Texas football coach Tom Herman was unable to obtain one grad transfer quarterback, but that does not mean he has stopped looking.
Herman made a run at LSU grad transfer Brandon Harris, who was interested in playing at Texas. Harris had a tentative visit to Austin scheduled this weekend, but committed to North Carolina earlier this week after a recent campus visit. Instead of giving up on obtaining another grad transfer, Herman is kicking the tires on Notre Dame quarterback Malik Zaire.
I can confirm Herman is actively recruiting Zaire and trying to sell him on the benefits of playing for Texas. In fact, Zaire spent Wednesday evening on the phone with Longhorn offensive coordinator Tim Beck. From what I can tell, it appears Zaire and Beck had a good conversation.
Here are some quick facts worth mentioning before we go further:
- According to several published reports, Wisconsin and Florida are also competing for Zaire. The person I spoke to did not want to confirm those schools, but told me, “All I can say is that two schools are really interested. One school for sure.”
- Zaire has not scheduled an official visit to Austin. It seems like he is trying to get a good feel for all the schools involved in the recruiting process.
- He may not begin to narrow down his decision until after the schools interested in him finish playing their respective spring games. It appears Zaire wants to see how each quarterback performs, plus watch each offense, to gauge which school might be the best fit for him.
Sounds simple.
What is the catch, right?
Well, just like Harris, Zaire will only attend a school where he feels like there is a good chance he may start this season. He is not looking to go anywhere for depth, or to simply be a part of another program. After losing his job last season, Zaire wants to play.
“Well, put it this way,” I was told. “Zaire has always wanted a fair chance to compete because it makes him better. His concern is going anywhere that the cards are already stacked, and he would be used as a motivator to push someone else to get better and then he is regulated to a backup role. That's a bunch of tomfoolery, and he won't have any of that.
“So, if any coach is out there who is willing to be upfront straight out the gate, and the offense is great for his particular skill set, then I am sure he will listen. It's all about him helping any team win a national championship with him playing an important part of that, and not being played and being regulated to a lesser role contributing to nothing. I tell you what, this kid works his ass off to get better to help the team win. He is an alpha male, a leader, and a damn good player.”
That brings us back the interview I had with Herman last week.
When I asked Herman about a grad transfer wanting to come in and play right away, he tried to shoot down that assertion, even though Harris told me he was looking to start at another school this season.
“I don’t believe that’s true,” Herman told me last week. “We had a great experience with a kid named Adam Schulz from the University of Utah. Had actually started a few games, and they had a little quarterback carousal going on around there. He was told, ‘Hey, it’s going to be a two-man race in the fall.’ He said, ‘Okay, I just want to go and compete somewhere.' He came to Houston and competed with Greg Ward Jr. and we signed him because, quite frankly, we didn’t know if Greg could play quarterback. Adam turned out to be a marvelous quarterback, and had a tremendous experience at University of Houston. I think he’s working for the NCAA right now, and got the job through his ties at the University of Houston. I don’t think that’s always the case. I think they’re all different. You would quite literally have to have zero quarterbacks in your rosters for said grad transfer to think there is going to be zero competition. I think they realize they’re always going to have to beat out whoever is in that room.”
I get the feeling Zaire is looking to attend a place where he has a good chance of winning the job. Zaire wants to compete, but it has to be the right situation for him.
Texas currently has Shane Buechele (sophomore) and Sam Ehlinger (freshman) competing for a starting position. If Herman is considering redshirting Ehlinger, a two-man competition between Beuchele and Zaire might be intriguing to the grad transfer.
Here is the answer I received when I asked if Zaire is looking to be promised a starting spot or is seeking a fair shot.
“A strong assurance, and the offense has to be the right fit for his skill set to lead the team and for him to really shine in doing it,” I was told.
Zaire compiled 816 passing yards, six passing touchdowns, 324 rushing yards and two more scores while failing to commit a turnover in his four-year career at Notre Dame. The best game of Zaire’s career was against Texas, when he completed 19 of 22 passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-3 Irish victory in the 2015 season opener. Last season, he completed just 2-of-5 passes for 23 yards in a double-overtime defeat in Austin, which signaled his time at Notre Dame was coming to an end.
Buechele compiled 2,958 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while rushing for 151 yards and two touchdowns last season.
Like Haris, Zaire has a lot of respect for Herman.
Zaire is considering Texas because of Herman’s history with quarterbacks, plus his reputation of running successful offenses at Ohio State and Houston.
“Herman is a fine coach and a player's coach. A coach the kids buy into,” I was told. “He gets the most out of them because he cares about them, and he doesn't bully them or scare them into doing the right thing for the program. He will have the team competitive within two seasons at national championship level.” (Richardson)
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We had a 15-minute window to watch practice on Thursday, but did not get a chance to see any 11-on-11 drills. However, there were definitely plenty of notes worth passing on.
- Chris Warren, Tristian Houston and Kirk Johnson did not participate in Thursday’s practice. Johnson has been battling through injuries this spring, but it appears his knee injury may have flared up on him again. The only running backs who participated were Kyle Porter and Trenton Hafley (a walk-on).
- Speaking of running backs, Texas had its quarterbacks working out with Stan Drayton during practice. Each quarterback had to maneuver around step-over dummies before planting his hand in the grass to get around an impact ball. Drayton worked them like running backs, and each passer was more focused on executing the drills properly rather than looking like the next Ricky Williams. The drills were so new to them, Shane Buechele was smiling and laughing with his quarterbacks after each rep.
- In addition to the footwork drills, each quarterback had to line up at receiver and catch passes. There is a walk-on quarterback (No. 17) throwing passes to Sam Ehlinger, Josh Covey and Buechele. I inquired about No. 17, but nobody knew who he was.
- Every time I see Holton Hill, he has looked good at practice. Well, Texas defensive backs coach Jason Washington was so excited about Hill during backpedaling drills, he went out of his way to praise the cornerback during practice. Hill’s footwork was incredibly fluid, he kept his body tight, and when it was time to change direction and open up, he exploded with ease. Hill’s footwork is arguably the best in that group.
- Kris Boyd and Hill were the first cornerbacks during drills. Boyd displayed good footwork and looked the part. Hill was a notch above Boyd. However, Boyd is another guy Washington was impressed with on Thursday.
- Eric Cuffee is one guy who struggled during backpedaling drills. Washington had to put in extra time with Cuffee, who routinely broke too early. It is clear Cuffee is a young guy who needs to put in some extra work.
- Patrick Hudson worked out at second string right guard, while J.P. Urquidez was at second string left tackle. (Richardson)
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Overland Park (KS) Blue Valley North defensive end Miles Emery tried to make it in for UT’s junior day in February but was unable to attend. Emery was in Texas last weekend for the Dallas Under Armour Camp so he took advantage of the opportunity and made his way down to Austin to take in UT’s scrimmage on Saturday.
Emery, who holds offers from Oklahoma, Iowa State, Kansas and Louisville, said it was a good experience overall.
“It was fun. It was my first practice I’ve been to for any college visit, so that was cool seeing how they coached the d-line,” Emery said. “I liked that. (Oscar Giles) was a very eager, very energetic guy. It was fun being there at the practice.”
Emery is planning to take upcoming visits to Louisville and OU for spring practices.
Texas didn’t offer, but the 6-5, 235-pounder is hoping one comes in the future.
“They said they’re talking to the coaches and just getting things settled in with the head coach. They’re working to see if they can offer me,” Emery said.
At this point, Emery said he doesn’t have an actual list of leaders since the recruiting process is still pretty new to him. He does want to commit this summer, so he’ll need to start working through his options in the near future. If Texas offers, I’d expect the Longhorns to draw heavy consideration.
“If they were to offer, they would be pretty high up there, move some schools down,” Emery said. “It would cool to be offered from them. They’re a great school. I like their engineering program because I want to be an engineer.” (Suchomel)
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One defensive end who does hold an offer from Texas is Oklahoma City Ron Tatum.
Tatum took an unofficial visit to Texas early this spring and said he’s not ready to list a group of favorites because he’s still visiting schools. He hopes to have some sort of list this summer.
As for Texas, he said the spring visit was very productive and the Longhorns are very much in the mix.
“It was just the coaches. They were all great,” Tatum said. They treated me like I was family, like I was already there. They were all great.
“They’re at the top, one of the top schools. Everything was great at Texas – the coaches, the facilities, the players … it was all great.”
Tatum said he’s hoping to get back down to Austin soon for another visits. When it comes time to narrow his focus, he said it will come down to the people in the program and the opportunity for early playing time.
On the surface, it feels like Tatum is going to be tough to get away from OU, but he said he’s open to going anywhere that fits him.
“It won’t be hard. It doesn’t matter if it’s out of state. I’ll leave. That doesn’t matter to me. It’s all based on the school,” Tatum said. (Suchomel)
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Fort Worth Eastern Hills linebacker Byron Hobbs holds a Texas offer after visiting during junior day weekend, and he was back on campus on Saturday to watch the Longhorns’ spring practice.
According to Hobbs, the visit made an impression, including the time spent with the coaches and players.
“The Texas visit was a big deal to me,” Hobbs said. “I definitely did enjoy Texas, just being out there with coach Herman, coach Orlando and the linebackers out there.”
Hobbs said UT’s sales pitch was for him to be part of the family and help rebuild the Longhorns’ rebuilding efforts. That strategy could pay off for the Longhorns.
“I don’t want a school that’s already up there. I don’t want a school that already has the luxury of winning a national championship,” Hobbs said. “I want a school that’s going to have to rebuild and make me work. And then a school that’s going to help me after I graduate.”
Coming up, Hobbs will visit Texas A&M, Arkansas, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and TCU. He said also he’s “definitely” going to bet back to Texas to see more of the school and the city of Austin. Hobbs listed five schools as standing out.
“Right now I’m just enjoying the process but I have to say Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU and A&M are in there,” he said.
Hobbs said Texas likes him as a rover/outside linebacker and said he could see him playing a role similar to Malik Jefferson as Hobbs builds on his 6-4 frame. He liked what he saw from the Texas linebackers at Saturday’s scrimmage, including the energy by UT’s “old” defensive coordinator.
“(Orlando) brings aggression. He’s aggressive, he has the juice. For an old guy, he has a lot of juice,” Hobbs said. (Suchomel)
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Rockwall linebacker Alston Orji holds a UT offer and took a recent unofficial visit with his family to see the Texas program. In reflecting on that visit, Orji said it was a productive trip and he expects the Longhorns to turn things around under the current coaching staff.
“I’m thinking Texas is doing great things right now. Their staff has reached out to me numerous times. We’ve had very good conversation about the future, what it holds for them, what it holds for me,” Orji said. “I believe they’re going to do great things with the program, turn things around and create something great at Texas again.”
Orji is serious about his academics and said the resources at Texas were one of the things that caught his eye during his visit.
“They have good proximity to the resources for their players. Their dorms are very close to the academic center. The academic center is very close to the coaches’ offices. So everything is kind of in the center, so it’s very easy for coaches to check up on players,” Orji said. “It’s just a walk away. It’s easy for players to get to the academic and get things figured out for themselves.”
Although he’s keeping an open mind and still evaluating other programs, including some out-of-state schools, Orji said there are some schools in the area that have grabbed his attention.
“There are a lot of schools that stand out to me. I’m not trying to rank any above the others, but based on my relationships, a lot of the schools nearby – Texas, Oklahoma, A&M, Arkansas – have really stood out just because I’ve been able to establish a good relationship with those coaches,” Orji said.
As it stands right now, Orji doesn’t have any plans to return to Texas for a visit in the immediate future. He may hit some out of state schools and mentioned Michigan, UCLA and Notre Dame specifically. (Suchomel)
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Texas offered DeSoto cornerback Gemon Green a couple weeks ago and while Green told us he’ was “very excited getting that offer,” it sounds like the Longhorns may have some work to do if they hope to land his commitment.
Green said he is dead-set on playing college ball with his twin brother, German Green. Green did list Texas in his top group with Michigan, Colorado and TCU, but the Longhorns haven’t offered German, while some of the other schools high on his list (Michigan and Colorado) have.
Green said he plans to visit Michigan on April 18 and has a Baylor visit set up but didn’t know the exact date. He’s hoping to return to Austin for UT’s spring game and does have some history with Texas that could help the Longhorns’ chances.
“My sister graduated from Texas. I have a history at Texas. I’ve been going down there every once in a while, have been to a few games,” Green said. (Suchomel)
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Frisco Wakeland offensive lineman Rafiti Ghirmai has Texas in his top 12. He visited UT for a junior day back in February and looking back at that visit, said he liked what he saw.
“I went there and everyone was nice. I got to meet the players. I met a lineman, Denzel (Okafor). Me, him and my friend, we just talked all day. He was just straight up, telling us the real deal, how coach Warehime works,” Ghirmai said. “He wasn’t sugar-coating anything. It’s the same with coach Warehime. When we were in our position meetings, he was like, ‘It’s going to be hard.’ They call Tuesday practices Bloody Tuesdays because of how intense it’s going to be. I like a coach that doesn’t sugarcoat things and he was straight up, so I liked that.”
Ghirmai said he expects to see improvement from the Longhorns beginning this year, and said his relationship with Warehime is a big reason the Longhorns are in contention for his commitment.
“Coach Warehime is a great guy. He keeps in contact with me every day,” Ghirmai said. “I’m trying to schedule a visit. I was supposed to go next weekend but I have a track meet so I couldn’t attend. He’s been trying to get me down there to check them out, check the dorms out, all that stuff.”
Ghirmai doesn’t plan on slowly trimming his list from 12 teams. Instead, he said he’ll just commit to one, likely shortly after his senior season ends. He said he wants to take official visits to Texas, TCU and Florida for sure. (Suchomel)
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Rivals250 DB Josh Proctor (Owasso, OK) will probably be tough to pry away from the Sooners, but Proctor told OB this week the Longhorns are definitely a school he’ll be watching.
“Most definitely. That’s a big program,” Proctor said. “(The UT offer) kind of came out of nowhere. I wasn’t really expecting it, but I’m definitely planning on visiting there sometime soon.
“I like their tradition. I lot of people have been through there, great players. It just seems like a great place.”
If Texas can get him on campus, the Longhorns may have a puncher’s chance, and Proctor does plan on visiting so we’ll keep an eye on this one. (Suchomel)
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Looking for a wildcard name at the quarterback position? Remember the name of Gerry Bohanon.
Bohanon, out of Earle (Ark), holds offers from most of the SEC and while that’s where his focus is right now, he said he’s not locked into that part of the country and would be extremely interested if the Longhorns came calling.
“I’ve been watching them the past couple years, but I haven’t been in contact with any coaches or anything,” Bohanon said. “I’m hoping that I could get in contact with some coaches.
“Their offense is similar to what I run in high school. It feels like if I could wind up playing in an offense like that, it would be pretty good.”
Along with the SEC programs, Bohanon said Nebraska and TCU are two schools who have been in touch. He plans to visit Georgia, Auburn, LSU, Tennessee and Arkansas this spring.
How hard would it be for a school like Texas to get him away from the SEC schools if the Longhorns jumped into the mix?
“I like the SEC, but if there’s a better fit for me to leave and go to another college, I would do it,” Bohanon said. (Suchomel)
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Colleyville Heritage 2020 wide receiver Kam Brown put on an impressive showing at last weekend’s Under Armour Dallas camp. Brown holds a UT offer, and plans to visit Texas this weekend.
“I love Texas. It’s a great place. My cousin is down there doing law school,” Brown said.
There’s no order, but Brown listed the following schools as having caught his attention at this early stage of the process - Alabama, UCLA, Texas, TCU, SMU and North Carolina. When it does come time to really focus in on schools, Brown said a couple factors will be important for him.
“All those things (academics, playing time) are really going to play in, but I’m going to need great academics, great coaching, somewhere where the coach is stabilized, where you’re not worried about him leaving or getting fired the next year,” Brown said. (Suchomel)
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If a program recruits elite talents, the conversation around that program this time of the year will likely include NBA Draft declarations, and more stay-or-go talk than a hit single by The Clash.
We’ll start with sophomore-to-be guard Andrew Jones, who announced last night that he will test the NBA Draft waters, but won’t hire an agent. As we reported last week, Jones was mulling over the decision to put his name in the draft, so his decision to declare wasn’t a surprise. After communicating with multiple sources, the discussion about whether or not Jones will stay in the draft remains the same: it would be very, very surprising if he’s not at Texas next season.
“We want to see where I stand in the draft, but we’re also looking to improve my game as well,” said Jones via a UT release. “We are looking to get accurate feedback from NBA personnel to know my scouting report, so that I can get better during this offseason.”
I believe that quote says it all – Jones wants information about what NBA personnel think of him as a player, and wants to take that information back with him to an offseason on the 40 Acres. He wants to improve his game, and wants NBA information to help him do that because, like all five-star prospects, the NBA is the future goal eventually, and in less than four years on a university campus.
Is there a chance Jones stays in the draft? No such thing as zero percent for a player that goes through the combine and works out, assuming Jones does that. But the chance is tiny, right now.
“98-percent he returns,” a source told me today, referencing that a spot in the lottery is the one thing that could pull Jones away. Considering how loaded this year’s draft will be and the up-and-down year Jones had, it’s highly unlikely he’d be able to work himself into that spot.
As for Allen, there’s nothing new to report. While the chatter from all over puts Allen in the NBA next season more so than a return to Texas, multiple sources dialed into the process remain consistent in their assessment of the situation – no decision has been made. (McComas)
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A few quick-hitter hoops recruiting notes to pass along:
--- Our attempts to get Zhaire Smith, a 2017 wing from Lakeview Centennial, on the phone or to respond to text have been unsuccessful following his official visit to Texas. He’ll visit Texas Tech next weekend, and then has a Georgia Tech visit scheduled also. Basically, from everything I’ve gathered he’s still evaluating options, and taking visits, so no decision expected in the very near future.
--- A name to follow in the 2018 class: Findlay Prep forward Reggie Chaney. Cheney, who used to play football and hoops at Frisco Liberty before making the move to hoops only at Findlay Prep, is listed at 6-7, 220 pounds. To be blunt, he’s a physical specimen thanks to a very muscular frame that doesn’t limit his impressive explosiveness or athleticism in any way. He might be pushing 6-8, 230.
Chaney told me today he’s not playing football anymore, and that Texas has recently been showing interest. The Longhorns called Findlay Prep coach Paul Washington this week to talk about Chaney, Washington told me today.
Against Oak Hill Academy, Chaney was dominant in the interior (21 points on 9-of-12 shooting with 9 rebounds), and at times bullied 2017 five-star Billy Preston with a better motor, strength, toughness, and ability in the paint. He’s just scratching the surface of what he could become as a basketball player, and profiles as a strong, athletic frontcourt player that has developing skill in and around the paint with solid touch at the free throw line and perhaps future ability in the mid-range or pick-and-pop.
The only two schools Chaney said he’s hearing from the most right now are Notre Dame and Baylor.
--- Mark Smith, Illinois’ Gatorade Player of the Year, is owner of arguably the hottest hoops stock in the 2017 class. Texas offered a while back, and was working towards getting a visit. Recently, Kentucky has entered the mix and Michigan State offered this week, which speaks to how good Smith is, who is just now focusing on basketball full time.
Smith, a combo guard, didn’t strike me as a guy that was in a rush with the process when we talked a while back, and had some interest in Texas. Who knows now?
--- Interesting nugget: sat beside the father of No. 1 overall in 2019 R.J. Barrett (Montverde Academy in Florida via Mississauga, Ontario, Canada), who told me he talks to Shaka Smart frequently, and Texas has been recruiting Barrett, an ultra-talented 6-7 wing, for a while. The interesting part? Barrett has a family connection to current Texas Track and Field coach Mario Sategna. Sategna is married to R.J.’s aunt, Dahlia.
No, this isn’t a “get your hopes up” moment, but Barrett has routinely listed Texas as one of the schools that’s been on him the most, and now we know Smart isn’t the only person pitching him on the Longhorns. Rowan told me Dahlia is telling them about Texas all the time. Just something to file away. (McComas)
Herman made a run at LSU grad transfer Brandon Harris, who was interested in playing at Texas. Harris had a tentative visit to Austin scheduled this weekend, but committed to North Carolina earlier this week after a recent campus visit. Instead of giving up on obtaining another grad transfer, Herman is kicking the tires on Notre Dame quarterback Malik Zaire.
I can confirm Herman is actively recruiting Zaire and trying to sell him on the benefits of playing for Texas. In fact, Zaire spent Wednesday evening on the phone with Longhorn offensive coordinator Tim Beck. From what I can tell, it appears Zaire and Beck had a good conversation.
Here are some quick facts worth mentioning before we go further:
- According to several published reports, Wisconsin and Florida are also competing for Zaire. The person I spoke to did not want to confirm those schools, but told me, “All I can say is that two schools are really interested. One school for sure.”
- Zaire has not scheduled an official visit to Austin. It seems like he is trying to get a good feel for all the schools involved in the recruiting process.
- He may not begin to narrow down his decision until after the schools interested in him finish playing their respective spring games. It appears Zaire wants to see how each quarterback performs, plus watch each offense, to gauge which school might be the best fit for him.
Sounds simple.
What is the catch, right?
Well, just like Harris, Zaire will only attend a school where he feels like there is a good chance he may start this season. He is not looking to go anywhere for depth, or to simply be a part of another program. After losing his job last season, Zaire wants to play.
“Well, put it this way,” I was told. “Zaire has always wanted a fair chance to compete because it makes him better. His concern is going anywhere that the cards are already stacked, and he would be used as a motivator to push someone else to get better and then he is regulated to a backup role. That's a bunch of tomfoolery, and he won't have any of that.
“So, if any coach is out there who is willing to be upfront straight out the gate, and the offense is great for his particular skill set, then I am sure he will listen. It's all about him helping any team win a national championship with him playing an important part of that, and not being played and being regulated to a lesser role contributing to nothing. I tell you what, this kid works his ass off to get better to help the team win. He is an alpha male, a leader, and a damn good player.”
That brings us back the interview I had with Herman last week.
When I asked Herman about a grad transfer wanting to come in and play right away, he tried to shoot down that assertion, even though Harris told me he was looking to start at another school this season.
“I don’t believe that’s true,” Herman told me last week. “We had a great experience with a kid named Adam Schulz from the University of Utah. Had actually started a few games, and they had a little quarterback carousal going on around there. He was told, ‘Hey, it’s going to be a two-man race in the fall.’ He said, ‘Okay, I just want to go and compete somewhere.' He came to Houston and competed with Greg Ward Jr. and we signed him because, quite frankly, we didn’t know if Greg could play quarterback. Adam turned out to be a marvelous quarterback, and had a tremendous experience at University of Houston. I think he’s working for the NCAA right now, and got the job through his ties at the University of Houston. I don’t think that’s always the case. I think they’re all different. You would quite literally have to have zero quarterbacks in your rosters for said grad transfer to think there is going to be zero competition. I think they realize they’re always going to have to beat out whoever is in that room.”
I get the feeling Zaire is looking to attend a place where he has a good chance of winning the job. Zaire wants to compete, but it has to be the right situation for him.
Texas currently has Shane Buechele (sophomore) and Sam Ehlinger (freshman) competing for a starting position. If Herman is considering redshirting Ehlinger, a two-man competition between Beuchele and Zaire might be intriguing to the grad transfer.
Here is the answer I received when I asked if Zaire is looking to be promised a starting spot or is seeking a fair shot.
“A strong assurance, and the offense has to be the right fit for his skill set to lead the team and for him to really shine in doing it,” I was told.
Zaire compiled 816 passing yards, six passing touchdowns, 324 rushing yards and two more scores while failing to commit a turnover in his four-year career at Notre Dame. The best game of Zaire’s career was against Texas, when he completed 19 of 22 passes for 313 yards and three touchdowns in a 38-3 Irish victory in the 2015 season opener. Last season, he completed just 2-of-5 passes for 23 yards in a double-overtime defeat in Austin, which signaled his time at Notre Dame was coming to an end.
Buechele compiled 2,958 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, while rushing for 151 yards and two touchdowns last season.
Like Haris, Zaire has a lot of respect for Herman.
Zaire is considering Texas because of Herman’s history with quarterbacks, plus his reputation of running successful offenses at Ohio State and Houston.
“Herman is a fine coach and a player's coach. A coach the kids buy into,” I was told. “He gets the most out of them because he cares about them, and he doesn't bully them or scare them into doing the right thing for the program. He will have the team competitive within two seasons at national championship level.” (Richardson)
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We had a 15-minute window to watch practice on Thursday, but did not get a chance to see any 11-on-11 drills. However, there were definitely plenty of notes worth passing on.
- Chris Warren, Tristian Houston and Kirk Johnson did not participate in Thursday’s practice. Johnson has been battling through injuries this spring, but it appears his knee injury may have flared up on him again. The only running backs who participated were Kyle Porter and Trenton Hafley (a walk-on).
- Speaking of running backs, Texas had its quarterbacks working out with Stan Drayton during practice. Each quarterback had to maneuver around step-over dummies before planting his hand in the grass to get around an impact ball. Drayton worked them like running backs, and each passer was more focused on executing the drills properly rather than looking like the next Ricky Williams. The drills were so new to them, Shane Buechele was smiling and laughing with his quarterbacks after each rep.
- In addition to the footwork drills, each quarterback had to line up at receiver and catch passes. There is a walk-on quarterback (No. 17) throwing passes to Sam Ehlinger, Josh Covey and Buechele. I inquired about No. 17, but nobody knew who he was.
- Every time I see Holton Hill, he has looked good at practice. Well, Texas defensive backs coach Jason Washington was so excited about Hill during backpedaling drills, he went out of his way to praise the cornerback during practice. Hill’s footwork was incredibly fluid, he kept his body tight, and when it was time to change direction and open up, he exploded with ease. Hill’s footwork is arguably the best in that group.
- Kris Boyd and Hill were the first cornerbacks during drills. Boyd displayed good footwork and looked the part. Hill was a notch above Boyd. However, Boyd is another guy Washington was impressed with on Thursday.
- Eric Cuffee is one guy who struggled during backpedaling drills. Washington had to put in extra time with Cuffee, who routinely broke too early. It is clear Cuffee is a young guy who needs to put in some extra work.
- Patrick Hudson worked out at second string right guard, while J.P. Urquidez was at second string left tackle. (Richardson)
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Overland Park (KS) Blue Valley North defensive end Miles Emery tried to make it in for UT’s junior day in February but was unable to attend. Emery was in Texas last weekend for the Dallas Under Armour Camp so he took advantage of the opportunity and made his way down to Austin to take in UT’s scrimmage on Saturday.
Emery, who holds offers from Oklahoma, Iowa State, Kansas and Louisville, said it was a good experience overall.
“It was fun. It was my first practice I’ve been to for any college visit, so that was cool seeing how they coached the d-line,” Emery said. “I liked that. (Oscar Giles) was a very eager, very energetic guy. It was fun being there at the practice.”
Emery is planning to take upcoming visits to Louisville and OU for spring practices.
Texas didn’t offer, but the 6-5, 235-pounder is hoping one comes in the future.
“They said they’re talking to the coaches and just getting things settled in with the head coach. They’re working to see if they can offer me,” Emery said.
At this point, Emery said he doesn’t have an actual list of leaders since the recruiting process is still pretty new to him. He does want to commit this summer, so he’ll need to start working through his options in the near future. If Texas offers, I’d expect the Longhorns to draw heavy consideration.
“If they were to offer, they would be pretty high up there, move some schools down,” Emery said. “It would cool to be offered from them. They’re a great school. I like their engineering program because I want to be an engineer.” (Suchomel)
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One defensive end who does hold an offer from Texas is Oklahoma City Ron Tatum.
Tatum took an unofficial visit to Texas early this spring and said he’s not ready to list a group of favorites because he’s still visiting schools. He hopes to have some sort of list this summer.
As for Texas, he said the spring visit was very productive and the Longhorns are very much in the mix.
“It was just the coaches. They were all great,” Tatum said. They treated me like I was family, like I was already there. They were all great.
“They’re at the top, one of the top schools. Everything was great at Texas – the coaches, the facilities, the players … it was all great.”
Tatum said he’s hoping to get back down to Austin soon for another visits. When it comes time to narrow his focus, he said it will come down to the people in the program and the opportunity for early playing time.
On the surface, it feels like Tatum is going to be tough to get away from OU, but he said he’s open to going anywhere that fits him.
“It won’t be hard. It doesn’t matter if it’s out of state. I’ll leave. That doesn’t matter to me. It’s all based on the school,” Tatum said. (Suchomel)
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Fort Worth Eastern Hills linebacker Byron Hobbs holds a Texas offer after visiting during junior day weekend, and he was back on campus on Saturday to watch the Longhorns’ spring practice.
According to Hobbs, the visit made an impression, including the time spent with the coaches and players.
“The Texas visit was a big deal to me,” Hobbs said. “I definitely did enjoy Texas, just being out there with coach Herman, coach Orlando and the linebackers out there.”
Hobbs said UT’s sales pitch was for him to be part of the family and help rebuild the Longhorns’ rebuilding efforts. That strategy could pay off for the Longhorns.
“I don’t want a school that’s already up there. I don’t want a school that already has the luxury of winning a national championship,” Hobbs said. “I want a school that’s going to have to rebuild and make me work. And then a school that’s going to help me after I graduate.”
Coming up, Hobbs will visit Texas A&M, Arkansas, Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and TCU. He said also he’s “definitely” going to bet back to Texas to see more of the school and the city of Austin. Hobbs listed five schools as standing out.
“Right now I’m just enjoying the process but I have to say Texas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, TCU and A&M are in there,” he said.
Hobbs said Texas likes him as a rover/outside linebacker and said he could see him playing a role similar to Malik Jefferson as Hobbs builds on his 6-4 frame. He liked what he saw from the Texas linebackers at Saturday’s scrimmage, including the energy by UT’s “old” defensive coordinator.
“(Orlando) brings aggression. He’s aggressive, he has the juice. For an old guy, he has a lot of juice,” Hobbs said. (Suchomel)
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Rockwall linebacker Alston Orji holds a UT offer and took a recent unofficial visit with his family to see the Texas program. In reflecting on that visit, Orji said it was a productive trip and he expects the Longhorns to turn things around under the current coaching staff.
“I’m thinking Texas is doing great things right now. Their staff has reached out to me numerous times. We’ve had very good conversation about the future, what it holds for them, what it holds for me,” Orji said. “I believe they’re going to do great things with the program, turn things around and create something great at Texas again.”
Orji is serious about his academics and said the resources at Texas were one of the things that caught his eye during his visit.
“They have good proximity to the resources for their players. Their dorms are very close to the academic center. The academic center is very close to the coaches’ offices. So everything is kind of in the center, so it’s very easy for coaches to check up on players,” Orji said. “It’s just a walk away. It’s easy for players to get to the academic and get things figured out for themselves.”
Although he’s keeping an open mind and still evaluating other programs, including some out-of-state schools, Orji said there are some schools in the area that have grabbed his attention.
“There are a lot of schools that stand out to me. I’m not trying to rank any above the others, but based on my relationships, a lot of the schools nearby – Texas, Oklahoma, A&M, Arkansas – have really stood out just because I’ve been able to establish a good relationship with those coaches,” Orji said.
As it stands right now, Orji doesn’t have any plans to return to Texas for a visit in the immediate future. He may hit some out of state schools and mentioned Michigan, UCLA and Notre Dame specifically. (Suchomel)
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Texas offered DeSoto cornerback Gemon Green a couple weeks ago and while Green told us he’ was “very excited getting that offer,” it sounds like the Longhorns may have some work to do if they hope to land his commitment.
Green said he is dead-set on playing college ball with his twin brother, German Green. Green did list Texas in his top group with Michigan, Colorado and TCU, but the Longhorns haven’t offered German, while some of the other schools high on his list (Michigan and Colorado) have.
Green said he plans to visit Michigan on April 18 and has a Baylor visit set up but didn’t know the exact date. He’s hoping to return to Austin for UT’s spring game and does have some history with Texas that could help the Longhorns’ chances.
“My sister graduated from Texas. I have a history at Texas. I’ve been going down there every once in a while, have been to a few games,” Green said. (Suchomel)
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Frisco Wakeland offensive lineman Rafiti Ghirmai has Texas in his top 12. He visited UT for a junior day back in February and looking back at that visit, said he liked what he saw.
“I went there and everyone was nice. I got to meet the players. I met a lineman, Denzel (Okafor). Me, him and my friend, we just talked all day. He was just straight up, telling us the real deal, how coach Warehime works,” Ghirmai said. “He wasn’t sugar-coating anything. It’s the same with coach Warehime. When we were in our position meetings, he was like, ‘It’s going to be hard.’ They call Tuesday practices Bloody Tuesdays because of how intense it’s going to be. I like a coach that doesn’t sugarcoat things and he was straight up, so I liked that.”
Ghirmai said he expects to see improvement from the Longhorns beginning this year, and said his relationship with Warehime is a big reason the Longhorns are in contention for his commitment.
“Coach Warehime is a great guy. He keeps in contact with me every day,” Ghirmai said. “I’m trying to schedule a visit. I was supposed to go next weekend but I have a track meet so I couldn’t attend. He’s been trying to get me down there to check them out, check the dorms out, all that stuff.”
Ghirmai doesn’t plan on slowly trimming his list from 12 teams. Instead, he said he’ll just commit to one, likely shortly after his senior season ends. He said he wants to take official visits to Texas, TCU and Florida for sure. (Suchomel)
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Rivals250 DB Josh Proctor (Owasso, OK) will probably be tough to pry away from the Sooners, but Proctor told OB this week the Longhorns are definitely a school he’ll be watching.
“Most definitely. That’s a big program,” Proctor said. “(The UT offer) kind of came out of nowhere. I wasn’t really expecting it, but I’m definitely planning on visiting there sometime soon.
“I like their tradition. I lot of people have been through there, great players. It just seems like a great place.”
If Texas can get him on campus, the Longhorns may have a puncher’s chance, and Proctor does plan on visiting so we’ll keep an eye on this one. (Suchomel)
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Looking for a wildcard name at the quarterback position? Remember the name of Gerry Bohanon.
Bohanon, out of Earle (Ark), holds offers from most of the SEC and while that’s where his focus is right now, he said he’s not locked into that part of the country and would be extremely interested if the Longhorns came calling.
“I’ve been watching them the past couple years, but I haven’t been in contact with any coaches or anything,” Bohanon said. “I’m hoping that I could get in contact with some coaches.
“Their offense is similar to what I run in high school. It feels like if I could wind up playing in an offense like that, it would be pretty good.”
Along with the SEC programs, Bohanon said Nebraska and TCU are two schools who have been in touch. He plans to visit Georgia, Auburn, LSU, Tennessee and Arkansas this spring.
How hard would it be for a school like Texas to get him away from the SEC schools if the Longhorns jumped into the mix?
“I like the SEC, but if there’s a better fit for me to leave and go to another college, I would do it,” Bohanon said. (Suchomel)
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Colleyville Heritage 2020 wide receiver Kam Brown put on an impressive showing at last weekend’s Under Armour Dallas camp. Brown holds a UT offer, and plans to visit Texas this weekend.
“I love Texas. It’s a great place. My cousin is down there doing law school,” Brown said.
There’s no order, but Brown listed the following schools as having caught his attention at this early stage of the process - Alabama, UCLA, Texas, TCU, SMU and North Carolina. When it does come time to really focus in on schools, Brown said a couple factors will be important for him.
“All those things (academics, playing time) are really going to play in, but I’m going to need great academics, great coaching, somewhere where the coach is stabilized, where you’re not worried about him leaving or getting fired the next year,” Brown said. (Suchomel)
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If a program recruits elite talents, the conversation around that program this time of the year will likely include NBA Draft declarations, and more stay-or-go talk than a hit single by The Clash.
We’ll start with sophomore-to-be guard Andrew Jones, who announced last night that he will test the NBA Draft waters, but won’t hire an agent. As we reported last week, Jones was mulling over the decision to put his name in the draft, so his decision to declare wasn’t a surprise. After communicating with multiple sources, the discussion about whether or not Jones will stay in the draft remains the same: it would be very, very surprising if he’s not at Texas next season.
“We want to see where I stand in the draft, but we’re also looking to improve my game as well,” said Jones via a UT release. “We are looking to get accurate feedback from NBA personnel to know my scouting report, so that I can get better during this offseason.”
I believe that quote says it all – Jones wants information about what NBA personnel think of him as a player, and wants to take that information back with him to an offseason on the 40 Acres. He wants to improve his game, and wants NBA information to help him do that because, like all five-star prospects, the NBA is the future goal eventually, and in less than four years on a university campus.
Is there a chance Jones stays in the draft? No such thing as zero percent for a player that goes through the combine and works out, assuming Jones does that. But the chance is tiny, right now.
“98-percent he returns,” a source told me today, referencing that a spot in the lottery is the one thing that could pull Jones away. Considering how loaded this year’s draft will be and the up-and-down year Jones had, it’s highly unlikely he’d be able to work himself into that spot.
As for Allen, there’s nothing new to report. While the chatter from all over puts Allen in the NBA next season more so than a return to Texas, multiple sources dialed into the process remain consistent in their assessment of the situation – no decision has been made. (McComas)
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A few quick-hitter hoops recruiting notes to pass along:
--- Our attempts to get Zhaire Smith, a 2017 wing from Lakeview Centennial, on the phone or to respond to text have been unsuccessful following his official visit to Texas. He’ll visit Texas Tech next weekend, and then has a Georgia Tech visit scheduled also. Basically, from everything I’ve gathered he’s still evaluating options, and taking visits, so no decision expected in the very near future.
--- A name to follow in the 2018 class: Findlay Prep forward Reggie Chaney. Cheney, who used to play football and hoops at Frisco Liberty before making the move to hoops only at Findlay Prep, is listed at 6-7, 220 pounds. To be blunt, he’s a physical specimen thanks to a very muscular frame that doesn’t limit his impressive explosiveness or athleticism in any way. He might be pushing 6-8, 230.
Chaney told me today he’s not playing football anymore, and that Texas has recently been showing interest. The Longhorns called Findlay Prep coach Paul Washington this week to talk about Chaney, Washington told me today.
Against Oak Hill Academy, Chaney was dominant in the interior (21 points on 9-of-12 shooting with 9 rebounds), and at times bullied 2017 five-star Billy Preston with a better motor, strength, toughness, and ability in the paint. He’s just scratching the surface of what he could become as a basketball player, and profiles as a strong, athletic frontcourt player that has developing skill in and around the paint with solid touch at the free throw line and perhaps future ability in the mid-range or pick-and-pop.
The only two schools Chaney said he’s hearing from the most right now are Notre Dame and Baylor.
--- Mark Smith, Illinois’ Gatorade Player of the Year, is owner of arguably the hottest hoops stock in the 2017 class. Texas offered a while back, and was working towards getting a visit. Recently, Kentucky has entered the mix and Michigan State offered this week, which speaks to how good Smith is, who is just now focusing on basketball full time.
Smith, a combo guard, didn’t strike me as a guy that was in a rush with the process when we talked a while back, and had some interest in Texas. Who knows now?
--- Interesting nugget: sat beside the father of No. 1 overall in 2019 R.J. Barrett (Montverde Academy in Florida via Mississauga, Ontario, Canada), who told me he talks to Shaka Smart frequently, and Texas has been recruiting Barrett, an ultra-talented 6-7 wing, for a while. The interesting part? Barrett has a family connection to current Texas Track and Field coach Mario Sategna. Sategna is married to R.J.’s aunt, Dahlia.
No, this isn’t a “get your hopes up” moment, but Barrett has routinely listed Texas as one of the schools that’s been on him the most, and now we know Smart isn’t the only person pitching him on the Longhorns. Rowan told me Dahlia is telling them about Texas all the time. Just something to file away. (McComas)
