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Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian has done more than enough as it relates to the 2022 recruiting class.
Sarkisian inherited a program that had no recruiting momentum. We can blame the school song controversy that made Texas less than appealing to recruits at the time. Some recruits were concerned about the former coach’s future at Texas. It was tough to compete against teams battling for national titles while Texas had only been to one Big 12 Championship Game since the 2009 season. There are plenty of other contributing factors. Bottom line, Texas found itself trying to pry recruits away from Houston Baptist, which was a tough pill to swallow for everyone (@Suchomel deserves a steak dinner for enduring that mess).
However, Sarkisian and his staff have hit the ground running in recruiting. Texas finished with a top-five recruiting class after a 5-7 season. One of the highlights – so we thought – was Sarkisian obtaining 5-star offensive linemen Kelvin Banks. Rivals took away his fifth star and dropped Banks in the rankings, but no Longhorn observer is ready to discard his potential after one bad week of practice when he volunteered to switch from left tackle to right tackle.
In addition, Sarkisian has enjoyed success in the transfer portal. He convinced former 5-star quarterback Quinn Ewers to attend Texas over Texas Tech. Sarkisian convinced defensive back Ryan Watts (Ohio State) and tight end Jahleel Billingsley (Alabama) to continue their college careers at Texas. Meanwhile, Texas seemingly has the inside track to obtain former TCU defensive end Ochaun Mathis. Texas is also in the mix for former Louisiana linebacker Lorenzo McCaskill.
The second Signing Day is on Wednesday.
Sarkisian has already won in recruiting.
We are waiting to see if Bowie tackle Devon Campbell chooses Texas or Oklahoma this week. It is the only remaining suspenseful aspect of recruiting for the Longhorns. He is expected to announce his decision on Wednesday at 4 p.m., according to @Cole Patterson .
Rivals national recruiting director Adam Gorney compiled quotes from Texas and Oklahoma recruiting writers and solidified the belief Campbell will become a Longhorn this week.
OKLAHOMA
“This is a race where Oklahoma had a chance at one point or another but it felt like once the staff turnover happened, some of the relationships he had, some of the coaches he knew were gone, it was always going to be tough for Oklahoma to overcome that with so many built-in advantages for Texas.” - Josh McCuistion, SoonerScoop.com
*****
TEXAS
“I think Texas. I felt like Texas was always in a very good spot. They developed relationships with Kyle Flood and Texas recently went by the school for one last visit. That could have sealed it for the Longhorns but you can never discount a school like Oklahoma. It looks like Texas is going to win out for Campbell though.” - Jason Suchomel, Orangebloods.com
*****
THE VERDICT
After talking to numerous people about this one and trying to figure out any scenario where Campell picks Oklahoma over Texas, I just cannot see it happening. It is a little curious that Texas has been considered the top choice for so long and Campbell hasn’t seemed to be able to pull the trigger - which might give the Sooners a little opening - but this looks like all Longhorns to me. There have been surprises on National Signing Day and this could be one but I doubt it. Campbell to Texas seems like a lock. – Gorney
If Texas secures Campbell, Sarkisian would have solidified the best offensive line recruiting class in 2022. It could be remembered as one of the top recruiting offensive line recruiting classes in school history.
“Part of it is how we think roster-wise is maybe a little bit SEC oriented,” Sarkisian previously said. “Clearly, we want to be big up front and I think that was a clear point of emphasis to what we were doing and how we were doing it, whether it was on the offensive or defensive line. That's a physical conference. We like to play a physical brand of football regardless of who we're playing. I think that that kind of went hand in hand with our approach naturally to potentially what could be down the road.”
Campbell is the only reason to care about the second day.
There was a time when the first Wednesday in February was a significant event. Of course, so many things about recruiting have changed during our lifetime.
Tom Lemming’s Prep Football Report was the bible of high school recruiting for years.
Dave Campbell’s Texas Football was the publication everyone in this state relied on.
There are diehard fans who called 1-900 numbers to receive recruiting information.
Some of you called those 1-900 numbers for other reasons.
One of my favorite stories is @Ketchum reliving Dallas Carter High’s Derrick Evans committing to Tennessee in a hot tub.
Heck, I remember covering former Tennessee and NFL running back Travis Henry’s high school career, signing day, and draft day party. Fun fact, I decided to do a day in the life of Henry when he played for Frostproof High in Florida. Frostproof was a small city that had one McDonald’s, a Dairy Queen, and nothing else. I showed up at the high school before the first bell, interviewed the principal, one of his teachers, and sat in the front office waiting for Henry. Two periods later, Henry was still not at school. Everyone panicked because Henry was skipping school that day. The principal sent an employee to Henry’s house to bring him to school.
Henry would eventually have 11 kids (10 different women) and later serve a three-year sentence for drug trafficking. However, he did rush for 4,087 yards and 42 touchdowns in 14 games as a senior in 1996, and I covered every game, which makes him one of the most disappointing athletes I have followed.
Signing Day in December has turned the commitment day two months later into the final chance to grab one or two elite athletes. After Wednesday, Division II, Division III, and JuCo programs will grab the remaining players.
Last year, Texas signed defensive end David Abiara in February. Two years ago, Kelvontay Dixon and Alfred Collins waited until the second signing day.
Now, we are waiting for Campbell’s decision.
Even if Campbell chooses that other program, it will be a small loss.
Sarkisian has already won in recruiting.
Funniest Things You Will See This Week
Every parent who had a child in youth sports either experienced or witnessed this
Brian Kelly reminds me of the undercover cop in high school who tried to fit in
Being a Bills fan is committing to a lifetime of disappointment (bad language alert)
The Bruce Arians Kangol cap did it for me
Relationship goals
Sports On A Dime
1. ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg essentially named Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian as a person of interest in the 2022 hot seat discussion. I do not think we are close to entertaining that conversation. Texas athletic director Chris Del Conte and Board of Regent chairman Kevin Eltiffe are all chips in on Sarkisian and there is no turning back anytime soon. They must hope Sarkisian rebounds and can turn Texas into a team that competes for a conference championship in the future. However, advancing to a bowl game would be a positive step.
Big 12
Hot seat: None
Keep an eye on: Steve Sarkisian, Texas
The Big 12 had three coaching changes in 2021, two of the shocking variety, as Lincoln Riley left Oklahoma for USC and TCU dumped Gary Patterson in his 21st season. The upcoming cycle could be quiet in the conference, especially if Sarkisian can find some stability and success after a tumultuous first season at Texas.
Some might categorize Sarkisian as a true hot-seat situation, and there certainly is a path to his dismissal if things don't improve in Austin. But Sarkisian is entering just his second season. He also benefits from being the clear target for Texas' brass in replacing Tom Herman in January 2021. Clearly, Texas' problems go beyond the head coach's office and will need more than two years to fully fix.
Sarkisian returns a roster that should at least win seven or eight games, and could turn into a Big 12 contender. Plus, Texas signed ESPN's No. 4 recruiting class and
added quarterback transfer Quinn Ewers, a five-star recruit, from Ohio State. Barring another bowl-less season, Sarkisian should be safe for 2023. Then again, it's Texas.
2. Rueben Owens II enjoys the recruiting process so much, he may not make a final decision until signing day in December. According to Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Ryan Wright, Owens visited North Carolina and Georgia this weekend, will take a trip to Alabama in March, while Texas, USC, and Texas A&M remain on his list. In other words, Texas running backs coach Tashard Choice has his work cut out for him.
3. I expect Ethan Burke to evolve into an impact player after a great nutrition plan and time in the weight room. It might be two years from now, but when Burke’s name is mentioned again, he will be competing for playing time.
4. Texas men’s basketball team hung on to defeat Tennessee on Saturday, but it is better to critique over a win than trying to wrap our heads around the disappointing losses this program endured for many years.
5. Oklahoma State football coach Mike Gundy picked up a great defensive coordinator this past week. Gundy hired Derek Mason, Auburn’s defensive coordinator in 2021, the head coach at Vanderbilt from 2014-20 and the defensive coordinator at Stanford from 2010-13. According to his bio, “the Mason-led Tigers improved by 14.5% in third down defense from 2020 to move up 84 places in the final FBS rankings. Auburn also improved from the previous season in tackles for loss by 1.4 per game (up 65 places), rushing defense by 35 yards per game (up 33 places), first downs allowed by three per game (up 32 places), fourth down defense by 10% (up 21 places), sacks by .33 per game (up 13 places), scoring defense by three points per game (up 11 places) and total defense by 32 yards per game (up two places). The 2021 Auburn defense also finished among the FBS leaders in blocked kicks (No. 10), fourth down defense (No. 13), defensive touchdowns (No. 13), tackles for loss (No. 17), scoring defense (No. 27) and rushing defense (No. 29), all while playing with an offense that finished 91st in the FBS in time of possession and ranked in the bottom half of the FBS in total offense and scoring offense.”
6. Are you ready for a trip down memory lane?
7. There will be an NFL team that ignores Antonio Brown’s antics and gives him a shot next year. Unfortunately, everyone knows how that story will end.
8. I will not bet against Patrick Mahomes, especially after what we witnessed during Kansas City’s improbable victory against Buffalo last week. I will take Kansas City against Cincinnati. Meanwhile, I will reluctantly take the L.A. Rams against San Francisco. I am still not a huge Matthew Stafford believer, but I will take the quarterback from this state and L.A.’s defense.
9. Here is a trip down memory lane for the old school basketball fans who followed Houston and San Antonio.
10. As the official Keith Thurman fan club president, which only has two members remaining (including myself), allow me to say he and the promoters have lost their minds. Are they really charging $74.95 for fans to watch Thurman, who has been out of the limelight since 2019 after a loss to Manny Pacquaio, fight Mario Barrios? Thurman’s explanation via boxingnews24.com will not inspire anyone to waste money on this fight.
“Where you are now isn’t where you were yesterday,” said Thurman to Behind The Gloves when asked why his fight with Barrios is selling for $74.95 on FOX Sports pay-per-view. 2022, COVID, so much has changed in the world. Go buy your groceries. How much do your groceries cost today?
“You’re going to pay $80 bucks buying groceries,” Thurman continued in justifying the $74.75 price for his comeback fight against the recently knocked out former 140-lb secondary WBA champion Barrios.
“You’re going to pay $40 putting water in the refrigerator. So if you’re going to talk about prices, I’m going to put my political hat on and start talking about the value of the U.S dollar. I’m going to start talking about how bubblegum isn’t 25 cents no more. Let’s look at February 5th. What do you get? You’re not just getting Keith Thurman and Mario Barrios. This is not Shawn Porter against Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford where nobody wants to watch the undercard,” said ‘One Time’ Thurman.
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