Texas Card House is the official sponsor of The War Room.
- Visit https://www.texascardhouse.com for more information.
- Texas Card House and Social Card Clubs of Texas are hosting a $250k Guarantee Tournament with $100k Guaranteed to the Winner! Learn all about the event and the mission behind Social Card Clubs of Texas on Facebook and at socialcardclubsoftexas.org!
(From Anwar)
This week’s nuggets are not going to be supersized, but there should be enough information to satisfy your appetite for Longhorn information.
--- I took time to ask about Texas sophomore quarterback Sam Ehlinger to get some feedback on how those inside the building view his development.
On Wednesday, I asked Texas offensive coordinator Tim Beck for his assessment of Ehlinger’s growth, and as expected he had a lot of positive things to say. For those who may have missed Beck’s response to my question, let me share it with you.
“I never felt like he couldn’t do it,” Beck said. “I knew it would be a matter of time, being patient. I do believe us settling on one, and going with him, has certainly helped. As I’ve said probably every week that I come in here, he’s a competitor, he’s driven, he works extremely hard at his craft, has a lot of pride, he loves to win, and he hates to lose. When you take all of that, and a guy who grinds and studies the game, it’s relatively easy to believe that he’s going to get really good, and he has. He’s done a good job. He’s taken coaching. He applies it.
“You don’t have to tell him things six, seven, eight times. Sometimes you tell him once, and he gets it. He understands the game. We all spent a lot of time this offseason getting him prepared for that, and it’s paying off.”
When I spoke to multiple people close to Texas football coach Tom Herman, I learned a few interesting things about Ehlinger and this staff.
From what I gathered, Ehlinger has been given the green light to check out of plays whenever he wants. Instead of having to look to the sidelines for help whenever the opposing defense shows a look that was not expected, Ehlinger has permission to check out of plays and call something different.
This is not the norm at every program.
Some coaches prefer to do all the thinking for their quarterbacks, which means they must constantly look to the sidelines for plays. Even if the quarterback can make his own judgment calls, there are coaches who are scared to relinquish power, while others are nervous about their passers overthinking situations and becoming frazzled.
That is not the deal at Texas.
Ehlinger has been so good at reading defenses during games this season, I was told it has been easier for the offensive staff to call plays. Herman is on the field, while Derek Warehime, Drew Mehringer and Beck are in the box. Honestly, you might as well label Ehlinger as a coach on the field because he has the liberty to check out of a play and call something better.
As we witness Ehlinger’s evolution, it is important to note some of the little things that have made him into a very good quarterback this season. In addition, Longhorn fans should be pleased to know he has the complete trust of this staff, and there is a really great chemistry with everyone involved that should continue this year’s offensive success, with the potential of greater achievements in the future.
--- By the time Texas plays its final regular-season game against Kansas, we should be able to project in which bowl game the Longhorns will appear.
Right now, nobody knows for sure which postseason game Texas is trending toward. The most common bowl projection I have seen is Texas traveling down the road to San Antonio for the Alamo Bowl on December 28. Obviously, Texas is technically in the hunt for a Big 12 title, and a lot can happen in two weeks.
However, I can tell you what those inside the building would prefer.
Road trip.
For those keeping score at home, the last time Texas traveled outside of this state for a bowl game was in 2011. Texas defeated Cal, 21-10, at the Holiday Bowl in San Diego. Since that game, Texas has played in the Alamo Bowl twice, and made two Texas Bowl appearances in Houston.
Everyone associated with the program would love to put the players on a plane and play in a bowl game outside of Texas this season. One person told me they had a great experience in Houston, but added, “We can go to Houston anytime. We would love to do something different.”
To be clear, nobody wants to play in a crappy bowl just to get out of Texas.
However, there is a desire to give this team a unique experience.
Okay, I will do my best not to go full Geek Squad and throw out a few potential scenarios:
- If Texas finds its way into the Big 12 title game, there is a chance the Longhorns will appear in the Sugar Bowl (New Orleans) or Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, Arizona).
- Texas is currently ranked 15th in the CFP. If Texas can move into top 10, the Peach Bowl (Atlanta) and Fiesta Bowl are on the table.
- If Iowa State defeats Texas, there is a good chance Texas could appear in the Camping World Bowl (Orlando, Florida).
- If Texas finishes 9-3, but is not in the Big 12 title game, the Alamo Bowl is a likely landing spot.
Just for clarity, here is the Big 12 pecking order for bowls not involved in the New Year's Six:
Valero Alamo
Camping World Bowl
AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl
AutoZone Liberty Bowl
Cactus Bowl
Heart of Dallas Bowl
The Alamo Bowl usually takes the best remaining team. Last year, I do know high-ranking officials from the Camping World Bowl were very interested in Texas, but could not justify taking a six-win team. There is a good chance the committee selects Texas if the Alamo Bowl selects another team. If the Texas Bowl is on deck and this team is available, prepare for another trip to Houston.
There is a lot of guesswork when it comes to bowl projections. My advice to you is do not make any reservations until we can accurately predict where Texas might land this postseason.
Nevertheless, there is a still chance Texas fans can take on a few more frequent flyer miles this year.
******
Texas will lose senior defensive linemen Charles Omenihu, Chris Nelson and Breckyn Hager after this season. It is hard to gauge how their backups will perform in starting roles next season. Oh, and Texas has only two defensive line commitments for the 2019 class.
Longhorn fans are worried.
Are the people in the building concerned about recruiting at that position?
Yes, but for reasons you may not expect.
According to the people I spoke to, Judson defensive tackle DeMarvin Leal is viewed as a game-changer, but he is committed to Texas A&M. There is still hope he could flip his commitment to Texas, but everyone inside the building knows they are on the outside looking in. Once you get past Leal, there is not a lot of defensive line talent remaining in this year’s class.
It goes without saying that Texas is happy to have verbal commitments from defensive ends T’Vondre Sweat and Peter Mpagi. Those in the know believe Sweat has more of an upside that some recruiting observers give him credit for.
That being said, Texas if focused on trying to land former Oklahoma commit Jacoby Jones.
Overall, there is a belief that there are not quality defensive linemen in Texas from which to choose, making it into a mad scramble for the few elite players who are available.
The biggest concern is a lack of elite defensive linemen in the 2019 recruiting class. Texas may have to lean on the defensive linemen it has on campus next season, but adding more bodies to that room is definitely a priority.
******
(From Alex Dunlap)
Some notes and thoughts after speaking with an NFL source this week about senior DE Charles Omenihu and junior WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey about their NFL prospects:
Despite Humphrey being mum on whether or not he'll pursue an NFL career following his breakout junior season, and also despite the reports that his mother is against him coming out early, folks in NFL league circles have become very interested in the standout receiver, and the thinking among them is that he will come out if given respectable feedback from the NFL's advisory committee to underclassmen.
This is not a WR class in the 2019 draft that carries a lot of pop and sizzle at the top, but one that is relatively deep with numerous - very good - Day 2 options that actually make for a good class at the position when looking at it from a long-term view. If Humphrey indeed is given feedback that his draft stock looks like it falls in line with the other Day 2-ish (Rounds 2 and 3) WRs in the class, I was told NFL types expect him to be leaving based on their conversations with him.
LJH has NFL dreams and he's excited at all the attention he's been attracting in recent weeks. It is perfectly legal and acceptable for communication to exist between prospective NFL prospects and agents while players are still enrolled as NCAA athletes as long as players do not receive impermissible benefits. Judging by the number of agents after him, it's telling, because agents rely on trusted contacts in NFL scouting departments to inform them the players to go after as clients.
The reason for Humphrey's rise up draft boards has to do with his showing off a contested-catch ability and high-point dominance that weren't necessarily seen early in the season when he was seen as more of a possession threat. This is also the time of year that scouting staffs are penciling in the juniors they believe may come out on their initial senior-only boards, so technically, it's the one time of year where players really can "fly up boards" unlike the bluster we hear in the offseason. Humphrey has all the looks of a solid NFL receiver with tremendous upside and it's difficult to know how much he could improve on his stock with another year, especially since he really seems to be heating up right here at the end of the season. With combine training, I expect he would run a sub-4.6 40-yard dash.
Fans who selfishly want LJH back for one more season should hope his NFL feedback is Round 4 or later from the committee. This is intel he should receive back sometime during Christmas break, in the weeks between the end of the regular season and the bowl game, (although "unofficial" feedback abounds from all corners in this world).
As for Omenihu, many scouts love him. They probably like him more than Texas fans would expect based on his pure production during his time at Texas. NFL types see Omenihu as a player who grew into the body of a stud 4-3 SDE just in time for the Texas defense to switch up on him. Even so, he's been effective and his size, length and ability to bend the edge when given the chance is the reason for the interest and also, presumably, for the Senior Bowl invite he tweeted about this week.
He's another player who is having to make some big boy decisions about what agency to go with, and is sure to end up signing with one of the big ones based on his suitors. That means paid combine training and a primo marketing advance. Omenihu has a chance to make an impression on scouts in Mobile at the end of January and I'll be there to cover it for my ninth-straight Senior Bowl. I couldn't get a real read on where exactly he's being projected right now by the scouting department of the individual I spoke with, but I'd venture to guess somewhere in the 4th or maybe 5th-round range with room to nudge up with an impressive performance in the All-Star practice setting.
As for other Longhorns receiving All-Star game invites, I was told by one person in the know that he had no knowledge of Kris Boyd or Gary Johnson having received a Senior Bowl invite, but we all know that as players accept and decline their invitations (the declines will not happen until after bowl season when players can officially hire agents who sometimes tell them to sit it out), more invites go out and you'd have to think both of those guys would be on the list. If neither make the Senior Bowl, the Shrine Game seems like a lock, should they elect to participate. Remember, a Shrine Game invite is exactly what Poona Ford parlayed into a Senior Bowl late-add just last season.
******
(From Suchomel)
Texas will host an important recruiting weekend, with some key talent from the 2019 and 2020 classes set to make their way to Austin. A look at some of the key visitors expected to be in town …
OFFICIAL VISITS
DE Jacoby Jones –This will be his second time on the UT campus after a late spring unofficial visit. He decommitted from Oklahoma this week so this one appears to be trending well for the Longhorns. More on him in a bit.
UNOFFICIAL VISITS
2019 uncommitted prospects
DL Myron Warren – This one isn’t an official visit, but we’ll be watching Warren’s visit closely. Texas began to surge as soon as the Longhorns offered in early October, and this one is looking better and better for Texas. I expect the Longhorns to make a very strong impression this weekend.
2019 UT commitments
OL Javonne Shepherd – As always, consider Shepherd a “maybe” until he’s actually spotted on campus or on the road, but the word earlier this week was that he was coming with his trainer. Getting him on campus would be a positive for Texas considering Shepherd continues to flirt with other schools. As I’ve said recently though, I think he sticks with Texas in the end.
OL Logan Parr – 2020 UT commitment will be in, and he’ll have a chance to do some recruiting on the Longhorns’ behalf with the other 2020 talents that will be in.
TE Jared Wiley – He’s been a regular on campus this fall.
DE T’Vondre Sweat – He’s completely locked in with his pledge and an argument could be made he’s one of UT’s more important commitments.
DE Peter Mpagi – Nothing to worry about with Mpagi, who is locked in with his pledge.
LB De’Gabriel Floyd – The Cali product came in midweek. You know he’ll be recruiting for the Longhorns.
2020 uncommitted prospects
RB Zach Evans – Big visit here … the nation’s top 2020 RB hasn’t been on campus for a while, so this is a big development.
OL Chad Lindberg – Another fantastic prospect, Lindberg has been high on Texas for a while. This weekend will give the staff a chance to continue to build on an already solid foundation.
OL Akinola Ogunbiyi – A&M commitment will come in with his trainer, Footwork King. He seems pretty locked in with his decision, but it’ll be interesting to hear what he thinks after the visit.
OL Smart Chibuzo – Similar story as Ogunbiyi.
OL Cedric Melton – Will come in with the group being brought by Footwork King.
DL Braedon Nutter – Already has a couple offers so he’s a name to file away.
DE Vernon Broughton – Top national prospect and a key target for next year’s class.
DB Kelee Ringo – One of the nation’s best prospects … incredible talent with a freakish size/speed combination.
******
Butler Community College defender Jacoby Jones made waves this week when word came out that he would be visiting Texas, and the talks really heated up when Jones announced he was decommitting from Oklahoma.
I caught up with Jones this week to preview his UT visit and while he didn’t say anything too juicy, if you’re reading the tea leaves here, this one looks pretty good for the Longhorns. This will be Jones’ second visit to the Forty Acres and most (including me) thought Texas was the team to beat early in his recruitment before Oklahoma charged in with an offer.
Jones said he doesn’t have anything specific he wants to see this year, instead he’s just trying to get an overall feel for the Texas program.
“I’ve seen everything before. I’m just coming back to get another feel of it,” Jones said. “I want to see if it’s where I can see myself at.”
This will be Jones’ third official visit. He took spring visits to North Carolina State and Oklahoma. He said he’s talked to other coaches since decommitting (he mentioned Nebraska, Minnesota and “most of the SEC”) but does not have any other visits set up.
Is it possible he could come to a decision this weekend if he loves what he sees in Austin?
“I’m just playing everything by ear,” Jones said.
Jones didn’t really offer up an explanation on why he opened up his recruitment other than to say he wanted to explore his options some more. When I asked what had Texas high on his list, he had a pretty simple answer.
“It’s the Texas Longhorns. That’s all I can say about it. It’s Texas,” Jones said.
Jones stays in contact with Oscar Giles and Texas has told Jones he’d have a chance to play right off the bat. I’m sure that will be pointed out again this weekend.
“They’ve said I can come in, be an impact player, be a key factor for their defense,” Jones said. “They’re talking to me about playing rush end, but not really playing down in a three-man front. I’d play rush end, have lot of plays to rush off the edge.”
******
Everyone asks for weekly updates on five-star ATH Bru McCoy, so I did some checking to get the pulse of people who have covered his recruitment for years. This one’s an interesting one for me … there’s confidence from people who spent time with McCoy during his Texas official visit in September and in my conversations with McCoy’s father, I genuinely believe the Longhorns are a legit contender here and could even be considered co-leaders with USC. But then I talk to people out West, and everyone out there feels him going to USC is pretty much a foregone conclusion.
“I don’t think much has changed. I do think it’s probably down to USC and Texas. I think Oklahoma still has an outside shot if he can get up there for a visit, UCLA is still a slight possibility,” one source said. “I don’t know about the Clay Helton situation affecting him at all. Some think if he’s let go it’ll have an impact on Bru but I’m not so sure. My sense if (Helton) is retained, that’s going to be harder for USC. A lot of 2019 kids, them going into next season, their first year, they know he’s really going to be on the hot seat and they may have to go through coaching change. If Clay Helton is fired, it might actually help going into late signing period.”
McCoy has already visited Texas and Washington. USC and UCLA will get visits and his family has said they’re considering other schools for the fifth visit, if he decides to take that last one. With USC struggling on the field, most have focused on any potential coaching shake-up as something that could push McCoy to Texas. One person I spoke with thought the bigger influence could be the overall lackluster football environment at USC (which goes along with what his dad told me … how they were blown away by the atmosphere at the Texas game they attended).
“The only thing I think would really dissuade him from going to USC, the last game they only had something like 59K at the game. If they happen to lose to UCLA, I highly doubt a lot of people will show up for Notre Dame. That should be a huge atmosphere. It should be a huge game every year but I doubt it would be.”
A couple things that can’t be ignored in this one … USC traditionally has tremendous success at Mater Dei. Current starting QB J.T. Daniels is a former Mater Dei teammate of McCoy’s, and Mater Dei’s current quarterback is committed to USC in the 2020 class. That’s certainly weighing in USC’s favor.
But Texas can sell McCoy on the opportunity to play early at receiver and the Longhorns have shown this year that big, physical receiver can excel in this offense.
“He could easily play in the slot. He’s physical enough against anyone in the big 12 to get open and make plays. He has speed, also has power. I could definitely see him playing a role like Lil’Jordan Humphrey,” the source said.
A second source I spoke to, who has good connections to the USC program, told me late this week he still thinks Texas is facing an uphill battle. The Longhorns have made it interesting, he said, but he still thinks it’ll be USC in the end and he feels the gap may be bigger than most realize.
Again … the opinions on this one vary wildly depending on who you talk to. The gut feel here after talking to people who communicate with McCoy regularly, and after talking to McCoy’s father, is that Bru is genuinely undecided and the Longhorns are neck and neck with USC at this point. But with the Trojans still having an official visit left in their pocket, Texas is going to have to do a hell of a job of closing down the stretch.
******
West Mesquite 2020 RB Ty Jordan was in Austin for the West Virginia game and got a chance to spend some time with the UT coaches. The speedy playmaker said it was a good visit overall and said the message from the UT staff was for him to continue to improve, both on and off the field.
“They were mostly talking about staying on task at school, make sure I have my grades straight, getting better, do everything I can do be the best player I can, the best person I can be,” Jordan said.
The 5-9, 190-pound Jordan holds a Texas offer (along with about 15 others). He’s a thread to score from anywhere on the field, and said he likes to compare himself to Tyreke Hill. If he’s anywhere close to accurate in that comparison, go ahead and sign him up.
“My speed is a very big asset,” Jordan said. “I’m not one of the taller guys, but my speed gets me there. Also me being smaller, I don’t play like my size.”
Jordan could be a player that factors heavily into UT’s 2020 recruiting class, but he said at this point he’s taking things at a slow pace and he doesn’t plan on making a decision for a while.
“I plan on doing my research. I’m not going to make any decisions or start thinking about that until probably next year,” Jordan said. “I want to make sure I get everything taken care of.
“Big picture wise, Texas is up there, they’re up there. I’ve always liked Texas. When I went to their junior day, I fell in love with Texas. Texas, they’re up there.”
Jordan visited Arkansas last weekend. He’s going to SMU on Friday, Baylor on Saturday and may visit Texas Tech for the Red Raiders’ last home game.
******
I talked about JUCO DE Malcolm Lee earlier this week … a little more on the Iowa Western Community College product who has been talking to Oscar Giles.
Lee is from the Omaha area and told me he set some high school records, made all-state but never really picked up any major offers out of high school. Iowa Western came along and Lee said he decided to bet on himself with the thinking that he could land some bigger offers if he went the JUCO route. So far, it’s worked out.
“I’ve never been used to having so much attention on me recruiting wise,” Lee said. “I’m really blessed, really honored for some of these schools to have interest in me.”
Texas hasn’t offered the 6-5, 260-pound Lee yet, but he’s hoping that will change, especially if UT brings him in for a visit later in the recruiting cycle.
Lee has an interesting backstory. He suffered two knee injuries in high school as a freshman and a junior (one in basketball, one in football). He’s battled back and said his on-field smarts are his biggest strength.
“I think in my opinion, my biggest strength is my football IQ. I had a couple knee surgeries, so I’m probably not as explosive as I’d been in the past,” Lee said. “I make up for that being able to look at splits, formations, alignments. I get a general idea where ball is going, what type of play it is. I’m a consistent player, have a good combination of size, strength and speed. You put that all together and it’s a mix for a pretty good football player.”
Lee’s dad was a former blackshirt at Nebraska and a three-time letter winner there. The Huskers were talking to him early, but he hasn’t had any contact from them in months and says he’s focused on “better schools that are interested in (him).”
“Iowa is up there. Texas is up there as well. Those are my two really big ones at the moment,” Lee said. “Houston is up there.”
His thoughts on Texas …
“It’s probably one of the most high-esteemed college football programs in the country. It’s all about football down there,” Lee said. “I know I’d be put in a situation where I could definitely cap out my abilities, kind of play to my fullest and be developed to the fullest. I feel I’d have good odds to go to the next level if I was to go to Texas.”
We’ll keep an eye on this one to see if things heat up and if Lee is in fact brought in for a visit in December. If that happens … if Texas pushes … the Longhorns will be strong factors in this one.
******
(From McComas)
Checked around this week to try to get a feel for the outlook of the Texas Basketball team after some uneven play to open the season, which some fans have taken notice of. Like those around the football program were despite a 1-1 start that suggested otherwise, the vibe around the Texas Hoops program isn’t one of panic or alarming concern despite its odd 3-0 start. Texas remains confident and excited about the potential of this year’s team based on the progress it made in key areas this offseason, all the time spent on offense and individual players putting in the work, and its roster; like pretty much every college basketball team, Texas didn’t expect to be closed to a finished product early this season, and believes as the season progresses the needed growth will occur.
While many fans and analysts, like myself, have noticed some concerning early-season issues on offense, the impression I get is Texas believes once its best players play like they’re capable of on a consistent basis, the production will be much better. Will that prove to be true? We’ll see. Time will tell, and the schedule is about to get more difficult, beginning with a tricky matchup Friday against The Citadel before a game next week in Las Vegas against North Carolina and then either UCLA or Michigan State.
The Longhorns need their best players, like Matt Coleman and Jericho Sims, to play at a much higher level consistently and need perimeter shots to start falling like they believe they will. But the optimism people on the 40 Acres have surrounding this year’s team hasn’t changed. Sure, that’s probably not a huge surprise or revelation, but based on some of the reaction at Orangebloods and the way the team has performed, I thought it was worth exploring.
****
As for recruiting, here’s the little I’ve heard about five-star Jaden McDaniels:
Kentucky, Washington, and Texas are the schools mentioned the most. He’s scheduled to take a visit to UCLA this weekend after visiting Kentucky last weekend, and Texas the weekend prior.
I heard the Texas visit went well, but McDaniels really keeps to himself even on visits. There is some family pull to potentially keep him closer to home, but I’ve also heard some people close to him really like the idea of playing at Texas and what the exposure, roster fit, and opportunity would do for his NBA chances. As always when it is involved with an elite prospect that has NBA aspirations, Kentucky is a threat. I haven’t heard yet how the Kentucky visit went, but McDaniels doesn’t strike me as a the type of young man that is drawn towards all that comes with the truest of a blueblood program. Keldon Johnson didn't either, though.
While McDaniels is completing all his official visits now, I’d still be surprised if he signed during the early period, which ends November 21st. Here’s what Eric Bossi reported on McDaniels earlier this week:
“While McDaniels isn't likely to sign early, he does appear to be moving closer to a decision and this is a situation where he's likely to decide within the next month or so rather than the next 3-4 months as initially expected.”
