If we push for Deiontae he will be ours. From what I've read he loves UT
Recruiting Thread 2017
- Thread starter Scholz
- Start date
Sounds good to me. I think we're only taking 1 DT in this class and I know we're after Marvin Wilson but I think he's $EC bound.
Plus, apparently Watts is also Anthony Hines' classmate/friend, so there's some other things at play as well
Last edited:
Man, Sam jumping into the National 100 @ #80 is amazing.. In prime position to attract players on the fence to other programs.
One of the national guys for Scout said that Watts is poised to make one of the biggest jumps of any player in the country in their national rankings.
Here are Tuesday's notes on Texas targets (Holland).
— Five-star IMG Academy (Fla.) outside linebacker Dylan Moses plans to graduate early and will make a decision before the end of the calendar year. Moses has a Top 6 of Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Texas, UCLA and USC. He wants to trim that list down to three in the summer *.
* also read where Moses is basically at Texas vs Alabama battle. If that is true I'd give us a punchers chance but I'd say Bama 70 Texas 30 right now.
— Henderson wide receiver Trestan Ebner informed me that he has been invited to Texas junior day but is still not sure if he will be able to attend. The three-star prospect is currently committed to SMU.
— Miami became the latest school to extend an offer to Cedar Hill wide receiver Camron Buckley. The four-star pass catcher will be at Texas junior day this weekend.
— Four-star Wylie East running back Eno Benjamin notched a new offer from Oklahoma State. Benjamin does not hold a Texas offer but will be at junior day this weekend.
— University Lab (La.) offensive tackle Adrian Ealy added a new offer from Auburn. Ealy holds an offer from Texas and could visit down the line. LSU is considered the early favorite.
DT Deiontae Watts of Plano East talks about his UT offer (24/7):
“My position coach actually texted me to come to his office, and he was smiling,” Watts said. “He got me on the phone with Coach BJ (Brian Jean-Mary). He told me that they loved my film and that they wanted to offer me. I was really excited.”
“I’ve always been interested,” Watts said. “I went down there for a game, and I really liked the family atmosphere. Even the team played like a family. I also like what they are trying to build there.”
“I am actually pretty close with Anthony (Hines),” Watts said. “We talk about recruiting and playing together. But I don’t know if we’ll end up at the same school. We’ll just have to see.”
Update on DE Bryan Jones of Baton Rouge, LA (24/7):
“I’ve talked to Coach Brick a couple of times on the phone, and he’s a cool guy,” Jones said. “He came out to my school, and he didn’t believe I was a junior. He was really impressed with my size and just said ‘wow.’”
“I’m really looking forward to junior day,” Jones said. “If they do offer me, it would be a big honor because I would get to play with my big brother and mentor Malcolm Roach. It would be an amazing opportunity.”
“Malcolm (Roach) has just been telling me that Texas would be a good school for me,” Jones said. “He said that it’s nice and everything, so I just want to get up there and see the campus and facilities for the first time.”
— Five-star IMG Academy (Fla.) outside linebacker Dylan Moses plans to graduate early and will make a decision before the end of the calendar year. Moses has a Top 6 of Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Texas, UCLA and USC. He wants to trim that list down to three in the summer *.
* also read where Moses is basically at Texas vs Alabama battle. If that is true I'd give us a punchers chance but I'd say Bama 70 Texas 30 right now.
— Henderson wide receiver Trestan Ebner informed me that he has been invited to Texas junior day but is still not sure if he will be able to attend. The three-star prospect is currently committed to SMU.
— Miami became the latest school to extend an offer to Cedar Hill wide receiver Camron Buckley. The four-star pass catcher will be at Texas junior day this weekend.
— Four-star Wylie East running back Eno Benjamin notched a new offer from Oklahoma State. Benjamin does not hold a Texas offer but will be at junior day this weekend.
— University Lab (La.) offensive tackle Adrian Ealy added a new offer from Auburn. Ealy holds an offer from Texas and could visit down the line. LSU is considered the early favorite.
DT Deiontae Watts of Plano East talks about his UT offer (24/7):
“My position coach actually texted me to come to his office, and he was smiling,” Watts said. “He got me on the phone with Coach BJ (Brian Jean-Mary). He told me that they loved my film and that they wanted to offer me. I was really excited.”
“I’ve always been interested,” Watts said. “I went down there for a game, and I really liked the family atmosphere. Even the team played like a family. I also like what they are trying to build there.”
“I am actually pretty close with Anthony (Hines),” Watts said. “We talk about recruiting and playing together. But I don’t know if we’ll end up at the same school. We’ll just have to see.”
Update on DE Bryan Jones of Baton Rouge, LA (24/7):
“I’ve talked to Coach Brick a couple of times on the phone, and he’s a cool guy,” Jones said. “He came out to my school, and he didn’t believe I was a junior. He was really impressed with my size and just said ‘wow.’”
“I’m really looking forward to junior day,” Jones said. “If they do offer me, it would be a big honor because I would get to play with my big brother and mentor Malcolm Roach. It would be an amazing opportunity.”
“Malcolm (Roach) has just been telling me that Texas would be a good school for me,” Jones said. “He said that it’s nice and everything, so I just want to get up there and see the campus and facilities for the first time.”
Great to Sam finally get his bump. I saw this kid play against Allen and I couldn't believe he was a jr.
Last edited:
Update from E.J. Holland on Dobbins and Benjamin
New Texas running backs coach Anthony Johnson is already off to a fast start on the recruiting trail. Johnson spoke to both Benjamin and Dobbins yesterday, and both prospects seemed to get a really good first impression. Benjamin will for sure be at junior day, while Dobbins should know by tomorrow. Dobbins really wants to attend, but it's up to his mom.
Horns247 Recruiting Today: Watts, Filiaga talk UT offers
Texas brought in a big haul of defensive tackles last recruiting cycle. But the Longhorns could still use some help at the position and are targeting a handful of talented in-state prospects, including Plano East defensive tackle Deiontae Watts, who received an offer Tuesday morning. “My position coach actually texted me to come to his office, and he was smiling,” Watts said. “He got me on the phone with Coach BJ (Brian Jean-Mary). He told me that they loved my film and that they wanted to offer me. I was really excited.”
Watts will not be able to attend Texas junior day this weekend because he previously planned to be at Texas A&M. He did, however, visit Texas in the fall and hopes to make a return trip later this spring. “I’ve always been interested,” Watts said. “I went down there for a game, and I really liked the family atmosphere. Even the team played like a family. I also like what they are trying to build there.” Watts has seen his recruitment really pick up over the last month as he’s notched Power Five offers from Baylor, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas A&M. The three-star recruit does not have any favorites at this time and is in ‘no rush’ to make any kind of decision.
Watts’ teammate, Anthony Hines, also holds a Texas offer and is one of the Longhorns’ biggest targets in the 2016 class. Watts said the two have talked about playing together at the next level. “I am actually pretty close with Anthony,” Watts said. “We talk about recruiting and playing together. But I don’t know if we’ll end up at the same school. We’ll just have to see.” At 6-foot-3, 310 pounds, Watts is ranked as the No. 24 defensive tackle in the country and No. 54 overall prospect in the state, according to 247Sports Composite.
**
Texas has had a bit of success in California over the last two recruiting cycles. The Longhorns landed Kirk Johnson in 2015 and his brother, Collin Johnson, in 2016. So it doesn’t come as a big surprise that UT is still looking to reel in some of Cali’s top prospects. Late last week, Texas put an offer on the table for Vista Murrieta offensive tackle Chuck Filiaga. “I was excited,” Fiagala said. “I’m very blessed. I know that my hard work is paying off because I’m getting offers from these colleges (like Texas).”
Filiaga holds around 20 offers from a number of major programs. While the Texas offer got his attention, the Longhorns aren’t exactly in the picture as of right now. The four-star prospect is leaning heavily towards staying on the West Coast and is high on both Oregon and USC. He will visit both programs this spring. "I will be visiting USC this Saturday,” Filiaga said. “I hope to see the great facilities but meet the new coaching staff. They have a lot of new coaches there now too. I watched a few of (Oregon’s) games, they have some great offensive lineman. They get off the ball really well and play like our line. I love the fast tempo they play."
When asked if he planned to visit any schools further away from home, Filiaga mentioned Ole Miss and Tennessee as potential destinations. At 6-foot-5, 330 pounds, Filiaga is ranked as the No. 14 offensive tackle in the country and No. 8 overall prospect in the state of California, according to 247Sports Composite.
Ryan Bartow contributed to this report
**
We're spoiled at DE this cycle with Carson committed and Graham, Beal, Brown and Jones all interested as well already.
Texas defensive line coach Brick Haley found plenty of success in Louisiana last recruiting cycle. So it’s no surprise that Haley is once again making a push for one of the state’s most talented prospects in four-star Madison Prep (La.) defensive end Bryan Jones. “I’ve talked to Coach Brick a couple of times on the phone, and he’s a cool guy,” Jones said. “He came out to my school, and he didn’t believe I was a junior. He was really impressed with my size and just said ‘wow.’” Jones holds double digit offers from schools like Cincinnati, Kansas State, Miami, North Carolina State, Ole Miss and others. Texas has not entered the race just yet, but that could change soon.
Texas will host Jones for junior day over the weekend, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Longhorns extend a scholarship on Saturday. “I’m really looking forward to junior day,” Jones said. “If they do offer me, it would be a big honor because I would get to play with my big brother and mentor Malcolm Roach. It would be an amazing opportunity.” Roach signed with Texas as a part of the 2016 recruiting class and is already working hard on his former teammate. “Malcolm has just been telling me that Texas would be a good school for me,” Jones said. “He said that it’s nice and everything, so I just want to get up there and see the campus and facilities for the first time.”
Jones said he doesn’t have any favorites and is taking things slow early on. At 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, Jones is ranked as the No. 8 strong-side defensive end in the country and No. 10 overall prospect in the state of Louisiana, according to 247Sports Composite.
New Texas running backs coach Anthony Johnson is already off to a fast start on the recruiting trail. Johnson spoke to both Benjamin and Dobbins yesterday, and both prospects seemed to get a really good first impression. Benjamin will for sure be at junior day, while Dobbins should know by tomorrow. Dobbins really wants to attend, but it's up to his mom.
Horns247 Recruiting Today: Watts, Filiaga talk UT offers
Texas brought in a big haul of defensive tackles last recruiting cycle. But the Longhorns could still use some help at the position and are targeting a handful of talented in-state prospects, including Plano East defensive tackle Deiontae Watts, who received an offer Tuesday morning. “My position coach actually texted me to come to his office, and he was smiling,” Watts said. “He got me on the phone with Coach BJ (Brian Jean-Mary). He told me that they loved my film and that they wanted to offer me. I was really excited.”
Watts will not be able to attend Texas junior day this weekend because he previously planned to be at Texas A&M. He did, however, visit Texas in the fall and hopes to make a return trip later this spring. “I’ve always been interested,” Watts said. “I went down there for a game, and I really liked the family atmosphere. Even the team played like a family. I also like what they are trying to build there.” Watts has seen his recruitment really pick up over the last month as he’s notched Power Five offers from Baylor, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas A&M. The three-star recruit does not have any favorites at this time and is in ‘no rush’ to make any kind of decision.
Watts’ teammate, Anthony Hines, also holds a Texas offer and is one of the Longhorns’ biggest targets in the 2016 class. Watts said the two have talked about playing together at the next level. “I am actually pretty close with Anthony,” Watts said. “We talk about recruiting and playing together. But I don’t know if we’ll end up at the same school. We’ll just have to see.” At 6-foot-3, 310 pounds, Watts is ranked as the No. 24 defensive tackle in the country and No. 54 overall prospect in the state, according to 247Sports Composite.
**
Texas has had a bit of success in California over the last two recruiting cycles. The Longhorns landed Kirk Johnson in 2015 and his brother, Collin Johnson, in 2016. So it doesn’t come as a big surprise that UT is still looking to reel in some of Cali’s top prospects. Late last week, Texas put an offer on the table for Vista Murrieta offensive tackle Chuck Filiaga. “I was excited,” Fiagala said. “I’m very blessed. I know that my hard work is paying off because I’m getting offers from these colleges (like Texas).”
Filiaga holds around 20 offers from a number of major programs. While the Texas offer got his attention, the Longhorns aren’t exactly in the picture as of right now. The four-star prospect is leaning heavily towards staying on the West Coast and is high on both Oregon and USC. He will visit both programs this spring. "I will be visiting USC this Saturday,” Filiaga said. “I hope to see the great facilities but meet the new coaching staff. They have a lot of new coaches there now too. I watched a few of (Oregon’s) games, they have some great offensive lineman. They get off the ball really well and play like our line. I love the fast tempo they play."
When asked if he planned to visit any schools further away from home, Filiaga mentioned Ole Miss and Tennessee as potential destinations. At 6-foot-5, 330 pounds, Filiaga is ranked as the No. 14 offensive tackle in the country and No. 8 overall prospect in the state of California, according to 247Sports Composite.
Ryan Bartow contributed to this report
**
We're spoiled at DE this cycle with Carson committed and Graham, Beal, Brown and Jones all interested as well already.
Texas defensive line coach Brick Haley found plenty of success in Louisiana last recruiting cycle. So it’s no surprise that Haley is once again making a push for one of the state’s most talented prospects in four-star Madison Prep (La.) defensive end Bryan Jones. “I’ve talked to Coach Brick a couple of times on the phone, and he’s a cool guy,” Jones said. “He came out to my school, and he didn’t believe I was a junior. He was really impressed with my size and just said ‘wow.’” Jones holds double digit offers from schools like Cincinnati, Kansas State, Miami, North Carolina State, Ole Miss and others. Texas has not entered the race just yet, but that could change soon.
Texas will host Jones for junior day over the weekend, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Longhorns extend a scholarship on Saturday. “I’m really looking forward to junior day,” Jones said. “If they do offer me, it would be a big honor because I would get to play with my big brother and mentor Malcolm Roach. It would be an amazing opportunity.” Roach signed with Texas as a part of the 2016 recruiting class and is already working hard on his former teammate. “Malcolm has just been telling me that Texas would be a good school for me,” Jones said. “He said that it’s nice and everything, so I just want to get up there and see the campus and facilities for the first time.”
Jones said he doesn’t have any favorites and is taking things slow early on. At 6-foot-5, 240 pounds, Jones is ranked as the No. 8 strong-side defensive end in the country and No. 10 overall prospect in the state of Louisiana, according to 247Sports Composite.
247 Staff Chat
- On the coaching hires:
I see Anthony Johnson as a big upgrade from Tommie Robinson. Johnson at least seems willing to recruit. You can argue Clay Jennings is an upgrade from Chris Vaughn, but Vaughn was a really good recruiter while he was at Texas. It's a push at worst. I'll also call Charlie Williams in place of Jay Norvell a push. I think Norvell gets a negative rep from his time at Texas because of how unproductive the receivers were, but I think that had more to do with his responsibilities changing than a weakness on his part. I don't know how Williams will do on the recruiting trail but he seems to be as good or better than Norvell in terms of teaching the position based on what I've heard.
- On Toneil Carter:
He didn't impress a lot of people with the way he ran as a junior and a couple of schools have reportedly backed off. I've heard from more than one person that he got some bad advice on the need to save his body for the next level and beyond, but that's only one explanation for his underwhelming junior season. Right now, JK Dobbins is at the top of the board for UT with Eno Benjamin next in line and Kennedy Brooks getting a look. I think Coach Johnson is going to make a push for Carter once he gets settled in, but he's just never been high on Texas. I think he lands at LSU or A&M. Texas offered Carter very early in the process, so it obviously likes him. I just think Carter wants to go other places, which wouldn't be terrible for Texas as Dobbins is a priority
- On Charlie's recent legal issues:
There's a lot of reading between the lines on this topic. That's all anybody can do right now. I think the bigger question, if something does come out that something happened and it becomes public record, is whether or not Charlie Strong lied to anybody along the way in an effort to hide it during the hiring process, or hide it from his bosses now. If that's the case then everybody can start to freak out about worst-case scenarios. I don't think there's a large group of people who want to see Strong gone. On the administrative level at Texas he's got a lot of people behind him, and as long as he's up front with the folks who matter then he should be fine.
- On Robert Beal:
As far as Robert Beal, there's serious mutual interest on both sides as far as he and Texas are concerned. Texas just has to keep plugging away, especially since a source close to Beal recently told 247Sports that Texas is his top school right now.
- CB and LB are the two big need positions for the class, followed closely by OL/DL.
- Bryan Jones, Montrell Estell, and Kobe Boyce are in line for Junior Day offers.
- On attrition:
Don't love commenting on potential attrition candidates, but just look at the roster and see guys in their second, third and fourth years who haven't played much and those are your guys. I expect to see several more cases of it over the coming months. Dalton Santos to defensive end could be a position change. I think you'll see some guys in the secondary cross-training at different positions. As far as attrition, we don't put names out there unless something is imminent.
- On Marvin Wilson:
Things are good with Wilson and Texas. He has concerns, a lot of which Texas could remedy by winning games.
- On the coaching hires:
I see Anthony Johnson as a big upgrade from Tommie Robinson. Johnson at least seems willing to recruit. You can argue Clay Jennings is an upgrade from Chris Vaughn, but Vaughn was a really good recruiter while he was at Texas. It's a push at worst. I'll also call Charlie Williams in place of Jay Norvell a push. I think Norvell gets a negative rep from his time at Texas because of how unproductive the receivers were, but I think that had more to do with his responsibilities changing than a weakness on his part. I don't know how Williams will do on the recruiting trail but he seems to be as good or better than Norvell in terms of teaching the position based on what I've heard.
- On Toneil Carter:
He didn't impress a lot of people with the way he ran as a junior and a couple of schools have reportedly backed off. I've heard from more than one person that he got some bad advice on the need to save his body for the next level and beyond, but that's only one explanation for his underwhelming junior season. Right now, JK Dobbins is at the top of the board for UT with Eno Benjamin next in line and Kennedy Brooks getting a look. I think Coach Johnson is going to make a push for Carter once he gets settled in, but he's just never been high on Texas. I think he lands at LSU or A&M. Texas offered Carter very early in the process, so it obviously likes him. I just think Carter wants to go other places, which wouldn't be terrible for Texas as Dobbins is a priority
- On Charlie's recent legal issues:
There's a lot of reading between the lines on this topic. That's all anybody can do right now. I think the bigger question, if something does come out that something happened and it becomes public record, is whether or not Charlie Strong lied to anybody along the way in an effort to hide it during the hiring process, or hide it from his bosses now. If that's the case then everybody can start to freak out about worst-case scenarios. I don't think there's a large group of people who want to see Strong gone. On the administrative level at Texas he's got a lot of people behind him, and as long as he's up front with the folks who matter then he should be fine.
- On Robert Beal:
As far as Robert Beal, there's serious mutual interest on both sides as far as he and Texas are concerned. Texas just has to keep plugging away, especially since a source close to Beal recently told 247Sports that Texas is his top school right now.
- CB and LB are the two big need positions for the class, followed closely by OL/DL.
- Bryan Jones, Montrell Estell, and Kobe Boyce are in line for Junior Day offers.
- On attrition:
Don't love commenting on potential attrition candidates, but just look at the roster and see guys in their second, third and fourth years who haven't played much and those are your guys. I expect to see several more cases of it over the coming months. Dalton Santos to defensive end could be a position change. I think you'll see some guys in the secondary cross-training at different positions. As far as attrition, we don't put names out there unless something is imminent.
- On Marvin Wilson:
Things are good with Wilson and Texas. He has concerns, a lot of which Texas could remedy by winning games.
What a nice relaxing sabbatical that was... Now lets get back into the thick of things!
Current and future players recruiting for Texas will be the biggest win for the program!
Current and future players recruiting for Texas will be the biggest win for the program!
Per TFB:
– Grayson Reed: You aren’t going to see a ton of offers from the Texas staff. They feel good about a lot of their top targets and most know by now that Charlie Strong is willing to play the long game. One of Texas top OL targets is Grayson Reed (Houston, TX). As many of you know, Grayson is related to former Longhorn player, Cedric Reed. I caught up with Grayson’s father last night to see if a commitment this weekend was possible. He said, “At this time it’s a visit…it’s the first time Grayson will get to spend some quality time with the coaches and see the University. He’s looking forward to seeing coach Mattox and coach Strong”
Reed’s father did comment on their expected commitment timeline saying, “Right now we are sticking to a commitment time frame of some time after spring ball or early summer or when Grayson feels he is truly ready to give a commitment”.
Getting a few early commits before the summer can really have a long term impact on recruiting results. It allows commits to help recruit other players through the summer at the various camps and events. And Reed having family ties to Texas fits the mold of just that kind of athlete that can passionately recruit to a program he grew up watching. – (Super K)
– UPDATE (12:15 pm): La Grange (TX) RB JK Dobbins let me know that he will not be able to attend Texas’ JR Day this weekend. – (Andrew)
– Grayson Reed: You aren’t going to see a ton of offers from the Texas staff. They feel good about a lot of their top targets and most know by now that Charlie Strong is willing to play the long game. One of Texas top OL targets is Grayson Reed (Houston, TX). As many of you know, Grayson is related to former Longhorn player, Cedric Reed. I caught up with Grayson’s father last night to see if a commitment this weekend was possible. He said, “At this time it’s a visit…it’s the first time Grayson will get to spend some quality time with the coaches and see the University. He’s looking forward to seeing coach Mattox and coach Strong”
Reed’s father did comment on their expected commitment timeline saying, “Right now we are sticking to a commitment time frame of some time after spring ball or early summer or when Grayson feels he is truly ready to give a commitment”.
Getting a few early commits before the summer can really have a long term impact on recruiting results. It allows commits to help recruit other players through the summer at the various camps and events. And Reed having family ties to Texas fits the mold of just that kind of athlete that can passionately recruit to a program he grew up watching. – (Super K)
– UPDATE (12:15 pm): La Grange (TX) RB JK Dobbins let me know that he will not be able to attend Texas’ JR Day this weekend. – (Andrew)
So why aren't we going for the number 1 safety in this class? Jason Hall ex high school class mate straight from my back yard SGP.
We are, he will be at Junior day this weekend. His name is Jeffrey Okudah
Here's another list for this weekend Per TFB:
2017
QB Sam Ehlinger, Westlake (TX) Texas Commit
RB Eno Benjamin, Wylie East (TX)
RB Andre Johnson, South Grande Prairie (TX)
WR Damion Miller, John Tyler (TX) Texas Commit
WR Mannie Netherly, Crosby (TX) Texas A&M Commit
WR Jeremy Singleton, Brother Martin (LA)
WR Dhailon Phillips, Lufkin (TX)
TE Major Tennison, Bullard (TX) Texas Commit
TE Chance McLeod, Victoria East (TX)
OL Grayson Reed, Cypress Creek (TX)
OL Walker Little, Episcopal (TX)
OL Matthew Huhn, John Jay (TX)
OL Tyrese Robinson, McKinney Boyd (TX) Oklahoma Commit (Robinson is now telling our guys on the OU side that he will not be visiting so we’ll have to see what happens this weekend)
OL Brenden James, Lake Travis (TX)
DE Lagaryonn Carson, Liberty-Eylau (TX) Texas Commit
DE Taquon Graham, Temple (TX)
DE Alexander Duke, Bellaire (TX) Houston Commit
DE Earnest Brown, Denton Ryan (TX)
DE Bryan Jones, Madison Prep (LA)
DT Troy Porche, Houston Lamar (TX)
LB Baron Browning, Kennedale (TX)
LB Anthony Hines, Plano East (TX)
LB Mohamed Sanogo, Plano West (TX)
LB Loren Mondy, Lake Ridge (TX) Arizona State Commit
LB Kenneth Murray, Elkins (TX)
DB Jeffrey Okudah, South Grande Prairie (TX)
DB Derrick Tucker, Manvel (TX)
DB Kobe Boyce, Lake Dallas (TX)
DB Ashton Logan, Temple (TX)
DB Darrion Green, Woodrow Wilson (TX)
2018
QB Jalen Mayden, Sachse (TX)
WR Drue Jackson, Sachse (TX)
DB Isaiah Humphries, Sachse (TX)
Jeffrey Okudah? He's got a UT offer already. He and Derrick Tucker are our top 2 prospects at safety in this class.
Right on I know he is a 5 star and offers from everywhere. Just making sure we were going after him. Thanks gentleman!
Higs chat:
re: Okaduh
Texas has never let up with him....They stayed on him...I would not say things are moving back this way but him visiting is a start and we will see what he says to the coaches....
I know he really likes Ohio State and is one of those kids that has fantasized going OOS to play ball. I don't doubt Charlie can pull him in but the staff has their work cut out for them as of now.
247 notes (Holland):
Here are Thursday's notes on Texas targets.
— Four-star Center wide receiver Octavius Evans has been upgraded from a maybe to a for sure for Texas junior day this weekend. Evans does not hold a Texas offer at this time, but UT assistant Jeff Traylor is showing plenty of interest. Evans currently holds offers from Louisiana Tech, Texas State and Texas Tech.
— The latest addition to the Texas junior day list is 2018 Sachse weak-side defensive end Zach Gilson. While he doesn’t hold any early offers, Gilson is receiving interest from TCU and Texas Tech.
— Both Auburn and UTSA put offers on the table for four-star Cedar Hill wide receiver Camron Buckley. He has high interest in the Longhorns and will be present at junior day.
— UTSA also extended an offer to three-star Plano East defensive tackle Deiontae Watts. He picked up a Texas offer earlier this week but will not be able to make it to junior day.
— Alabama is the latest school to extend an offer to four-star Lancaster wide receiver Omar Manning. Texas started showing heavy interest in Manning this week and could join the mix soon.
— Highly touted 2018 Sachse dual-threat quarterback Jalen Mayden added a new offer from Mississippi State. Mayden will be at Texas junior day this weekend.
Film Room: Evaluating RB targets
RB J.K. Dobbins, La Grange (5-10, 200)
ANALYSIS: May be the fastest kid in Texas in his class. Has tremendous speed, excellent change of direction and is dangerous in the open field. Played every snap as a freshmen on the varsity. Played quarterback last season. National recruit, and one of the best players in the state of Texas. Game changer as a PR/KR. Can fly, sprinter on the track team. Has offers on the table from Baylor, Oklahoma, Stanford, TCU, Texas and others.
STRENGTHS: Not very big, but very explosive athlete that is equally talented at running back and cornerback. Can fly with phenomenal acceleration to flee defenders. Excellent agility and cutting ability in the open field, can stop on a dime, change direction and leave defenders in the dusk. Shows excellent hands and leaping ability. One of the few kids I've seen that can play at most major college football programs in the country at multiple positions.
AREA TO IMPROVE: Not very tall, but very productive.
THE LATEST: Dobbins is still trying to work on getting a ride to Texas junior day, but his interest in the Longhorns remains very high. Dobbins grew up a Texas fan and had a positive conversation with new position coach Anthony Johnson earlier this week. Still, schools like Ohio State, Oklahoma and Texas A&M are making strong pushes. (Holland)
RB Eno Benjamin, Wylie East (5-10, 204)
ANALYSIS: Benjamin has offers on the table from Miami, Michigan, SMU, Kansas, Iowa, Nevada, Houston and others. Benjamin rushed for 2,662 yards as a junior and 1,724 yards as a sophomore. Good football player who burst on the scene two years ago as a starter on the varsity football team as a freshman. Benjamin is a big play threat with the ability to take it to the house from anywhere on the football field. Dangerous KR/PR on special teams. Sprinter on the track team, runs the 100 meters. Excellent student in the classroom.
STRENGTHS: Solidly built with good size, power and lower body strength. Patient runner who runs with good pad level. Shows good mobility and quickness in the open field. Runs low and close to the ground with decent balance and good pad level to work through contact. Hard to tackle 1-on-1 in the open field. Shows solid vision to cut-and-go with good eyes to read and set up blocks before exploding through the line of scrimmage. Good patience to allow the action to develop and doesn't run hesitant. Good skills and hands catching the ball out of the back field.
AREA TO IMPROVE: Needs to learn how to run more north and south.
THE LATEST: Benjamin will be in attendance for Texas junior day this weekend. The four-star prospect has visited Texas a number of times over the last year and is optimistic an offer will come his way in the near future. New position coach Anthony Johnson has been in contact. It appears Benjamin is the second option at running back after Dobbins. Iowa is his current leader.
RB Kennedy Brooks, Mansfield (6-0, 197)
ANALYSIS: Brooks has offers on the table from Oklahoma, Michigan, SMU, Kansas and Washington. Brooks is a talented four-star runner who put up impressive numbers last as a sophomore starter and as a junior, helping lead Mansfield deep into the playoffs. Sprinter on his team`s track squad. Saw this kid play many times in 2015 and was very impressed with his power and and speed for a big back. Like this kid a lot!
STRENGTHS: Good size, with powerful and athletic build. Runs the football with good combination of speed, power and mobility. Tough to bring down when he gets a head of steam and almost impossible to tackle 1-on-1. Patient runner, sets up blocks well before bursting through the hole. Shows excellent stop and start ability, good change of direction skills for a bigger back. Runs with good forward lean and pad level. Will run over you. Excellent speed in the open field, can accelerate and take it to the house from anywhere on the field.
AREA TO IMPROVE: Needs to work on flexibility in his hips.
THE LATEST: It seems like Dobbins and Benjamin are the top priorities at running back for Texas. But it wouldn't be surprising to see the Longhorns show more interest in Brooks down the line. He has interest in Texas and camped with the Longhorns back in the summer. He doesn't have any favorites at this time. (Holland)
Austin Westlake OLB Levi Jones is one of the state’s hottest prospects. Over the past month, Jones has notched new offers from schools like Oklahoma, LSU, Nebraska and UCLA. Jones, whose only offer was from East Carolina in December, is now up to a dozen total scholarships. “It means a lot to me because I’ve been working so hard,” Jones said. “All my hard work is really starting to pay off. It’s definitely been exciting not stressful. I’m so grateful that these schools have given me a shot.”
Texas entered the mix with the four-star Austin Westlake outside linebacker in early January and has made an impression on him early on. Both offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert, who visited Austin Westlake last month, and linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary have been in frequent contact with Jones, who is high on the Longhorns. “They’re recruiting me hard and want me to visit soon,” Jones said. “I feel like Texas has always been a top program in my eyes, and now they are back on the rise. I grew up here, and I have a lot of respect for the program. Sam (Ehlinger) has also been recruiting me. He’s just telling that Texas is the place to be. He really wants us to play together in college but knows I have to make the best decision for me.”
Jones will not be able to attend Texas' junior day this weekend but does hope to make it to campus at some point in the spring. He also wants to make trips to LSU, Oklahoma State and UCLA. Jones does not have any early favorites at this time and made it clear that he is taking things extremely slow. “I’m just letting it all come to me,” Jones said. “I’m just weighing all of my options right now. I’m going to start making some visits soon and then I’ll go from there.”
At 6-foot-3, 207 pounds, Jones is ranked as the No. 15 outside linebacker in the country and No. 28 overall prospect in the state, according to 247Sports Composite. (Holland)
**
With Charlie Williams taking over as wide receivers coach at Texas, there are bound to be a couple of new targets at the position. One recruit Williams has already been in contact with is four-star Lancaster wide out Omar Manning. While he does not have an offer in hand at this time, that could change very soon. “Texas is coming at me hard,” Manning said. “I talked to Coach Williams and Coach (Sterlin) Gilbert, and they said they were going to come see me in the spring. They want me to take a close look at Texas and make a visit soon.”
Manning received an invite to Texas' junior day but will be unable to make it due to a track meet. Manning, however, said he would make a trip to Austin at some point in the next couple of months. Manning currently holds 20 offers and said schools like Oklahoma, TCU and Texas A&M are at the top of his list. But if Texas does decide to get in the mix, the Longhorns would receive strong consideration. “Texas has always been one of my favorite schools,” Manning said. “It would be big to get an offer from them. They would be really high on my list. I like the new coaching hires and what they did with this last recruiting class. UT is building something special. They got a lot of big-time players, which really impressed me. I also like what they’re trying to do on offense. It would fit me.”
At 6-foot-3, 208 pounds, Manning is a big, physical wide out that could be a dynamic weapon in Gilbert’s new spread offense. As a junior, Manning recorded 33 receptions for 671 yards and 12 touchdowns. Manning is ranked as the No. 24 wide receiver in the country and No. 26 overall prospect in the state, according to 247Sports Composite. (Holland)
**
Texas is taking a look at a number of wide receiver options in the 2017 class. UT showed early interest in Cy Ranch wide out RJ Sneed and hosted him for a game in the fall. But the three-star prospect has not heard from Texas since the departure of Chris Vaughn. Shortly after Vaughn and Texas parted ways, Sneed committed to TCU. He speaks with TCU on a weekly basis. Sneed explained why he chose to commit to TCU. “The coaches and the offense,” Sneed said. “They throw the ball a lot. It’s small. Not a whole of kids go there because it is a private school.”
Texas has yet to offer the 6-foot-2, 180 pounder. Sneed will attend TCU's junior day this weekend and currently does not plan to visit any other colleges. It will be interesting to see if new Texas wide receivers coach Charlie Williams tries to work on flipping Sneed. Prior to his verbal pledge, Sneed was high on the Longhorns. Sneed is ranked as the No. 59 wide receiver nationally and the No. 55 overall prospect in the state of Texas, according to 247Sports Composite. (Brock)
Higdon:
Two guys to keep an eye on without offers imo would be WRs Mannie Netherley and Omar Manning I believe. In regards to guys who could get offers soon.
Here are Thursday's notes on Texas targets.
— Four-star Center wide receiver Octavius Evans has been upgraded from a maybe to a for sure for Texas junior day this weekend. Evans does not hold a Texas offer at this time, but UT assistant Jeff Traylor is showing plenty of interest. Evans currently holds offers from Louisiana Tech, Texas State and Texas Tech.
— The latest addition to the Texas junior day list is 2018 Sachse weak-side defensive end Zach Gilson. While he doesn’t hold any early offers, Gilson is receiving interest from TCU and Texas Tech.
— Both Auburn and UTSA put offers on the table for four-star Cedar Hill wide receiver Camron Buckley. He has high interest in the Longhorns and will be present at junior day.
— UTSA also extended an offer to three-star Plano East defensive tackle Deiontae Watts. He picked up a Texas offer earlier this week but will not be able to make it to junior day.
— Alabama is the latest school to extend an offer to four-star Lancaster wide receiver Omar Manning. Texas started showing heavy interest in Manning this week and could join the mix soon.
— Highly touted 2018 Sachse dual-threat quarterback Jalen Mayden added a new offer from Mississippi State. Mayden will be at Texas junior day this weekend.
Film Room: Evaluating RB targets
RB J.K. Dobbins, La Grange (5-10, 200)
ANALYSIS: May be the fastest kid in Texas in his class. Has tremendous speed, excellent change of direction and is dangerous in the open field. Played every snap as a freshmen on the varsity. Played quarterback last season. National recruit, and one of the best players in the state of Texas. Game changer as a PR/KR. Can fly, sprinter on the track team. Has offers on the table from Baylor, Oklahoma, Stanford, TCU, Texas and others.
STRENGTHS: Not very big, but very explosive athlete that is equally talented at running back and cornerback. Can fly with phenomenal acceleration to flee defenders. Excellent agility and cutting ability in the open field, can stop on a dime, change direction and leave defenders in the dusk. Shows excellent hands and leaping ability. One of the few kids I've seen that can play at most major college football programs in the country at multiple positions.
AREA TO IMPROVE: Not very tall, but very productive.
THE LATEST: Dobbins is still trying to work on getting a ride to Texas junior day, but his interest in the Longhorns remains very high. Dobbins grew up a Texas fan and had a positive conversation with new position coach Anthony Johnson earlier this week. Still, schools like Ohio State, Oklahoma and Texas A&M are making strong pushes. (Holland)
RB Eno Benjamin, Wylie East (5-10, 204)
ANALYSIS: Benjamin has offers on the table from Miami, Michigan, SMU, Kansas, Iowa, Nevada, Houston and others. Benjamin rushed for 2,662 yards as a junior and 1,724 yards as a sophomore. Good football player who burst on the scene two years ago as a starter on the varsity football team as a freshman. Benjamin is a big play threat with the ability to take it to the house from anywhere on the football field. Dangerous KR/PR on special teams. Sprinter on the track team, runs the 100 meters. Excellent student in the classroom.
STRENGTHS: Solidly built with good size, power and lower body strength. Patient runner who runs with good pad level. Shows good mobility and quickness in the open field. Runs low and close to the ground with decent balance and good pad level to work through contact. Hard to tackle 1-on-1 in the open field. Shows solid vision to cut-and-go with good eyes to read and set up blocks before exploding through the line of scrimmage. Good patience to allow the action to develop and doesn't run hesitant. Good skills and hands catching the ball out of the back field.
AREA TO IMPROVE: Needs to learn how to run more north and south.
THE LATEST: Benjamin will be in attendance for Texas junior day this weekend. The four-star prospect has visited Texas a number of times over the last year and is optimistic an offer will come his way in the near future. New position coach Anthony Johnson has been in contact. It appears Benjamin is the second option at running back after Dobbins. Iowa is his current leader.
RB Kennedy Brooks, Mansfield (6-0, 197)
ANALYSIS: Brooks has offers on the table from Oklahoma, Michigan, SMU, Kansas and Washington. Brooks is a talented four-star runner who put up impressive numbers last as a sophomore starter and as a junior, helping lead Mansfield deep into the playoffs. Sprinter on his team`s track squad. Saw this kid play many times in 2015 and was very impressed with his power and and speed for a big back. Like this kid a lot!
STRENGTHS: Good size, with powerful and athletic build. Runs the football with good combination of speed, power and mobility. Tough to bring down when he gets a head of steam and almost impossible to tackle 1-on-1. Patient runner, sets up blocks well before bursting through the hole. Shows excellent stop and start ability, good change of direction skills for a bigger back. Runs with good forward lean and pad level. Will run over you. Excellent speed in the open field, can accelerate and take it to the house from anywhere on the field.
AREA TO IMPROVE: Needs to work on flexibility in his hips.
THE LATEST: It seems like Dobbins and Benjamin are the top priorities at running back for Texas. But it wouldn't be surprising to see the Longhorns show more interest in Brooks down the line. He has interest in Texas and camped with the Longhorns back in the summer. He doesn't have any favorites at this time. (Holland)
Austin Westlake OLB Levi Jones is one of the state’s hottest prospects. Over the past month, Jones has notched new offers from schools like Oklahoma, LSU, Nebraska and UCLA. Jones, whose only offer was from East Carolina in December, is now up to a dozen total scholarships. “It means a lot to me because I’ve been working so hard,” Jones said. “All my hard work is really starting to pay off. It’s definitely been exciting not stressful. I’m so grateful that these schools have given me a shot.”
Texas entered the mix with the four-star Austin Westlake outside linebacker in early January and has made an impression on him early on. Both offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert, who visited Austin Westlake last month, and linebackers coach Brian Jean-Mary have been in frequent contact with Jones, who is high on the Longhorns. “They’re recruiting me hard and want me to visit soon,” Jones said. “I feel like Texas has always been a top program in my eyes, and now they are back on the rise. I grew up here, and I have a lot of respect for the program. Sam (Ehlinger) has also been recruiting me. He’s just telling that Texas is the place to be. He really wants us to play together in college but knows I have to make the best decision for me.”
Jones will not be able to attend Texas' junior day this weekend but does hope to make it to campus at some point in the spring. He also wants to make trips to LSU, Oklahoma State and UCLA. Jones does not have any early favorites at this time and made it clear that he is taking things extremely slow. “I’m just letting it all come to me,” Jones said. “I’m just weighing all of my options right now. I’m going to start making some visits soon and then I’ll go from there.”
At 6-foot-3, 207 pounds, Jones is ranked as the No. 15 outside linebacker in the country and No. 28 overall prospect in the state, according to 247Sports Composite. (Holland)
**
With Charlie Williams taking over as wide receivers coach at Texas, there are bound to be a couple of new targets at the position. One recruit Williams has already been in contact with is four-star Lancaster wide out Omar Manning. While he does not have an offer in hand at this time, that could change very soon. “Texas is coming at me hard,” Manning said. “I talked to Coach Williams and Coach (Sterlin) Gilbert, and they said they were going to come see me in the spring. They want me to take a close look at Texas and make a visit soon.”
Manning received an invite to Texas' junior day but will be unable to make it due to a track meet. Manning, however, said he would make a trip to Austin at some point in the next couple of months. Manning currently holds 20 offers and said schools like Oklahoma, TCU and Texas A&M are at the top of his list. But if Texas does decide to get in the mix, the Longhorns would receive strong consideration. “Texas has always been one of my favorite schools,” Manning said. “It would be big to get an offer from them. They would be really high on my list. I like the new coaching hires and what they did with this last recruiting class. UT is building something special. They got a lot of big-time players, which really impressed me. I also like what they’re trying to do on offense. It would fit me.”
At 6-foot-3, 208 pounds, Manning is a big, physical wide out that could be a dynamic weapon in Gilbert’s new spread offense. As a junior, Manning recorded 33 receptions for 671 yards and 12 touchdowns. Manning is ranked as the No. 24 wide receiver in the country and No. 26 overall prospect in the state, according to 247Sports Composite. (Holland)
**
Texas is taking a look at a number of wide receiver options in the 2017 class. UT showed early interest in Cy Ranch wide out RJ Sneed and hosted him for a game in the fall. But the three-star prospect has not heard from Texas since the departure of Chris Vaughn. Shortly after Vaughn and Texas parted ways, Sneed committed to TCU. He speaks with TCU on a weekly basis. Sneed explained why he chose to commit to TCU. “The coaches and the offense,” Sneed said. “They throw the ball a lot. It’s small. Not a whole of kids go there because it is a private school.”
Texas has yet to offer the 6-foot-2, 180 pounder. Sneed will attend TCU's junior day this weekend and currently does not plan to visit any other colleges. It will be interesting to see if new Texas wide receivers coach Charlie Williams tries to work on flipping Sneed. Prior to his verbal pledge, Sneed was high on the Longhorns. Sneed is ranked as the No. 59 wide receiver nationally and the No. 55 overall prospect in the state of Texas, according to 247Sports Composite. (Brock)
Higdon:
Two guys to keep an eye on without offers imo would be WRs Mannie Netherley and Omar Manning I believe. In regards to guys who could get offers soon.
Per TFB:
– Taquon Graham: You aren’t going to see a ton of offers fly out of the Texas offices. The reason being, Texas is in really good shape with a lot of their top targets. Their top target, I’m told, at defensive end is Taquon Graham (Temple, TX).
I spoke to a source close to Graham and was told that Graham will likely stay close to home and decide at some point between TCU, Texas and Baylor. However, it seems pretty clear that if Texas recruits Graham hard, they’ll likely win a battle that may eventually come down to the Horns and the Horned Frogs. In speaking to a source at TCU, Graham is also their top DE target and I can tell you at this point they are probably out-recruiting Texas in terms of the “love” being shown to Graham. But I’m told that Texas has started to ramp up their efforts with Graham.
Graham will be on hand this weekend for the Texas jr day. – (Super K)
– Robert Beal: Norcross (GA) DE, Robert Beal decommitted from Notre Dame last week. He had Texas in his top 10 before he made his verbal pledge to the Fighting Irish back in November. Now that Beal is back on the market, everyone is going to be coming back after him and Texas is in that group. Some outlets are already saying that Texas has a slight lead over Florida State right now. I wouldn’t go out and confidently say Texas leads as it is extremely hard to pull many kids from Georgia to Texas but he did show his willingness to commit to a school away from home when he committed to Notre Dame.
This is a big time player, a consensus Top 50 recruit and this is another one of those recruitments that will be run by the head man Charlie Strong, who has shown he can land the big recruits when he personally handles things. Beal has already visited Texas twice, once on July 26th, when he was offered by Texas and again on September 19th. This recruitment will be a battle between some of the top programs in the country and Texas will be right in the middle of it.
Super K has a close tie to someone connected to Beal’s recruitment so he’s working on bringing an “insider” note on Beal and his interest in Texas that we hope to have for you next week. – (Andrew)
– Tyrese Robinson: McKinney Boyd (TX) Oklahoma OL commit Tyrese Robinson confirmed with me what he told our guys on the OU site saying that he wasn’t going to be able to make the trip to Austin this weekend for Texas’ Jr Day. Robinson told me he hopes to make it down to Texas for a visit in the spring. – (Andrew)
– Craig Williams: Crosby (TX) 2018 RB Craig Williams let me know last night that he plans to attend Texas’ Jr Day with TAMU WR commit, Mannie Netherly. Williams is going to be a star in the 2018 class and he already holds offer from Mississippi State, Texas Tech, Colorado, SMU, Illinois, and Bowling Green. Williams wasn’t planning to attend Jr Day this weekend until RB Coach Anthony Johnson recently got in touch with him and expressed that he wanted him to attend. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Williams as Texas’ #1 RB target in 2018 and getting him on campus early is a good thing. – (Andrew)
– A Couple More Names…to add to the list of this weekend’s visitors are 2017 WR, Camron Buckley (Cedar Hill, TX) and 2017 CB, Josh Thompson (Nacogdoches, TX). Buckley already holds a Texas offer and this is a return trip for the talented wide receiver. Thompson doesn’t yet hold a Texas offer but he’s a talented cornerback who should see his offer list expand in the near future. We aren’t sure where things stand in terms of a possible offer from Texas but with the need at cornerback it wouldn’t completely surprise us if Thompson or Kobe Boyce (another 2017 CB who is visiting) picks up an offer. Having said that, Charlie likes to take his time with offers and it would seem more likely that they’ll want to see both prospects in the spring. This may be especially true since Clay Jennings just arrived and is probably in the process of evaluating a lot of film and reworking his CB board.
– Brenden Jaimes: 2017 OT Brenden Jaimes (Austin, TX) will also be in attendance this weekend as well. Jaimes currently holds a few FBS offers including offers from in-state programs Houston and SMU. While an offer could happen, the more likely scenario is that Mattox will go out and see Jaimes in the spring, especially with Texas being in such a good position for Grayson Reed.
– Bryan Jones: Last recruiting cycle, Texas landed a talent defensive end out of Madison Prep (Baton Rouge. LA) in Malcolm Roach. If they decide to offer they may have a chance at another defensive end from Madison Prep this year. 6’5 DE Bryan Jones will make the trip to Austin this weekend. Jones already holds offers from schools like Miami, Ole Miss and others. He’s been staying in contact with coach Haley, “I haven’t received an offer (from Texas) yet but I speak regularly with coach Haley…hopefully I’ll get the offer this weekend”.
Texas is in interesting position here because they seem to lead for Taquon Graham and are clearly in the thick of things with Robert Beal so I’m sure they are looking at their numbers and what positions they project these players at in trying to decide whether Jones gets an offer. Given Jones ties to Texas through Roach, Texas would instantly become a top school for Jones.
It’s definitely a good problem to have for Texas. – (Super K)
– Deiontae Watts: Earlier this week Texas offered 2017 DT, Deiontae Watts (Plano, TX). DT won’t be a huge need in this class given the number of interior linemen Texas took in the last cycle. Watts and his family grew up Oklahoma fans as they are originally from Oklahoma. When I talked to Watts, he certainly didn’t say Texas was out of it for his recruitment but after receiving the OU offer he was clearly very excited so one would have to think beating the Sooners on Watts will be an uphill battle. – (Super K)
– Taquon Graham: You aren’t going to see a ton of offers fly out of the Texas offices. The reason being, Texas is in really good shape with a lot of their top targets. Their top target, I’m told, at defensive end is Taquon Graham (Temple, TX).
I spoke to a source close to Graham and was told that Graham will likely stay close to home and decide at some point between TCU, Texas and Baylor. However, it seems pretty clear that if Texas recruits Graham hard, they’ll likely win a battle that may eventually come down to the Horns and the Horned Frogs. In speaking to a source at TCU, Graham is also their top DE target and I can tell you at this point they are probably out-recruiting Texas in terms of the “love” being shown to Graham. But I’m told that Texas has started to ramp up their efforts with Graham.
Graham will be on hand this weekend for the Texas jr day. – (Super K)
– Robert Beal: Norcross (GA) DE, Robert Beal decommitted from Notre Dame last week. He had Texas in his top 10 before he made his verbal pledge to the Fighting Irish back in November. Now that Beal is back on the market, everyone is going to be coming back after him and Texas is in that group. Some outlets are already saying that Texas has a slight lead over Florida State right now. I wouldn’t go out and confidently say Texas leads as it is extremely hard to pull many kids from Georgia to Texas but he did show his willingness to commit to a school away from home when he committed to Notre Dame.
This is a big time player, a consensus Top 50 recruit and this is another one of those recruitments that will be run by the head man Charlie Strong, who has shown he can land the big recruits when he personally handles things. Beal has already visited Texas twice, once on July 26th, when he was offered by Texas and again on September 19th. This recruitment will be a battle between some of the top programs in the country and Texas will be right in the middle of it.
Super K has a close tie to someone connected to Beal’s recruitment so he’s working on bringing an “insider” note on Beal and his interest in Texas that we hope to have for you next week. – (Andrew)
– Tyrese Robinson: McKinney Boyd (TX) Oklahoma OL commit Tyrese Robinson confirmed with me what he told our guys on the OU site saying that he wasn’t going to be able to make the trip to Austin this weekend for Texas’ Jr Day. Robinson told me he hopes to make it down to Texas for a visit in the spring. – (Andrew)
– Craig Williams: Crosby (TX) 2018 RB Craig Williams let me know last night that he plans to attend Texas’ Jr Day with TAMU WR commit, Mannie Netherly. Williams is going to be a star in the 2018 class and he already holds offer from Mississippi State, Texas Tech, Colorado, SMU, Illinois, and Bowling Green. Williams wasn’t planning to attend Jr Day this weekend until RB Coach Anthony Johnson recently got in touch with him and expressed that he wanted him to attend. It wouldn’t surprise me to see Williams as Texas’ #1 RB target in 2018 and getting him on campus early is a good thing. – (Andrew)
– A Couple More Names…to add to the list of this weekend’s visitors are 2017 WR, Camron Buckley (Cedar Hill, TX) and 2017 CB, Josh Thompson (Nacogdoches, TX). Buckley already holds a Texas offer and this is a return trip for the talented wide receiver. Thompson doesn’t yet hold a Texas offer but he’s a talented cornerback who should see his offer list expand in the near future. We aren’t sure where things stand in terms of a possible offer from Texas but with the need at cornerback it wouldn’t completely surprise us if Thompson or Kobe Boyce (another 2017 CB who is visiting) picks up an offer. Having said that, Charlie likes to take his time with offers and it would seem more likely that they’ll want to see both prospects in the spring. This may be especially true since Clay Jennings just arrived and is probably in the process of evaluating a lot of film and reworking his CB board.
– Brenden Jaimes: 2017 OT Brenden Jaimes (Austin, TX) will also be in attendance this weekend as well. Jaimes currently holds a few FBS offers including offers from in-state programs Houston and SMU. While an offer could happen, the more likely scenario is that Mattox will go out and see Jaimes in the spring, especially with Texas being in such a good position for Grayson Reed.
– Bryan Jones: Last recruiting cycle, Texas landed a talent defensive end out of Madison Prep (Baton Rouge. LA) in Malcolm Roach. If they decide to offer they may have a chance at another defensive end from Madison Prep this year. 6’5 DE Bryan Jones will make the trip to Austin this weekend. Jones already holds offers from schools like Miami, Ole Miss and others. He’s been staying in contact with coach Haley, “I haven’t received an offer (from Texas) yet but I speak regularly with coach Haley…hopefully I’ll get the offer this weekend”.
Texas is in interesting position here because they seem to lead for Taquon Graham and are clearly in the thick of things with Robert Beal so I’m sure they are looking at their numbers and what positions they project these players at in trying to decide whether Jones gets an offer. Given Jones ties to Texas through Roach, Texas would instantly become a top school for Jones.
It’s definitely a good problem to have for Texas. – (Super K)
– Deiontae Watts: Earlier this week Texas offered 2017 DT, Deiontae Watts (Plano, TX). DT won’t be a huge need in this class given the number of interior linemen Texas took in the last cycle. Watts and his family grew up Oklahoma fans as they are originally from Oklahoma. When I talked to Watts, he certainly didn’t say Texas was out of it for his recruitment but after receiving the OU offer he was clearly very excited so one would have to think beating the Sooners on Watts will be an uphill battle. – (Super K)
OrangeBloods saying DE Malcolm Roach will ride to Austin with DE Bryan Jones.
Inside Texas saying DT Marvin Wilson spoke with Strong this week and Strong let him know he was his primary and sole recruiter. Nobody else will be recruiting him.
Quotes from CB Kobe Boyce of Lake Dallas before Junior Day (OrangeBloods):
"Mainly I'm really excited to come in and be able to be a part of this," Boyce said. "My main goal is to get to know the coaches, build a better relationship with them, especially the corner coach who just came in."
"Not yet," Boyce said if he has talked to Jennings. "I just recently found out that he was announced the corner coach. I'll make sure I get to talk to him at junior day."
"(Coach Haley) mainly just said he wants some dogs up there, and he thinks I'm one of them," Boyce said. "Hopefully an offer will come up there at junior day. We'll have to see. I'm not sure, we'll have to see, but I'm really interested in Texas."
"Texas is one of the top schools on my list, so a commitment could be in the picture. But I still want to look at my options in the future," Boyce said. "But I would be very interested."
"I just like what Charlie Strong is doing up there. He's come through a lot, been through a lot in the past year. I like what they did with their recruiting class in 2016, the last three days before signing day with all the commits. I don't know what's going on up there, but I know something good is happening and it would be good to be a part of it."
Update on OL Matthew Huhn of San Antonio Jay (OrangeBloods):
"I first heard from UT a while back, a few weeks before Signing Day. It was a week or two after I got my Baylor offer, things were kind of blowing up at the time. I would like to get a feel for the coaching staff (on the junior day visit). I already knew the offensive line coach from when he was at Tulsa. I would love to build a bond with him."
"When I first think of Texas, the first thing that comes to mind is football. Also, it's an amazing university, well-known, a big powerhouse for football," Huhn said. "They can have a bad season like this year, but look at the recruiting class they still picked up."
Update on the commitment status of TE Major Tennison (OrangeBloods):
"It's obviously still a huge honor to be a part of the Texas Longhorns. I've looked at other schools. I'm not going to hide that from anybody. I've just looked around at how people use the tight end. I'm still committed, just feeling things out right now," Tennison said.
"I've always liked the Longhorns. It's been a dream to be a part of it. The flair of committing to he University of Texas has kind of worn off, the reality of going to college. I wouldn't say it's a super strong commit. I'm still looking at how other schools use the tight end. I'm not trying to hide that, not trying to mislead anyone."
"I hope to get to talk to the new offensive coordinator, get to know him, really find out how they're going to use the tight end next year and over time," Tennison said. "I really want to get some insider information if I can."
"From what he has said (previously), it seems like they'll throw the ball to the tight end a little more so that's good news for me. ... But that's all I really know right now."
"He (Coach Traylor) knows. I think he knows I'm committed and love Texas. I'm also looking around but still committed," Tennison said.
Rivals reporting UT has offered CB Justin Broiles of Oklahoma City, OK.
This kid has been blowing up lately.
http://247sports.com/Player/Justin-Broiles-83985
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3115178/justin-broiles
Inside Texas saying DT Marvin Wilson spoke with Strong this week and Strong let him know he was his primary and sole recruiter. Nobody else will be recruiting him.
Quotes from CB Kobe Boyce of Lake Dallas before Junior Day (OrangeBloods):
"Mainly I'm really excited to come in and be able to be a part of this," Boyce said. "My main goal is to get to know the coaches, build a better relationship with them, especially the corner coach who just came in."
"Not yet," Boyce said if he has talked to Jennings. "I just recently found out that he was announced the corner coach. I'll make sure I get to talk to him at junior day."
"(Coach Haley) mainly just said he wants some dogs up there, and he thinks I'm one of them," Boyce said. "Hopefully an offer will come up there at junior day. We'll have to see. I'm not sure, we'll have to see, but I'm really interested in Texas."
"Texas is one of the top schools on my list, so a commitment could be in the picture. But I still want to look at my options in the future," Boyce said. "But I would be very interested."
"I just like what Charlie Strong is doing up there. He's come through a lot, been through a lot in the past year. I like what they did with their recruiting class in 2016, the last three days before signing day with all the commits. I don't know what's going on up there, but I know something good is happening and it would be good to be a part of it."
Update on OL Matthew Huhn of San Antonio Jay (OrangeBloods):
"I first heard from UT a while back, a few weeks before Signing Day. It was a week or two after I got my Baylor offer, things were kind of blowing up at the time. I would like to get a feel for the coaching staff (on the junior day visit). I already knew the offensive line coach from when he was at Tulsa. I would love to build a bond with him."
"When I first think of Texas, the first thing that comes to mind is football. Also, it's an amazing university, well-known, a big powerhouse for football," Huhn said. "They can have a bad season like this year, but look at the recruiting class they still picked up."
Update on the commitment status of TE Major Tennison (OrangeBloods):
"It's obviously still a huge honor to be a part of the Texas Longhorns. I've looked at other schools. I'm not going to hide that from anybody. I've just looked around at how people use the tight end. I'm still committed, just feeling things out right now," Tennison said.
"I've always liked the Longhorns. It's been a dream to be a part of it. The flair of committing to he University of Texas has kind of worn off, the reality of going to college. I wouldn't say it's a super strong commit. I'm still looking at how other schools use the tight end. I'm not trying to hide that, not trying to mislead anyone."
"I hope to get to talk to the new offensive coordinator, get to know him, really find out how they're going to use the tight end next year and over time," Tennison said. "I really want to get some insider information if I can."
"From what he has said (previously), it seems like they'll throw the ball to the tight end a little more so that's good news for me. ... But that's all I really know right now."
"He (Coach Traylor) knows. I think he knows I'm committed and love Texas. I'm also looking around but still committed," Tennison said.
Rivals reporting UT has offered CB Justin Broiles of Oklahoma City, OK.
This kid has been blowing up lately.
http://247sports.com/Player/Justin-Broiles-83985
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3115178/justin-broiles
Juco WDE Isaiah Buggs:
24/7 reporting UT has offered CB Kary Vincent of Port Arthur Memorial.
Ridiculous athlete (watch the film) and son of a former A&M player, although the Aggies have not offered...yet.
http://247sports.com/Player/Kary-Vincent-83670
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3890503/kary-vincent-jr-
24/7 reporting UT has offered CB Kary Vincent of Port Arthur Memorial.
Ridiculous athlete (watch the film) and son of a former A&M player, although the Aggies have not offered...yet.
http://247sports.com/Player/Kary-Vincent-83670
http://www.hudl.com/athlete/3890503/kary-vincent-jr-
Yeah I knew he was very high on ohio state and was like why aren't we recruiting this guy. Can't believe he wants to go out of state. We do have a pipeline through sgp do you guys remember B.J. Johnson the receiver? He was from sgp and saw him play a few times because i went to Gp rivalry!
Sounds like Junior went great, plus the guys got to see us whip OU!
Oh and there's this below! Talk about huge momentum swinger if he pulls the trigger. He'll be the number 1 player in the state next NSD.
Oh and there's this below! Talk about huge momentum swinger if he pulls the trigger. He'll be the number 1 player in the state next NSD.
Junior Day was a huge success by all accounts. Definitely have the momentum now.
HORNSPORTS:
Lake Dallas CB Kobe Boyce
“I loved everything about it.”
On a possible offer
“They said it’s gonna come real soon and not to worry about it”.
On what he liked most
“Just meeting the coaches and getting to know them better”.
On who he hung out with
“Mohamed Sanogo, Anthony Hines, and Jeffrey Okudah. Coach Jennings talked to Jeffrey and I a lot”.
On his impression of Clay Jennings and Vance Bedford
“They’re both people that showed me a lot of love. I like how they approach things football wise, and I think their defensive scheme is something that I can excel at. They’re just good guys”.
On how he felt other recruits like Anthony Hines and Jeff Okudah enjoyed themselves.
“I think they enjoyed it a lot. It looked like they were having a lot of fun”.
Mansfield Lake Ridge LB Loren Mondy
“It was really good. I found out some things that are good for me and my future”.
On what those things were
“Coach BJ wants to see me this spring play middle backer. He likes me a lot, good things should come this spring”.
Denton Ryan DE Earnest Brown IV
“It was great”.
On his favorite part
“Coach Strong from the jump was talking about academics. They really do care about academics”.
Where Texas stands for him following this visit
“They stand pretty high after the visit. It really impressed me”.
Elkins LB Kenneth Murray
“I would say the junior day visit was productive. I sat down with the coaches and discussed where I am at in the process and they told me where they are which is exactly what I wanted to get done. It was a great experience”.
On what the coaches told him
“I’m pretty sure they will offer they just want to see me in the spring. They love me when I rush on the outside and blitz. They want me to play more ‘backer in their scheme at Mike or Will, so coach BJ, coach Strong, coach Haley, and coach Bedford said they will make sure to see me play in the spring. They think it’s big that I plan to enroll early, and they are excited about me”.
Wylie East RB Eno Benjamin
“Everything was great”.
On when he might get an offer
“He [Anthony Johnson] told me he’s just getting everything situated, and he hasn’t really taken a look at what UT is trying to do, but he is pushing for me. He said he’s been watching me since my freshman year”.
On who he hung out with and the Texas basketball game experience
“It was a great atmosphere, I was with Jeff Okudah, Loren Mondy, Anthony Hines, and Baron Browning”.
Temple Safety Ashton Logan
“It was great, I got to learn about the coverage and how they use their DBs”.
On his favorite part of the visit
“Learning about the staff and everything they do. How everything is in one spot, it was interesting to hear about the plan that they have”.
On how he feels about Texas
“They would be my number one school. I love the way that they are using their DBs, not allowing them to know just one spot. They want them to know every spot in the backfield”.
2018 Crosby RB Craig Williams
“I enjoyed it very much, the environment was great and the coaching staff was very nice”.
On what Anthony Johnson told him.
“He was excited I made it to the visit, and he recruits my area so he will be down here either in the spring or fall to check me out”.
On his feelings about the program following the visit
“I feel like it’s a grat program. It has graduated a terrific number of athletes, It’s a program I can see myself investing in”.
2018 Sachse QB Jalen Mayden
“It was great, the [basketball] game was the best part though”.
On his feelings about the program following the visit
“I really love the feeling of just being there. It kinda feels like home, I’ve been a fan ever since I was little, and now that I’ve met the new coach I can’t wait to be back in the spring”.
2018 Sachse DB Isaiah Humphries
“Nothing but good things to say, it was very nice. The food was incredible, and the staff was nice. I’m walking away very happy and excited”.
On how he feels about Texas
“You know, I’m not from Texas originally so I only got to know Texas and the atmosphere around the program through what I’ve heard from people in Texas. I didn’t know much going in, but now I got to know about the program and atmosphere and see what it’s like. I really liked it”.
On Clay Jennings
“I got to talk with him, but he’s only been here for like 7 days, so he kept talking about how he’s new and just getting back on his feet”.
Sachse RB Kelon Wilson
“It was great, I really love the organization and the atmosphere. The new running back coach was really cool , and I would definitely come back”.
2018 Sachse WR Drue Jackson
“I really enjoyed myself. The trip was great”.
HORNSPORTS:
Lake Dallas CB Kobe Boyce
“I loved everything about it.”
On a possible offer
“They said it’s gonna come real soon and not to worry about it”.
On what he liked most
“Just meeting the coaches and getting to know them better”.
On who he hung out with
“Mohamed Sanogo, Anthony Hines, and Jeffrey Okudah. Coach Jennings talked to Jeffrey and I a lot”.
On his impression of Clay Jennings and Vance Bedford
“They’re both people that showed me a lot of love. I like how they approach things football wise, and I think their defensive scheme is something that I can excel at. They’re just good guys”.
On how he felt other recruits like Anthony Hines and Jeff Okudah enjoyed themselves.
“I think they enjoyed it a lot. It looked like they were having a lot of fun”.
Mansfield Lake Ridge LB Loren Mondy
“It was really good. I found out some things that are good for me and my future”.
On what those things were
“Coach BJ wants to see me this spring play middle backer. He likes me a lot, good things should come this spring”.
Denton Ryan DE Earnest Brown IV
“It was great”.
On his favorite part
“Coach Strong from the jump was talking about academics. They really do care about academics”.
Where Texas stands for him following this visit
“They stand pretty high after the visit. It really impressed me”.
Elkins LB Kenneth Murray
“I would say the junior day visit was productive. I sat down with the coaches and discussed where I am at in the process and they told me where they are which is exactly what I wanted to get done. It was a great experience”.
On what the coaches told him
“I’m pretty sure they will offer they just want to see me in the spring. They love me when I rush on the outside and blitz. They want me to play more ‘backer in their scheme at Mike or Will, so coach BJ, coach Strong, coach Haley, and coach Bedford said they will make sure to see me play in the spring. They think it’s big that I plan to enroll early, and they are excited about me”.
Wylie East RB Eno Benjamin
“Everything was great”.
On when he might get an offer
“He [Anthony Johnson] told me he’s just getting everything situated, and he hasn’t really taken a look at what UT is trying to do, but he is pushing for me. He said he’s been watching me since my freshman year”.
On who he hung out with and the Texas basketball game experience
“It was a great atmosphere, I was with Jeff Okudah, Loren Mondy, Anthony Hines, and Baron Browning”.
Temple Safety Ashton Logan
“It was great, I got to learn about the coverage and how they use their DBs”.
On his favorite part of the visit
“Learning about the staff and everything they do. How everything is in one spot, it was interesting to hear about the plan that they have”.
On how he feels about Texas
“They would be my number one school. I love the way that they are using their DBs, not allowing them to know just one spot. They want them to know every spot in the backfield”.
2018 Crosby RB Craig Williams
“I enjoyed it very much, the environment was great and the coaching staff was very nice”.
On what Anthony Johnson told him.
“He was excited I made it to the visit, and he recruits my area so he will be down here either in the spring or fall to check me out”.
On his feelings about the program following the visit
“I feel like it’s a grat program. It has graduated a terrific number of athletes, It’s a program I can see myself investing in”.
2018 Sachse QB Jalen Mayden
“It was great, the [basketball] game was the best part though”.
On his feelings about the program following the visit
“I really love the feeling of just being there. It kinda feels like home, I’ve been a fan ever since I was little, and now that I’ve met the new coach I can’t wait to be back in the spring”.
2018 Sachse DB Isaiah Humphries
“Nothing but good things to say, it was very nice. The food was incredible, and the staff was nice. I’m walking away very happy and excited”.
On how he feels about Texas
“You know, I’m not from Texas originally so I only got to know Texas and the atmosphere around the program through what I’ve heard from people in Texas. I didn’t know much going in, but now I got to know about the program and atmosphere and see what it’s like. I really liked it”.
On Clay Jennings
“I got to talk with him, but he’s only been here for like 7 days, so he kept talking about how he’s new and just getting back on his feet”.
Sachse RB Kelon Wilson
“It was great, I really love the organization and the atmosphere. The new running back coach was really cool , and I would definitely come back”.
2018 Sachse WR Drue Jackson
“I really enjoyed myself. The trip was great”.
Ketch's Thoughts From the Weekend (A burnt orange kind of weekend)
What. A. Weekend. Saturday included the following events:
The upstart men’s basketball program blew the doors off of No. 3 Oklahoma with a 22-0 run in the closing minutes of the second half in front of one of the most lively crowds in the Erwin Center’s history.
Later in the day, the women’s basketball team moved its record to 26-2 with a win over TCU at the Erwin Center.
The baseball team smoked Stanford 9-0 behind a two-hit shutout from senior Ty Culbreth, who hails from Bryan, Texas (of all places).
The women’s track program won its third straight indoor Big 12 title, while the men finished second, coming in second by 1.5 points to Oklahoma State.
The men’s swimming and diving team captured its 37th consecutive conference title and 20th straight Big 12 title.
The women’s swimming and diving team swept every event in taking home its second-straight Big 12 championship.
Senior Ryan Crouser tied the collegiate record and set a new Big 12 mark in the men’s shot put with a heave of 21.73 meters (71-3.50 feet), while also becoming the first Big 12 male student-athlete to win the Big 12 Conference Championship in an indoor/outdoor event eight times since Missouri's Derrick Peterson swept the 800 meters from 1997-2000.
The men’s No. 26 tennis team shocked No. 5 Wake Forest 4-3 on the road in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
While all of that was going on, the Texas football program was hosting its first Junior Day, playing host to numerous critical 2017 recruiting targets, including five-star defensive back Jeffrey Okudah, near five-star linebacker Baron Browning and top offensive line target Grayson Reed, among others. Things went well enough over the span of a few hours that Reed was proclaiming the Longhorns as his leader, while Browning let loose with a #LetsRide on Twitter.
#HookEm#LetsRide#Believepic.twitter.com/kNqQARr1gw
— Baron Browning (@baronbrwnng)February 28, 2016
Without giving into hyperbole, it’s hard to imagine that there have been many Saturdays better than that the one that took place for University of Texas athletics this weekend, especially since that night when McCoy walked off the Rose Bowl turf for the final time in a Longhorns uniform.
I don’t know if Saturday translates to a slump-buster for an athletic department trying to reverse its half-decade-plus run of negative mojo, but there aren’t enough towers in the Lone Star State to light up in burnt orange for all of the winning that took place.
For one day, the University of Texas was exactly the Goliath that it is supposed to be.
For the sake of most of you reading this, here’s hoping there’s more where that came from.
No. 2 – Shaka, Shaka Shaka, can't you see. Sometimes your teams just hypnotize me …
For much of Saturday’s game, the Texas Longhorns performed like a very good team playing against another team that was just a notch above it.
For the first seven TV timeouts of the game, Oklahoma held a lead that usually ranked between 1-4 points and it seemed like the Sooners would run the lead up to around seven, only to see the Longhorns claw their way back to within a point or two. Back and forth the game went like this for more than 30 minutes, with the Sooners answering every single charge presented from Shaka Smart’s troops.
With 7:33 left in the game, Oklahoma all-American Buddy Hield knocked down a jumper to once again balloon the lead back to seven points and everyone watching was likely thinking the same thing - Texas just isn’t going to get over the hump against Oklahoma on a day when the Sooners connected on 10 three-point shots and receive a game-high 33 points from their best player.
And then it happened.
Years from now, all we’ll have to say is, “Do you rememberThe Runagainst the Sooners?”
And everyone will know exactly what you’re referring to, as the 22-0 surge over the course of the next seven minutes following Hield’s bucket that made it 58-51 will forever define Smart’s impact on this program in his first season.
Oh, it started slow with a lay-up from Isaiah Taylor and didn’t really start to reach overdrive until Connor Lammert knocked down a three-point shot to cut the lead to 58-57. A couple of free throws by Taylor and a tip-in from Prince Ibeh put the Longhorns up 61-58, and it was time to hide the Oklahoma women and children.
Once it was over, the Longhorns hadthedefining win in a season that has seemingly had several of them and it occurred in front of an Erwin Center crowd that was lively enough throughout that you couldn’t help but want to bottle up the crowd energy for future nights.
#Oklahomahead coach Lon Kruger mentioned the impact of the Texas crowd, referred to it as "fantastic."#HookEm
— Dustin McComas (@DMcComasOB)February 27, 2016
It’s not that the Longhorns have a good basketball team in 2016 that matters. What matters is that the Longhorns have the basketball team their fans have always dreamed of having, featuring a brand of basketball that is easy on the eyes and as tenacious at its core. The days of hate-watching Texas basketball are over and standing front and center over this remake is a basketball coach that might just allow former athletic director Steve Patterson a slice of legacy that has nothing to do with his poor bedside manner.
In Shaka Smart, everyone trusts.
In a very short amount of time, it has become increasingly clear that Smart is more than just a good hire, as he represents the best hire the Texas athletic department has made since Mack Brown was plucked from North Carolina in December of 1997. We’re talking about the kind of elite of the elite coach that simply doesn’t come around very often in any sport.
Don’t take my word for it. Just as Augie Garrido, who is arguably the greatest college baseball coach of all-time.
Augie Garrido calls Shaka Smart "the most impressive coach I've been around in a long, long time."#HookEm
— Adam Winkler (@WinklerKEYE)February 17, 2016
What we’re watching take place in Austin is the unleashing of a potential monster with Smart leading the Texas basketball charge and one of my first thoughts after Saturday’s game included a look to the future.
Moving forward, Texas needs to do whatever it takes to keep Smart, even if it means eventually moving his salary into an area of its football coach or beyond. One day, and it will probably occur sooner than later, some college blue-blood is going to make its move towards Smart and it will be up to the Texas athletic department to prove that it will forever do whatever it takes to keep Smart in Austin.
Texas has had really good basketball coaches before. Abe Lemons was really good. So was Tom Penders. So was Rick Barnes.
Smart is a significant upgrade over really good and that’s why this season has turned into the most enjoyable season among the major sports in Austin since the 2008 football season.
Yes, Saturday was the type of win that those that lived it will rejoice in for years to come, but as we’ve seen numerous times this season in wins over North Carolina, West Virginia (twice), Iowa State, Baylor and now Oklahoma, this isn’t the final destination.
If Texas plays its cards right, this will be just the beginning.
In Shaka Smart, everyone trusts.
No. 3- Remember when Junior Days were the end all, be all?
Once upon a time not too long ago, it would have been impossible for the Texas football program to host a Junior Day in February without at least a half dozen commitments going down over the span of a few hours.
Under Mack Brown, it used to represent the power of the Texas recruiting muscles, as rivals such as Oklahoma and Texas A&M were both petrified at the thought of who Texas might take off the recruiting board before a true recruiting war could ever be waged and ecstatic over the number of players the Longhorns would invest in that they had zero interest in.
By the time Brown entered his last few seasons, the coaches in College Station and Norman would go out of their way to survive the Texas Junior Day with key prospects by scaring them into believing that Texas would pressure them to commit when they weren’t ready. The general thinking was that if Texas couldn’t get them locked up by the end of February, then it would never get them locked up, leaving the Sooners and Aggies to scoop up the players that were unwilling to end their recruitments with 11 months to go before Signing Day.
Now?
As Jason Suchomel and I discussed in the Orangebloods podcast on Friday when previewing the event, I’m not sure that Strong had an interest in anyone on hand giving him a commitment. Oh, don’t get me wrong, if one or two of the best prospects on hand had wanted to give a verbal pledge, Strong would have certainly not kept a guy like Baron Browning from committing to him, but Strong just isn’t motivated by early pledges for a few reasons.
a. I get the sense that he prefers to chase a kid than babysit him, so unless he’s got someone he won’t have to worry about in the future, he’d prefer that kid just stay uncommitted.
b. Strong enjoys the flexibility that comes with not filling up too early, which often kept the Longhorns from going after more talented targets who might have had a legit interest in the Texas program because it was already handcuffed to other kids.
c. When selecting from the deep pool of players in the Lone Star State, Strong prefers to have as much time to continuously evaluate as possible, thus allowing for a late-bloomer or two to walk into his world who might not have otherwise.
Therefore, it’s hard to grade the success of a Junior Day in 2016 because the net positives or negatives might not be known for another 300+ days in some cases. What really matters now is that the quality of prospects in attendance is high, the weather is nice and good times/zero hurt feelings occur.
Well, with two national top-50 and another eight Rivals 250 prospects on hand, you’d have to say the talent on hand was where you’d like it to be. Meanwhile, the weather was so good on Saturday that it could have served as a postcard day for the Austin Chamber of Commerce. Oh, and not a hurt feeling was seemingly found anywhere on campus.
Check, check and check.
In this new era of recruiting for the Texas football program where early commitments are viewed as equal parts victory/equal parts pain in the ass, those three check marks will have to do.
No. 4 – Junior Day Twitter Highlights ...
For those who might have missed them in the midst of a very busy day on Saturday, here were the social media moments from the Junior Day that stood out to these eyes.
Had a great time at UT!!!#HookEm◽️◽️pic.twitter.com/PQJH0InVFS
— Anthony Hines III® (@TheAntHines_Era)February 27, 2016
Me and mom❤️pic.twitter.com/CHEwVf4KLP
— Grayson Reed#⃣7⃣7⃣ (@gray_reed77)February 27, 2016
Great time at Texas pic.twitter.com/gNPEC8EMqG
— Camron Buckley ✨ (@CAMDAHOUDINI)February 27, 2016
Otw Back From UT, Headed To The H‼️#LetsRidepic.twitter.com/ZZn27RgfDV
— ⚡️TUCK⚡️ (@DerrickTucker19)February 28, 2016
You better get on or get run over#LetsRidepic.twitter.com/1EA5J5uiAC
— Sam Ehlinger (@sehlinger3)February 27, 2016
Had fun at Texas today #HookEmpic.twitter.com/S46TV5TO3B
— TQ (@Quon_49)February 27, 2016
No. 5 – Scattershooting on the Longhorns ...
… It’s hard not to notice things trending in a very good direction for Kennedale linebacker Baron Browning, arguably the best 2017 prospect in the state not named Marvin Wilson.
… Before it’s all said and done, Manvel safety Derrick Tucker is going to be a Longhorn. Go ahead and put that one in ink.
… Even though his commitment appears to have solidified over the weekend, my guess is that Bullard tight end Major Tennison is going to keep a keen eye on the Texas offense this season and his recruitment is likely to have a few drops of sweat involved before next February.
… Texas will win any NCAA Tournament game it plays when it shoots 27 free throws, including 15 from Javon Felix, Isaiah Taylor and Eric Davis.
… It wasn’t the kind of performance that will garner a ton of headlines, but Prince Ibeh played 30 minutes of pretty good basketball on Saturday.
… Texas was +12 in the rebounding column on Saturday, a number I wouldn’t have guessed coming into the game.
… All I can say about Sunday’s baseball game against Stanford is … ouch.
… Ty Culbreth’s 16:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio will do just fine.
No. 6 – Buy or sell …
(As always, these are questions submitted by Orangebloods subscribers)
BUY or SELL: Sterlin Gilbert brings in a transfer QB to compete. (possibly from Bowling Green)?
(Sell) As someone who has demanded the Longhorns do this for each of the last four off-seasons, I’m done believing this is a possibility until I actually see it. There was actually a moment before Gilbert was hired when one JUCO option communicated to us that the Longhorns would make a run for him once Shane Buechele was on campus, but that just never materialized. Unless Charlie Strong changes his mind or has it changed for him, I get the sense that they won’t bring in a transfer of any variety unless theyknowhe’ll represent a definite upgrade over what they already have on campus. Also, the only Bowling Green quarterback who played more than mop-up duty last year is Matt Johnson and he’s preparing for the NFL Draft, unlessGoose Gosselin mistakenly included him in his NFL Draft storythis past week.
BUY or SELL: With the new offense being installed, the Spring Practices will be even more under wraps than before?
(Sell) Contrary to what a lot of folks might believe, I have never sensed that Charlie Strong spends five seconds worrying about things like this. There are reasons why practices are closed, but super-paranoia from Strong isn’t really one of them.
BUY or SELL: While Ehlinger and Carson are both bona fide studs as prospects and recruiters, Texas gets a few more War Daddies on board early to help anchor a top-5 class?
(Sell) In order for me to buy a top-five class, I need to know that this season is going to be the kind of success that truly sends this program soaring. If Strong is on any kind of shaky ground, it’s hard to buy into the idea of a top-five class right now, even with so many 2017 kids showing interest. The landscape could change in a hurry if Texas gets drilled by Notre Dame in the season-opener.
BUY or SELL: We'll end the Spring Game with more questions on offense than answers?
(Buy) This offense is a major work in progress and will feature a ton of installation in the spring. With the answers at quarterback and along the offensive line almost certainly remaining unsolved at the conclusion of spring workouts, the big picture remains blurry.
BUY or SELL: There is not a circumstance outside of scandal where Strong gets canned mid-season (Even if everyone knows he will be gone at the end of the season)?
(Buy) It’s hard to believe this team could be bad enough to warrant a mid-season ouster, which means even if the team starts slowly, he’ll get all 12 games to make a convincing care for a fourth year.
BUY or SELL: There are going to be many more silent commitments to UT this year than there have ever been before; maybe as many as 10-12 in December/January?
(Sell) That just sounds like crazy talk.
BUY or SELL: We'll have five more public commits by the end of the Spring Semester?
(Sell) That would put the Longhorns at nine before the summer and that just seems like a higher number than that I’m expecting, but not by much.
BUY or SELL: In two more years, both Mack Brown and DeLoss Dodds will be completely rehabilitated in the hearts and minds of Texas fans?
(Sell) I think the mainstream fans will have moved on by then, but if the football program is still chasing its tail at the end of the 2017 season, there will be a lot of die-hards with long memories.
BUY or SELL: When the Notre Dame game rolls around in September, Texas will have two true freshmen starting on the offensive side of the ball?
(Sell) I’m going to say noooooooooooooooo waaaaaaaaay. The game is just too important and there’s not nearly the obvious available spots as there were a year ago.
BUY or SELL: Charlie's recruiting style, a low-pressure, wait-it-out style, fits perfectly with current recruits' desire to take many official and unofficial visits, and be minor Twitter celebrities for as long as possible?
(Buy) You nailed it. The Twitter Recruiting Age would have made the 2013-version of Mack Brown more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
The Sunday Pulpit: Hall of Famer Tony Dungy identifies with Charlie Strong
Whenever Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy thinks about Charlie Strong, he identifies with the leader of this Longhorn football team.
Sure, there is no denying race when it comes to their similarities. Dungy is the first black head coach to win a Super Bowl. Strong wants to become the first black coach to win a national title in college football. In addition, Dungy was overlooked by NFL owners for years because he was viewed as too soften spoken, a bad interviewer, and many believed race was an issue. Dungy finally received a chance to prove he could be an NFL head coach when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hired him in 1996. Meanwhile, Strong was disregarded by college programs for similar reasons before Louisville hired him in 2009.
However, Dungy believes he has an important similarity with Strong.
Before Dungy was known as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history, he struggled to win. He started very slow before building a successful franchise in Tampa. Even after Dungy began winning in Tampa, he was fired because the owners wanted more victories. That is why when Dungy looks at Strong, he sees a coach who he still believes is going to be successful at Texas, despite six wins in year one, followed by five wins last season.
“I have loved coach Strong from the time I got to know him at the University of Florida,” Dungy told me during an interview this past week.
I called Dungy, a person who I have known for at least 20 years, for his take onrecently hired receivers coach Charlie Williams,who served on his staff from 1996 to 2001. As we talked about Williams, his respect for Strong was evident when our conversation shifted to Texas' head coach.
“I think he wants to win, and wants to win the national championship,” said Dungy, who spoke to Strong’s team in Austin last year. “More than that, he wants to develop those young men and have them ready for life. To me, that is what you want to do. That’s what you want. You don’t want just wins. You don’t want just developing guys for life and not winning. You want both, and that’s his goal. The way he’s trying to do it, he’s not going to compromise on any of that, which is why I love what he’s doing. I think he’s going to create a culture there that is outstanding.”
Dungy might be an expert in culture change.
Tampa Bay was a laughingstock before Dungy received the job. The Bucs had 13 consecutive losing seasons before Dungy’s arrival, and 12 of those loss totals were in double digits. In fact, Tampa Bay contacted Steve Spurrier and Jimmy Johnson before eventually hiring Dungy.
After he was hired, Dungy had to bring in young players who believed in his message and were committed to change. He inherited Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks and turned them into Hall of Fame players. Dungy eventually built a winning team by acquiring players with high character, and men who wanted to succeed on the field - and in life.
Does this approach sound familiar to any Longhorn fan?
Let us go back to Dungy’s rough beginning in Tampa.
During Dungy’s first season in Tampa Bay, his team started 1-8. I clearly remember Bucs fans believing the hiring of Dungy was a huge mistake. Many wanted him gone after that start. Sure, it is easy to look back and say how great Dungy is, but nobody can honestly say hr or she believed it was going to occur after that slow start.
From what I was told by more than one member of that 1996 team, Dungy’s message was always consistent. He told each player they were not going to win games until everybody brought in. However, each player told me Dungy never panicked. He never wavered. His message to the team never changed, and eventually they decided to believe in him.
“The results will come,” Dungy said. “I look at things. I played for Chuck Noll. His first year, he was 1-13. Then the next year, they were 5-9. The results came slowly, but when they came, and the foundation got laid, then there were a string of Super Bowls. Then I got traded to the 49ers, and it was the same thing. I played for Bill Walsh, and his first year we were 2-14. The next year they won six and lost 10. Again, it took a little while for that foundation to be laid. Once it was there, there were a string of Super Bowls.
“Now, we are such an instant culture, we don’t want to go through the process of laying the foundation. You have a couple of years like that nowadays, and they say it’s not working, it’s time for a change, let’s do something else. Coaches who are committed to what they believe in, and stick with it … if we reward those coaches with a little patience, that foundation will get laid.”
After Dungy laid the foundation in Tampa Bay, the Bucs were a playoff team in his second year. Tampa Bay had four playoff appearances during Dungy’s six-year tenure. After taking over in Indianapolis, Dungy led his team to the playoffs in each of his seven seasons, including a Super Bowl victory during the 2006 season. He finished with 148 wins and 79 losses during his career, and is viewed as a modern-day coaching pioneer.
“We won one game in three months (during his first season in Tampa),” Dungy said. “You think you’re going to do well, but we were 1-8. Everybody was saying what’s going on, what’s happening, how are they not winning? We just had to remind everybody that we are going to stick to it. The second year, it started to come around, but you have to the lay the foundation.”
Dungy believes Strong will win in Texas because of the foundation his friend has laid.
If Strong can turn around Texas this season, the two coaches will have something else in common.Funniest Thing You Will See This Week
When Memaw hits 110-years-old, she is entitled to have a Marshawn Lynch moment with the media. Hell, she can do whatever she wants at that age.
What. A. Weekend. Saturday included the following events:
The upstart men’s basketball program blew the doors off of No. 3 Oklahoma with a 22-0 run in the closing minutes of the second half in front of one of the most lively crowds in the Erwin Center’s history.
Later in the day, the women’s basketball team moved its record to 26-2 with a win over TCU at the Erwin Center.
The baseball team smoked Stanford 9-0 behind a two-hit shutout from senior Ty Culbreth, who hails from Bryan, Texas (of all places).
The women’s track program won its third straight indoor Big 12 title, while the men finished second, coming in second by 1.5 points to Oklahoma State.
The men’s swimming and diving team captured its 37th consecutive conference title and 20th straight Big 12 title.
The women’s swimming and diving team swept every event in taking home its second-straight Big 12 championship.
Senior Ryan Crouser tied the collegiate record and set a new Big 12 mark in the men’s shot put with a heave of 21.73 meters (71-3.50 feet), while also becoming the first Big 12 male student-athlete to win the Big 12 Conference Championship in an indoor/outdoor event eight times since Missouri's Derrick Peterson swept the 800 meters from 1997-2000.
The men’s No. 26 tennis team shocked No. 5 Wake Forest 4-3 on the road in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
While all of that was going on, the Texas football program was hosting its first Junior Day, playing host to numerous critical 2017 recruiting targets, including five-star defensive back Jeffrey Okudah, near five-star linebacker Baron Browning and top offensive line target Grayson Reed, among others. Things went well enough over the span of a few hours that Reed was proclaiming the Longhorns as his leader, while Browning let loose with a #LetsRide on Twitter.
#HookEm#LetsRide#Believepic.twitter.com/kNqQARr1gw
— Baron Browning (@baronbrwnng)February 28, 2016
Without giving into hyperbole, it’s hard to imagine that there have been many Saturdays better than that the one that took place for University of Texas athletics this weekend, especially since that night when McCoy walked off the Rose Bowl turf for the final time in a Longhorns uniform.
I don’t know if Saturday translates to a slump-buster for an athletic department trying to reverse its half-decade-plus run of negative mojo, but there aren’t enough towers in the Lone Star State to light up in burnt orange for all of the winning that took place.
For one day, the University of Texas was exactly the Goliath that it is supposed to be.
For the sake of most of you reading this, here’s hoping there’s more where that came from.
No. 2 – Shaka, Shaka Shaka, can't you see. Sometimes your teams just hypnotize me …
For much of Saturday’s game, the Texas Longhorns performed like a very good team playing against another team that was just a notch above it.
For the first seven TV timeouts of the game, Oklahoma held a lead that usually ranked between 1-4 points and it seemed like the Sooners would run the lead up to around seven, only to see the Longhorns claw their way back to within a point or two. Back and forth the game went like this for more than 30 minutes, with the Sooners answering every single charge presented from Shaka Smart’s troops.
With 7:33 left in the game, Oklahoma all-American Buddy Hield knocked down a jumper to once again balloon the lead back to seven points and everyone watching was likely thinking the same thing - Texas just isn’t going to get over the hump against Oklahoma on a day when the Sooners connected on 10 three-point shots and receive a game-high 33 points from their best player.
And then it happened.
Years from now, all we’ll have to say is, “Do you rememberThe Runagainst the Sooners?”
And everyone will know exactly what you’re referring to, as the 22-0 surge over the course of the next seven minutes following Hield’s bucket that made it 58-51 will forever define Smart’s impact on this program in his first season.
Oh, it started slow with a lay-up from Isaiah Taylor and didn’t really start to reach overdrive until Connor Lammert knocked down a three-point shot to cut the lead to 58-57. A couple of free throws by Taylor and a tip-in from Prince Ibeh put the Longhorns up 61-58, and it was time to hide the Oklahoma women and children.
Once it was over, the Longhorns hadthedefining win in a season that has seemingly had several of them and it occurred in front of an Erwin Center crowd that was lively enough throughout that you couldn’t help but want to bottle up the crowd energy for future nights.
#Oklahomahead coach Lon Kruger mentioned the impact of the Texas crowd, referred to it as "fantastic."#HookEm
— Dustin McComas (@DMcComasOB)February 27, 2016
It’s not that the Longhorns have a good basketball team in 2016 that matters. What matters is that the Longhorns have the basketball team their fans have always dreamed of having, featuring a brand of basketball that is easy on the eyes and as tenacious at its core. The days of hate-watching Texas basketball are over and standing front and center over this remake is a basketball coach that might just allow former athletic director Steve Patterson a slice of legacy that has nothing to do with his poor bedside manner.
In Shaka Smart, everyone trusts.
In a very short amount of time, it has become increasingly clear that Smart is more than just a good hire, as he represents the best hire the Texas athletic department has made since Mack Brown was plucked from North Carolina in December of 1997. We’re talking about the kind of elite of the elite coach that simply doesn’t come around very often in any sport.
Don’t take my word for it. Just as Augie Garrido, who is arguably the greatest college baseball coach of all-time.
Augie Garrido calls Shaka Smart "the most impressive coach I've been around in a long, long time."#HookEm
— Adam Winkler (@WinklerKEYE)February 17, 2016
What we’re watching take place in Austin is the unleashing of a potential monster with Smart leading the Texas basketball charge and one of my first thoughts after Saturday’s game included a look to the future.
Moving forward, Texas needs to do whatever it takes to keep Smart, even if it means eventually moving his salary into an area of its football coach or beyond. One day, and it will probably occur sooner than later, some college blue-blood is going to make its move towards Smart and it will be up to the Texas athletic department to prove that it will forever do whatever it takes to keep Smart in Austin.
Texas has had really good basketball coaches before. Abe Lemons was really good. So was Tom Penders. So was Rick Barnes.
Smart is a significant upgrade over really good and that’s why this season has turned into the most enjoyable season among the major sports in Austin since the 2008 football season.
Yes, Saturday was the type of win that those that lived it will rejoice in for years to come, but as we’ve seen numerous times this season in wins over North Carolina, West Virginia (twice), Iowa State, Baylor and now Oklahoma, this isn’t the final destination.
If Texas plays its cards right, this will be just the beginning.
In Shaka Smart, everyone trusts.
No. 3- Remember when Junior Days were the end all, be all?
Once upon a time not too long ago, it would have been impossible for the Texas football program to host a Junior Day in February without at least a half dozen commitments going down over the span of a few hours.
Under Mack Brown, it used to represent the power of the Texas recruiting muscles, as rivals such as Oklahoma and Texas A&M were both petrified at the thought of who Texas might take off the recruiting board before a true recruiting war could ever be waged and ecstatic over the number of players the Longhorns would invest in that they had zero interest in.
By the time Brown entered his last few seasons, the coaches in College Station and Norman would go out of their way to survive the Texas Junior Day with key prospects by scaring them into believing that Texas would pressure them to commit when they weren’t ready. The general thinking was that if Texas couldn’t get them locked up by the end of February, then it would never get them locked up, leaving the Sooners and Aggies to scoop up the players that were unwilling to end their recruitments with 11 months to go before Signing Day.
Now?
As Jason Suchomel and I discussed in the Orangebloods podcast on Friday when previewing the event, I’m not sure that Strong had an interest in anyone on hand giving him a commitment. Oh, don’t get me wrong, if one or two of the best prospects on hand had wanted to give a verbal pledge, Strong would have certainly not kept a guy like Baron Browning from committing to him, but Strong just isn’t motivated by early pledges for a few reasons.
a. I get the sense that he prefers to chase a kid than babysit him, so unless he’s got someone he won’t have to worry about in the future, he’d prefer that kid just stay uncommitted.
b. Strong enjoys the flexibility that comes with not filling up too early, which often kept the Longhorns from going after more talented targets who might have had a legit interest in the Texas program because it was already handcuffed to other kids.
c. When selecting from the deep pool of players in the Lone Star State, Strong prefers to have as much time to continuously evaluate as possible, thus allowing for a late-bloomer or two to walk into his world who might not have otherwise.
Therefore, it’s hard to grade the success of a Junior Day in 2016 because the net positives or negatives might not be known for another 300+ days in some cases. What really matters now is that the quality of prospects in attendance is high, the weather is nice and good times/zero hurt feelings occur.
Well, with two national top-50 and another eight Rivals 250 prospects on hand, you’d have to say the talent on hand was where you’d like it to be. Meanwhile, the weather was so good on Saturday that it could have served as a postcard day for the Austin Chamber of Commerce. Oh, and not a hurt feeling was seemingly found anywhere on campus.
Check, check and check.
In this new era of recruiting for the Texas football program where early commitments are viewed as equal parts victory/equal parts pain in the ass, those three check marks will have to do.
No. 4 – Junior Day Twitter Highlights ...
For those who might have missed them in the midst of a very busy day on Saturday, here were the social media moments from the Junior Day that stood out to these eyes.
Had a great time at UT!!!#HookEm◽️◽️pic.twitter.com/PQJH0InVFS
— Anthony Hines III® (@TheAntHines_Era)February 27, 2016
Me and mom❤️pic.twitter.com/CHEwVf4KLP
— Grayson Reed#⃣7⃣7⃣ (@gray_reed77)February 27, 2016
Great time at Texas pic.twitter.com/gNPEC8EMqG
— Camron Buckley ✨ (@CAMDAHOUDINI)February 27, 2016
Otw Back From UT, Headed To The H‼️#LetsRidepic.twitter.com/ZZn27RgfDV
— ⚡️TUCK⚡️ (@DerrickTucker19)February 28, 2016
You better get on or get run over#LetsRidepic.twitter.com/1EA5J5uiAC
— Sam Ehlinger (@sehlinger3)February 27, 2016
Had fun at Texas today #HookEmpic.twitter.com/S46TV5TO3B
— TQ (@Quon_49)February 27, 2016
No. 5 – Scattershooting on the Longhorns ...
… It’s hard not to notice things trending in a very good direction for Kennedale linebacker Baron Browning, arguably the best 2017 prospect in the state not named Marvin Wilson.
… Before it’s all said and done, Manvel safety Derrick Tucker is going to be a Longhorn. Go ahead and put that one in ink.
… Even though his commitment appears to have solidified over the weekend, my guess is that Bullard tight end Major Tennison is going to keep a keen eye on the Texas offense this season and his recruitment is likely to have a few drops of sweat involved before next February.
… Texas will win any NCAA Tournament game it plays when it shoots 27 free throws, including 15 from Javon Felix, Isaiah Taylor and Eric Davis.
… It wasn’t the kind of performance that will garner a ton of headlines, but Prince Ibeh played 30 minutes of pretty good basketball on Saturday.
… Texas was +12 in the rebounding column on Saturday, a number I wouldn’t have guessed coming into the game.
… All I can say about Sunday’s baseball game against Stanford is … ouch.
… Ty Culbreth’s 16:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio will do just fine.
No. 6 – Buy or sell …
(As always, these are questions submitted by Orangebloods subscribers)
BUY or SELL: Sterlin Gilbert brings in a transfer QB to compete. (possibly from Bowling Green)?
(Sell) As someone who has demanded the Longhorns do this for each of the last four off-seasons, I’m done believing this is a possibility until I actually see it. There was actually a moment before Gilbert was hired when one JUCO option communicated to us that the Longhorns would make a run for him once Shane Buechele was on campus, but that just never materialized. Unless Charlie Strong changes his mind or has it changed for him, I get the sense that they won’t bring in a transfer of any variety unless theyknowhe’ll represent a definite upgrade over what they already have on campus. Also, the only Bowling Green quarterback who played more than mop-up duty last year is Matt Johnson and he’s preparing for the NFL Draft, unlessGoose Gosselin mistakenly included him in his NFL Draft storythis past week.
BUY or SELL: With the new offense being installed, the Spring Practices will be even more under wraps than before?
(Sell) Contrary to what a lot of folks might believe, I have never sensed that Charlie Strong spends five seconds worrying about things like this. There are reasons why practices are closed, but super-paranoia from Strong isn’t really one of them.
BUY or SELL: While Ehlinger and Carson are both bona fide studs as prospects and recruiters, Texas gets a few more War Daddies on board early to help anchor a top-5 class?
(Sell) In order for me to buy a top-five class, I need to know that this season is going to be the kind of success that truly sends this program soaring. If Strong is on any kind of shaky ground, it’s hard to buy into the idea of a top-five class right now, even with so many 2017 kids showing interest. The landscape could change in a hurry if Texas gets drilled by Notre Dame in the season-opener.
BUY or SELL: We'll end the Spring Game with more questions on offense than answers?
(Buy) This offense is a major work in progress and will feature a ton of installation in the spring. With the answers at quarterback and along the offensive line almost certainly remaining unsolved at the conclusion of spring workouts, the big picture remains blurry.
BUY or SELL: There is not a circumstance outside of scandal where Strong gets canned mid-season (Even if everyone knows he will be gone at the end of the season)?
(Buy) It’s hard to believe this team could be bad enough to warrant a mid-season ouster, which means even if the team starts slowly, he’ll get all 12 games to make a convincing care for a fourth year.
BUY or SELL: There are going to be many more silent commitments to UT this year than there have ever been before; maybe as many as 10-12 in December/January?
(Sell) That just sounds like crazy talk.
BUY or SELL: We'll have five more public commits by the end of the Spring Semester?
(Sell) That would put the Longhorns at nine before the summer and that just seems like a higher number than that I’m expecting, but not by much.
BUY or SELL: In two more years, both Mack Brown and DeLoss Dodds will be completely rehabilitated in the hearts and minds of Texas fans?
(Sell) I think the mainstream fans will have moved on by then, but if the football program is still chasing its tail at the end of the 2017 season, there will be a lot of die-hards with long memories.
BUY or SELL: When the Notre Dame game rolls around in September, Texas will have two true freshmen starting on the offensive side of the ball?
(Sell) I’m going to say noooooooooooooooo waaaaaaaaay. The game is just too important and there’s not nearly the obvious available spots as there were a year ago.
BUY or SELL: Charlie's recruiting style, a low-pressure, wait-it-out style, fits perfectly with current recruits' desire to take many official and unofficial visits, and be minor Twitter celebrities for as long as possible?
(Buy) You nailed it. The Twitter Recruiting Age would have made the 2013-version of Mack Brown more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.
The Sunday Pulpit: Hall of Famer Tony Dungy identifies with Charlie Strong
Whenever Hall of Fame coach Tony Dungy thinks about Charlie Strong, he identifies with the leader of this Longhorn football team.
Sure, there is no denying race when it comes to their similarities. Dungy is the first black head coach to win a Super Bowl. Strong wants to become the first black coach to win a national title in college football. In addition, Dungy was overlooked by NFL owners for years because he was viewed as too soften spoken, a bad interviewer, and many believed race was an issue. Dungy finally received a chance to prove he could be an NFL head coach when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers hired him in 1996. Meanwhile, Strong was disregarded by college programs for similar reasons before Louisville hired him in 2009.
However, Dungy believes he has an important similarity with Strong.
Before Dungy was known as one of the greatest coaches in NFL history, he struggled to win. He started very slow before building a successful franchise in Tampa. Even after Dungy began winning in Tampa, he was fired because the owners wanted more victories. That is why when Dungy looks at Strong, he sees a coach who he still believes is going to be successful at Texas, despite six wins in year one, followed by five wins last season.
“I have loved coach Strong from the time I got to know him at the University of Florida,” Dungy told me during an interview this past week.
I called Dungy, a person who I have known for at least 20 years, for his take onrecently hired receivers coach Charlie Williams,who served on his staff from 1996 to 2001. As we talked about Williams, his respect for Strong was evident when our conversation shifted to Texas' head coach.
“I think he wants to win, and wants to win the national championship,” said Dungy, who spoke to Strong’s team in Austin last year. “More than that, he wants to develop those young men and have them ready for life. To me, that is what you want to do. That’s what you want. You don’t want just wins. You don’t want just developing guys for life and not winning. You want both, and that’s his goal. The way he’s trying to do it, he’s not going to compromise on any of that, which is why I love what he’s doing. I think he’s going to create a culture there that is outstanding.”
Dungy might be an expert in culture change.
Tampa Bay was a laughingstock before Dungy received the job. The Bucs had 13 consecutive losing seasons before Dungy’s arrival, and 12 of those loss totals were in double digits. In fact, Tampa Bay contacted Steve Spurrier and Jimmy Johnson before eventually hiring Dungy.
After he was hired, Dungy had to bring in young players who believed in his message and were committed to change. He inherited Warren Sapp and Derrick Brooks and turned them into Hall of Fame players. Dungy eventually built a winning team by acquiring players with high character, and men who wanted to succeed on the field - and in life.
Does this approach sound familiar to any Longhorn fan?
Let us go back to Dungy’s rough beginning in Tampa.
During Dungy’s first season in Tampa Bay, his team started 1-8. I clearly remember Bucs fans believing the hiring of Dungy was a huge mistake. Many wanted him gone after that start. Sure, it is easy to look back and say how great Dungy is, but nobody can honestly say hr or she believed it was going to occur after that slow start.
From what I was told by more than one member of that 1996 team, Dungy’s message was always consistent. He told each player they were not going to win games until everybody brought in. However, each player told me Dungy never panicked. He never wavered. His message to the team never changed, and eventually they decided to believe in him.
“The results will come,” Dungy said. “I look at things. I played for Chuck Noll. His first year, he was 1-13. Then the next year, they were 5-9. The results came slowly, but when they came, and the foundation got laid, then there were a string of Super Bowls. Then I got traded to the 49ers, and it was the same thing. I played for Bill Walsh, and his first year we were 2-14. The next year they won six and lost 10. Again, it took a little while for that foundation to be laid. Once it was there, there were a string of Super Bowls.
“Now, we are such an instant culture, we don’t want to go through the process of laying the foundation. You have a couple of years like that nowadays, and they say it’s not working, it’s time for a change, let’s do something else. Coaches who are committed to what they believe in, and stick with it … if we reward those coaches with a little patience, that foundation will get laid.”
After Dungy laid the foundation in Tampa Bay, the Bucs were a playoff team in his second year. Tampa Bay had four playoff appearances during Dungy’s six-year tenure. After taking over in Indianapolis, Dungy led his team to the playoffs in each of his seven seasons, including a Super Bowl victory during the 2006 season. He finished with 148 wins and 79 losses during his career, and is viewed as a modern-day coaching pioneer.
“We won one game in three months (during his first season in Tampa),” Dungy said. “You think you’re going to do well, but we were 1-8. Everybody was saying what’s going on, what’s happening, how are they not winning? We just had to remind everybody that we are going to stick to it. The second year, it started to come around, but you have to the lay the foundation.”
Dungy believes Strong will win in Texas because of the foundation his friend has laid.
If Strong can turn around Texas this season, the two coaches will have something else in common.Funniest Thing You Will See This Week
When Memaw hits 110-years-old, she is entitled to have a Marshawn Lynch moment with the media. Hell, she can do whatever she wants at that age.
CB Justin Broiles of Oklahoma City, OK talks about his UT offer (24/7):
“It’s been fun,” Broiles said. “It’s been really exciting because I went from two offers to 29 offers in three weeks. It’s amazing. I’m just sitting back and enjoying the process.”
“I was looking for a Texas offer for the longest time because I like the Longhorns,” Broiles said. “They don’t really offer Oklahoma kids, so that offer meant a lot to me. They must really think I’m special. I’m definitely interested.”
“They just said that they really liked my film and that they want to get me down there as soon as possible,” Broiles said. “I’m going to try to get to a spring practice or the spring game. I liked what they had to say. I’m looking forward to meeting them.”
Per 24/7, CB Kary Vincent of Port Arthur Memorial is planning to visit UT "really soon."
He's expected to be at one of the first spring practices.
S Jeffrey Okudah of South Grand Prairie talks about the Junior Day (24/7):
“I’m definitely considering Texas now,” Okudah said. “At first, I didn’t really see the plan. But now, with the recruiting class they just got, I see what Coach (Charlie) Strong is doing. Seeing guys I work out with like Eric Cuffee signing was big. I think Texas can get back on top soon.”
“I had a great time,” Okudah said. “Coach Strong, Coach Jennings and Coach Bedford really sold their message. They had two strong recruiting classes, which speaks volumes about what they’re doing. And I think they’re getting it done. I see the plan.”
“I think (Jennings is) a great guy,” Okudah said. “Coach Mack says he really likes him and that he can really help me. If he likes him, then I like him. When I talked to Coach Jennings, he said he was going to get my mind right and my feet right. That sounded good to me.”
“It’s been fun,” Broiles said. “It’s been really exciting because I went from two offers to 29 offers in three weeks. It’s amazing. I’m just sitting back and enjoying the process.”
“I was looking for a Texas offer for the longest time because I like the Longhorns,” Broiles said. “They don’t really offer Oklahoma kids, so that offer meant a lot to me. They must really think I’m special. I’m definitely interested.”
“They just said that they really liked my film and that they want to get me down there as soon as possible,” Broiles said. “I’m going to try to get to a spring practice or the spring game. I liked what they had to say. I’m looking forward to meeting them.”
Per 24/7, CB Kary Vincent of Port Arthur Memorial is planning to visit UT "really soon."
He's expected to be at one of the first spring practices.
S Jeffrey Okudah of South Grand Prairie talks about the Junior Day (24/7):
“I’m definitely considering Texas now,” Okudah said. “At first, I didn’t really see the plan. But now, with the recruiting class they just got, I see what Coach (Charlie) Strong is doing. Seeing guys I work out with like Eric Cuffee signing was big. I think Texas can get back on top soon.”
“I had a great time,” Okudah said. “Coach Strong, Coach Jennings and Coach Bedford really sold their message. They had two strong recruiting classes, which speaks volumes about what they’re doing. And I think they’re getting it done. I see the plan.”
“I think (Jennings is) a great guy,” Okudah said. “Coach Mack says he really likes him and that he can really help me. If he likes him, then I like him. When I talked to Coach Jennings, he said he was going to get my mind right and my feet right. That sounded good to me.”
