Former Texas football coach Charlie Strong jokingly said he never had a honeymoon period during his tenure in Austin.
Well, current coach Tom Herman is experiencing the same initial scrutiny Strong previously dealt with.
Obviously, the initial skepticism about Strong revolved around his ability to win games at Texas. Some Longhorn fans were optimistic, while others doubted Strong could make Texas into a national championship contender again. There were a few good moments (wins against Oklahoma, Baylor and Notre Dame), but Strong was eventually fired after never posting a winning season at Texas.
The focus on Herman has intensified recently after an off-the-record meeting with reporters, a controversial decision to hire former Baylor Bears assistant director of football operations Casey Horny, and a gathering with parents and players on Monday. Herman received mixed reviews after all of these events, which has left some Longhorn observers wondering what is this new coach all about?
Let us be honest for a minute. There are some people who are not bothered by anything that has occurred in the past few weeks. Others are alarmed by what Herman has said or done. Overall, there is not a consensus right now since Herman has only held his current position for over a month. A year from now, things will be different. Right now, there are different opinions about a man who has not coached in one game at Texas.
I spent this week talking to different people to get a better understanding of Herman. I was able to hit parents of current players, college coaches, administrators, and others who are familiar with Herman. There are some people who Herman has rubbed the wrong way since arriving in Austin. Others are optimistic his method of operation will turn Texas into a winning program. Honestly, if a reporter wanted to write a negative article about Herman, there are people willing to rip him. If a reporter wanted to write something positive, the same rules apply.
Instead of taking one side, I will attempt to give you an unbiased reporting of what I have learned through numerous conversations. My goal is to stay in the middle and let you formulate your own opinion.
Many OB members would like to know what happened in Herman’s meeting with Longhorn parents on Monday. There have a few reports that have surfaced so far. Again, it is important to remember everyone has a different perspective.
Here are some of the basics I reported earlier this week:
- Herman told everyone Texas will win and be successful. He believes once they clean up a few things and put the right personnel on the field, everything will be fine.
- He informed the group his team will endure a tough offseason program, which is something Herman has said before.
- Herman told the parents nobody has a position on his team, and every spot needs to be earned.
In addition, I can confirm Austin American-Statesmen’s Brian Davis’ report about Herman telling parents to stay positive on social media, and telling them not to speak to reporters. It is very rare to see an event at UT that does not involve a multitude of pictures posted on social media. However, there was not the typical social media buzz you normally see from players or parents while on campus. In addition, I was told Herman did not take questions from anybody in attendance, which surprised a few parents.
Here are a few reactions I received from parents:
“I was so mad,” one parent told me. “I got physically ill. I didn’t meet him. I didn’t meet his wife. I was so angry when we left. Everything was so negative. Just a lot of negativity and aggression.”
“There were parents shaking their heads and telling me he’s really going to turn things around,” another parent told me. “I’m an old-school guy, so I understand what Herman is trying to do. He’s trying to be the bad cop and will let his assistants play the good cop. It’s a smart move if you think about it. He’s just trying to create distance between him and his players to coach them.”
“If you want me to be positive, don’t attack me,” a parent told me. “He said if you can’t do this program, you should leave.”
“I heard what I needed to hear,” a parent told me. “He said we are going to win. That’s his goal. That’s what he’s trying to do. If he wins, I don’t think most parents are going to care.”
I have more quotes like this, but they all have similar tones. Again, his approach worked for some, but not for everybody.
One thing some parents were surprised at was seeing Herman call out players in front of them on Monday. The three guys he targeted in front of everybody were quarterback Shane Buechele, linebacker Malik Jefferson and offensive lineman Connor Williams. Basically, Herman used them as examples to say none of them have positions on this year’s team. They would have to earn it.
As we previously reported, Herman was like a bat out of hell during his first meeting with the players after Strong was fired. His approach bothered a lot of players. Several players walked away from that meeting not liking Herman. That was by design.
I spoke to someone who is very familiar with Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, and that person told me Herman’s tactic was straight out of his mentor’s playbook.
“Let me guess?" he said. “Herman called out the best players on the team?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“And I’m guessing Herman called out the best player on offense and defense?" he said.
“Yes, you are right,” I said.
“He learned that from Urban,” he said. “That’s a total Urban Meyer move. It’s like the guy who goes to prison and he looks for the biggest, bad guy in the prison yard, and he punches that guy in the face to send a message to everybody else. That’s what Herman is doing. He is going after the big players to get everybody’s attention. He goes after the leaders on offense and defense to fire up the entire team. I used to see Urban do that all the time. Urban called out players in meetings. He called out players in front of other people. He wasn’t trying to be your friend. He was being a football coach.”
The reactions from Herman’s off-the-record media session mirrored the sentiments expressed by parents earlier this week.
Out of respect for Herman, and the forum, I will not share anything discussed during our time together. Without getting into any details, there were several tense moments and exchanges, but I respected Herman’s honesty, even if I did not agree with everything he said. There were also times when Herman was funny, engaging, self-deprecating, and fun to be around.
When the session was over, some reporters thought he was a cool guy. Others did not like him. Once again, mixed reviews.
As a guy who covered Tony Dungy (nicest guy ever), Jon Gruden (condescending and sarcastic), Raheem Morris (a good friend to this day), Jim Schwartz (adversarial) and Charlie Strong (aloof), Herman is just another coach determined to do things his way. If he wins, nobody will care about his interactions with others. If Herman loses, those quirks will be used against him by people who the coach fired.
As most people know by now, Herman does not want any news leaks. After speaking to several people, I was told, “He has never been paranoid about the media. This appears to be a new thing.”
When Herman was in Houston, he was never a fan of media leaks, but the coach was accommodating to reporters. It remains to be seen what kind of relationship Herman will have with Austin media members, but the message from Monday’s meeting sent a clear message that information will be harder – not impossible – to obtain information in the Tom Herman era.
Right now, there are enough facts out there to formulate an opinion about Herman.
There may not be a consensus, but everyone can agree the microscope Herman is under at Texas will not mirror anything he has previously experienced as a coach. (Richardson)
*****
Very quickly caught up with a source about early thoughts from the winter period and conditioning workouts that started this week.
When I asked what the top story-line was that I should monitor was pre-Spring-Football, the answer was ... 2017 early enrollee RB Toneil Carter. The source said Carter has shown in team workouts that "he's got a little something to him," and that he's caught the eye of many right off the bat. One person said he would push to get reps right off in spring based on everything they had seen of Carter in conditioning periods, "the fact that he's here for the spring and gets that head-start means even more," the source said. Carter will compete with junior Chris Warren and sophomore Kyle Porter for carries. Sophomore Tristian Houston is technically still on the roster but we've gotten the distinct feeling he might be eyeing greener pastures (depth-chart wise) even before the coaching switch. Carter, based on high school film and attributes shown, projects as an early down option with playmaking ability in the receiving game as well. I'd expect him to be involved Week 1 in 2017. (Dunlap)
*****
As we know, Tom Herman wants to change Texas’ facilities, and he wants to change them now.
From what I’ve heard, one of the first goals for Texas will be to give the players’ locker rooms a complete overhaul. During the last recruiting weekend, there were visible signs to let people know renovations were coming, and, knowing Herman, those were probably intentionally placed.
Texas wants to make the locker rooms state-of-the-art locker rooms on par with the best in the country, like Alabama, Clemson, and others that have recently undergone renovations in that area. Texas will do whatever it needs to accomplish that. Considering how aggressive Herman has been in pushing for immediate renovations, it’s very possible the new locker rooms are done prior to the upcoming season. Oh, and as you’d expect, alignment will be part of the focus when coming up with the final product.
There’s no doubt that Herman is stirring things up on the 40 Acres, and pushing hard for change. (McComas)
*****
For the second consecutive weekend, it'll be a big turnout of official visitors for the Longhorns. Once again, it'll be a good mixture of committed and uncommitted prospects, and at least one JUCO player will be on campus.
A breakdown of the guys we're expecting to be in town ...
K'Lavon Chaisson - DE - North Shore - Simply put, this is the biggest visit of the year for the Longhorns. With all due respect to all the other prospects Texas has recruited and brought in, the level of success for this year's UT class will largely be determined by whether or not Texas lands Chaisson. He's one of the highest-ranked prospect on UT's board and he's a player the staff has been recruiting dating back to their time at Houston. Visits to Colorado and USC are still on the schedule, but this one is still a Texas-LSU battle and the Longhorns need to knock it out of the park this weekend. More on Chaisson in a bit.
Brandon Henderson - DE - Georgia Military College - Texas continues to scour the JUCO ranks for defensive linemen after bringing in a couple for visits last weekend. Henderson hasn't been offered yet, but things could get interesting if Texas offers this weekend. East Carolina and Georgia also in the picture. More on Henderson below.
Javelin Guidry - CB - Vista Murrietta (CA) - This is one we'll be watching closely. Guidry is a former Houston commitment and standout for Cedar Park's state championship team last year. This one seems like a slam dunk if Texas pushes for a commitment.
Jordan Pouncey - WR - Winter Park (FL) - Pouncey is down to four and Texas is one of the finalists. He'll visit Tennessee next weekend. Miami is the team to beat here but Pouncey does really like the Longhorns so we'll see if Texas can make a strong impression and get him to leave the state of Florida.
Max Cummins - DE - Fort Worth All Saints Episcopal - Picked up his UT offer on Tuesday and committed almost immediately. Cummins is locked in, so this weekend will be about him getting comfortable with his future teammates and doing a little recruiting on UT's behalf.
Cade Brewer - TE - Lake Travis - Locked in to his UT commitment. Should be pretty uneventful other than him bonding with the other guys on campus.
Daniel Young - RB - Houston Westfield - Young is solid with his pledge but he's still fairly new to the Texas commit list so this will be a valuable weekend to get him more familiar with the program.
Josh Thompson - DB - Nacogdoches - One of UT's most active recruiters, Thompson could play a key role this weekend.
Montrell Estell - DB - Hooks - It'll be interesting to hear what the staff tells Estell this weekend about how he'll be used.
Damion Miller - WR - John Tyler - No need to worry about this one, but Texas needs to make sure he leaves happy with his visit since there's such a big need at receiver. (Suchomel)
******
K'Lavon Chaisson doesn't do interviews and from what I've gathered, nobody has a really great indication on how his LSU visit went last weekend. I did check with a source at North Shore who told me there was "nothing in terms of buzz (about the visit)" but said "he enjoyed the visit. Hard not to enjoy Baton Rouge but you could say the same for Austin."
Looking for some good news? A person with knowledge of Chaisson's recruitment told me on Thursday that as long as things don't go completely sideways on his UT visit this weekend, he thinks Chaisson will be a Longhorn.
I've felt Texas was the team to beat for a while, but after the things I heard this week I feel even more confident in that prediction. (Suchomel)
******
The Longhorns extended an offer to 2017 Kemp wide receiver and Missouri commitment Elijah Gardiner this week, and it sounds like Texas made an instant impression.
Gardiner is scheduled to take an official visit to Texas next weekend (January 27) per a person close to him.
Texas did an in-home on Wednesday night (Drew Mehringer, Stan Drayton, Corby Meekins). Missouri is in-home on Thursday night.
Ohio State has been "kicking the tires" on Gardiner, my source said, but I was told "I think this is a two-horse race between Missouri and Texas."
Look for Gardiner to take the UT visit next week and then sit down with his family to make a final decision. It sounds like he is genuinely torn as of Thursday night.
"I know he was excited about the Texas offer. His family was too. But he really likes Missouri too," the source said.
A little background on Gardiner that I picked up during my conversation ... he's a four-year varsity player but has only played receiver for two years. That fact, plus the fact that Kemp isn't a recruiting hotbed, is part of the reason he's flown under the radar. He's up to about 205 pounds and is every bit of 6-5 or taller, and the person I spoke with said Gardiner has legitimately been clocked at a sub-4.4 in the 40-yard dash. (Suchomel)
******
Juco DE Brandon Henderson will be in Austin this weekend and he told me if he gets an offer, he'll consider giving Texas a commitment.
"There's a pretty big chance that I would (commit)," Henderson said. "I'm probably going to be committing in a week or so anyway. There's probably a chance I would commit there, or that would definitely put them in my top schools."
Along with Texas, East Carolina, Georgia and Kansas are being considered. Georgia has not offered yet because their numbers are full, but Henderson has been told that a UGA offer could come at the last minute.
On the Texas visit ...
"I've been talking about visiting them for the past few weeks. I have known coach (Oscar) Giles since he was at Houston, the past few months. They offered me at Houston and he wanted me to come visit Texas too," Henderson said.
"My biggest thing about Texas, all the coaches from Houston went over there. All the coaches that were recruiting me are over there. I know the coaches over there, have known them since fall camp."
Wherever he winds up, Henderson will have two years to play two seasons of Division I football. (Suchomel)
******
Texas extended an offer to England (AR) defensive end B.J. Thompson on Thursday and Thompson tells me he'll take an official visit to Texas sometime next week. He's visiting Utah this weekend and Baylor on January 27, but plans to be in Austin for a midweek visit.
Florida State stopped by his school this week and is also talking about bringing him in for a visit, so Thompson said he may try to cram two mid-week visits in, if possible.
Thompson decommitted from Washington State on Wednesday and said he has an open mind among the schools he's visiting. WSU is still in the picture as well.
"I just had to open my recruitment yesterday. I'll take these last couple weeks to really think things through, where I want to spend the next four or five years of my life," Thompson said. "Right now, I'm taking it day by day. I may take it all the way to signing day."
Thoughts on the Texas offer ...
"Texas, that's a big offer. It's a chance to play for a Big 12 team, especially Texas. It's one of the top programs in the nation. That's really big. I'm going to really consider them," Thompson said. (Suchomel)
******
Texas OL commitment Derek Kerstetter took his official visit to UT last weekend and it sounds like things couldn't have gone much better.
"It was awesome. I had a great time talking to the coaches, enjoyed the experience. It was great," Kerstetter said. "I talked to (Zach Shackelford) a bunch. They're awesome guys. It was great. I can't wait to be home."
Kerstetter said most of his conversations with the staff were about what's going on in his life rather than hard-core football talk. Basically, the staff just wanted to get to know him better and make sure Kerstetter was comfortable on the visit.
"I'm super excited. It's a great program obviously. I'll be coming into a great city, a city that loves their team and players," Kerstetter said. "I'm excited to be there, to represent the state of Texas. I'm just a guy who is going to work his butt off, help the team, help get better and get wins." (Suchomel)
******
One hot issue of discussion for Texas fans since Tom Herman took over the Texas job is how the players would react to the transition from Charlie Strong to the new staff.
In speaking with someone close to the football program earlier this week, the players have responded well so far to Herman’s expectations and offseason conditioning program.
The same source indicated that many the players realize how disappointing the 2016 season was, and many understand that significant changes needed to be made in order to compete at an elite level.
“They understand there’s a reason they lost to Kansas, it wasn’t just bad luck” the source said.
While the offseason just started this week, it sounds like the Texas players are embracing the high expectations that Herman and his staff have placed before them. (Larkin)
******
Nothing earth-shattering, but I wanted to pass along a short note about the offseason conditioning program I was given.
Under new head coach Tom Herman, I was told there will be a heavier emphasis on weight lifting and strength in this year’s offseason program than under Charlie Strong’s staff. In fact, I was told that players were required to “max out” in several areas on the first day of the conditioning program.
This comes in contrast to the type of conditioning program Strong’s staff employed where the offseason program consisted of more work pertaining to speed and power off the line of scrimmage than actual strength building and strict lifting regiments. (Larkin)
*****
After Matt Coleman’s commitment to Texas on Monday, the Longhorns still have one scholarship remaining right now, and are after a couple of big fish. Brian Bowen, a five-star guard/wing that plays at La Lumiere (La Porte, Indiana), is one of those big fish. Bowen, who is 6-7 and rated as the No. 19 prospect overall, took an official visit to Texas the last week in November. In December, Bowen said he’d be deciding soon, but he’s since delayed that.
“Whenever I get that gut feeling when I know exactly where I’m going,” said Bowen after his Hoophall Classic game about when his decision would come. He then added it could come soon after he takes an unofficial visit to Michigan State in late January.
Bowen is down to Arizona, Creighton, Michigan State, NC State, and Texas. Most believe Arizona is in the best position right now, but there’s been a little Michigan State buzz of late. Texas is probably with Creighton as teams in the distance, but lurking.
However, Texas’ chances might have improved after Coleman announced to Texas.
“Oh, yeah. It’s really appealing,” responded Bowen when I asked him if Coleman’s commitment helps Texas in his recruiting. “They really need a point guard, and Matt is a great point guard to play with. He’s a great guy on the court and off the court. It really is appealing.”
In fact, Coleman was already reaching out to Bowen prior to his announcement, and the five-star wing expects even more communication from Coleman now.
“Yeah. He’s been texting us (he and Mo Bamba) pretty much every day or every other day. Now, he’s going to be texting us even more,” he said with a laugh about Texas’ newest commitment.
Bowen said he hears from the Texas staff often, knows he can provide some of what they’re looking for.
“They have been talking to me a lot,” Bowen said about Texas. “Two of my former high school teammates are playing down there, so they’ve been calling me as well. Their staff is a great staff. They’ve been stressing they want me to get there. They really need a guy that can score the ball, a guy that can do a little bit of everything. Coach Smart is a great guy. They probably had one of the hardest practices I’ve ever seen. Guys are really getting better down there.”
I still think Texas’ odds aren’t great with Bowen, but they’re not bad either. And Coleman’s commitment gave Texas some more ammo to use. (McComas)
******
Now, for an update on that other big fish, five-star Westtown School (Westtown, Pennsylvania via Harlem, New York) big man Mohamed Bamba.
Bamba, the nation’s No. 4 overall prospect, set visits to Kentucky (this upcoming weekend) and Duke (last weekend in February), and is down to a final four of Kentucky, Duke, Michigan and Texas. He told Rivals.com he wants to decide in March.
If you missed our coverage of Coleman’s commitment, the Oak Hill Academy point guard and future Longhorn said he believes he has the upper hand against those other schools and commitments/signees recruiting Bamba. From what I’ve heard, Coleman’s recruitment of Bamba has really increased since Monday, and Bamba was paying attention to where Coleman was going.
From everything I’ve heard from multiple people this week, I think, right now, the two teams that have emerged from Bamba’s list in best position are Texas and Kentucky. Obviously, that could change.
We’ll see what happens after Bamba’s final two official visits, but Smart and Coleman are two people Bamba really likes and could see himself playing with and for at the next level. I believe Bamba sees himself more in Austin than Lexington, but in addition to Coleman he’s also tight with future Kentucky players Quade Green and Hamidou Diallo. And, as we all know, Kentucky is very tough to beat in these situations, and Duke should never be counted out, although Coleman did just pick Texas over it.
Bottom line: Texas is very, very much in this recruitment, and should be in it with a chance to win until the very end. (McComas)
*****
Nothing new to report on sophomore guard/wing Tevin Mack right now. He remains suspended indefinitely and isn’t a part of team activities. As of earlier this week, Mack was expected to be in class like normal.
What happens from here very likely depends on Mack’s response, his efforts to adhere to program standards and Smart’s requirements, and what Smart feels is best for the program. (McComas)
****
Finally, as I put the finishing touches on the updates 2018 LSR rankings, I thought I would give everyone a 2018 overview at the top, based on the current Rivals rankings for the 2018 class. For those looking for silver linings in recruiting, the prospects in 2018 should be quite uplifting.
1. Anthony Cook - CB - Houston Lamar
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (High Four-stars/6.0/No.23 in the Rivals250)
Junior Highlights and RCS Analysis
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Errrrybody.
Where UT Stands: In 2016, Cook visited Texas for a camp, the Under The Lights Camp and the Notre Dame. Along with Texas, Cook lists LSU, Clemson, Ohio State and Georgia as schools he wants to visit in the coming months. Of the in-state schools, the Longhorns definitely seem to have the edge and Cook seems to have the profile of a kid that is going to give the Longhorns every chance to impress him. Given the circumstances, Tom Herman and his staff start out in an excellent position.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on December 31st) "Nothing but good things (on Tom Herman). I think Tom Herman at Texas is really going to turn the program around. I'm looking forward to see what he's going to do."
(Via OB on 9/5 after attending Texas/Notre Dame,) "It was amazing. I've never been to a college game and the feeling was unexplainable."
2. B.J. Foster - DB - Angleton
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (High Four-stars/6.0/No.22 on Rivals 250)
Junior Highlights and Rivals Camp Series Highlights
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Basically errrrbody.
Where UT Stands: Like Cook, Foster is going to give the Longhorns every chance possible to impress him. Foster is fairly close with former Longhorns cornerback Quandre Diggs and has a high opinion of the Texas brand. As things currently stand, the Longhorns are in his current top five and seemingly in as good of a position as you would expect, given the circumstances.
Quotable: (Via OB on 12/15) “No, it hasn’t [affected where they stand],” Foster said about the coaching change. “[Texas] is a good program and they make great young men and football players.”
“Coach Herman is a nice guy. They recruited me [when he was at Houston], but I didn’t hear too much from him.”
(Via OB on 7/19) "I'm liking Texas pretty good. Quandre Diggs talks really highly about them," Foster said. "They're definitely up there."
3. Al'Vonte Woodard - WR - Houston Lamar
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (High Four-stars/6.0/No.27 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights and RCS Analysis
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Arizona, Houston, Kansas, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas, Texas A&M and West Virginia (among others)
Where UT Stands: With the recent offer he picked up from the Texas staff, it seems like the Longhorns are right in the thick of his early favorites, along with Texas A&M, Arkansas and Ole Miss. This could evolve over time into an in-state showdown between the Longhorns/Aggies.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 1/16): “It’s a huge offer,. They already said they were coming for me, but they had to see what else they had to offer in the class of 2017. So it wasn’t so much of a surprise for me, but it’s a real big offer.”
“When I get out there, I’m just hoping to get a look at how they’re trying to change the program,” he said. “I’m wanting to see how they’re planning to get themselves into bigger games - bigger bowl games. I expect for them to do the same sort of thing I saw them do at U of H; air it out, run the ball, and just have a balanced offense.”
4. Caden Sterns - DB - Cibolo Steele
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Mid Four-stars/5.8/No.48 overall nationally)
Sophomore Highlights
Current status: Committed to LSU
Current Offers: LSU, Baylor, Houston, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas Tech and UCLA
Where UT Stands: Sterns showed some interest in the Longhorns throughout the summer and early into last season, but he became Ed Orgeron's first commitment at LSU and there are no signs of him backing off that pledge at this time.
Quotable: “(LSU's) always been my dream school really. I just took a visit when they played Alabama and it was everything I expected and more. It’s a wonderful place and felt like family. Everybody’s close.”
5. Brennan Eagles - WR - Alief Taylor
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Mid Four-stars/5.9/No.50 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights and Top off-season plays
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Colorado, Georgia, Houston, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, TCU, Tennessee and Texas.
Where UT Stands: Texas seems to be his in-state favorite (ahead of Baylor), while Tennessee and Oklahoma are the primary out of state schools he claims to want to visit in the coming weeks and months.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 1/12) “Really I’m just waiting for the season to start,” he said. “At U of H, Coach (Tom) Herman threw the ball more, so I’m just waiting to see the season play out and see if UT is going to use more spread.”
“It opens up my eyes as a matter of fact. It’s close to home, my mom likes it there, so it will definitely be one of my top schools when I decide to narrow some stuff down. It’s not far, family can come see me play and that’s a big deal – you always want moms right there by your side.”
6. Max Wright - DE - Katy Taylor
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Mid Four-stars/5.9/No.79 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Arkansas, Baylor, Georgia, Houston, LSU, Oklahoma, Stanford, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech
Where UT Stands: Wright's recruitment is just getting started, so it's hard to handicap the field at this point, but his sister not only attends Arkansas, but she's a football recruiting host. Just a note to file away for the future.
Quotable: (Via Hawgsports.com on 1/17) "I think (Arkansas) is a great program,. I like the school and the campus a lot, and I want to get to know the coaches more."
7. Alston Orji - LB Rockwall
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Mid Four-stars/5.9/No.81 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Arkansas, Baylor, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: Good news ... Orji has indicated a preference to stay close to home. Although he hasn't scheduled a visit to Texas yet, he visited Texas during the 2016 season and the Longhorns will be a major factor in his recruitment, as will the Aggies.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 1/10) "I'm going to A&M junior day but other than that nothing specifically planned but I would like to get out to a lot of the schools that have offered me. A&M junior day is coming up here in a few weeks and I'd like to get out and see the schools nearby that have offered me since I still have my responsibilities to my school I want to stay around the area; TCU, OU, A&M, Arkansas, Texas and other schools nearby."
(Via OB on 9/5 following the Notre Dame game) "It was crazy to be a part of! Great game, lost most of my voice! Some of the most loyal fans to the very end."
8. Joshua Moore - WR - Yoakum
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Mid Four-stars/5.9/No.107 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights and Underclassmen Challenge Highlights
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Arkansas, Baylor, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Houston, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and USC
Where UT Stands: With his brother's recent commitment to Texas A&M, it's going to be an uphill battle for the Longhorns, but they've got 12 months to chip away.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 12/30) “Relationships are big to me, man,. Right now, in my opinion, I think I have the biggest relationship with Coach (Todd) Lyght out of all the coaches that I know. “
(Via Rivals on 12/13) “A few hours after he got hired, him and Coach (Oscar) Giles texted me saying ‘Guess who just got the new job at Texas?’ When they told me, they said they have a great spot for me to come in and show all my skills in this new offense. They told me this is where your mother went to college, why not come home?
“For them to reach out to me and tell me that is a great feeling.”
(Via OB on 9/5 following the Notre Dame game) "Overall experience was great! Spent time with a lot of big time recruits and the whole coaching staff! The atmosphere was crazy the WHOLE game!!"
9. Darrell Simpson - OL - Justin Northwest
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Mid Four-stars/5.9/No.112 on the Rivals250)
Junior Highlights and RCS Challenge One on Ones
Has Texas offered: No
Current offers: Baylor, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, TCU and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: Although Simpson hasn't tipped his hand publicly about his list of favorites outside of listing who he has visited and where he would still like to visit, there was a sense this week from a few people that I spoke with that Texas A&M is the team to beat, but the Longhorns will be a team he gives very serious consideration.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 11/14) "I have 16 offers and recruiting is really going great. I would say that all of the schools that have offered me are recruiting me hard right now. I took a visit to Texas, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State. I am trying to get to Ohio State."
(Via OB on 5/19) "The one thing you can say is they're a powerhouse, love to run. They're big on their line," Simpson said. "That's one of the schools if they do offer I'll look at."
10. Jalen Preston - WR - Manvel
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Mid Four-stars/5.9/No.113 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights and RCS One on Ones
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current Offers: Baylor, Georgia, Houston, LSU, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: It seems like his recruiting process is just getting started, but the Longhorns are probably behind LSU and Texas A&M in the early stages.
Quotable: (Via The Wolverine on 1/12) "I’ve been to LSU and that was a nice school. I’ve been to Texas A&M a lot because it’s right around the corner. I’ve been to Houston, Texas, mostly just the nearby schools. It really doesn’t matter to me if a school is close or not. I want to find the best school for me and my needs."
11. Jalen Green - DB - Houston Heights
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Mid Four-stars/5.9 grade/No.119 on Rivals250)
Sophomore Highlights and RCS One on Ones
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Baylor, Clemson, Georgia, Houston, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: The new Texas staff offered less than two weeks ago and the Longhorns expect to have their hands full with the likes of LSU, Texas A&M and other national elite programs. The best news is that there's a feeling that his recruitment is just starting to take off and the Longhorns will have plenty of chances to fight its way to the front.
12. Jarell Cherry - DE - Dallas Carter
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Mid Four-stars/5.9/No.119 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech
Where UT Stands: The Longhorns were considered the early favorite and in some estimations remain the team to beat, but this is a recruitment that is about to turn into a battle royal, as Ed Orgeron personally plans to lead the recruitment of Cherry, while the likes Oklahoma and Texas A&M are ready to throw its heavy hitters at him as well.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 7/27) "Even though people are forgetting about what Texas is, how they have a strong mentality as a football team and they’ve been doing it for a long time now.”
“I talk to Coach B.J. [Brian Jean-Mary] and when I am out here I do talk to Coach Strong, I can talk to him. They tell me keep working at it, rest my legs, don’t overwork things and they say ‘your gift is very special,’ and to ‘keep up with it.’”
13. Calvin Avery - DT - Dallas Bishop Dunne
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Mid Four-stars/5.9/No.125 in Rivals250)
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Baylor, Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: Although he camped at Texas last summer and the Longhorns were thought to be in a great position at that time, the Longhorns probably have some ground to make up at this point in his recruiting process. One person I spoke with this week believes that his recruitment will really start to heat up in the coming weeks as he starts to set up his spring visit plans. Basically, there's a long way to go. He's a guy we need to get an update on.
14. Stanley Hackett - RB - Pasadena Rayburn
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Mid Four-stars/5.9/No.137 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: No
Current offers: Texas Tech, Tulsa, UTA
Where UT Stands: Hackett committed to Tech last summer because of his relationship with Tech running backs coach DeShaun Foster, but he announced on Wednesday that he was de-committing and opening his recruitment up.
Quotable: (Via Red Raider Sports on 8/11) "I surprised a lot of people, I was talking with my grandma and told her that I wanted to commit,. It felt right and I always wanted to stay here in Texas, somewhat close to home. I followed my instincts and called coach Foster.
15. Chad Bailey - LB - Missouri City Ridge Point
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Low Four-stars/5.8/No.148 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: No
Current offers: Indiana, Mississippi, Mississippi State, SMU and UTSA
Where UT Stands: Texas really hasn't emerged as a factor in his recruitment yet, but he seems to like Houston quite a bit. He's got a visit to Missouri coming in the coming weeks and Texas A&M is also showing interest.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 1/15) “There’s nothing wrong with staying at home to play football and be the hometown hero. I’ve taken a visit to Houston, but I haven’t talked to many of the new coaches, I’ve met to Coach (James) Casey, the tight ends coach, he came and talk to me last week and said I should be getting some good news from them pretty soon.”
“I just like the atmosphere on game days and practice. They’re all hype, they got the music playing and everyone’s playing with energy - they’re flying around to the ball. Hopefully it’s the same with the new coaches.”
16. Atanza Vongor - DB - South Grand Prairie
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Low Four-stars/5.8/No.151 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, TCU, Texas and Wisconsin.
Where UT Stands: Texas was in his top three as of a few months ago, along with Houston and TCU. Vongor really had a strong relationship with the old Texas staff, but his relationship with Herman and Co. at Houston should help the Longhorns in this recruitment.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 10/8) “I’m getting to see Texas, TCU, but I’m really just trying to focus on the season and take it week by week.”
17. Bobby Brown - DE - Arlington Lamar
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Low Four-stars/5.8/No.152 in Rivals250)
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: No
Current offers: Houston, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma
Where UT Stands: The new staff hasn't yet offered Brown, but if they do, expect Brown to have a strong interest. This kid's recruitment is just heating up.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 11/6) "I have six offers; Texas A&M, Texas, Houston, Baylor, Missouri and Oklahoma. I'm looking for a place that feels like home. I've visited OU and Texas A&M. I don't have any other visits planned right now, but I do want to get up to Texas and Missouri."
18. Luke Matthews - OL - FB Elkins
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Low Four-stars/5.8/No.154 on Rivals250)
Rivals Spotlight
Has Texas offered: No
Current status: Committed to Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: I think everyone knows the score here. He's a member of the Matthews family. He's going to Texas A&M.
19. Malcolm Epps - TE - Spring DeKaney
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Low Four-stars/5.8/No.160 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current Status: Committed to Alabama
Where UT Stands: The Crimson Tide commitment plans on taking all five of his official visits and claims that Florida State, Michigan and Ohio State will get three of his remaining four. There's room for Texas in that group, but the new staff hasn't yet made a move on the four-star tight end.
20. Drue Jackson - WR - Sachse
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Low Four-stars/5.8/No.173 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: No.
Current offers: Houston, Iowa, Louisville, Texas Tech, Utah and Washington State
Where UT Stands: Loves Texas. Really was hoping that he'd earn an offer at the Under the Lights Camp last July and if the Longhorns extend an offer, there's some thought that Herman and Co. would be the front-runner in his recruitment.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 7/15) “It should be exciting, I just need to do my thing and hopefully the staff likes me,” he said. “I don’t know how close I am to an offer with them, they do things differently than other schools. You never know, if they do it would be exciting because that would be a top school for me.”
(Ketch)
*****
Well, current coach Tom Herman is experiencing the same initial scrutiny Strong previously dealt with.
Obviously, the initial skepticism about Strong revolved around his ability to win games at Texas. Some Longhorn fans were optimistic, while others doubted Strong could make Texas into a national championship contender again. There were a few good moments (wins against Oklahoma, Baylor and Notre Dame), but Strong was eventually fired after never posting a winning season at Texas.
The focus on Herman has intensified recently after an off-the-record meeting with reporters, a controversial decision to hire former Baylor Bears assistant director of football operations Casey Horny, and a gathering with parents and players on Monday. Herman received mixed reviews after all of these events, which has left some Longhorn observers wondering what is this new coach all about?
Let us be honest for a minute. There are some people who are not bothered by anything that has occurred in the past few weeks. Others are alarmed by what Herman has said or done. Overall, there is not a consensus right now since Herman has only held his current position for over a month. A year from now, things will be different. Right now, there are different opinions about a man who has not coached in one game at Texas.
I spent this week talking to different people to get a better understanding of Herman. I was able to hit parents of current players, college coaches, administrators, and others who are familiar with Herman. There are some people who Herman has rubbed the wrong way since arriving in Austin. Others are optimistic his method of operation will turn Texas into a winning program. Honestly, if a reporter wanted to write a negative article about Herman, there are people willing to rip him. If a reporter wanted to write something positive, the same rules apply.
Instead of taking one side, I will attempt to give you an unbiased reporting of what I have learned through numerous conversations. My goal is to stay in the middle and let you formulate your own opinion.
Many OB members would like to know what happened in Herman’s meeting with Longhorn parents on Monday. There have a few reports that have surfaced so far. Again, it is important to remember everyone has a different perspective.
Here are some of the basics I reported earlier this week:
- Herman told everyone Texas will win and be successful. He believes once they clean up a few things and put the right personnel on the field, everything will be fine.
- He informed the group his team will endure a tough offseason program, which is something Herman has said before.
- Herman told the parents nobody has a position on his team, and every spot needs to be earned.
In addition, I can confirm Austin American-Statesmen’s Brian Davis’ report about Herman telling parents to stay positive on social media, and telling them not to speak to reporters. It is very rare to see an event at UT that does not involve a multitude of pictures posted on social media. However, there was not the typical social media buzz you normally see from players or parents while on campus. In addition, I was told Herman did not take questions from anybody in attendance, which surprised a few parents.
Here are a few reactions I received from parents:
“I was so mad,” one parent told me. “I got physically ill. I didn’t meet him. I didn’t meet his wife. I was so angry when we left. Everything was so negative. Just a lot of negativity and aggression.”
“There were parents shaking their heads and telling me he’s really going to turn things around,” another parent told me. “I’m an old-school guy, so I understand what Herman is trying to do. He’s trying to be the bad cop and will let his assistants play the good cop. It’s a smart move if you think about it. He’s just trying to create distance between him and his players to coach them.”
“If you want me to be positive, don’t attack me,” a parent told me. “He said if you can’t do this program, you should leave.”
“I heard what I needed to hear,” a parent told me. “He said we are going to win. That’s his goal. That’s what he’s trying to do. If he wins, I don’t think most parents are going to care.”
I have more quotes like this, but they all have similar tones. Again, his approach worked for some, but not for everybody.
One thing some parents were surprised at was seeing Herman call out players in front of them on Monday. The three guys he targeted in front of everybody were quarterback Shane Buechele, linebacker Malik Jefferson and offensive lineman Connor Williams. Basically, Herman used them as examples to say none of them have positions on this year’s team. They would have to earn it.
As we previously reported, Herman was like a bat out of hell during his first meeting with the players after Strong was fired. His approach bothered a lot of players. Several players walked away from that meeting not liking Herman. That was by design.
I spoke to someone who is very familiar with Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, and that person told me Herman’s tactic was straight out of his mentor’s playbook.
“Let me guess?" he said. “Herman called out the best players on the team?”
“Yes,” I replied.
“And I’m guessing Herman called out the best player on offense and defense?" he said.
“Yes, you are right,” I said.
“He learned that from Urban,” he said. “That’s a total Urban Meyer move. It’s like the guy who goes to prison and he looks for the biggest, bad guy in the prison yard, and he punches that guy in the face to send a message to everybody else. That’s what Herman is doing. He is going after the big players to get everybody’s attention. He goes after the leaders on offense and defense to fire up the entire team. I used to see Urban do that all the time. Urban called out players in meetings. He called out players in front of other people. He wasn’t trying to be your friend. He was being a football coach.”
The reactions from Herman’s off-the-record media session mirrored the sentiments expressed by parents earlier this week.
Out of respect for Herman, and the forum, I will not share anything discussed during our time together. Without getting into any details, there were several tense moments and exchanges, but I respected Herman’s honesty, even if I did not agree with everything he said. There were also times when Herman was funny, engaging, self-deprecating, and fun to be around.
When the session was over, some reporters thought he was a cool guy. Others did not like him. Once again, mixed reviews.
As a guy who covered Tony Dungy (nicest guy ever), Jon Gruden (condescending and sarcastic), Raheem Morris (a good friend to this day), Jim Schwartz (adversarial) and Charlie Strong (aloof), Herman is just another coach determined to do things his way. If he wins, nobody will care about his interactions with others. If Herman loses, those quirks will be used against him by people who the coach fired.
As most people know by now, Herman does not want any news leaks. After speaking to several people, I was told, “He has never been paranoid about the media. This appears to be a new thing.”
When Herman was in Houston, he was never a fan of media leaks, but the coach was accommodating to reporters. It remains to be seen what kind of relationship Herman will have with Austin media members, but the message from Monday’s meeting sent a clear message that information will be harder – not impossible – to obtain information in the Tom Herman era.
Right now, there are enough facts out there to formulate an opinion about Herman.
There may not be a consensus, but everyone can agree the microscope Herman is under at Texas will not mirror anything he has previously experienced as a coach. (Richardson)
*****
Very quickly caught up with a source about early thoughts from the winter period and conditioning workouts that started this week.
When I asked what the top story-line was that I should monitor was pre-Spring-Football, the answer was ... 2017 early enrollee RB Toneil Carter. The source said Carter has shown in team workouts that "he's got a little something to him," and that he's caught the eye of many right off the bat. One person said he would push to get reps right off in spring based on everything they had seen of Carter in conditioning periods, "the fact that he's here for the spring and gets that head-start means even more," the source said. Carter will compete with junior Chris Warren and sophomore Kyle Porter for carries. Sophomore Tristian Houston is technically still on the roster but we've gotten the distinct feeling he might be eyeing greener pastures (depth-chart wise) even before the coaching switch. Carter, based on high school film and attributes shown, projects as an early down option with playmaking ability in the receiving game as well. I'd expect him to be involved Week 1 in 2017. (Dunlap)
*****
As we know, Tom Herman wants to change Texas’ facilities, and he wants to change them now.
From what I’ve heard, one of the first goals for Texas will be to give the players’ locker rooms a complete overhaul. During the last recruiting weekend, there were visible signs to let people know renovations were coming, and, knowing Herman, those were probably intentionally placed.
Texas wants to make the locker rooms state-of-the-art locker rooms on par with the best in the country, like Alabama, Clemson, and others that have recently undergone renovations in that area. Texas will do whatever it needs to accomplish that. Considering how aggressive Herman has been in pushing for immediate renovations, it’s very possible the new locker rooms are done prior to the upcoming season. Oh, and as you’d expect, alignment will be part of the focus when coming up with the final product.
There’s no doubt that Herman is stirring things up on the 40 Acres, and pushing hard for change. (McComas)
*****
For the second consecutive weekend, it'll be a big turnout of official visitors for the Longhorns. Once again, it'll be a good mixture of committed and uncommitted prospects, and at least one JUCO player will be on campus.
A breakdown of the guys we're expecting to be in town ...
K'Lavon Chaisson - DE - North Shore - Simply put, this is the biggest visit of the year for the Longhorns. With all due respect to all the other prospects Texas has recruited and brought in, the level of success for this year's UT class will largely be determined by whether or not Texas lands Chaisson. He's one of the highest-ranked prospect on UT's board and he's a player the staff has been recruiting dating back to their time at Houston. Visits to Colorado and USC are still on the schedule, but this one is still a Texas-LSU battle and the Longhorns need to knock it out of the park this weekend. More on Chaisson in a bit.
Brandon Henderson - DE - Georgia Military College - Texas continues to scour the JUCO ranks for defensive linemen after bringing in a couple for visits last weekend. Henderson hasn't been offered yet, but things could get interesting if Texas offers this weekend. East Carolina and Georgia also in the picture. More on Henderson below.
Javelin Guidry - CB - Vista Murrietta (CA) - This is one we'll be watching closely. Guidry is a former Houston commitment and standout for Cedar Park's state championship team last year. This one seems like a slam dunk if Texas pushes for a commitment.
Jordan Pouncey - WR - Winter Park (FL) - Pouncey is down to four and Texas is one of the finalists. He'll visit Tennessee next weekend. Miami is the team to beat here but Pouncey does really like the Longhorns so we'll see if Texas can make a strong impression and get him to leave the state of Florida.
Max Cummins - DE - Fort Worth All Saints Episcopal - Picked up his UT offer on Tuesday and committed almost immediately. Cummins is locked in, so this weekend will be about him getting comfortable with his future teammates and doing a little recruiting on UT's behalf.
Cade Brewer - TE - Lake Travis - Locked in to his UT commitment. Should be pretty uneventful other than him bonding with the other guys on campus.
Daniel Young - RB - Houston Westfield - Young is solid with his pledge but he's still fairly new to the Texas commit list so this will be a valuable weekend to get him more familiar with the program.
Josh Thompson - DB - Nacogdoches - One of UT's most active recruiters, Thompson could play a key role this weekend.
Montrell Estell - DB - Hooks - It'll be interesting to hear what the staff tells Estell this weekend about how he'll be used.
Damion Miller - WR - John Tyler - No need to worry about this one, but Texas needs to make sure he leaves happy with his visit since there's such a big need at receiver. (Suchomel)
******
K'Lavon Chaisson doesn't do interviews and from what I've gathered, nobody has a really great indication on how his LSU visit went last weekend. I did check with a source at North Shore who told me there was "nothing in terms of buzz (about the visit)" but said "he enjoyed the visit. Hard not to enjoy Baton Rouge but you could say the same for Austin."
Looking for some good news? A person with knowledge of Chaisson's recruitment told me on Thursday that as long as things don't go completely sideways on his UT visit this weekend, he thinks Chaisson will be a Longhorn.
I've felt Texas was the team to beat for a while, but after the things I heard this week I feel even more confident in that prediction. (Suchomel)
******
The Longhorns extended an offer to 2017 Kemp wide receiver and Missouri commitment Elijah Gardiner this week, and it sounds like Texas made an instant impression.
Gardiner is scheduled to take an official visit to Texas next weekend (January 27) per a person close to him.
Texas did an in-home on Wednesday night (Drew Mehringer, Stan Drayton, Corby Meekins). Missouri is in-home on Thursday night.
Ohio State has been "kicking the tires" on Gardiner, my source said, but I was told "I think this is a two-horse race between Missouri and Texas."
Look for Gardiner to take the UT visit next week and then sit down with his family to make a final decision. It sounds like he is genuinely torn as of Thursday night.
"I know he was excited about the Texas offer. His family was too. But he really likes Missouri too," the source said.
A little background on Gardiner that I picked up during my conversation ... he's a four-year varsity player but has only played receiver for two years. That fact, plus the fact that Kemp isn't a recruiting hotbed, is part of the reason he's flown under the radar. He's up to about 205 pounds and is every bit of 6-5 or taller, and the person I spoke with said Gardiner has legitimately been clocked at a sub-4.4 in the 40-yard dash. (Suchomel)
******
Juco DE Brandon Henderson will be in Austin this weekend and he told me if he gets an offer, he'll consider giving Texas a commitment.
"There's a pretty big chance that I would (commit)," Henderson said. "I'm probably going to be committing in a week or so anyway. There's probably a chance I would commit there, or that would definitely put them in my top schools."
Along with Texas, East Carolina, Georgia and Kansas are being considered. Georgia has not offered yet because their numbers are full, but Henderson has been told that a UGA offer could come at the last minute.
On the Texas visit ...
"I've been talking about visiting them for the past few weeks. I have known coach (Oscar) Giles since he was at Houston, the past few months. They offered me at Houston and he wanted me to come visit Texas too," Henderson said.
"My biggest thing about Texas, all the coaches from Houston went over there. All the coaches that were recruiting me are over there. I know the coaches over there, have known them since fall camp."
Wherever he winds up, Henderson will have two years to play two seasons of Division I football. (Suchomel)
******
Texas extended an offer to England (AR) defensive end B.J. Thompson on Thursday and Thompson tells me he'll take an official visit to Texas sometime next week. He's visiting Utah this weekend and Baylor on January 27, but plans to be in Austin for a midweek visit.
Florida State stopped by his school this week and is also talking about bringing him in for a visit, so Thompson said he may try to cram two mid-week visits in, if possible.
Thompson decommitted from Washington State on Wednesday and said he has an open mind among the schools he's visiting. WSU is still in the picture as well.
"I just had to open my recruitment yesterday. I'll take these last couple weeks to really think things through, where I want to spend the next four or five years of my life," Thompson said. "Right now, I'm taking it day by day. I may take it all the way to signing day."
Thoughts on the Texas offer ...
"Texas, that's a big offer. It's a chance to play for a Big 12 team, especially Texas. It's one of the top programs in the nation. That's really big. I'm going to really consider them," Thompson said. (Suchomel)
******
Texas OL commitment Derek Kerstetter took his official visit to UT last weekend and it sounds like things couldn't have gone much better.
"It was awesome. I had a great time talking to the coaches, enjoyed the experience. It was great," Kerstetter said. "I talked to (Zach Shackelford) a bunch. They're awesome guys. It was great. I can't wait to be home."
Kerstetter said most of his conversations with the staff were about what's going on in his life rather than hard-core football talk. Basically, the staff just wanted to get to know him better and make sure Kerstetter was comfortable on the visit.
"I'm super excited. It's a great program obviously. I'll be coming into a great city, a city that loves their team and players," Kerstetter said. "I'm excited to be there, to represent the state of Texas. I'm just a guy who is going to work his butt off, help the team, help get better and get wins." (Suchomel)
******
One hot issue of discussion for Texas fans since Tom Herman took over the Texas job is how the players would react to the transition from Charlie Strong to the new staff.
In speaking with someone close to the football program earlier this week, the players have responded well so far to Herman’s expectations and offseason conditioning program.
The same source indicated that many the players realize how disappointing the 2016 season was, and many understand that significant changes needed to be made in order to compete at an elite level.
“They understand there’s a reason they lost to Kansas, it wasn’t just bad luck” the source said.
While the offseason just started this week, it sounds like the Texas players are embracing the high expectations that Herman and his staff have placed before them. (Larkin)
******
Nothing earth-shattering, but I wanted to pass along a short note about the offseason conditioning program I was given.
Under new head coach Tom Herman, I was told there will be a heavier emphasis on weight lifting and strength in this year’s offseason program than under Charlie Strong’s staff. In fact, I was told that players were required to “max out” in several areas on the first day of the conditioning program.
This comes in contrast to the type of conditioning program Strong’s staff employed where the offseason program consisted of more work pertaining to speed and power off the line of scrimmage than actual strength building and strict lifting regiments. (Larkin)
*****
After Matt Coleman’s commitment to Texas on Monday, the Longhorns still have one scholarship remaining right now, and are after a couple of big fish. Brian Bowen, a five-star guard/wing that plays at La Lumiere (La Porte, Indiana), is one of those big fish. Bowen, who is 6-7 and rated as the No. 19 prospect overall, took an official visit to Texas the last week in November. In December, Bowen said he’d be deciding soon, but he’s since delayed that.
“Whenever I get that gut feeling when I know exactly where I’m going,” said Bowen after his Hoophall Classic game about when his decision would come. He then added it could come soon after he takes an unofficial visit to Michigan State in late January.
Bowen is down to Arizona, Creighton, Michigan State, NC State, and Texas. Most believe Arizona is in the best position right now, but there’s been a little Michigan State buzz of late. Texas is probably with Creighton as teams in the distance, but lurking.
However, Texas’ chances might have improved after Coleman announced to Texas.
“Oh, yeah. It’s really appealing,” responded Bowen when I asked him if Coleman’s commitment helps Texas in his recruiting. “They really need a point guard, and Matt is a great point guard to play with. He’s a great guy on the court and off the court. It really is appealing.”
In fact, Coleman was already reaching out to Bowen prior to his announcement, and the five-star wing expects even more communication from Coleman now.
“Yeah. He’s been texting us (he and Mo Bamba) pretty much every day or every other day. Now, he’s going to be texting us even more,” he said with a laugh about Texas’ newest commitment.
Bowen said he hears from the Texas staff often, knows he can provide some of what they’re looking for.
“They have been talking to me a lot,” Bowen said about Texas. “Two of my former high school teammates are playing down there, so they’ve been calling me as well. Their staff is a great staff. They’ve been stressing they want me to get there. They really need a guy that can score the ball, a guy that can do a little bit of everything. Coach Smart is a great guy. They probably had one of the hardest practices I’ve ever seen. Guys are really getting better down there.”
I still think Texas’ odds aren’t great with Bowen, but they’re not bad either. And Coleman’s commitment gave Texas some more ammo to use. (McComas)
******
Now, for an update on that other big fish, five-star Westtown School (Westtown, Pennsylvania via Harlem, New York) big man Mohamed Bamba.
Bamba, the nation’s No. 4 overall prospect, set visits to Kentucky (this upcoming weekend) and Duke (last weekend in February), and is down to a final four of Kentucky, Duke, Michigan and Texas. He told Rivals.com he wants to decide in March.
If you missed our coverage of Coleman’s commitment, the Oak Hill Academy point guard and future Longhorn said he believes he has the upper hand against those other schools and commitments/signees recruiting Bamba. From what I’ve heard, Coleman’s recruitment of Bamba has really increased since Monday, and Bamba was paying attention to where Coleman was going.
From everything I’ve heard from multiple people this week, I think, right now, the two teams that have emerged from Bamba’s list in best position are Texas and Kentucky. Obviously, that could change.
We’ll see what happens after Bamba’s final two official visits, but Smart and Coleman are two people Bamba really likes and could see himself playing with and for at the next level. I believe Bamba sees himself more in Austin than Lexington, but in addition to Coleman he’s also tight with future Kentucky players Quade Green and Hamidou Diallo. And, as we all know, Kentucky is very tough to beat in these situations, and Duke should never be counted out, although Coleman did just pick Texas over it.
Bottom line: Texas is very, very much in this recruitment, and should be in it with a chance to win until the very end. (McComas)
*****
Nothing new to report on sophomore guard/wing Tevin Mack right now. He remains suspended indefinitely and isn’t a part of team activities. As of earlier this week, Mack was expected to be in class like normal.
What happens from here very likely depends on Mack’s response, his efforts to adhere to program standards and Smart’s requirements, and what Smart feels is best for the program. (McComas)
****
Finally, as I put the finishing touches on the updates 2018 LSR rankings, I thought I would give everyone a 2018 overview at the top, based on the current Rivals rankings for the 2018 class. For those looking for silver linings in recruiting, the prospects in 2018 should be quite uplifting.
1. Anthony Cook - CB - Houston Lamar
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (High Four-stars/6.0/No.23 in the Rivals250)
Junior Highlights and RCS Analysis
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Errrrybody.
Where UT Stands: In 2016, Cook visited Texas for a camp, the Under The Lights Camp and the Notre Dame. Along with Texas, Cook lists LSU, Clemson, Ohio State and Georgia as schools he wants to visit in the coming months. Of the in-state schools, the Longhorns definitely seem to have the edge and Cook seems to have the profile of a kid that is going to give the Longhorns every chance to impress him. Given the circumstances, Tom Herman and his staff start out in an excellent position.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on December 31st) "Nothing but good things (on Tom Herman). I think Tom Herman at Texas is really going to turn the program around. I'm looking forward to see what he's going to do."
(Via OB on 9/5 after attending Texas/Notre Dame,) "It was amazing. I've never been to a college game and the feeling was unexplainable."
2. B.J. Foster - DB - Angleton
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (High Four-stars/6.0/No.22 on Rivals 250)
Junior Highlights and Rivals Camp Series Highlights
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Basically errrrbody.
Where UT Stands: Like Cook, Foster is going to give the Longhorns every chance possible to impress him. Foster is fairly close with former Longhorns cornerback Quandre Diggs and has a high opinion of the Texas brand. As things currently stand, the Longhorns are in his current top five and seemingly in as good of a position as you would expect, given the circumstances.
Quotable: (Via OB on 12/15) “No, it hasn’t [affected where they stand],” Foster said about the coaching change. “[Texas] is a good program and they make great young men and football players.”
“Coach Herman is a nice guy. They recruited me [when he was at Houston], but I didn’t hear too much from him.”
(Via OB on 7/19) "I'm liking Texas pretty good. Quandre Diggs talks really highly about them," Foster said. "They're definitely up there."
3. Al'Vonte Woodard - WR - Houston Lamar
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (High Four-stars/6.0/No.27 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights and RCS Analysis
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Arizona, Houston, Kansas, Mississippi State, Ole Miss, Texas, Texas A&M and West Virginia (among others)
Where UT Stands: With the recent offer he picked up from the Texas staff, it seems like the Longhorns are right in the thick of his early favorites, along with Texas A&M, Arkansas and Ole Miss. This could evolve over time into an in-state showdown between the Longhorns/Aggies.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 1/16): “It’s a huge offer,. They already said they were coming for me, but they had to see what else they had to offer in the class of 2017. So it wasn’t so much of a surprise for me, but it’s a real big offer.”
“When I get out there, I’m just hoping to get a look at how they’re trying to change the program,” he said. “I’m wanting to see how they’re planning to get themselves into bigger games - bigger bowl games. I expect for them to do the same sort of thing I saw them do at U of H; air it out, run the ball, and just have a balanced offense.”
4. Caden Sterns - DB - Cibolo Steele
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Mid Four-stars/5.8/No.48 overall nationally)
Sophomore Highlights
Current status: Committed to LSU
Current Offers: LSU, Baylor, Houston, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Tennessee, Texas, Texas Tech and UCLA
Where UT Stands: Sterns showed some interest in the Longhorns throughout the summer and early into last season, but he became Ed Orgeron's first commitment at LSU and there are no signs of him backing off that pledge at this time.
Quotable: “(LSU's) always been my dream school really. I just took a visit when they played Alabama and it was everything I expected and more. It’s a wonderful place and felt like family. Everybody’s close.”
5. Brennan Eagles - WR - Alief Taylor
Junior Highlights and Top off-season plays
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Colorado, Georgia, Houston, Michigan State, Mississippi State, Oklahoma, TCU, Tennessee and Texas.
Where UT Stands: Texas seems to be his in-state favorite (ahead of Baylor), while Tennessee and Oklahoma are the primary out of state schools he claims to want to visit in the coming weeks and months.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 1/12) “Really I’m just waiting for the season to start,” he said. “At U of H, Coach (Tom) Herman threw the ball more, so I’m just waiting to see the season play out and see if UT is going to use more spread.”
“It opens up my eyes as a matter of fact. It’s close to home, my mom likes it there, so it will definitely be one of my top schools when I decide to narrow some stuff down. It’s not far, family can come see me play and that’s a big deal – you always want moms right there by your side.”
6. Max Wright - DE - Katy Taylor
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Arkansas, Baylor, Georgia, Houston, LSU, Oklahoma, Stanford, Texas, Texas A&M and Texas Tech
Where UT Stands: Wright's recruitment is just getting started, so it's hard to handicap the field at this point, but his sister not only attends Arkansas, but she's a football recruiting host. Just a note to file away for the future.
Quotable: (Via Hawgsports.com on 1/17) "I think (Arkansas) is a great program,. I like the school and the campus a lot, and I want to get to know the coaches more."
7. Alston Orji - LB Rockwall
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Arkansas, Baylor, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: Good news ... Orji has indicated a preference to stay close to home. Although he hasn't scheduled a visit to Texas yet, he visited Texas during the 2016 season and the Longhorns will be a major factor in his recruitment, as will the Aggies.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 1/10) "I'm going to A&M junior day but other than that nothing specifically planned but I would like to get out to a lot of the schools that have offered me. A&M junior day is coming up here in a few weeks and I'd like to get out and see the schools nearby that have offered me since I still have my responsibilities to my school I want to stay around the area; TCU, OU, A&M, Arkansas, Texas and other schools nearby."
(Via OB on 9/5 following the Notre Dame game) "It was crazy to be a part of! Great game, lost most of my voice! Some of the most loyal fans to the very end."
8. Joshua Moore - WR - Yoakum
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Mid Four-stars/5.9/No.107 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights and Underclassmen Challenge Highlights
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Arkansas, Baylor, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Houston, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and USC
Where UT Stands: With his brother's recent commitment to Texas A&M, it's going to be an uphill battle for the Longhorns, but they've got 12 months to chip away.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 12/30) “Relationships are big to me, man,. Right now, in my opinion, I think I have the biggest relationship with Coach (Todd) Lyght out of all the coaches that I know. “
(Via Rivals on 12/13) “A few hours after he got hired, him and Coach (Oscar) Giles texted me saying ‘Guess who just got the new job at Texas?’ When they told me, they said they have a great spot for me to come in and show all my skills in this new offense. They told me this is where your mother went to college, why not come home?
“For them to reach out to me and tell me that is a great feeling.”
(Via OB on 9/5 following the Notre Dame game) "Overall experience was great! Spent time with a lot of big time recruits and the whole coaching staff! The atmosphere was crazy the WHOLE game!!"
9. Darrell Simpson - OL - Justin Northwest
Junior Highlights and RCS Challenge One on Ones
Has Texas offered: No
Current offers: Baylor, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, TCU and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: Although Simpson hasn't tipped his hand publicly about his list of favorites outside of listing who he has visited and where he would still like to visit, there was a sense this week from a few people that I spoke with that Texas A&M is the team to beat, but the Longhorns will be a team he gives very serious consideration.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 11/14) "I have 16 offers and recruiting is really going great. I would say that all of the schools that have offered me are recruiting me hard right now. I took a visit to Texas, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas A&M and Oklahoma State. I am trying to get to Ohio State."
(Via OB on 5/19) "The one thing you can say is they're a powerhouse, love to run. They're big on their line," Simpson said. "That's one of the schools if they do offer I'll look at."
10. Jalen Preston - WR - Manvel
Junior Highlights and RCS One on Ones
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current Offers: Baylor, Georgia, Houston, LSU, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Texas and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: It seems like his recruiting process is just getting started, but the Longhorns are probably behind LSU and Texas A&M in the early stages.
Quotable: (Via The Wolverine on 1/12) "I’ve been to LSU and that was a nice school. I’ve been to Texas A&M a lot because it’s right around the corner. I’ve been to Houston, Texas, mostly just the nearby schools. It really doesn’t matter to me if a school is close or not. I want to find the best school for me and my needs."
11. Jalen Green - DB - Houston Heights
Sophomore Highlights and RCS One on Ones
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Baylor, Clemson, Georgia, Houston, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, TCU, Texas and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: The new Texas staff offered less than two weeks ago and the Longhorns expect to have their hands full with the likes of LSU, Texas A&M and other national elite programs. The best news is that there's a feeling that his recruitment is just starting to take off and the Longhorns will have plenty of chances to fight its way to the front.
12. Jarell Cherry - DE - Dallas Carter
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Mid Four-stars/5.9/No.119 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Alabama, LSU, Oklahoma, Texas and Texas Tech
Where UT Stands: The Longhorns were considered the early favorite and in some estimations remain the team to beat, but this is a recruitment that is about to turn into a battle royal, as Ed Orgeron personally plans to lead the recruitment of Cherry, while the likes Oklahoma and Texas A&M are ready to throw its heavy hitters at him as well.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 7/27) "Even though people are forgetting about what Texas is, how they have a strong mentality as a football team and they’ve been doing it for a long time now.”
“I talk to Coach B.J. [Brian Jean-Mary] and when I am out here I do talk to Coach Strong, I can talk to him. They tell me keep working at it, rest my legs, don’t overwork things and they say ‘your gift is very special,’ and to ‘keep up with it.’”
13. Calvin Avery - DT - Dallas Bishop Dunne
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Mid Four-stars/5.9/No.125 in Rivals250)
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Baylor, Colorado, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU, Texas and Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: Although he camped at Texas last summer and the Longhorns were thought to be in a great position at that time, the Longhorns probably have some ground to make up at this point in his recruiting process. One person I spoke with this week believes that his recruitment will really start to heat up in the coming weeks as he starts to set up his spring visit plans. Basically, there's a long way to go. He's a guy we need to get an update on.
14. Stanley Hackett - RB - Pasadena Rayburn
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Mid Four-stars/5.9/No.137 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: No
Current offers: Texas Tech, Tulsa, UTA
Where UT Stands: Hackett committed to Tech last summer because of his relationship with Tech running backs coach DeShaun Foster, but he announced on Wednesday that he was de-committing and opening his recruitment up.
Quotable: (Via Red Raider Sports on 8/11) "I surprised a lot of people, I was talking with my grandma and told her that I wanted to commit,. It felt right and I always wanted to stay here in Texas, somewhat close to home. I followed my instincts and called coach Foster.
15. Chad Bailey - LB - Missouri City Ridge Point
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Low Four-stars/5.8/No.148 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: No
Current offers: Indiana, Mississippi, Mississippi State, SMU and UTSA
Where UT Stands: Texas really hasn't emerged as a factor in his recruitment yet, but he seems to like Houston quite a bit. He's got a visit to Missouri coming in the coming weeks and Texas A&M is also showing interest.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 1/15) “There’s nothing wrong with staying at home to play football and be the hometown hero. I’ve taken a visit to Houston, but I haven’t talked to many of the new coaches, I’ve met to Coach (James) Casey, the tight ends coach, he came and talk to me last week and said I should be getting some good news from them pretty soon.”
“I just like the atmosphere on game days and practice. They’re all hype, they got the music playing and everyone’s playing with energy - they’re flying around to the ball. Hopefully it’s the same with the new coaches.”
16. Atanza Vongor - DB - South Grand Prairie
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current offers: Alabama, Arkansas, Baylor, Clemson, Georgia, Michigan, TCU, Texas and Wisconsin.
Where UT Stands: Texas was in his top three as of a few months ago, along with Houston and TCU. Vongor really had a strong relationship with the old Texas staff, but his relationship with Herman and Co. at Houston should help the Longhorns in this recruitment.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 10/8) “I’m getting to see Texas, TCU, but I’m really just trying to focus on the season and take it week by week.”
17. Bobby Brown - DE - Arlington Lamar
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Low Four-stars/5.8/No.152 in Rivals250)
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: No
Current offers: Houston, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma
Where UT Stands: The new staff hasn't yet offered Brown, but if they do, expect Brown to have a strong interest. This kid's recruitment is just heating up.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 11/6) "I have six offers; Texas A&M, Texas, Houston, Baylor, Missouri and Oklahoma. I'm looking for a place that feels like home. I've visited OU and Texas A&M. I don't have any other visits planned right now, but I do want to get up to Texas and Missouri."
18. Luke Matthews - OL - FB Elkins
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Low Four-stars/5.8/No.154 on Rivals250)
Rivals Spotlight
Has Texas offered: No
Current status: Committed to Texas A&M
Where UT Stands: I think everyone knows the score here. He's a member of the Matthews family. He's going to Texas A&M.
19. Malcolm Epps - TE - Spring DeKaney
Current recruiting grade: Rivals (Low Four-stars/5.8/No.160 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: Yes
Current Status: Committed to Alabama
Where UT Stands: The Crimson Tide commitment plans on taking all five of his official visits and claims that Florida State, Michigan and Ohio State will get three of his remaining four. There's room for Texas in that group, but the new staff hasn't yet made a move on the four-star tight end.
20. Drue Jackson - WR - Sachse
Current recruiting grades: Rivals (Low Four-stars/5.8/No.173 on Rivals250)
Junior Highlights
Has Texas offered: No.
Current offers: Houston, Iowa, Louisville, Texas Tech, Utah and Washington State
Where UT Stands: Loves Texas. Really was hoping that he'd earn an offer at the Under the Lights Camp last July and if the Longhorns extend an offer, there's some thought that Herman and Co. would be the front-runner in his recruitment.
Quotable: (Via Rivals on 7/15) “It should be exciting, I just need to do my thing and hopefully the staff likes me,” he said. “I don’t know how close I am to an offer with them, they do things differently than other schools. You never know, if they do it would be exciting because that would be a top school for me.”
(Ketch)
*****
Last edited by a moderator:
