Now that Tom Herman has officially been hired as the 30th coach of the University of Texas football program, the focus will immediately shift towards Herman filling out his staff and hitting the ground running in recruiting.
A few notes I picked up on Saturday afternoon ...
--- There have already been questions on whether or not Texas can get back in it on La Grange running back J.K. Dobbins. I checked with the long-time Ohio State commitment and it doesn't sound promising.
"I'm going to Ohio State," Dobbins said when I asked if Herman to Texas opened up any doors for the Longhorns.
With Texas likely to lose D'Onta Foreman to the NFL Draft, the Longhorns should have a really good sales pitch but I've heard nothing that makes me think Dobbins will switch. As we mentioned a few weeks ago, Ohio State feels he's completely locked in and Dobbins pretty much said as much when I contacted him today.
--- Marvin Wilson, Baron Browning and Jeffrey Okudah are all on official visits to Ohio State this weekend. After keeping an eye on that game and watching what was one of the all-time great atmospheres for a college game, I would expect the Buckeyes made a strong move with all three.
"They probably get Okudah with that win," one source said. As for Browning and Wilson? "They're harder to read."
Wilson hasn't ruled out the possibility of taking an official visit to Texas and I'm sure he'll be one of the first calls Herman makes next week. Nothing more than a hunch on my part, but I'll be shocked if Texas doesn't get him on campus.
Browning is set to commit on Tuesday. He won't pick Texas but there's still time to get him on campus for an unofficial visit and try to flip him. If Browning thinks Texas has gained momentum with other elite prospects like Wilson, it'll help UT's chances. Gonna be tough though.
--- Walker Little has felt like a Stanford lean, but I'm hearing today's change my boost the Longhorns' chances.
Little was scheduled to take an official visit to Texas next weekend. No word yet if that visit is still on, but he'll visit at some point. Might be better off to try to move that to late January so Herman can get settled, and give Texas the last visit. But with a player as talented as Little you just take the visit whenever you can get it.
I'm hearing Little and those close to him like Herman, and the idea of getting Tim Brewster on UT's staff would only help since he's recruiting Little for FSU. This one is suddenly feels like it's trending well ... which can only help with other recruits.
--- K'Lavon Chaisson has pretty much been a Houston-Texas battle. Obviously, this should tip the scales UT's direction. Won't shock me to see Chaisson pull the trigger for UT in the near future.
--- Contact period for in-home visits starts tonight so it will be key for Herman to begin filling out his staff immediately. Dead period starts December 12 so that gives two weekends for potential official visits before things get shut down until January 11.
--- If you're looking at some names of recruits who could follow Herman from Houston to Texas (Houston's commit list), here's a bit of info worth filing away.
"I heard Bryson Smith the quarterback, they wanted to take him for similarities to Greg Ward," a source said. "There are rumors about a really big offensive lineman and defensive lineman but I don't know which ones they are. Those are some guys who are committed to Houston that he probably wants to take with him. He might need to take linebacker too."
San Antonio Jay OL Matthew Huhn is a guy who has been on UT's radar previously so he'd be a name to watch. As for the DL, Houston has a couple good commits from DE Alex Duke and DE/LB Marqez Bimage.
--- I caught up with an in-state recruit this afternoon who Herman and the Houston staff has been actively recruiting for a while. His thoughts ...
"(Herman) is a great recruiter. He's very personable, connects on a personal level to the athletes. It's not just on terms of being an athlete or 'Oh we need you on the field.' He really gets to know you. He does little things like personally texts your parents after you visit."
This recruit said Herman allows his assistants to do a lot of the early recruiting but described Herman as a strong "closer." That being said, he said Herman is very involved when guys are on campus and will spend a lot of time talking to both recruits and parents when they're on campus.
In the eyes of this particular recruit, Texas knocked it out of the park with this hire and he thinks it'll pay immediate dividends.
"I think some guys are going to commit. If what I'm hearing is right, he's going to hire that recruiter from Florida State and Texas just might end up with Wilson, Browning, Okudah and all those guys."
A few notes I picked up on Saturday afternoon ...
--- There have already been questions on whether or not Texas can get back in it on La Grange running back J.K. Dobbins. I checked with the long-time Ohio State commitment and it doesn't sound promising.
"I'm going to Ohio State," Dobbins said when I asked if Herman to Texas opened up any doors for the Longhorns.
With Texas likely to lose D'Onta Foreman to the NFL Draft, the Longhorns should have a really good sales pitch but I've heard nothing that makes me think Dobbins will switch. As we mentioned a few weeks ago, Ohio State feels he's completely locked in and Dobbins pretty much said as much when I contacted him today.
--- Marvin Wilson, Baron Browning and Jeffrey Okudah are all on official visits to Ohio State this weekend. After keeping an eye on that game and watching what was one of the all-time great atmospheres for a college game, I would expect the Buckeyes made a strong move with all three.
"They probably get Okudah with that win," one source said. As for Browning and Wilson? "They're harder to read."
Wilson hasn't ruled out the possibility of taking an official visit to Texas and I'm sure he'll be one of the first calls Herman makes next week. Nothing more than a hunch on my part, but I'll be shocked if Texas doesn't get him on campus.
Browning is set to commit on Tuesday. He won't pick Texas but there's still time to get him on campus for an unofficial visit and try to flip him. If Browning thinks Texas has gained momentum with other elite prospects like Wilson, it'll help UT's chances. Gonna be tough though.
--- Walker Little has felt like a Stanford lean, but I'm hearing today's change my boost the Longhorns' chances.
Little was scheduled to take an official visit to Texas next weekend. No word yet if that visit is still on, but he'll visit at some point. Might be better off to try to move that to late January so Herman can get settled, and give Texas the last visit. But with a player as talented as Little you just take the visit whenever you can get it.
I'm hearing Little and those close to him like Herman, and the idea of getting Tim Brewster on UT's staff would only help since he's recruiting Little for FSU. This one is suddenly feels like it's trending well ... which can only help with other recruits.
--- K'Lavon Chaisson has pretty much been a Houston-Texas battle. Obviously, this should tip the scales UT's direction. Won't shock me to see Chaisson pull the trigger for UT in the near future.
--- Contact period for in-home visits starts tonight so it will be key for Herman to begin filling out his staff immediately. Dead period starts December 12 so that gives two weekends for potential official visits before things get shut down until January 11.
--- If you're looking at some names of recruits who could follow Herman from Houston to Texas (Houston's commit list), here's a bit of info worth filing away.
"I heard Bryson Smith the quarterback, they wanted to take him for similarities to Greg Ward," a source said. "There are rumors about a really big offensive lineman and defensive lineman but I don't know which ones they are. Those are some guys who are committed to Houston that he probably wants to take with him. He might need to take linebacker too."
San Antonio Jay OL Matthew Huhn is a guy who has been on UT's radar previously so he'd be a name to watch. As for the DL, Houston has a couple good commits from DE Alex Duke and DE/LB Marqez Bimage.
--- I caught up with an in-state recruit this afternoon who Herman and the Houston staff has been actively recruiting for a while. His thoughts ...
"(Herman) is a great recruiter. He's very personable, connects on a personal level to the athletes. It's not just on terms of being an athlete or 'Oh we need you on the field.' He really gets to know you. He does little things like personally texts your parents after you visit."
This recruit said Herman allows his assistants to do a lot of the early recruiting but described Herman as a strong "closer." That being said, he said Herman is very involved when guys are on campus and will spend a lot of time talking to both recruits and parents when they're on campus.
In the eyes of this particular recruit, Texas knocked it out of the park with this hire and he thinks it'll pay immediate dividends.
"I think some guys are going to commit. If what I'm hearing is right, he's going to hire that recruiter from Florida State and Texas just might end up with Wilson, Browning, Okudah and all those guys."
