Once again, it's time for the 3-2-1.
This week, we touch on UT's upcoming junior day, a potential big-time commitment and the Texas women's basketball team.
We take a look at three things we learned over the last week, two questions that are on our mind and one prediction. It's time for this week's edition of the 3-2-1 ...
THREE THINGS WE LEARNED
1. The Longhorns could be in position for a big-time commitment this weekend
With Texas hosting Houston Lamar DB D'Shawn Jamison on an unofficial last weekend, there were some fans who were hoping Texas might be able to secure its first pledge for the 2018 recruiting class. Jamison told OB prior to the visit that he was planning to wait things out a bit and he was true to his word. He's now planning to release a top five on Wednesday, and the Longhorns will be at or near the top of that list.
The focus now turns to this weekend's junior day, and if you believe the chatter coming out of Florida, current Florida State commitment Justin Watkins could go ahead and flip his commitment to Texas during his time in Austin. Watkins, a Rivals100 member out of Ocala (FL) Vanguard, pretty much conceded to OB when we spoke with him last week that he's probably going to commit to Texas, and after he no-showed for Florida State's junior day last week, the speculation with him and Texas continued to grow.
"Most likely I'm going to wind up going to Texas," Watkins told OB last week.
In checking with a source who covers Florida State recruiting, there's some belief coming out of Tallahassee that Watkins has cooled on his FSU pledge and a decommitment (and subsequent flip to Texas) is imminent. The Longhorns have made him a top priority, and Watkins loves the sales pitch he's hearing from the UT staff about him being the only slot WR in the Longhorns' class and him having a chance to start from day one.
If Texas can land Watkins, it would be a huge way to start the 2018 class. He's one of the top playmakers in the entire nation when he has the ball in his hands and is a threat to score from anywhere on the field. Watkins can make plays as a receiver, runner or in special teams, and his ability to make moves in tight spaces is as good as any player I've seen on tape in this year's class. See for yourself in the video below.
You can't win them all in recruiting and while Texas could be close to landing some good news from Watkins, there are rumors traveling the other direction that recent IMG Academy receiver Joshua Moore could commit to Florida State if he takes another visit to see the Seminoles in the coming weeks, as expected. Moore and quarterback Casey Thompson are good friends so that could be something to watch as it relates to Texas, but if you're the Longhorns, you'll take a Moore for Watkins flip and walk away happy.
2. The Longhorns women's hoops program is close but not quite there yet
Texas dominated for most of the game against Baylor on Monday night before going cold late in the game and allowing the Bears to surge into the lead. The Longhorns did make an incredible run in the final minute and were a missed three-pointer by Brooke McCarty away from tying the game up, but Baylor was able to hold on for a 70-67 win.
Texas didn't have an answer for Baylor's Kalani Brown, who went for an incredible 35 and 12, connecting on an incredible 25-of-28 field goal/free throw attempts.
Tough loss for Texas and it looks like the best the Longhorns can hope for now is a tie for the regular-season conference title (they'd need Baylor to lose one of its final two just to tie), but it's still be a hell of a run through the conference schedule for Texas and the outlook is bright for the postseason.
Barring some changes over the next couple weeks, Texas looks like it'll land with a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and this team still feels to me like it's a club that has a strong shot at a Final Four run. Obviously, avoiding Connecticut's bracket will be key, but the Huskies continue to look beatable to me (they beat Tulane 63-60 on Saturday night).
A win on Monday night would have been huge for Texas from a seeding perspective, but it would have carried even more weight in the conference and in the state, signaling that there had been a definite change at the top with the Longhorns overtaking Baylor. Instead, the two have now played to a stalemate over the last two weeks, and they'll likely have a rubber match in a couple weeks at the Big 12 Tournament.
Speaking of conference pecking order, in case you missed it after the game, Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey offered up the following comment in her postgame interview on the court ...
"To all the naysayers out there, there's not a new sheriff in town yet."
Maybe it's me, but that reeks of a comment from a person who knows their time at the top is coming to an end, probably sooner rather than later. Yes, she had bragging rights after picking up a big win, but that comment just shows that she's worried about Texas' surge, and with the talent Karen Aston is bringing to Austin, she should be.
3. It's an extremely impressive list of expected Junior Day attendees
If you haven't been paying attention, this weekend's UT junior day is shaping up to be a star-studded event (list of expected attendees here).
The 2017 Longhorns recruiting class was solid but not quite spectacular. If this weekend's list of visitors is any indication, Texas should be in one heck of a position to reel in a top class this year.
Junior Days under the previous staff had kind of lost some of their luster, due in part to Charlie Strong's desire to take things at a very slow pace. This weekend's group is starting to have the feel of a junior day under Mack Brown, where it seemed like the majority of the state's top players would converge on Austin at the staff's request.
I'm in no way expecting Saturday's event to resemble those under Brown where the Longhorns would fill up half their recruiting class, but for a Texas staff that is still extremely new, just getting these players on campus is a huge first step. The Longhorns will have plenty of other opportunities to impress players like Anthony Cook, Al'Vonte Woodard, Brennan Eagles, B.J. Foster and Josh Proctor, but getting some face time with each player and his family could be the beginning of a foundation that pays dividends in the coming months.
We'll have to wait and see if there are any actual fireworks that come out of Saturday in terms of verbal commitments, but the way I see it, just getting so many elite players on campus is already a huge win for the Longhorns.
TWO QUESTIONS
1. Which players are potential commitments at junior day?
As I mentioned above, I wouldn't expect the Longhorns to come out of Saturday's junior day with a flurry of commitments, but that doesn't mean there aren't some candidates that I won't be watching closely.
Running back Keaontay Ingram has been pretty open about his strong feelings for Texas, and with the way running back spots can fill up quickly, he could be a possibility. One thing that gives me some hesitation here is that it's not a deep year for running backs, so Ingram probably isn't feeling pressured to beat a bunch of other players to the punch.
We touched on Justin Watkins above, and if I'm taking bets, he very well may be the guy with the highest odds coming into the weekend.
The offensive linemen coming in could make things interesting. Guys like Trey Stratford, Rafiti Ghirmai, Chason Hines and Reese Moore could all be considered commitment candidates.
Demarvion Overshown and Jaqualyn Crawford (who will visit on Sunday) are players who I feel Texas has a great shot at landing, but I'm not sure either will be ready to make a decision this weekend. Not out of the question though.
Most of the other top dogs are expected to wait things out, but I still love UT's standing with guys like Anthony Cook and B.J. Foster, assuming Texas has a good 2017 season.
2. What are the top three position battles to watch in the spring?
Don't look now, but we're only a couple weeks away from the Longhorns beginning their spring football season. The team is scheduled to hit the fields on March 6 to get a couple practices in before scattering for spring break, then returning for four straight weeks of workouts leading up to the Orange-White game on April 15.
So what will I be watching the most closely? Let's look at a few position battles ...
1. Shane Buechele vs Sam Ehlinger - This is the easy choice for the top spot, despite Buechele being the returning starter. If the coaches are truly opening up every single position battle, this should be on top of everyone's list. Can Ehlinger actually push Buechele in Ehlinger's first action as a college player? He certainly has the skill set and the mental make-up to be a threat, but I still have a hard time seeing a situation where the coaches bench Buechele. Ehlinger would have to be head-and-shoulders better than Buechele for that to happen.
2. Cornerback - Texas has talent at cornerback and tons of experience, but the two players who most felt had things on lock down last year (Holton Hill and Davante Davis) were pretty much non-factors. Can those two work their way back to the top of the depth chart? Or will someone like Kris Boyd emerge as the top option? Will John Bonney hold onto his status as a top option? Lots of talent with which to work, but Texas needs its top corners to perform up to expectations.
3. Linebacker rotation - A case could be made for the battles at positions like running back, wide receiver or defensive line, but I'm curious to hear what the coaches will do with the linebacker rotation. How will they work in guys like Breckyn Hager and Malcolm Roach? Will Malik Jefferson transition into more of an edge player? Will a player like Anthony Wheeler solidify his standing? Or will the entire unit struggle, which will make for an easy path for JUCU LB Gary Johnson when he reports for summer school?
ONE PREDICTION - Texas women's hoops beats Baylor in the Big 12 Tournament
It will be a shock if Texas and Baylor don't meet up again in the championship game of the Big 12 Tournament. Oklahoma could have something to say about that, but let's assume the Longhorns and Bears meet up for the tournament championship on March 6, it should be another heated battle that goes down to the wire.
On one hand, Texas can't count on Baylor to turn over the ball at the rate it did on Monday night, which allowed the Longhorns to build a big lead. On the other hand, Kim Mulkey may be in for some karma after her post-game comments and you have to think Texas will have some extra bounce in its step the next time the two teams meet to show Mulkey there is, in fact, a new sheriff in town.
This week, we touch on UT's upcoming junior day, a potential big-time commitment and the Texas women's basketball team.
We take a look at three things we learned over the last week, two questions that are on our mind and one prediction. It's time for this week's edition of the 3-2-1 ...
THREE THINGS WE LEARNED
1. The Longhorns could be in position for a big-time commitment this weekend
With Texas hosting Houston Lamar DB D'Shawn Jamison on an unofficial last weekend, there were some fans who were hoping Texas might be able to secure its first pledge for the 2018 recruiting class. Jamison told OB prior to the visit that he was planning to wait things out a bit and he was true to his word. He's now planning to release a top five on Wednesday, and the Longhorns will be at or near the top of that list.
The focus now turns to this weekend's junior day, and if you believe the chatter coming out of Florida, current Florida State commitment Justin Watkins could go ahead and flip his commitment to Texas during his time in Austin. Watkins, a Rivals100 member out of Ocala (FL) Vanguard, pretty much conceded to OB when we spoke with him last week that he's probably going to commit to Texas, and after he no-showed for Florida State's junior day last week, the speculation with him and Texas continued to grow.
"Most likely I'm going to wind up going to Texas," Watkins told OB last week.
In checking with a source who covers Florida State recruiting, there's some belief coming out of Tallahassee that Watkins has cooled on his FSU pledge and a decommitment (and subsequent flip to Texas) is imminent. The Longhorns have made him a top priority, and Watkins loves the sales pitch he's hearing from the UT staff about him being the only slot WR in the Longhorns' class and him having a chance to start from day one.
If Texas can land Watkins, it would be a huge way to start the 2018 class. He's one of the top playmakers in the entire nation when he has the ball in his hands and is a threat to score from anywhere on the field. Watkins can make plays as a receiver, runner or in special teams, and his ability to make moves in tight spaces is as good as any player I've seen on tape in this year's class. See for yourself in the video below.
You can't win them all in recruiting and while Texas could be close to landing some good news from Watkins, there are rumors traveling the other direction that recent IMG Academy receiver Joshua Moore could commit to Florida State if he takes another visit to see the Seminoles in the coming weeks, as expected. Moore and quarterback Casey Thompson are good friends so that could be something to watch as it relates to Texas, but if you're the Longhorns, you'll take a Moore for Watkins flip and walk away happy.
2. The Longhorns women's hoops program is close but not quite there yet
Texas dominated for most of the game against Baylor on Monday night before going cold late in the game and allowing the Bears to surge into the lead. The Longhorns did make an incredible run in the final minute and were a missed three-pointer by Brooke McCarty away from tying the game up, but Baylor was able to hold on for a 70-67 win.
Texas didn't have an answer for Baylor's Kalani Brown, who went for an incredible 35 and 12, connecting on an incredible 25-of-28 field goal/free throw attempts.
Tough loss for Texas and it looks like the best the Longhorns can hope for now is a tie for the regular-season conference title (they'd need Baylor to lose one of its final two just to tie), but it's still be a hell of a run through the conference schedule for Texas and the outlook is bright for the postseason.
Barring some changes over the next couple weeks, Texas looks like it'll land with a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and this team still feels to me like it's a club that has a strong shot at a Final Four run. Obviously, avoiding Connecticut's bracket will be key, but the Huskies continue to look beatable to me (they beat Tulane 63-60 on Saturday night).
A win on Monday night would have been huge for Texas from a seeding perspective, but it would have carried even more weight in the conference and in the state, signaling that there had been a definite change at the top with the Longhorns overtaking Baylor. Instead, the two have now played to a stalemate over the last two weeks, and they'll likely have a rubber match in a couple weeks at the Big 12 Tournament.
Speaking of conference pecking order, in case you missed it after the game, Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey offered up the following comment in her postgame interview on the court ...
"To all the naysayers out there, there's not a new sheriff in town yet."
Maybe it's me, but that reeks of a comment from a person who knows their time at the top is coming to an end, probably sooner rather than later. Yes, she had bragging rights after picking up a big win, but that comment just shows that she's worried about Texas' surge, and with the talent Karen Aston is bringing to Austin, she should be.
3. It's an extremely impressive list of expected Junior Day attendees
If you haven't been paying attention, this weekend's UT junior day is shaping up to be a star-studded event (list of expected attendees here).
The 2017 Longhorns recruiting class was solid but not quite spectacular. If this weekend's list of visitors is any indication, Texas should be in one heck of a position to reel in a top class this year.
Junior Days under the previous staff had kind of lost some of their luster, due in part to Charlie Strong's desire to take things at a very slow pace. This weekend's group is starting to have the feel of a junior day under Mack Brown, where it seemed like the majority of the state's top players would converge on Austin at the staff's request.
I'm in no way expecting Saturday's event to resemble those under Brown where the Longhorns would fill up half their recruiting class, but for a Texas staff that is still extremely new, just getting these players on campus is a huge first step. The Longhorns will have plenty of other opportunities to impress players like Anthony Cook, Al'Vonte Woodard, Brennan Eagles, B.J. Foster and Josh Proctor, but getting some face time with each player and his family could be the beginning of a foundation that pays dividends in the coming months.
We'll have to wait and see if there are any actual fireworks that come out of Saturday in terms of verbal commitments, but the way I see it, just getting so many elite players on campus is already a huge win for the Longhorns.
TWO QUESTIONS
1. Which players are potential commitments at junior day?
As I mentioned above, I wouldn't expect the Longhorns to come out of Saturday's junior day with a flurry of commitments, but that doesn't mean there aren't some candidates that I won't be watching closely.
Running back Keaontay Ingram has been pretty open about his strong feelings for Texas, and with the way running back spots can fill up quickly, he could be a possibility. One thing that gives me some hesitation here is that it's not a deep year for running backs, so Ingram probably isn't feeling pressured to beat a bunch of other players to the punch.
We touched on Justin Watkins above, and if I'm taking bets, he very well may be the guy with the highest odds coming into the weekend.
The offensive linemen coming in could make things interesting. Guys like Trey Stratford, Rafiti Ghirmai, Chason Hines and Reese Moore could all be considered commitment candidates.
Demarvion Overshown and Jaqualyn Crawford (who will visit on Sunday) are players who I feel Texas has a great shot at landing, but I'm not sure either will be ready to make a decision this weekend. Not out of the question though.
Most of the other top dogs are expected to wait things out, but I still love UT's standing with guys like Anthony Cook and B.J. Foster, assuming Texas has a good 2017 season.
2. What are the top three position battles to watch in the spring?
Don't look now, but we're only a couple weeks away from the Longhorns beginning their spring football season. The team is scheduled to hit the fields on March 6 to get a couple practices in before scattering for spring break, then returning for four straight weeks of workouts leading up to the Orange-White game on April 15.
So what will I be watching the most closely? Let's look at a few position battles ...
1. Shane Buechele vs Sam Ehlinger - This is the easy choice for the top spot, despite Buechele being the returning starter. If the coaches are truly opening up every single position battle, this should be on top of everyone's list. Can Ehlinger actually push Buechele in Ehlinger's first action as a college player? He certainly has the skill set and the mental make-up to be a threat, but I still have a hard time seeing a situation where the coaches bench Buechele. Ehlinger would have to be head-and-shoulders better than Buechele for that to happen.
2. Cornerback - Texas has talent at cornerback and tons of experience, but the two players who most felt had things on lock down last year (Holton Hill and Davante Davis) were pretty much non-factors. Can those two work their way back to the top of the depth chart? Or will someone like Kris Boyd emerge as the top option? Will John Bonney hold onto his status as a top option? Lots of talent with which to work, but Texas needs its top corners to perform up to expectations.
3. Linebacker rotation - A case could be made for the battles at positions like running back, wide receiver or defensive line, but I'm curious to hear what the coaches will do with the linebacker rotation. How will they work in guys like Breckyn Hager and Malcolm Roach? Will Malik Jefferson transition into more of an edge player? Will a player like Anthony Wheeler solidify his standing? Or will the entire unit struggle, which will make for an easy path for JUCU LB Gary Johnson when he reports for summer school?
ONE PREDICTION - Texas women's hoops beats Baylor in the Big 12 Tournament
It will be a shock if Texas and Baylor don't meet up again in the championship game of the Big 12 Tournament. Oklahoma could have something to say about that, but let's assume the Longhorns and Bears meet up for the tournament championship on March 6, it should be another heated battle that goes down to the wire.
On one hand, Texas can't count on Baylor to turn over the ball at the rate it did on Monday night, which allowed the Longhorns to build a big lead. On the other hand, Kim Mulkey may be in for some karma after her post-game comments and you have to think Texas will have some extra bounce in its step the next time the two teams meet to show Mulkey there is, in fact, a new sheriff in town.
