(Ketch)
From the moment that Texas decided to part ways with wide receivers coach Andre Coleman a couple of weeks ago, Pittsburgh's Brennan Marion has been Steve Sarkisian's No.1 target to fill the vacated spot.
As we mentioned in last week's War Room, Sarkisian has communicated with Marion on multiple occasions over the course of the last few weeks.
The expectations moving forward is that Marion will be the next Texas wide receivers coach an an announcement could come in the next 24-72 hours following the conclusion of Pittsburgh's season on Thursday night in the Peach Bowl.
"He's been the No.1 target and nothing has changed in the last couple of weeks. Everyone seems excited about the conversations that have taken place," a source with knowledge of the conversations said on Thursday.
As we've mentioned previously, Marion's coaching chops over the course of the last few seasons have put him on the map as a major college coach, but his recruiting chops are a bit of an unknown as he leaves the Pittsburgh program.
It's not a concern on the 40 Acres.
"I think everyone is expecting that he will hit the ground flying," the source said. "Getting a coach in here that can add to the recruiting side is a big reason for the change. If there were concerns, he wouldn't be Sark's choice. I get the sense that we think he's going to be great. I was told that players love him and that this part of his game will catch up very quickly."
Why Texas for Marion?
" I think he sees what just happened for Stan Drayton and realizes that Texas is a place where he can pick his next spot if he achieves success here. We hope that happens."
I checked in with the same Texas source about Gary Patterson.
"He's taking his time and I think the only way this might work is if we give him time to decide if the role we've discussed is the one that he wants. I would expect we'll know something in the next week or two. I have not heard of a deadline or date in place."
I asked if there's anything Texas still needs to do.
"He knows all about the program. It's attractive to him. It's simply a different role than what he's had for the last two decades and I think there's probably a part of him that wonders if this is what he should do. The conversations have been good. I don't think he needs to be sold on Texas. I think he needs to still decide what he wants to do."
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(From Suchomel)
We’ve spent the week in Orlando for the still ongoing Under Armour All-American Bowl practices and upcoming game on Saturday before transitioning to San Antonio next week for the All-American Bowl.
Let’s start things off with an update on oft-elusive UT signee Neto Umeozulu, who was surprisingly chatty this week.
If you’ll remember during Umeozulu’s recruitment, he did as good of a job as anyone in this class at keeping people guessing his intentions. He rarely spoke, and even those closest to his recruitment never had a really good read on where he was leaning. When we first spoke with Umeozulu back in February, he mentioned the importance of UT’s McCombs School of Business, which always had us thinking Texas was in a better position than most realized. In talking to Umeozulu this week, UT’s business school did in fact play a huge part in his eventual decision.
“A big thing for me was just life after football and the alumni at Texas. I'm majoring in business and the McCombs Business School is a great school, a great program,” Umeozulu said. “I believe in coach (Kyle) Flood, coach Sark. I'm just ready to get to work with my guys.”
While it may not have been the number one factor in his decision, the reputation of the McCombs School was near the top of the list.
“It played a huge factor. I’m going to get developed at every school I have offers from. So it was just the separation factor of education,” Umeozulu said. “Like the (Under Armour) CEO said (after Thursday’s practice in Orlando), not everybody makes it to the league. So I'm just taking of life after football. I'm trying to run my own business.”
Umeozulu said he never talked to anyone about his recruitment because he just likes to keep some things “really quiet.” He committed to Texas on the Monday before the early signing period opened two days later, but then gave everyone in Austin a bit of a scare when he took off the mentions of his Texas commitment on the night before he’d sign his letter of intent.
“I put it out, then I was like, maybe I’ll wait until I already sign because I wasn't signed yet. Looking back, I probably could have left it up but it’s in the past. It is what it is. People thought I had decommitted but I was still committed. But I took down the post and everybody went crazy with it,” Umeozulu said.
And what does Umeozulu feel that he and the other incoming freshmen linemen can bring to the table once they all arrive in Austin?
“We’re just some dogs. And coach Flood, I think he’ll develop us really well,” Umeozulu said. “He just likes to break down different aspects of the game in a different way from a lot of these other coaches, and I really appreciate that.”
A couple other key notes of interest … Umeozulu is rooming with Devon Campbell in Orlando, and he said he’s doing a little recruiting on UT’s behalf. Also, don’t look for Umeozulu’s brother, 2024 DE Zina Umeozulu, to drag out the process quite as long as Neto did.
“With me it was a little different because I had committed mad late. I mean, I really wasn't going to sign but my folks said I should just get the stress off. So I went ahead and signed early on. With him, he said he's probably going to commit earlier than me,” Neto said. “We’ll have to see (if they’ll go to the same college). At the end of the day, the ball is in his court where he wants to go and get developed because he's a defensive end. I'd love to play with him, but in the end it’s his decision.”
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Speaking of Devon Campbell, the 5-star offensive lineman looked fantastic in Tuesday’s workouts, consistently winning his 1-on-1 reps. As he always does, Campbell played things close to the vest when discussing his recruitment.
On what has Texas and OU still standing:
Really just because they’re close to home and they’re the most consistent programs that have been showing love since they offered.
On how often he talks to the UT coaches:
I talk to them every time they hit me up, so it’s really frequently. They’re constantly letting me know that I’m wanted there. Really, it’s almost every day, every other day.
On his relationship with the new OU staff:
They came and did a home visit with me and sat down with my family. I think the connection is there.
On OU OL coach Bill Bedenbaugh being a reason the Sooners are still alive:
Coach Bedenbaugh staying really played a big factor as to why they’re still in there.
On if Texas’ OL haul in the 2022 class influences his decision:
It really doesn’t play much of a factor. I see they’re trying to build something special but we’ll see.
On his thoughts on new OU head coach Brent Venables:
He’s a defensive guy, so I loved his energy. He said he’s back at OU, ready to turn the program around.
On if he ever gave serious thought to signing in December:
It was a thought, but not really. It kind of came up but then went away.
On if he might decide early and then wait to announce until February 2:
As of right now, not really. I’m really just weighing out the pros and the cons of both programs, just taking my time with the decision.
On what will separate one school from the other:
Really just praying. Stay prayed up and hope it comes to me.
On the possibility of taking another OV to Oklahoma or an unofficial visit to UT:
I’m done with visits.
On which committed players from OU and Texas are recruiting him:
Really, nobody. I’m kind of off my phone, kind of lay low and just stay out of the way.
Our thoughts: Campbell says very little that is going to give any indication of what he’s leaning, but there continues to be high confidence on the Texas side of things, and from what we heard this week, little to none on the OU side of things. We continue to like UT’s position in this one.
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Five-star LB Harold Perkins continues to focus on three - Texas A&M, Texas and LSU. He’ll announce his decision during the Under Armour AA game, but it sounds like his recruitment may not be over despite any Sunday declaration.
Perkins said he plans on taking visits after he announces. He’s planning to go to Florida. Miami is a maybe, as is USC. Even another stop in Austin is a possibility,” Perkins said.
In discussing his three primary schools, it still feels like the Aggies hold the lead. Perkins said he feels A&M as a program that’s already built but needs a couple more pieces to be complete. LSU and Texas, he said, still need a few more before they’re complete. All of the coaches from his three favorites continue to recruit up until the very end … or they try as much as Perkins will let them.
“They all keep trying, but when I don’t want to talk, I don’t want to talk. I’m not trying to talk to anybody right now,” Perkins said. “I’m trying to have fun, enjoy this.”
Sarkisian and Jeff Banks are the primary recruiters for Texas. Their message?
“They just say come be great. Come to Texas, of course the NIL, and just come there and be me,” Perkins said.
This one continues to feel like Texas is playing from behind. I asked Perkins what Texas would have to do to ultimately win the race.
“I want to see something different,” he said. “Everybody hits you with the same stuff, NIL and that stuff. It’s not just Texas. Tell me something different, something you haven’t told anybody else.”
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Duncanville defensive end Omari Abor will be another decision-maker during the game on Sunday. Abor made some waves on NSD1 when it came out that Texas was still a team in consideration after things had been mostly quiet between him and UT for the better part of six months.
Ohio State is still the team to beat in this race and the Longhorns are playing catch-up in the race for the Rivals100 member. Don’t look for Texas to do enough to close the gap before Sunday’s announcement, but the door on this one could stay open just a crack if the staff wants to continue to take a swing for the fences.
Abor on what has kept Texas in the mix after the Longhorns appeared about of the race …
“Actually one of the players that goes to my school, Cameron Williams, he signed with Texas. He just kept telling me, ‘Bro, go to Texas, go to Texas.’ So I started looking more at Texas, started hitting up the coaches more,” Abor said. “Then I had seen that Terrance Brooks had actually decommitted (from Ohio State) and flipped to Texas. When I saw that, I was like ‘Whoa.’ I feel like Texas is going to be great when they get the players they want.”
Abor does still have two official visits remaining and he said he’d like to take them despite making his announcement on Sunday. The catch … he also plays hoops so he’s not going to have ton of free time. We’ll see if he does wind up taking those trips or if that talk fizzles out. If he does visit, he mentioned Florida and Texas as places he’d like to visit.
Larry Johnson at Ohio State has put the Buckeyes in the driver’s seat in this one. Abor said Johnson’s a big part of his recruitment, he talked to him after all of his games, and if OSU wins out it’ll be because of the presence of Johnson.
If it’s Texas?
“I feel like it would be coach PK. Him going to Washington and then going to Texas and still recruiting me, I feel like that would make a big impact for Texas,” Abor said.
