... Headline of the Weekend: WVU postpones Fan Day after hand, foot and mouth disease outbreak
... Although I trust Mike Gundy with quarterbacks like I trust my kids with my teachers at school, I'm not sold on likely starting senior quarterback Taylor Cornelius. If there was ever a year to catch Oklahoma State in the month of September, this is the year. So, of course, the Longhorns get the Cowboys at the end of October this season. Go Figure.
No. 5 - Story-time with Uncle Ketch...
This one is called "Edgar With Benefits."
Back in 1995 when I was working as an intern at KEYE-TV, the station was only a month old and built an embarrassing reputation for slip-ups (the infamous Repo-Man story still lingered) when Texas practices began in August.
It was critically important to everyone involved at the station that we be at our absolute best, but on this particular Saturday there was a mix-up between various parties at the station and our live truck didn't show up in time for the 5 p.m. broadcast. Andy Liscano, who was my boss/mentor and sports director at the station was absolutely livid. Riot acts were read.
With a 6 p.m. broadcast scheduled for the next hour, one of our station photographers (Edgar) rushed to the intramural fields to set up for a live shot. While he had been on the phone with Liscano, Edgar had been told that it would be cool if he could schedule a football guest to be interviewed at the live-shot at around 6:20 p.m.
Filled with vigor to make right for the errors that led to the mishap for the 5 p.m. broadcast, Edgar starts walking up to any and every Texas football player that he can find, asking them if they'll do an interview at 6:20 p.m.
The biggest (yet not the only) problem with his approach?
Practice was still taking place.
It seems that Edgar had literally walked across the practice field and into the huddles. F any protocols. This man had to find a guest for 6:20 p.m.
Out of nowhere arrives John Mackovic, who calmly asks Edgar, “What are you doing?"
"I need to get an interview for our sportscast," Edgar tells him.
"You can't do that here," Mackovic tells him. "Come on, I'll give you a ride back to the sideline."
What took place next is one of the most infamous conversations in the history of the Austin sports media, as Mackovic made small talk with Edgar on their little golf cart trip.
"So, you work for KEYE?" Mackovic asks.
"Oh yeah, I have benefits and everything," Edgar says to him.
"Wow, they give you benefits?" Mackovic replied back.
"Benefits and everything" Edgar replied back.
When the golf cart arrived, Mackovic tells the assembled media that they should have looked out for "Edgar With Benefits," basically treating our guy like he was a seven-year old kid in the wrong section of the playground. From that moment forward, no matter how much inspiring work Edgar might have done at his job, he was forever known as "Edgar With Benefits."
A legend was born that day.
No. 6 – Buy or Sell …
BUY or SELL: Last year, UT averaged 29.46 PPG. This year, Texas averages 35 PPG?
(Sell) I'll meet you in the middle, which means modest improvement into the area of 32-33 points per game.
BUY or SELL: Texas finishes with a top-10 class?
(Buy) It's going to be close and in order for the Longhorns to get there, Tom Herman and Co. might need as many as 4-5 more out of state four stars to pull it off.
BUY or SELL: We see Buechele sometime in the first three games for a reason other than injury to Ehlinger?
(Buy) I think we see him against Maryland in the second quarter.
BUY or SELL: Keaontay Ingram starts a game this year?
(Sell) If Tre Watson stays healthy, I think he's your starter all season.
BUY or SELL: Urban Meyer is coaching game No. 5 for Ohio State?
(Sell) I refuse to believe that school will roll him out in front of the media to answer questions about a subject they can't afford for them to have him embarrass them on. He's toast.
BUY or SELL: Chris Warren played in a system that just was not suited for his skills. He could have been another Derrick Henry at Alabama?
(Sell) I'll buy the idea that he was in the wrong system at Texas and should have gone elsewhere coming out of high school, but I won't go so far as to say he would have been Derrick Henry.
BUY or SELL: Texas will have one O-line player named to the all Big-12 team this year?
(Sell) Who?
BUY or SELL: Texas is still at a point with its kicking game that when faced with a 4th-and-3 or less from the 35 to 45 yard line, CTH will go for it instead of kicking?
(Sell) I actually think Joshua Rowland could emerge as a possible strength for this team. He seems to be a different kicker than he was at this time a year ago.
No. 7 – Eternal Randomness of the Spotty Sports Mind …
... I find myself more turned off by the Little League World Series with every year that passes. My reasoning is probably a bunch of weird stuff, too. It's just not my thing.
... The Cowboys survived a bullet this weekend with the injury to Zack Martin.
... Once upon a time, Adrian Peterson talked about tracking down Emmitt Smith on the NFL's all-time rushing list and we're officially reached the part of his career where he can't find a job, literally several miles still behind Smith. Is his record unbreakable at this point?
... Baseball Stat of the Weekend
... I just don't get Manchester United under Jose Mourinho. I think I get him more than the players, but when you add it all together, I just don't get it. Is it possible he just doesn't like coaching anymore?
... Good grief, Man City is so good.
... If he can stay healthy, Gareth Bale might have a bigger season than Cristiano Ronaldo. Man, what a player he is.
No. 8 - 20-Words or Less Movie Review: Crazy Rich Asians (A-) ...
Much better than the trailer. Terrific cast. Lots of heart. Love me some Gemma Chan. Make a sequel.
No. 9 - The List: Top 10 Moves That I Inexplicably Haven't Seen ...
I finally watched Heat this weekend.
Don't ask me how a movie buff like myself had never seen it, it's just one of those things that hadn't happened. There's not any real particular reason why.
Therefore, when the kids were with the grandparents over the weekend and I found myself with a little time to actually watch a movie in peace, I knocked it out. With that piece of cinema out of the way, I give you this week's list.
10. Old Yeller
9. Memento
8. The Searchers
7. Dances With Wolves
6. 2001: A Space Odyssey
5. Psycho
4. Alien
3. Vertigo
2. The Princess Bride
1. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
No. 10 – And Finally ...
Sign. This. Dude. Up.
. Dude would have caught Baker after 10 yards.
